노화의 개념, 진단 및 관리

Anti-aging medicine is defined as ‘the newest clinical specialty, the optimum of wellness and longevity, and employs extensive therapies and treatment in the preventive health care field far beyond just cholesterol testing and mammogram, by American Academy of Anti-aging Medicine. Aging theories is dived into two main theories, genetic control theory and acquired theory. Though many aging theories have been developed, any single theory is not universally accepted. Aging is defined as a time-related decline in physiological functions and changes in morphology. Aging is usually evaluated by questionnaires (AGHDA), self-test, aging biomarkers tests, and biological age measurements. Biological age measurement is usually considered as the index to evaluate the overall health status and aging degree in clinical practice. The goal of aging management is not only to treat age-related diseases, but to improve the diverse function of body and improve quality of life. Five major methods for aging management are the elimination of risk factors, management of chronic diseases, caloric restriction with nutritional balance, medium-intensity regular exercise, and stress management. Many other methods, such as, anti-oxidant therapy, hormone replacement, smart drugs, immune boosters, detoxification, and alternative medicine have been tried for aging management.