When it comes to healthy aging, we are curious and always learning. And, our brand partners often provide some of the newest and most interesting studies. So, we thought we’d build an educational series with Timeline. Buckle up; it’s going to be cellularly fascinating.
Our scientific board thoroughly vetted the Timeline studies, research, and products. With 15 years of pioneered scientific discoveries, they are dedicated to rigorous research and we want to break some of that down for you. It is all about nourishing your cells and the groundbreaking research around Urolithin A. Are you ready to Super Age?
Let’s start with our immune system
The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend our bodies against bacteria, viruses, and other harmful substances. Its primary functions include:
- Recognizing and responding to pathogens to mount a response.
- Creating memory cells after an encounter with a new antigen, allowing for a faster and more robust response upon subsequent exposure.
- Destroying abnormal or damaged cells.
- Regulating responses to control the duration of our body’s reaction. Our immune system works to avoid overreacting (which can result in allergies or autoimmune diseases) or underreacting (which can lead to infections or tumor growth).
In essence, our immune system protects the body from infectious disease and removes damaged cells.
What happens to our immune system as we age
Over the years, our immune system undergoes a gradual decline in function. This weakening leads to a few key changes as we age:
- Decreased production of immune cells as our bone marrow becomes less efficient at producing new blood cells. This results in a reduced number of the white blood cells needed to fight off infections.
- Declined T-cell function as the thymus (which is responsible for the maturation of these crucial white blood cells) shrinks and becomes less efficient. This results in more susceptibility to infections and less responsiveness to vaccines.
- Impaired communication between immune cells leading to a less effective response.
- A decline in mitophagy. The cell’s process of clearing out and replacing damaged mitochondria becomes much less efficient.
Due to these changes, we are more likely to contract infections, have more prolonged illnesses, and take longer to recover as we age. This is why it’s important to look at proactive measures with our immune health and our cellular health.
Ways to support and bolster our immune system
We’ve long been proponents of the Superaging cornerstones: nutrition, movement, social connections, sleep, and stress management. Supporting and potentially slowing the aging of the immune system involves adopting this type of holistic approach — and then some.
In addition to these essential cornerstones, we can also be looking at ways to supplement our efforts. This is where Timeline’s clinically validated and highly pure Urolithin A supplement (Mitopure) can play a role in rejuvenating our aging mitochondria, the powerhouses of our cells, and potentially improving our immune function. Urolithin A works by inducing mitophagy and stimulating the generation of healthy mitochondria (crucial for healthy immune cells), leading to an improved immune response against viral infections.
While these strategies can help support immune health and potentially slow its aging, it’s important to note that the aging of the immune system is a complex process. We need to take a holistic approach to overall well-being, which can mitigate some effects of immune aging. For any of you fellow science lovers, you can read all about the studies here.
Timeline has a special discount for our readers (making it even easier to Superage and support your immune health). Use code “AGEIST” at checkout and receive 10% off their products.