What is aging? Discuss different symptoms of aging. . Give different factors for aging. How we can slow down this process.

What is aging? Discuss different symptoms of aging.

.  Give different factors for aging. How we can slow down this process.

Aging is an integral part of the life cycle of an organism. Even if an individual meets no fatal accident, or is not eaten up by other organisms or does not suffer a killing disease, death still comes as the natural final result of old age. Aging simply means the process of growing old or the process of progressive deterioration in the structure and function of the cells and organs of the body.

Symptoms of aging in man include dry and wrinkled skin, brittle bones, reduced blood circulation, reduction of the body’s immune system against diseases and a thin shriveled body.

These outward signs of aging are the result of changes taking place inside the body, within the cells and the loss of the ability of cells to divide. During a lifetime, millions of cells are destroyed and replaced rapidly by the process of cell division. When more cells are destroyed than are replaced, aging takes place. The ability of cells to divide depends on an organism. This explains why some animals age more rapidly than others and have a shorter life span than others.

The division rate of different body cells is also specific. In human beings, the cells forming the skin are continually destroyed and rebuilt, while the cells constituting the brain undergo no division at all from a time about 5-6 years after birth.

In recent years, much attention has been paid to study the process of aging, and how to slow it down. Physical exercises that counter sluggish blood circulation and other body processes are known to be of some help. Some drugs, which can slow down aging, are also being experimented with.