PROBLEMS OF AGING

Problems of ageing

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Do you know how the body clock takes its toll on you? Read on to find out what happens to the body as you age


BRAIN

We start losing the brain cells in our 20s but it’s a slow process. About 40 per cent of the people above 65 years have some memory impairment – one per cent of them develop dementia every year. One’s personality stabilises by 30 and any sudden change after that may indicate a degenerative illness.

EYES

Difficulty in focusing on something that’s close starts in the 40s and by the 70s, it is harder to distinguish between the fine details.

EARS

Age-related hearing loss occurs in 25 per cent of the people between 65 to 75 years and in 70 to 80 per cent of those over the age of 75.

SENSES

The ability to taste and smell deteriorates with age and this can start as early as 60. Around 30 per cent of 70 to 80-year-olds experience problems with their senses.

SKIN

Ageing begins at 20 but signs are not visible for another 20 years.

HEART

The risk of a heart attack increases with age – especially over 45 for men and over 55 for women.

HEIGHT

By the time we reach the age of 80, we lose as much as two inches in height due to the curving forward of the spine or because of the compression of the discs between the vertebrae.

PROSTATE

Almost doubles in weight between the ages of 20 and 90. Men over 50 are at a much greater risk of developing prostate cancer.

LIVER

We lose around one-third of our body weight between the ages of 30 and 90.

SEXUAL PEAK

Women are best in bed at 35, while men are thought to peak at 18, when testosterone is highest. However, it must be noted that peak hormones doesn’t mean peak sexual performance. After all, the average age of men buying medicines for this is 41.

MUSCLES

Muscle loss begins around 30. Without regular exercise, muscle mass in women declines by 22 per cent between 30 and 70 years, and 23 per cent in men.

JOINTS

Normal movement puts pressure on our joints and, with the added stress created by sports activities, they usually start to wear out between the age of 40 and 50. This can then lead to osteoarthritis – severe joint pain – in the over 65s.

BONES

These begin to lose density at 50, exposing us to a higher risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

SPINE

At about 60, the number of cells in the spinal cord begin to drop, which leads to a decrease in sensation.