Anti –Aging Medicines Becoming Popular

Death cannot be averted, but early detection and proper medication can prevent, cure and even reverse the incidence of most age-related ailments. Thankfully in Qatar, the number of people who are aware of the need to follow healthy lifestyles and subscribe to anti-aging medicines is on the rise, says Dr Hassan Abdullah, a former specialist with the Hamad Medical Corporation who has been running a centre in Doha promoting anti-aging medication for the past 10 years.

“Aging is the accumulation of changes in cell and tissue, which increases the risk of death. It starts around the age of 40, when people begin unfamiliar aches and pains in their bodies. Some of these pains are serious, and can turn into life-threatening diseases if proper care is not taken in time. That is where anti-aging medicines come in,” Abdullah says.

Started in the United States 12 years ago as a specialized discipline by group of medical practitioners and specialists, anti-aging medicine has come a long way and now has patrons all over the world. According to Abdullah, it can help detect, prevent and reverse ailments as diverse as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, glaucoma, cataract, hair fall, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease.

Abdullah, who is also the editor of the GCC Journal of Dermatology and Venereology, has travelled to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, Monaco, Monte Carlo ad China to speak on the importance of anti-aging medicines. “We see more people in the United States and other rich nations leading longer lives, as they equip themselves with the knowledge of anti-aging. However, the understanding of such medicines is growing worldwide. My centre is the only anti-aging medical centre in this region. But China’s first anti-aging centre was opened in Shanghai last November,” he says.

In Doha, the anti-aging medical processes consist of series of laboratory tests, diagnostic programs, lifestyle modification processes, detoxification processes and medication. Patients are required to give details of both personal and their family health history before the process begins.

A number of age-related diseases are inherited, but Abdullah says the process can influence these diseases too. “Through nutritional, hormonal and pharmaceutical intervention, it is possible to influence even genetic tendencies. The important thing is to begin the process as early as possible. Patients who come to us are mostly healthy people who wants to find out if are risk of falling prey to aging related diseases in future. This is the best way to go about it,” says Abdullah.

Women, he says, should begin anti-aging diagnosis sessions from the age of 20 itself for early detection of diseases like breast cancer. He advises men to undergo at least yearly examinations to determine their susceptibility to prostate cancer and other ailments.

“Residence of Qatar are becoming more health conscious, and the number of people who come for anti-aging diagnosis and treatment is increasing. However, it is still not in line with the rate of growth of the country’s population,” Abdullah says. “The biggest challenge for us is to spread awareness about the presence of such therapist, and the necessity of making use of them in time.”