inflammaging

Inflammaging is a term used in aging research to describe a persistent, low-grade inflammatory state that tends to increase with age. It was introduced to capture the observation that older individuals often have elevated inflammatory activity even in the absence of overt infection or illness.

The inflammatory profile of inflammaging includes modest but chronic rises in biomarkers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP), among others. This state is thought to result from multiple interacting factors, including immunosenescence (age-related changes in the immune system), the accumulation of senescent cells and their pro-inflammatory secretions (the SASP), alterations in gut microbiota, adipose tissue inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Inflammaging is linked to a higher risk of many age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer. It is considered a contributing mechanism in aging biology, rather than a disease itself, reflecting how chronic inflammation can influence tissue function and disease susceptibility over time.

Interventions that modulate inflammaging are an active area of research. Lifestyle factors such as regular physical activity, calorie balance, and diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats can attenuate inflammatory markers. In experimental settings, therapies targeting cellular senescence or the SASP, as well as microbiome-modulating strategies, have shown promise in reducing inflammaging in animal models. The concept remains central to understanding how aging processes interact with immune and inflammatory pathways.