What happens in our bodies as we age

Published: Sep 05, 2026, 05:00 AM

The changes are greying, dryness, thinning, loss of volume, textural changes. These may sometimes result in rough, brittle and frizzy hair. These changes are due to a combination of genetics, hormonal shifts, and biological slowing of the scalp’s cellular environment. A diet rich in iron, zinc, protein and omega-3 fatty acids can help rejuvenate hair and scalp.

Muscles controlling near vision become less flexible. Eyes become drier. Risk of conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration increases. Eyelid muscles and the eye’s vitreous – the gel-like substance in the eyeball – undergo structural changes, leading to drooping eyelids and the appearance of floaters. Glasses, contact lenses, and better lighting can help mitigate some of the problems. Sunglasses and eye drops may help eyes that are sensitive to light, wind or temperature changes.

Lengthens and droops because the supporting cartilage weakens and the skin loses elasticity. May appear disproportionately large as fat is lost and bone becomes less dense in the cheeks and lips over time. Lining inside the nose thins, reducing mucus production and blood circulation. This may lead to dryness and crusting.

Reduced blood flow and slower cellular repair means the liver is less able to filter toxins, metabolise medications and alcohol, and recover from injuries. These make one more susceptible to chronic liver diseases. By age 75, the liver can shrink by up to 40%, blood flow through the organ decreases by 30% to 40%, and bile flow is altered, increasing the likelihood of gallstone formation.

Years of chewing and grinding wear down the hard outer layer of the teeth, exposing the yellow dentin underneath, making teeth appear darker and more sensitive to hot or cold foods.

Teeth can get chipped, worn or cracked.

Saliva production decreases, making the mouth more prone to bacterial infection, tooth decay and bad breath. To combat dry mouth, dentists advise chewing sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva production or sipping water throughout the day.

Gums pull back from the teeth over time, exposing sensitive roots that are highly vulnerable to decay.

Reduced senses of taste and smell are common in older adults, affecting appetite and nutrition.

What you can do: To combat ageing teeth and gums, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste twice daily. Dental implants, bridges and dentures can replace damaged or missing teeth.

Structural and cellular changes

The overall volume of the brain decreases.

The protective, insulating coat on nerve fibres breaks down and individual neurons shrink, disrupting brain circuits responsible for learning, perception and memory.

Fewer chemical messengers, such as dopamine and serotonin, are produced, impacting mood, memory and focus.

Falling hormone levels affect brain function and cognition.

Deeply ingrained habits and long-term memories stay largely intact, while retention of new, short-term information becomes a challenge.

What you can do: Aerobic exercises increase blood flow and grow the brain’s memory centre; learning a new skill challenges the mind; and a nutrient-rich diet can promote new brain cell growth and protect neural pathways.

Changes include: Loss of protective fat layer, causing skin to become more fragile, easily bruised and prone to pigmentation spots; loss of collagen and elastin, resulting in wrinkles, thinning and sagging; reduced oil production causes dryness and itchiness.

Cartilage breaks down and skin loses elasticity, causing earlobes to sag. Structures such as the eardrum loosen. Sensory hair cells in the inner ear gradually degenerate, often resulting in hearing loss and balance issues. Hearing aids are a treatment option for age-related hearing loss, as these devices amplify sounds selectively based on specific hearing loss patterns.

TRACHEA (WINDPIPE)/OESOPHAGUS (GULLET)

Loss of elasticity, muscle strength and flexibility means one becomes more susceptible to acid reflux, risk of choking increases, and swallowing is slower.

Changes include: The digestive tract slows down; gut bacteria balance changes, with the decrease in beneficial bacteria contributing to chronic age-related inflammation; ability to absorb nutrients is reduced, in particular vitamin B12, iron and calcium, as stomach acid decreases and intestinal lining becomes less protective; the muscles are more lax and contents in the gut move more slowly, significantly increasing the likelihood of chronic constipation.

Stiffening of vessels can raise blood pressure and increase the workload on the heart muscle.

Less flexible heart muscle means the heart takes longer to relax after each beat, which impacts its ability to fill with blood properly.

The lungs lose elasticity, the ribcage stiffens and breathing muscles weaken, making it harder for the lungs to fully expand and contract. This reduces overall lung capacity, decreases oxygen absorption and weakens the immune system, making it harder to breathe, especially during physical exertion.

