Anti Ageing Medicine

Anti-ageing medicine is a new medical specialty devoted to the early detection, prevention, treatment and reversal of the diseases related to ageing.  It is a new approach to preventive medicine.

Anti-ageing medicine is the fastest-growing medical speciality in the world. International conferences on anti-ageing medicine held in many countries are attended by thousands of doctors interested to earn about the new speciality.

The aims of anti-ageing medicine are:

•To maintain youthful vigor and vitality as people grow old.
 To prevent, or delay the onset of, the degenerative diseases usually associated with old age.

The focus is very much on the maintenance of wellness.

Anti-ageing medicine represents a major shift in the way ageing, and the diseases related to ageing, are viewed by the medical profession. The physical and mental declines usually associated with ageing are no longer considered inevitable.

It is expected that over the next 50 years, with modern anti-ageing interventions, the human lifespan can be considerably extended.  The primary focus in anti-ageing medicine is not so much on extending life, however, but more on improving the quality of life that people experience in their old age.  The emphasis is on good diet, exercise, nutritional supplementation and the correction of hormone deficiencies.

A healthy diet, rich is important nutrients, is critical if one wants to live a long and healthy life.  Dietary advice generally given by anti-ageing doctors includes the use of organic foods, and the avoidance of food additives, highly processed foods, foods high in sugar and foods containing trans fats.

Dr Dobie gives individual dietary advice to all his patients, and often recommends so-called "superfoods", which are foods particularly high in beneficial nutrients.

Regular exercise, both aerobic exercise and strength training, is essential for the optimal function of the human body.  Research studies have demonstrated many benefits from maintaining an exercise regime as we get older.

There are many theories about why ageing occurs.  One of the most popular theories relates to hormone levels in the body.  Most hormone levels decline with age, and many researchers consider that ageing occurs partly as a result of these declining hormone levels.  When all our hormones are at optimal levels, our bodies are healthy, resilient, flexible and strong.  Correction of deficiencies of hormones such estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, DHEA, melatonin, thyroid hormone, and growth hormone is one of the most important aspects of anti-ageing medicine.  Hormone levels can be measured in samples of blood, saliva or urine.

In anti-ageing medicine hormone replacement is generally with bio-identical (natural) hormones, which are hormones that are identical to those produced in the body.

Treatment of the menopause with bio-identical hormones has many advantages over conventional hormone replacement. Research has shown that conventional hormone replacement for menopause causes an increase in heart disease, breast cancer, stroke and blood clots.  By comparison, bio-identical hormones used for menopause have fewer side-effects, are probably safer, and can be more readily tailored to the individual.