What is the Origin of Vitality and Healthspan?

The term "Healthspan" was coined to shift the focus of aging research from merely extending lifespan (total years lived) to extending the years of healthy, high-quality life. "Vitality" derives from the Latin vita, meaning life, emphasizing the subjective, energetic component of well-being. The pairing of the terms acknowledges the necessity of both objective health and subjective energy.

What is the Mechanism of Vitality and Healthspan?

Maximizing healthspan and vitality relies on strategies that maintain telomere length, reduce cellular senescence, and optimize mitochondrial function. Hormonal balance, particularly the maintenance of youthful levels of growth hormone, thyroid hormones, and sex steroids, plays a crucial regulatory role in tissue repair and energy production. By reducing allostatic load and systemic wear and tear, the body preserves its functional reserve for a longer duration.

Vitality and Healthspan ∞ Area

Vitality and Healthspan

Meaning

Vitality and Healthspan collectively represent the quality and duration of an individual’s life lived in a state of high functional capacity, free from significant chronic disease, physical disability, or cognitive impairment. Vitality is the subjective experience of energy and drive, while Healthspan is the objective measure of the number of years spent in good health. Optimizing both is the central goal of longevity and anti-aging medicine.