What is the Origin of Peak Function Compression?

This term is an adaptation of the "compression of morbidity" hypothesis from public health and gerontology, shifting the focus from simply reducing illness to maximizing high-level function. The term emphasizes the clinical ambition to maintain the body's peak physiological setpoint for as long as possible. It is a key metric for evaluating the success of comprehensive anti-aging interventions.

What is the Mechanism of Peak Function Compression?

Achieving peak function compression requires the sustained, efficient operation of all major homeostatic systems, including the endocrine, immune, and cardiovascular systems. The mechanism involves maintaining cellular resilience by minimizing senescent cell accumulation and preserving mitochondrial integrity, thereby preventing the systemic breakdown that initiates frailty. Hormonally, this necessitates the prolonged, balanced secretion of anabolic hormones and the maintenance of high tissue sensitivity to growth factors, resisting the typical age-related decline in endocrine signaling.

Peak Function Compression ∞ Area

Peak Function Compression

Meaning

Peak Function Compression is a concept in longevity medicine that describes the strategic goal of narrowing the time interval between the end of an individual’s maximal functional capacity and the onset of irreversible, age-related decline. It represents the successful clinical outcome where the period of significant physical, cognitive, and metabolic impairment is compressed into a very short duration at the very end of life. The ultimate aim is to maximize the healthspan by delaying and accelerating the period of frailty.