Aging is a complicated process that happens on several stages. The final result of aging is that life span is restricted in multicellular organisms. The limitation on cellular life span is consisted of two parts, first cells lost ability to continue dividing but stay metabolically active, and secondly at some future time cell death occurs. Having a limited number of cellular divisions could put in to aging by slowing down processes such as wound healing, as well as distracting general tissue maintenance. [3(1), 4 (20)] C:\Users\user\Documents\study\issue report\PE0403a2_en.gifC:\Users\user\Documents\study\issue report\asia1.gif
Table 1 and graph 1: http://www.fao.org/sd/2001/pe0403a_en.htm
In Table 1 expected change is done based on the recent decades. The most significant change is the decline in the proportions of young people in all the developing regions, due to fertility declines in elderly. The resulting of this reduction in future will be roughly as large as the increase in numbers of older people in graph 1.
It appears that there are two types of aging which are biological and chronological aging. Biological is based on numerous factors, some can be inhibited, some cannot and it different from person to person. While chronological aging is depends upon time, which is no different for everyone as people age in days, months, and years. [4(2)] Human probably cannot slow down the progression of all aging manifestations. This is because at this stage it appears that some features of increasing age cannot be altered; for instances greying of hair, loss of skin elasticity and hearing, development of cataracts and stiffening of arteries. There are more aspects of aging that can be modified which are physical fitness, mobility, blood pressure, memory, heart disease, cancer and arthritis. And the most modifiable features are that most of people think of as the most important. [3(2), 4(3), (12)]
Figure 1: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/telomeres/
The Possible Treatment
Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is an endocrine hormone that is secreted by the pituitary gland. Growth Hormone (GH) is like testosterone, estrogens, progesterone, melatonin or DHEA. By the time human approach 65 years of age, our pituitary gland is producing only 15% to 20% of the HGH it did in teenage ages. The aim of this treatment is to restore and maintain HGH levels to 70% of a person's youth. [4(4), (6), (16), (21)]
C:\Users\user\Documents\study\issue report\graphDECLINEhghwage.gif
Graph 2: http://www.reallifespan.com/experts.php
Figure 2: http://www.hgh.tv/human-growth-hormone/HGH-replacement-therapy.php [2 (5)]
In Milwaukee and Chicago, the Veterans Administration hospitals, an undersized group of men aged 60 and over began taking bio-identical hormone injections three times weekly and some symptoms of aging noticeably upturned. [4(11)]
The pituitary gland secretes the most HGH at adolescence's stage and this HGH targets muscles and bones which is essential for normal growth. [4(3)] Recombinant Growth Hormone is HGH that synthesized in the lab and biosynthetically hormone that is alike to HGH-for instances, Somatotropin and Humatrope. [4(13), (14)]
First, a blood test will determine the initial levels of cholesterol, blood fat, blood sugar, testosterone, and blood HGH levels. Two low dosage injections recombinant Growth Hormone are given twice a week for the first month. New blood HGH level is retested. Next patient will receive one injection every second day. After one month, to add effects of HGH a low dose of any required hormones is supplemented. For daily injection, patient can do this by themselves at home. [4(5), (13-18)]
HGH helps growth by transport amino acids between cells and into cells. These amino acids are used by the body to build muscles and to restore damage organs. Bio-identical hormones is used to manage for optimal health and by restoring hormone to optimal levels, a person's appearance not only become more younger, but improved function and increased resistance to disease. [4(28)]
Implication
Population of aging grows rapidly than ever before, and that trend has widespread implications for a number of different aspects of our society. The increment in the elder population sadly has resulted in rise of elder abuse. More than 2 million cases of elder abuse reported annually, and still left five cases that unreported for each reported case. Elder violence gives a meaning of being harmed intentionally, neglected or put in harm's way. Several cases, the weak physical and mental condition of some elders makes them more at risk. Studies from the 1970s till 1990s, shows a regular negative exposal of elderly by the media and noticeable mostly through comments referring to decline in aged people. Moreover it will be harder for the younger population to sustain the older population in terms of social security. [3(2), 4 (3), (19), (29)]
Elderly is common to those critical age-related diseases this indirectly will increase the spending on their treatment and accommodation in hospitals. Moreover, most of the treatment usually being offered in such a long term care so this will cause a constantly payment for each patient. This eventually will burden government as the need of huge money to spend on their age-related illness. Sometimes people are required to be retired from activities at an unnecessarily early age. But when it comes to elderly, retirement is considered necessary as there is stereotype which is older people cannot handle work efficiently as their early age. Plus most of the employer think that these elderly usually tend to make excuses despite of their limitation work's energy. However, there are still a few employers that preferred elderly worker compare to younger one because of the experience they have. This more or less shows that the community of the aging people are still being respectable and needed. But still, after they get retired soon, the government has to spend on their pension as there is the pension policy. At least this can help the older population to continue to survive.
Benefits and risks
"...therapy with Growth Hormone has shown beneficial and normalizing effect on parameters such as cardiac and renal function, thyroid hormone and bone metabolism, sweat secretion, total and regional fuel metabolism and psychological well being..."
