Inflammaging Part 1: What Causes Inflammation?

Inflammation is the biggest driver of aging, which is why it’s often referred to as “Inflammaging.”

In this 3 part blog series, we'll dive deep into some of the biggest drivers of inflammation - stress and diet. First, let's understand what inflammation is and how it contributes to aging.

What is Inflammation?

Inflammation is a natural reaction of the body that causes swelling, redness, irritation or pain, heat, and more. While these all sound unpleasant, Inflammation is actually supposed to occur as a healing response to injury or infection.

Inflammation becomes a problem when our body inappropriately activates an inflammatory response - such as in situations of stress or autoimmune disease.

How is inflammation linked to aging?

As we age, our immune system can become dysregulated and produce a constant low level of inflammation. This chronic, sustained inflammation has been linked to a number of age-related diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Inflammaging is thought to contribute to the decline in tissue and organ function that occurs with age.

What causes inflammation?

Some of the major culprits of inflammation are:

• Poor Diet: Processed or fried foods, sugar beverages, and red meat have all been linked to inflammation in the body. A healthy diet is also linked to maintaining a healthy weight, which can in turn reduce inflammation.

• Stress: When we experience stress, the body releases a hormone called cortisol. When we’re constantly stressed, the body overproduces cortisol and leads to inflammation.

• Sedentary lifestyle: A sedentary lifestyle can lead to increased body fat, reduced insulin sensitivity, reduced blood flow, and a dysregulation of the immune system - all of which can contribute to chronic inflammation.

• Gut microbiome imbalances: When the balance of bacteria in the gut is disrupted, the intestinal barrier can weaken and allow bacteria and toxins to leak into the bloodstream. This can trigger an immune response and lead to inflammation.

• Low Vitamin D: A Vitamin D deficiency can lead to dysregulation of the immune system and activation of inflammatory cells, contributing to chronic inflammation.

How do I know if I have inflammation?

Whether or not you can feel inflammation is really dependent on where it is and the cause. This is why it’s helpful to order inflammatory biomarkers, including biomarkers of “hidden” inflammation, when looking to address both preventative and chronic health conditions.

Here are a few signs and symptoms that may indicate that you have chronic inflammation:

• Fatigue: Chronic inflammation can lead to fatigue and a general feeling of malaise.

• Pain: You may notice pain in the affected area. For example, if you have chronic inflammation in your joints, you may experience chronic joint pain.

• Digestive problems: Chronic inflammation in the digestive system can cause a range of symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea.

• Skin problems: Skin conditions such as Psoriasis and eczema can result from long-term inflammation.

• Allergies: Chronic inflammation can lead to an increase in allergies and allergic reactions.

• High blood pressure: Chronic inflammation can contribute to the development of hypertension, or high blood pressure.

• Autoimmune disorders: Chronic inflammation can contribute to the development of autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to talk to your healthcare provider. They can help determine if chronic inflammation is the cause and develop a treatment plan to address the underlying issue.

How can I reduce inflammation?

Strategies to reduce inflammation, such as a healthy diet and exercise, may help to slow the aging process and prevent age-related diseases.

Some treatments that can reduce inflammation include:

• IV Drip Therapy: The Stress IV at Modern Age has high dose vitamin C and glutathione, which are both anti-inflammatory.

• Glutathione injections: Glutathione is an anti-inflammatory naturally produced in the liver. Taking it as an injection or as an oral supplement (NAC) will help combat hidden inflammation.

• Phytisone: Phytisone is a combination of powerful herbs and vitamins known to support your adrenal glands and the way our bodies handle stress and inflammation.

About Michaela Robbins, DNP

Michaela is a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Board-Certified Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner. She completed her nursing education at Columbia University with a background in comprehensive wellness and occupational screenings, ENT, Pulmonary and GI medicine. She has completed training through the American College of Lifestyle Medicine to integrate lifestyle recommendations into chronic disease prevention and management. By pulling from different areas of medicine, Michaela offers an individualized approach to achieving highly personalized health goals to feel good inside and out.

Learn more about all of our Modern Age clinicians here.