Aging and its associated aches and pains are typically considered a rite of passage— unavoidable despite how well we care for ourselves. However, a new report published this month in Nature Communications challenges this thought.

Drs. Niedernhofer and Haurd believe aging represents a loss of cells to regenerate in responds to stress.  For example, at younger ages, a fall might cause a few days of tenderness, but the same stress in your 70’s may result in more long term damage. They argue this happens because the body is no longer able to regenerate the damaged tissue.