The gut microbiome plays a vital role in digestion, immune health, and even mood regulation. Aging often brings an imbalance in this ecosystem—called dysbiosis—which can lead to systemic inflammation, impaired nutrient absorption, and reduced resistance to disease.
Gut bacteria become unbalanced with age
Affects digestion, immunity, and mood
Promotes inflammation and metabolic issues
Stem cells are responsible for repairing and regenerating tissues. As we age, these cells become depleted or dysfunctional, reducing our ability to recover from injury or maintain healthy tissues. This decline is a major factor in the reduced resilience and healing capacity seen in older adults.
Fewer fresh cells are produced
Tissue repair slows down over time
Healing and regeneration are impaired
Low-level, persistent inflammation—often called 'inflammaging'—is a hallmark of the aging process. It quietly damages tissues, disrupts immune function, and accelerates many age-related diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegeneration.
Immune system stays on high alert
Damages healthy tissues over time
Linked to major aging diseases
Senescent cells are damaged cells that stop dividing but don't die. Instead, they linger in tissues and secrete inflammatory and tissue-degrading molecules, disrupting the function of surrounding healthy cells. Their accumulation over time contributes to chronic inflammation and multiple age-related diseases.
Old cells stop dividing but linger
They release harmful inflammatory signals
Build up contributes to tissue aging
Over time, the chemical markers that regulate our genes—such as DNA methylation—shift in ways that disrupt normal gene expression. These epigenetic changes can cause cells to lose their identity or behave abnormally, contributing to dysfunction across multiple systems, including metabolism, immunity, and tissue repair.
Gene expression becomes less accurate
Cell identity and function are disrupted
Linked to many aging-related changes
Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell, responsible for producing energy. With age, they become less efficient and generate more harmful byproducts, such as reactive oxygen species. This mitochondrial decline contributes to fatigue, inflammation, and tissue damage across the body.
Energy production becomes less efficient
More cellular waste is generated
Leads to fatigue and inflammation
Our cells rely on nutrient-sensing pathways like insulin, mTOR, and AMPK to regulate metabolism and respond to energy availability. As these systems become imbalanced with age, it can lead to metabolic disorders, weight gain, and a reduced ability to manage stress at the cellular level. Targeting these pathways has been shown to extend lifespan in multiple species.
Aging disrupts food and energy signals
Metabolism becomes less responsive
May promote fat storage and disease
As we age, our DNA accumulates damage from internal factors like oxidative stress and external exposures such as radiation or toxins. This ongoing damage disrupts cellular instructions and can lead to mutations, loss of function, or disease. Genomic instability is considered a foundational driver of aging, setting off a cascade of cellular problems.
DNA damage builds up over time
Damaged cells can't function properly
Increases risk of age-related diseases
Aging disrupts the complex communication networks between cells. These changes include increased inflammatory signaling, hormonal imbalances, and misfiring of immune messages, all of which contribute to tissue dysfunction and systemic decline.
Cells send mixed or harmful signals
Chronic inflammation becomes more common
Organ systems lose coordination and balance
Telomeres are the protective end caps on chromosomes that naturally shorten each time a cell divides. When they become too short, cells lose their ability to divide and function properly, leading to cellular aging and tissue decline. Telomere attrition is closely linked with age-related diseases and reduced lifespan.
Chromosome caps shorten with age
Cells lose ability to divide
Leads to tissue aging and breakdown
Autophagy is the cell's internal recycling system—it clears out damaged components and helps maintain cellular quality. With age, this process slows down, allowing cellular 'junk' to build up. The loss of efficient autophagy contributes to inflammation, cellular stress, and functional decline.
Cellular 'cleanup' system slows down
Damaged parts aren't recycled properly
Cells become clogged and less efficient
Proteostasis refers to the body's ability to properly fold, maintain, and recycle proteins. As we age, this balance is lost, leading to an accumulation of misfolded or damaged proteins. These aggregates interfere with cell function and are associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Proteins misfold and clump together
Cells can't clean up damaged proteins
Triggers stress and dysfunction in tissues
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