This is in response to the letter, The anti-ageing illusion we’re all buying into!, published in the GDN on April 28.
The letter criticised advertisements and media campaigns promoting cosmeceutical anti-ageing products. While the author concluded that ageing is a natural process to be lived, I respectfully disagree.
Ageing is a biological programme, and like any programme, it can be postponed and potentially reversed.
It is increasingly recognised as a disease that must be treated, as it directly impacts quality of life and is the primary driver behind numerous chronic conditions.
A 2015 publication by international researchers declared, “It is time to classify biological ageing as a disease.”
In 2018, the WHO added an extension code in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) for ‘ageing-related’ diseases, defined as those caused by pathological processes that lead to loss of adaptation and progression in older ages.
This includes conditions such as cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Such recognition may pave the way for defining ageing itself as a disease.
Ageing is a multifactorial process characterised by progressive cellular and molecular damage.
Human cells undergo limited replication before programmed cell death (apoptosis), but some cells resist this process, becoming senescent.
These senescent cells contribute to chronic inflammation and tissue dysfunction.
Mitochondrial dysfunction further reduces energy production and increases reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids.
Ferroptosis, or iron-induced cell death, also contributes to organ decline during ageing.
Current approaches to mitigating ageing involve supplements that neutralise ROS and target senescent cells.
Examples include glutathione, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), and astaxanthin.
In the United States, research into rapamycin (sirolimus), traditionally used as an immunosuppressant, has shown promise for anti-ageing.
A clinical trial in older adults (aged 50–85) demonstrated that low-dose rapamycin was safe, well-tolerated, and improved physical function and overall well-being.
In conclusion, ageing should not be dismissed as a natural inevitability but recognised as a disease process that can and should be addressed through science and medicine.
John Churchilly
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