The lungs’ natural clearing mechanisms, such as the cough reflex, become less sensitive, increasing vulnerability to respiratory infections.

What you can do: Practising specific breathing exercises, staying physically active and maintaining good hydration can prevent these issues from developing.

Bones shrink in size, lose essential minerals like calcium and decrease in density. They become brittle, significantly raising the risk of fractures even from minor bumps or falls.

The body removes old bone faster than it can create new bone, leading to osteoporosis.

What you can do: To protect ageing bones, focus on dietary nutrition, weight-bearing exercise and fall prevention. With weight training, bones can increase in density.

Loses mineral content and becomes thinner.

Gel-like discs between the vertebrae lose fluid and flatten, which is why people often lose height and develop a more curved posture as they age.

What you can do: By focusing on core stability, low-impact back extensions and lower-body strength, the spine can be strengthened.

Knees, hips and shoulders

These joints lose their flexible cushioning from cartilage wear.

Synovial fluid – the lubricating fluid in joints – decreases.

These lead to stiffness; restricted range of motion; and osteoarthritis – wearing down of the protective cartilage cushioning the ends of bones.

Sexual function/Hormones

Erectile changes include taking a longer time to achieve erection and less rigidness than in younger years.

Need for more direct stimulation.

Drop in testosterone levels, sexual desire and semen volume.

Decrease in oestrogen levels leads to a decline in fertility and triggers physical changes in the reproductive organs.

Vaginal walls become thinner and less elastic, and natural lubrication decreases, making intercourse painful.

What you can do: Improving ageing sexual function requires a combination of lifestyle changes, targeted medical treatments and adapted intimacy.

While ageing is often linked to physical decline, the older body and mind actually undergo several positive changes. These include having a stronger immune memory to fight recurring infections, improved emotional regulation and stronger social skills. The mature brain also creates new neural pathways, helping an older person to solve problems better.

PRODUCED BY: JUDITH TAN, LIM YONG, CHNG CHOON HIONG

发布时间：2026年9月5日 上午5:00

这些变化包括头发变灰、干燥、稀疏、发量减少和质地改变。有时，这些变化会导致头发粗糙、脆弱和毛躁。这些变化是由遗传、激素变化和头皮细胞环境生物节律减缓等因素共同造成的。富含铁、锌、蛋白质和omega-3脂肪酸的饮食有助于恢复头发和头皮的健康。

控制近视力的肌肉灵活性下降，眼睛变得干涩，患白内障和黄斑变性等眼部疾病的风险增加。眼睑肌肉和眼球内的玻璃体（一种凝胶状物质）会发生结构性改变，导致眼睑下垂和出现飞蚊症。眼镜、隐形眼镜和更好的照明可以帮助缓解部分问题。太阳镜和眼药水可能有助于缓解对光线、风或温度变化敏感的眼睛。

由于支撑软骨的萎缩和皮肤弹性丧失，鼻子会变长下垂。随着脂肪流失和面颊及嘴唇骨密度随时间推移而降低，鼻子可能显得比例失调，显得过大。鼻腔内壁变薄，导致黏液分泌减少和血液循环不畅，进而可能出现干燥和结痂。

血流量减少和细胞修复速度减慢意味着肝脏过滤毒素、代谢药物和酒精以及从损伤中恢复的能力下降。这些因素使人更容易患上慢性肝病。到75岁时，肝脏体积可能萎缩高达40%，流经肝脏的血流量减少30%至40%，胆汁分泌也发生改变，从而增加胆结石形成的风险。

