Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/571399
Five-lipoxygenase is an enzyme that increases with aging. It converts arachidonic acid into the powerful inflammatory leukotrienes. Leukotrienes promote cancer, damage the brain, and promote asthma, arthritis, psoriasis and ulcerative colitis. They may also promote atherosclerosis. The 5-lipoxygenase enzyme is activated by glucocorticoids (cortisol), and inhibited by melatonin. Unfortunately, aging and interleukin-6 increase cortisol in humans, while melatonin decreases drastically with aging. Stress and Inflammation Stress is almost the hallmark of modern life. Overwork, lack of sleep, loud noise, congested traffic, fear of crime, and worry over money are just some of the many routine modern triggers of stress. The stress response involves the release of adrenalin, noradrenalin, and cortisol from the adrenal glands. While occasional stress is not toxic, and may even have tonic-like effects, excessive, unremitting stress gradually wears out the machinery of life. And as just noted in the preceding section, adrenalin, noradrenalin, and cortisol promote inflammation, through increasing secretion of interleukin-6 and promoting production of superinflammatory leukotrienes. Chronic cortisol excess also promotes obesity, and as previously noted obesity promotes secretion of several major inflammatory mediators. According to a 2003 study, "Production of IL-6 and other proinflammatory cytokines can be directly stimulated by depression and other negative emotions and stressful experiences." A recent study found that among elderly persons experiencing severe chronic stress from home- caring for a spouse suffering Alzheimer's disease, the levels of serum interleukin-6 increased over the six-year course of the study at a rate 400 percent higher than among age-matched non-caregiver controls. Thus a Page 30 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysHealthAndNutrition.com