Through the early detection and treatment of age-related disease, innovative nutritional therapies, hormone replacement therapy, dieting and exercise, many professionals believe that humans can expect a life span of 100 years or more. Anti-aging medical centers are opening throughout the country, in response to the demand from health-conscious baby boomers, who not only want to extend their life spans, but also to ensure optimal quality of life.

At anti-aging centers, physicians examine and monitor each patient through careful examination, extensive blood analysis and further diagnostic as needed, recommend individualized anti-aging regiment including nutraceutical treatment, hormonal replace therapy and consultation to diet and exercise, to help optimize their health, well-being and longevity.

Theories of Aging

1. The Free Radical Theory:
With an unbalanced electrical energy, free radicals scour cells of the entire body to steal a matching electron and attain electrical equilibrium. They will even disrupt stable molecules in order to attain their own balance. IN doing so, they create additional free radicals¡ªthat continue the destructive pattern, which cause the damage and even the death of cells. The majority of aging diseases are related to free radicals, such as heart diseases, Alzheimer¡¯s, stroke, arthritis, cancer and diabetes.

2. The Neuroendocrinel Theory:
When people are young, their hormones work together to regulate and repair many bodily functions. As people age, their body produces lower levels of hormones, which can result in disastrous effects, including the decline of self-repair and self-regulation. When any hormone gets too low, it could cause bodily dysfunction, such as fatigue, weigh gain, sexual dysfunction, lack of energy and serious diseases.
Hormones also play an important role as the aging clock to determine the timing of different stages of growth development, such as adolescence, middle age, menopause and andropause.
The peak of human growth hormones is between 25 and 30 years old. After that, it starts to decline. At the beginning, the decline is subtle, and after 40, it becomes more obvious. Even though you are still quite healthy, you do not feel as vital as before, your weight continuously increases, your hair starts falling and turning gray, and your skin becomes wrinkly. These all indicate that your hormone system becomes weaker and aging process progresses rapidly.

3. The Cross-Linking Theory
The Cross-Linking Theory of Aging is also referred to as the Glycosylation Theory of Aging. In this theory it is the binding of glucose (simple sugars) to protein, (a process that occurs under the presence of oxygen) that causes various problems.
Once this binding has occurred the protein becomes impaired and is unable to perform as efficiently. Living a longer life is going to lead to the increased possibility of oxygen meeting glucose and protein and known cross-linking disorders include senile cataract and the appearance of tough, leathery and yellow skin. The cross-linking of proteins may also be responsible for cardiac enlargement and the hardening of collagen, which may then lead to the increased susceptibility of a cardiac arrest. They have also been implicated in renal disorders. Diabetics have 2-3 times the numbers pf cross-linked proteins when compared to their healthy counterparts.

4. The Telomerase Theory
Telomeres act to maintain chromosomal integrity. Every time human cells divide, telomeres shorten. Ultimately, once the telomere end pieces of the DNA become too short, cell division slows and finally ceases. It is postulated that this may be the mechanism for the cellular clock of aging.

5. The DNA and Genetic Theories
Human beings are born with a unique genetic code, a predetermined tendency to certain type of physical and mental functioning. And that genetic inheritance has a great deal to say about how quickly we are and how long we live. Each of us comes into the world as a machine that is pre-programmed to self-destruct. Each of us has a biological clock ticking away, set to go off at a particular time, give or take a few years. When that clock goes off, it signals our bodies first to age and then to die.

Optimal Treatments at MD Anti-Aging Centers

Anti-Aging centers of good quality must have properly trained medical doctors certified by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. The doctors¡¯ major responsibilities include aging risk-factor evaluation, lifestyle assessment, physical examination and supervision. Anti-aging lab tests and evaluations include a cardiovascular risk-factor evaluation, hormone deficiency evaluation, bone density survey, total body scan, aging evaluation, nutrition & antioxidant evaluation, metabolic function evaluation and a food allergy evaluation.

Normally, doctors will ask potential patients to fill out the lifestyle evaluation form and then conduct a physical examination at the office. After understanding each patient¡¯s condition, the doctor will order lab tests and other evaluations depending on the individual needs. Usually the patient will be required to return to the doctor¡¯s office in a month to review the test results.

The doctor will design a personalized anti-aging plan according to the test results and the patient¡¯s expectations. In general, the plan will include natural bio-identical hormone therapy, vitamin & antioxidant supplements, exercise & diet program, cosmetic enhancement strategies (such as Botox, Collagen Replacement Therapy, Intense Pulsed Light Therapy, Chemical Peel/Facials, Dermabrasion and Mesotherapy), and stress deduction therapy (such as massage, aroma therapy, mediation, yoga, etc.)
Usually, these plans improve health, reverse or prolong the aging process, and in some occasion, control diseases. Doctors should follow-up with the patients every 3 months to evaluate the improvement and the efficacy of the plan, and try to minimize the side effects. Patients may expect their hormone level to maintain at the peak condition of 25 to 30 years of age.

Quality anti-aging centers may also provide advanced hi-tech equipment, a SPA facility, diverse services and products, and the most updated information on health and beauty. Doing so the participants can enjoy the ultimate benefits of a comprehensive anti-aging therapy.