Aging Process (Essay Sample)

Discuss the chemical changes in human bodies in the process of aging Name : Course: Tutor: University: Location: Date: The chemical changes in human bodies in the process of aging The aging process is a fusion of several factors which include genetic principles, lifestyle activities, and environmental agents. At the cellular level, our cellular community witnesses a change in chemical composition in the aging body. Oxidative damage fills the growing gap between the youth and the elderly. ROS, which are non-living products of cellular metabolism, can impair proteins, lipids, and DNA. After some time, oxidative stress will be responsible for the aberration in cellular function and thus contribute to the aging of tissues and organs(Whitbourne, 2012). Mitochondria also suffer as they provide energy that keeps our organs functioning normally. Mitochondria are the cell's power plants - they are responsible for converting food substances to ATP, the energy carrier molecule of the cell. With age, mitochondrial DNA changes steadily leading to malfunctioning of the mitochondria and diminution in ATP production. These alterations in basal metabolic rate may result in impaired pulmonary performance and depletion of physical endurance, which is typical for entering a new stage of life(Sgarbieri & Pacheco, 2017). To a similar effect, hormonal regulation throughout age is altered. Hormones exert direct selective influence on various physiological processes, including growth, metabolism, and reproduction. With old age comes a falling in the amount of certain hormones that are being produced or secreted by the body, including growth hormones, testosterone, and estrogen. Hormonal adaptation to aging can induce all kinds of male and female symptoms, including bone strength, muscle strength, and cognitive function loss (Phillip et al., 2015). It is worth noting that the present data has shown a strong correlation between aging and epigenetic changes. It should be noted that epigenetic changes also imply the DNA and histone protein modifications, which function as the gene expression controllers. During the aging process, epigenetic signatures that are responsible for the regulatio...