Health Tip: Getting Older and Weakened Immunity

How aging may affect your ability to stay healthy

Related Encyclopedia • Alzheimer's Disease • Ginkgo Biloba • Hip Replacement • Hurthle Cell Carcinoma More... Related Healthscout Videos Icy Treatments Revive the Dead No Pain Heart Health Taking Steps After a Stroke Custom Ankle Replacements More... Related Animations • Alzheimer's Disease Video Animation • Erectile Dysfunction • What is a Heart Attack? More... Related Drug Information • Actonel • Coumadin • Detrol LA • Ditropan XL More... Related News Articles • Restrictions on Plasma From Female Donors May Need Revisiting • Bill Clinton Back Home After Heart Procedure • Health Tip: Signs That a Loved One May Have Dementia • Fitness a Factor in Snow Shoveling Injuries More...

(HealthDay News) - As you age, your body often isn't able to protect you against disease as effectively as when you were younger.

Text Continues Below

---

The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists these changes to the immune system that may occur as part of the aging process:

• Decreased ability to protect against infection.
• Decreased effectiveness and duration of vaccinations.
• Increased risk of developing an autoimmune disease.
• Decreased ability to heal from wounds and other injuries.
• Decreased ability to detect and correct cell defects, which could raise the risk of certain cancers.

-- Diana Kohnle