ABSTRACT
Aging is a process perhaps best defined as decreased maximal function and reserve capacity in all body organs, resulting in an increased likelihood of disease and death. With age, the biochemical compositions of tissues change, physiological capacity is progressively reduced, the ability to respond adaptively to environmental stimuli is diminished, and the susceptibility to disease is increased. Aging is widely known to be the consequence of a genetic program and of cumulative environmental damage (1-3).