多年的咀嚼和磨牙会磨损牙齿坚硬的外层，露出下面的黄色牙本质，使牙齿看起来颜色变深，对冷热食物更加敏感。

牙齿可能会出现缺损、磨损或裂纹。

唾液分泌减少会使口腔更容易受到细菌感染，导致蛀牙和口臭。为了缓解口干，牙医建议咀嚼无糖口香糖来刺激唾液分泌，或者全天小口啜饮水。

随着时间的推移，牙龈会逐渐萎缩，露出敏感的牙根，这些牙根极易蛀牙。

老年人味觉和嗅觉减退很常见，会影响食欲和营养。

您可以这样做：为了对抗牙齿和牙龈老化，请每天使用软毛牙刷和含氟牙膏刷牙两次。种植牙、牙桥和假牙可以替代受损或缺失的牙齿。

结构和细胞变化

大脑总体积减少。

神经纤维上的保护性绝缘层破损，单个神经元萎缩，破坏了负责学习、感知和记忆的大脑回路。

体内多巴胺和血清素等化学信使的产生减少，从而影响情绪、记忆力和注意力。

激素水平下降会影响大脑功能和认知能力。

根深蒂固的习惯和长期记忆基本保持不变，而记住新的短期信息则成为一个挑战。

你可以这样做：有氧运动可以增加血液流动，促进大脑记忆中心发育；学习一项新技能可以挑战思维；营养丰富的饮食可以促进新的脑细胞生长，保护神经通路。

变化包括：保护性脂肪层流失，导致皮肤变得更加脆弱，容易瘀伤和出现色素沉着斑点；胶原蛋白和弹性蛋白流失，导致皱纹、皮肤变薄和下垂；油脂分泌减少导致皮肤干燥和瘙痒。

随着年龄增长，软骨退化，皮肤失去弹性，导致耳垂下垂。耳膜等结构也会松弛。内耳中的感觉毛细胞逐渐退化，常常导致听力下降和平衡障碍。助听器是治疗老年性听力损失的一种选择，因为这些设备可以根据特定的听力损失模式选择性地放大声音。

气管/食道

弹性、肌肉力量和灵活性的丧失意味着更容易出现胃酸反流，窒息的风险增加，吞咽速度变慢。

变化包括：消化道蠕动减慢；肠道菌群平衡发生变化，有益菌减少导致与年龄相关的慢性炎症；吸收营养的能力下降，特别是维生素 B12、铁和钙的吸收，因为胃酸减少，肠道内壁的保护作用减弱；肌肉更加松弛，肠道内容物移动速度减慢，大大增加了慢性便秘的可能性。

血管硬化会导致血压升高，并增加心肌的负担。

心肌柔韧性较差意味着心脏每次跳动后需要更长时间才能放松，这会影响心脏正常充盈血液的能力。

肺部弹性下降，肋骨僵硬，呼吸肌无力，导致肺部扩张和收缩困难。这会降低肺活量，减少氧气吸收，并削弱免疫系统，使呼吸更加困难，尤其是在剧烈运动时。

肺部的自然清除机制，如咳嗽反射，变得不那么敏感，从而增加了呼吸道感染的风险。

你可以这样做：练习特定的呼吸练习、保持身体活跃和保持良好的水分摄入可以预防这些问题的发生。

骨骼体积缩小，流失钙等必需矿物质，密度降低。骨骼变得脆弱，即使是轻微的碰撞或跌倒也会显著增加骨折的风险。

身体清除旧骨的速度超过了生成新骨的速度，导致骨质疏松症。

您可以这样做：为了保护老年人的骨骼，应注重饮食营养、负重运动和预防跌倒。通过负重训练，可以增加骨骼密度。

矿物质含量降低，变得更薄。

椎骨之间的凝胶状椎间盘会失去液体并变扁，这就是为什么人们随着年龄增长身高会下降，姿势也会变得更加弯曲的原因。

你可以这样做：通过专注于核心稳定性、低冲击背部伸展和下肢力量，可以增强脊柱。

膝盖、髋部和肩膀

由于软骨磨损，这些关节失去了柔韧的缓冲作用。

关节内的润滑液——滑液——减少。

这些会导致僵硬；活动范围受限；以及骨关节炎——保护骨骼末端的软骨磨损。

性功能/激素

勃起功能的变化包括勃起所需时间延长以及勃起硬度不如年轻时。

需要更直接的刺激。

睾酮水平、性欲和精液量下降。

雌激素水平下降会导致生育能力下降，并引发生殖器官的生理变化。

阴道壁变薄、弹性降低，自然润滑减少，导致性交疼痛。

你可以这样做：改善老年人的性功能需要生活方式的改变、有针对性的医疗治疗和调整后的亲密关系。

虽然衰老通常与身体机能衰退联系在一起，但老年人的身心实际上会发生一些积极的变化。这些变化包括：免疫记忆增强，能够抵抗反复感染；情绪调节能力提高；社交技能增强。成熟的大脑还会形成新的神经通路，帮助老年人更好地解决问题。

制作人：陈慧玲、林勇、庄俊雄