Question

List and give a brief explanation of 5 physiological changes a person may go through as they age ?

Answer 1

1. Heart

Your heart pumps all day and night, whether you are awake or asleep. It will pump more than 2.5 billion beats during your lifetime! As you age, blood vessels lose their elasticity, fatty deposits build up against artery walls and the heart has to work harder to circulate the blood through your body. This can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension) and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Taking care of your body with the right types of fuel will help you keep your heart healthy and strong. You can take care of your heart by exercising and eating heart-healthy foods.

2. Bones, Muscles & Joints

As we age, our bones shrink in size and density. Some people actually become shorter! Others are more prone to fractures because of bone loss. Muscles, tendons, and joints may lose strength and flexibility.

Exercise is a great way to slow or prevent problems with bones, muscles, and joints. Maintaining strength and flexibility will help keep you strong. In addition, a healthy diet including calcium can help your bones strong. Be sure to talk to your doctor about what types of diet and exercise are right for you.

3. Digestive System

Swallowing and digestive reflexes slow down as we age. Swallowing may become harder as the esophagus contracts less forcefully. The flow of secretions that help digest food in the stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine may also be reduced. The reduced flow may result in digestive issues that weren’t present when you were younger.

4. Kidneys and Urinary Tract

Kidneys may become less efficient in removing waste from the bloodstream because your kidneys get smaller as they lose cells as you age. Chronic diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure can cause even more damage to kidneys.

Urinary incontinence may occur due to a variety of health conditions. Changes in hormone levels in women and having an enlarged prostate in men are contributing factors that lead to urinary incontinence.

5. Brain and Nervous System

As we age, we naturally lose cells. This is even true in the brain. Memory loss occurs because of the number of brain cells decreases. The brain can compensate for this loss by increasing the number of connections between cells to preserve brain function. Reflexes may slow down, distraction is more likely and coordination is affected.