Page 78 - Javanan Magazine Issue #1884

PSYCHOLOGICAL
PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUE No. 1882
ISSUE No. 1856
PERSPECTIVES JAVANAN
PERSPECTIVES
JAVANAN
Dr. Alan A.
Modarressi LOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
Clinical and A SOCIOCULTURAL AND MIND AND BODY OUTLOOK
Neuro-Psychologyst
In this column, we examine the mental health issues in the context
of social, culture, and physiological concerns of the Iranian community
THE PROCESS OF AGING AND FRAGILITY

How Older Adults Become Fragile with Aging

n a recent study undertaken by have less Q10 enzyme in their blood health of the blood vessels, prevents that the coenzyme connects with to
several universities and research plasma.” These levels, he continues, damage due to vascular problems lower the risk of a heart attack.
Icenters in Spain and published could be a reference for determining that can be associated with the for- A trial at the University of Colo-
in journal Science & Tech looked how vulnerable people are and es- mation of blood clots, and that can rado Boulder, published by the
into the molecular basis of human tablishing therapies to palliate this. also increase physical capacity by American Heart Association, tried
fragility in old ages. They posed The main deficiency in this mol- improving the delivery of nutrients a 20-milligram-a-day supplement
the question why human beings be- ecule is caused among people who to the muscles.
come fragile after the age of 65. The cannot create it, mainly due to ge- The association of physical ac- with Q10 in the over-60s. The result
study shows how a deficiency of netic reasons. But the secondary one tivity in elderly people with high brought benefits to the endothelium
coenzyme Q10, which charges our can be a cause or consequence of CoQ10 levels could not only im- and a rise in blood flow.
biological batteries, reduces mobil- chronic conditions, such as diabetes prove endothelial capacity [the lin- Another relevant finding of the
ity and the capacity for the genera- or neurodegenerative illnesses. ing of the blood vessels], but also study is that women have greater
tion of this vital molecule. The researcher points to the fact deficits of CoQ10 than men. This
The Q10 coenzyme is vital. If cel- that a lower presence of this fun- reduce the release of vesicles and result needs to be studied more.
lular mitochondria are the body’s damental lipid creates a spiral of factors involved in inflammation They believe it could be related to
batteries, this lipid (Fat) is their char- decline that has to be reversed. Lev- and the senescence phenotype ag- the evolution of the muscles after
ger, being responsible for the trans- els of Q10 fall with lower levels ing. menopause, but that it is a field that
port of electrons and also serving of physical activity, and the lower What’s more, the results of the
as a key antioxidant for the proper these levels, the lower the capacity research indicate that high levels of requires more exploration, as well as
working of the body. A deficiency of to exercise. It’s a vicious circle and CoQ10 are directly linked with low- the effects on cognitive capacity in
Q10, which is linked to aging, gen- a dramatic one, because functional- er cardiovascular risk due to their re- general. This will be the subject of
erates an energy insufficiency that is ity is lost as well as the ability to get lationship with cholesterol, particles his next project.
related to mitochondrial conditions, it back.
cardiac diseases, strokes and neu- To break this trend, there are a
rodegenerative pathologies, such number of complementary strate-
as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkin- gies. The first is to increase physical
son’s. A new study has, for the first activity in a regular and progressive
time, associated low levels of this way. The second is to correct this
coenzyme with sarcopenia, the de- deficit via diet. The Mediterranean
generative loss of skeletal muscle diet and, in particular, the consump-
mass, which creates fragility in old- tion of nuts and varied vegetables
er people. The study reveals that this with vegetable oils. From there, the
is more common in women. direction of the spiral can be invert-
The Q10 coenzyme is a key piece ed: the correction of the deficiency
in the biological puzzle, in particu- allows for more exercise to be done
lar for the brain, heart and muscles and this helps to increase the levels
– precisely the organs that need the of the coenzyme in the blood.
most energy and are the most vul- There are also specific supple-
nerable to such a deficit. A study ments on the market, but the re-
published by the team from the An- searcher warns that these must
dalusian Centre of Developmental always be taken under medical su-
Biology (CABD) in the publication pervision. “There is no need to take
Antioxidants has revealed that this them every day nor in large quanti-
is also a cause and a consequence ties. They can also be counterpro-
of fragility in people aged over 65, ductive when combined with other
as well as being a factor related to pharmaceuticals.
cardiovascular risk. With these preventions, the ben-
The authors of the study sum it efits of a rise in the presence of the
up: “Older people who have more Q10 enzyme are evident. The rise
symptoms or markers of fragility in the plasma levels improves the

DANESH FOROUGHI, PH.D. Alan Modarressi, PhD, QME
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, PSY13680 Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Licensed Marriage, Family & Child Psychotherapist, MFC23455 Qualified Medical Evaluator
Certified National Board of Addiction Examiners #4974 Certified Psychophsychologist
Tel: (310) 940-3642 Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management
15720 Ventura Blvd., Second Fl. #224 Encino CA 91436 (818) 501-6080 (562) 861-7226

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