Question 4 of 433
Is aging a disease?
The short answer
Officially, no. Practically, it is the single biggest risk factor for almost every disease you fear, so it makes sense to treat it as something we can slow.
Scientists argue about the label. Dr. David Sinclair, in Lifespan, says aging is a disease and should be treated as one. Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan, in Why We Die, is far more cautious. I side with a middle view: you do not need to settle the philosophy to act. A 70-year-old has many times the heart attack risk of a 40-year-old with the same cholesterol. Slow the underlying process and you delay many diseases at once. That idea is called geroscience, and it is the most important idea in modern medicine that has not yet been proven in humans.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
INTERPRETATION — Geroscience rationale; treating aging itself has not demonstrated longer human life.Evidence grade (draft mapping)JClinical judgment / author synthesisPart 1, Q4 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.