Introduction
The efficiency of body systems is dependent on the age of individuals. At a young age through adolescent and young adulthood, the physiological functions of the body function at optimal levels. All the tissues, organs, and biological systems are in perfect condition and are able to perform their roles. As aging advances, however, the body systems start demonstrating reduced efficiency, slowed building and replacement, and even actual loss of tissues. The current paper aims at investigating how aging interferes with the body’s physiology. It will explore the changes that happen to organs and tissues as the body continues with the aging process. Notably, the process of aging is different from individual to individual but scholars have identified some generalizations that inform the relationship between aging and the body’s physiological function. The paper argues that aging is a progressive process that reduces the efficiency of the physiological functioning of the human body.
The Skin
The skin is the external largest tissue in the body and is tasked with the mandate of protecting internal organs from the hostile environment. It performs this role by providing a cover that controls temperature, prevents dehydration, absorbs shock, and prevents internal organs from infections. At advanced age, the dermis part of the skin can reduce by up to 20 percent. Such a condition reduces the vascularity of the skin and makes it less elastic (Farley, 2010). Further, it reduces the ability of the body to regulate the temperature as the skin becomes thin, fragile and less sensitive. It also loses a big number of sebaceous glands; a condition which can cause excessive sweating. Additionally, the deposition of subcutaneous fat is modified so that internal organs such as blood vessels and bones are visible. Instead of being deposited uniformly, fat is mostly deposited around the abdomen and in the thighs.
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Respiratory System
The respiration system ensures that the body has access to energy that is required to run all the bodily functions. The efficiency of this system decreases with age and lungs are the most affected organs. Basically, lung function decreases due to diminishing elastic recoil within the tissues. Additionally, the chest walls become more rigid thus decreasing the amount of air that passes from the nose to the respiration system. The airways become smaller and the surface area available for gaseous exchange reduces greatly. According to Williams at al. (2013) aging also causes a decrease in the expiratory flow rates. Such a condition means that the closing capacity of lungs is reduced and thus, the partial pressure of arterial pressure is decreased. The resulting condition is decrease of the oxygen available to provide energy to the body. Such a condition is notwithstanding decreased respiratory reserves such as the vital capacity of the lungs.
Cardiovascular System
Aging has immense effects on the functionality of the heart, blood vessels, and the blood itself. These changes reduce the efficiency in the rate at which blood travels around the body delivering oxygen and nutrients and collecting waste products for disposal. To begin with, age interferes the heart’s SA node and causes slowness in the heartbeats. The chambers of the heart are also affected in several ways. For example, the walls of the left ventricle thicken and thus, reduce the rate at which blood fills before being distributed to the body. The heart of older people is also susceptible to a pigment known as lipofuscin which is associated with degeneration if the muscles especially at the valves. As the valves thicken and become stiffer, a certain sound known as heart murmur maybe experienced (Timiras, 2011).
To the blood vessels, aging mostly affects the sensitivity and thickness of the walls. Blood vessels contain special receptors known as baroreceptors which monitor and adjust blood pressure in relation to activities or positions. With age, these receptors become less sensitive and cause orthostatic hypotension. This is condition in which the blood pressure of a person lowers when he/she changes from sitting to standing position and is usually characterized by dizziness. Blood vessels such as capillaries and the aorta become stiffer; a condition which makes them less efficient in their functions.
According to Farley (2010), aging also influences the efficiency of blood in transporting substances around the body. The most notable changes concern the volume and composition of blood. On the one hand, aging is known to reduce body water and thus, results in less blood volume. On the other, it has been confirmed that aging reduces the rate at which blood cells are produced. Such a condition makes older people susceptible to anemia and blood loss. Finally, aging causes a reduction of white blood cells known as neutrophils and increases the individuals risk of bacterial infections.
The Excretion System
To a large extent, the functions of the excretion system are carried out by the kidney and assisted by the bladder and the urinary tract. The kidneys, being the key players, undergo most of the changes as the body ages. For example, the amount of the kidney tissue decreases as does the number of nephrons. Nephrons are the smallest units in the kidney play the role of filtering waste materials from the blood. In addition, the blood vessels that supply and remove blood from the kidney harden and stiffen. As a result, the process of blood cleansing is slowed or even hindered in advanced stages (Farley, 2010). Similarly devastating changes are experienced in the bladder where its elasticity is reduced; a condition which decreases its ability to hold urine. The urinary tract also experiences some changes which can include blockage of the urethra. In women, blockage of the urethra is caused by weakened muscles which can cause the vagina to dislodge. In men, enlargement of the prostate gland is the greatest cause of blockage.
The Digestive System
Of all the other organ systems, the digestive system is the least affected by aging. However, it has some detrimental effects which cannot be ignored in this paper. For example, the strength of esophageal contractions and the strength of the sphincters at the upper side of the esophagus reduce greatly. However, the movement of the food down the tube is not impaired by these changes. With regard to the stomach, aging causes the linings to reduce their resistance to damage. Such a condition is blamed for development of peptic ulcer disease among the elderly (Timiras, 2011). The stomach walls also become more rigid thus reducing the amount of food that one can hold at a certain time. The same effect is witnessed in the intestines but it has less impact on the passage of food. The functionality of organs such as the liver remains relatively constant unless one has underlying health problems. Some common changes are experienced in the rectum as it expands and makes it a bit bigger. Old people are also likely to undergo increased constipation caused partially by slow movement of food in the alimentary canal and decreased contractions in the rectal walls.
Making Older People feel Young
Undeniably, the age of an individual cannot be reversed. However, the mental conditions and physical manifestations of the body can be modified to reduce the changes associated with aging. In the 21 st century where career and personal activities are almost overlapping, individuals should adopt stress-relieving measures as it has been confined that mental stress increases the rate of aging. Additionally, older people should take regular breaks from their normal activities and engage in the things they enjoy doing out of routine. In fact, Timiras (2011) argues that people are aging relatively fast nowadays because they spend their lives engaging in job activities that do not give them personal pleasure. To reduce physical manifestations of age, older people should engage in exercises, control their diet, and avoid stressful experiences.
Making Young People Older
It is impossible to change the age of a person but the symptoms associated with age can set in abnormally early. In the recent past, scholars have found an association between some behaviors and early onset of aging. For example, heavy consumption of nicotine and its products causes individuals to appear older than is normal for people of his/her age. Additionally, consumption of alcohol and some drugs has been confirmed to increase destruction of some body organs and therefore, making people display signs of aging.
Conclusion
Indeed, aging is a continuous process that eventually reduces the functionality of the physiological functions of the body. The paper has explored how aging influences the functions played by several organ systems in the body. It has become clear that advanced age reduces the efficiency of bodily systems, slows building and repair of damaged cells, and may result in actual tissue loss in extreme conditions. In essence, aging modifies the structure of the organs from their optimal conditions by introducing deficiencies that reduce performance. In the cardiovascular system, for example, aging causes the flexible and elastic blood vessels to harden and stiffen. Such a condition reduces the amount and pressure of blood flowing through the vessels at a given moment. The paper has determined that changes associated with aging can be slowed by choosing embracing healthy lifestyles. Such include physical exercises and healthy diets.
References
Farley, A. (2010). The physiological effects of ageing . Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Timiras, P. S. (2011). Physiological basis of aging and geriatrics . London: Informa Healthcare.
Williams, R. H., Tibbitts, C., & Donahue, W. T. (2013). Process of aging: Social and psychological perspectives . New Brunswick: AldineTransaction.
