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As you get older things hurt. The wear and tear one has put on their bodies adds up. For an extreme example, look at professional athletes. Drew Brees still ha

by bena 2y ago

As you get older things hurt. The wear and tear one has put on their bodies adds up. For an extreme example, look at professional athletes. Drew Brees still had the desire and drive to play, but his right shoulder had simply given out. The final result of an injury over a decade ago. He cannot throw right handed anymore. A lot of these guys require knee replacements after they retire. Permanently disfigured fingers and toes. Etc. And we all go through a version of that.

jcfrei 2y ago
So would it be fair to say that the increase in cortisol is also a protection mechanism? Since older bodies are less able to heal injuries the cortisol increase acts to prevent behavior that might damage them?
- bena 2y ago
  I'm saying that it's quite possible not related to cortisol at all. Or possibly you have the cause and effect backwards. Because of all the wear and tear, we become more cautious about certain activities, which causes more stress, which then causes us to produce cortisol.
  - InitialLastName 2y ago
    Even just the chronic pain of old age (as seen in humans and other animals) would seem sufficient to cause stress. There's a reason painkillers are such a nefarious addiction; chronic pain happens to everyone eventually and has a profound impact on quality of life.
- alan-hn 2y ago
  Cortisol can actually act as a painkiller and reduces inflammation allowing us to work through injury
apwell23 2y ago
> A lot of these guys require knee replacements after they retire. Ppl usually getting knee replacements are couch potatoes. Its a not "wear and tear" disease like a lot of ppl belive it to be.
- bena 2y ago
  No, spending your time running at full speed into other large people also running at full speed takes a toll on your body. https://footballplayershealth.harvard.edu/for-former-players/results/knee-and-hip-replacement-in-former-nfl-players/ https://footballplayershealth.harvard.edu/for-former-players...
  - apwell23 2y ago
    We don't really know if its from "wear and tear" or from steroid abuse which weakens bones and ligaments, artificially high bodyweight, injuries during practice and in the gym.
  - detoured299 2y ago
    to be fair, op is correct that the majority of people that get replacements fall in the sedentary demographic and don't have a history of intense physical activity. metabolic issues and pro-inflammatory factors, not mechanical stress, are for many people the primary driver of osteoarthritis and soft tissue issues more generally.
    - bena 2y ago
      But people who play professional sports do get joint replacement at a higher rate than even the general population. Just because there are more of the "general population" doesn't mean that the subset that are "professional athlete" isn't doing it at a higher percentage. And there are other, non-extreme, things that also wreck the body. Working in the trades: plumbers, electricians, HVAC, construction, etc. will often leave you with bad backs and bad joints. And yes, living your life at the extremes is going to have extreme effects on your body. Sedentary is the other extreme of professional athlete. But even still, as things hurt more, we will be more cautious about endangering ourselves. Or even wondering if we are capable. If I can't walk without a limp, I'm sure as hell not running from danger. That's not cortisol driving our behavior, that's our behavior driving our cortisol.
resource_waste 2y ago
I have stomach issues and its really hard to mentally deal with life when you are in pain. If I just got laid by a 10/10 hottie, I'd probably not care much about my kid intentionally dropping food on the ground. If I just had a stomach issue that has me tired, out of breath, and mentally struggling, my kid dropping food makes me angry. Its really easy to say 'let it go', 'be a stoic'. But its much harder when you are in so much physical pain, you can't even work on your life's goals.

by bena 2y ago

jcfrei 2y ago

So would it be fair to say that the increase in cortisol is also a protection mechanism? Since older bodies are less able to heal injuries the cortisol increase acts to prevent behavior that might damage them?

bena 2y ago
I'm saying that it's quite possible not related to cortisol at all. Or possibly you have the cause and effect backwards. Because of all the wear and tear, we become more cautious about certain activities, which causes more stress, which then causes us to produce cortisol.
- InitialLastName 2y ago
  Even just the chronic pain of old age (as seen in humans and other animals) would seem sufficient to cause stress. There's a reason painkillers are such a nefarious addiction; chronic pain happens to everyone eventually and has a profound impact on quality of life.
alan-hn 2y ago
Cortisol can actually act as a painkiller and reduces inflammation allowing us to work through injury

apwell23 2y ago

> A lot of these guys require knee replacements after they retire. Ppl usually getting knee replacements are couch potatoes. Its a not "wear and tear" disease like a lot of ppl belive it to be.

bena 2y ago
No, spending your time running at full speed into other large people also running at full speed takes a toll on your body. https://footballplayershealth.harvard.edu/for-former-players/results/knee-and-hip-replacement-in-former-nfl-players/ https://footballplayershealth.harvard.edu/for-former-players...
- apwell23 2y ago
  We don't really know if its from "wear and tear" or from steroid abuse which weakens bones and ligaments, artificially high bodyweight, injuries during practice and in the gym.
- detoured299 2y ago
  to be fair, op is correct that the majority of people that get replacements fall in the sedentary demographic and don't have a history of intense physical activity. metabolic issues and pro-inflammatory factors, not mechanical stress, are for many people the primary driver of osteoarthritis and soft tissue issues more generally.
  - bena 2y ago
    But people who play professional sports do get joint replacement at a higher rate than even the general population. Just because there are more of the "general population" doesn't mean that the subset that are "professional athlete" isn't doing it at a higher percentage. And there are other, non-extreme, things that also wreck the body. Working in the trades: plumbers, electricians, HVAC, construction, etc. will often leave you with bad backs and bad joints. And yes, living your life at the extremes is going to have extreme effects on your body. Sedentary is the other extreme of professional athlete. But even still, as things hurt more, we will be more cautious about endangering ourselves. Or even wondering if we are capable. If I can't walk without a limp, I'm sure as hell not running from danger. That's not cortisol driving our behavior, that's our behavior driving our cortisol.

resource_waste 2y ago

I have stomach issues and its really hard to mentally deal with life when you are in pain. If I just got laid by a 10/10 hottie, I'd probably not care much about my kid intentionally dropping food on the ground. If I just had a stomach issue that has me tired, out of breath, and mentally struggling, my kid dropping food makes me angry. Its really easy to say 'let it go', 'be a stoic'. But its much harder when you are in so much physical pain, you can't even work on your life's goals.