Dr. Jorgensen and Dr. Christian
of Copenhagen, Denmark, in European Journal of Endocrinology, 1994 [4(11)]
Hormone replacement therapy may hinder women against osteoporosis. Major studies have announced that women who receive estrogens after menopause experience less bone fractures than women who do not. Prior to 1997, it was impossible for everyone to take expensive injections of synthetic growth hormone because this could cost anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 a year but now there are tonnes of new products which are affordable for all. Hormone replacement therapy has been accessible in tablets, implants, skin patches, and creams so that easier for allergic person who only attached to one particular medicine. Thickness and youthful of skin is retrieve as it becomes more elastic and hydrated. Patients report improved the capability to handle adversity confidently and optimism. As the body old, the body grows defenceless to malfunctions such as heart disease, cancer, memory, hair and vision loss, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, immune system deficiency and high stress levels. Not only able counters these risky problems, this HGH could fight against them by promoting cellular growth all over the body. [4(14), (17), (21), (27)]
Although (HRT) promotes to lots of benefits of the youthful levels these hormones also encouraged cancer growth and therefore it is dangerous to use unless there is cure for cancer. Plus, it is a continuous therapy, meaning forever, so it will cost more money just to maintain at young-age feeling. But then when a person stops the treatment, he would return to feeling his age back. [3(5), 4(3), (20)]
However till now there are no former side effects if dosages taken are low and regularly monitored with blood testing by the doctor. Both genders above 40 years of age will benefit and this therapy give maximum benefits only for those with discipline and commitment in the areas of hormone replacement not to forget proper diet, nutrition, exercise and sleep.
Alternatives treatments
Telomeres lengthening
Engineering approach is possible to dramatically slow down aging by periodically repairing the age-related damage accumulated in organism which is by lengthening of telomeres. Once the telomere shrinks to a certain level, the cell can no longer divide. Its metabolism slows down, it ages, and dies. [3(1), 4 (7), (8), (10), (9)]
Figure 3: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/telomeres/
Stanford researchers also had explained how nanocircles; a circles of synthetic DNA - could elongated the telomeres. As all cells hold stranded DNA that is capped off by telomeres this research team could use their synthetic DNA to elongated telomeres automatically when they are placed in the test tube. This happens as new TTAGGG sequences are added repeatedly. Naturally, a chromosome can be elongated using telomerase. But because telomerase is hard to generate in the lab, scientists build synthetic nanocircles that identical to natural telomerase. [3(4), 4(8)]
Healthy Lifestyle
Vitamin supplements can be an effective took in aging. For instance, Vitamin D is essential to healthy aging and as a general rule, one should get the vitamins and minerals from lots of healthy fruits and vegetables. No matter how much the vitamins were taking but still the body was made to move and that's why exercising is suggested to improve person's health. Exercise adds a feeling of energy and keeps everything working smoothly. As a result, now researchers are exploring the likely of exercise to lessen the chance of osteoporosis in elderly. [4(11)]
Calorie Restriction (CR)
Calorie restriction refers to the limiting or reducing of calorie consumed - without a synchronized in intake of essential nutrients. CR is an approach to stay healthy and having the maximum life span in rodents and primates. Some animal researches carried out in the past 20 years have shown up to a 40% increment in utmost life span. CR can lead to reduction of DNA damage in the meantime repairing DNA. There are studies show that CR can effectively slow the immune system aging besides helps in reduces the decline in stem cell production. CR is usually practised by taking foods with high levels of nutrients-but fairly low levels of calories. [4(4), (11), (25), (26)]
Eat much more
Eat much less
Green vegetables
Salad fruits
Berries
Cakes
Biscuits
Sweets
Eat a bit more
Eat a bit less
Root vegetables
Fruit
Fish
Nuts
Seeds
Cereals
Bread
Potatoes
Meat and dairy
Crisp bread
Table 1: http://cr.timtyler.org/introduction/index.php
So basically there are lots of other alternatives remedies besides of main treatment, but then a person can easily achieved the youth's feeling just by practising the healthy lifestyle regularly or by undergoing the CR because both of these alternatives are less risky compare to that lengthening telomere.
Evaluation
There are lots of sources agreed HRT that used these HGHs can reached bunch of benefits by condition of continuously being taken. For example, these two references presented three evidences of HGHs from past studies in their websites [4(16); http://www.antiaginggroup.com and 4(31); http://antiagingsolutiononline.com/Human_Growth_Hormone.php] which are studies in 1990, 1991 and the latest one was on 2003. Thus, these two websites are considered reliable as three studies were showed. These websites has explained many things regarding the HGH in order to convince the elderly who want to maintain youth to undergo this therapy. Most of the websites that related to anti-aging health only used the study in 1990 or 1991; either one and not using the research conducted in 2003, so these sources are considered less updated which can cause biased viewpoints. [4(11), (16), (19), (30), (31)] The AAG Health website (http://www.antiaginggroup.com) specializes in medically supervised HGH therapy and HRT which employ the latest preference in treatment protocols. Thus it should be accurate and up-to-date, so any information on this website is trustable.
I evaluated another source http://www.hgh.tv/human-growth-hormone/HGH-replacement-therapy.php which runs by Conscious Evolution Institute Medical. This website has concluded all the scientific information about anti-aging; to be exact HGH. It also has included the views of the treatment from the specialists. It is trustable because the information has gone through all stages to ensure the validity before being published.
Total words: 1996 words
