Rejuvenation Program

WHY DO WE GET OLDER?

There are numerous theories on the subject, here are some of the most accredited.

Genetic theory

According to this theory, the aging process is genetically predetermined: specific genes in the cells determine the biological processes regulating aging in the body. This theory finds its explanation from an evolutionary point of view with the assumption that the organism is specially programmed to limit the survival of individuals and thus create space for new individuals avoiding the risk of overpopulation.

Cross-link theory

Cells are mainly made up of fats and proteins. Many proteins and in particular collagen, which is the most abundant protein in the body, have a chemical structure consisting of numerous molecules joined together by cross-links. This theory argues that with aging, the number of cross-links in protein complexes increases and this alters their normal functioning. In DNA, this increase in cross-links causes irreversible damage affecting the functionality of the whole organism.

Free radical theory

This theory was proposed by Denham Herman in 1954 but its validity was recognized only after 40 years and earned him the Nobel Prize in 1995. The hypothesis was that aging derives from an excess of free radicals produced by complex oxidation processes. In summary, free radicals are molecules that have lost an electron and wander around trying to regain it by tearing it away from another molecule. When the molecule in question belongs to a cell of the organism, this is damaged. In this way, every molecule of the body can be damaged and aging is accelerated.

Neuroendocrine theory

The first evidence that hormones could reverse the aging process dates back to the end of the 19th century, when Charles Edouard Brown Sequard, a member of the French Academy, reported that injections of animal testicles halted aging and restored sexual potency. Today, a century later, we know he was right: a correct hormonal balance slows down aging while an imbalance accelerates it. According to the neuroendocrine theory, aging derives from the involution, above all, of the hypothalamus which is the control center for all hormones in the blood through a complex control system.