Major Ager: Oxidation and Inefficient Mitochondria
Its Effect: Rusting Arteries

Mitochondria are the fundamental drivers of metabolism, converting the food you eat into energy. The problem is, as they produce energy they also produce oxygen free radicals—molecules that cause dangerous inflammation in the cell when they spill over. Think of them as the power plants of our bodily city. Just like an old factory, aging mitochondria spill more industrial waste into the environment. The damage this inflammation causes to your cells and to the mitochondria within your cells is responsible for many aging-related problems. This oxidation, for example, is what causes a "rusting" of your arteries, which is partly responsible for the aging of your cardiovascular system.