In a recent interview on Spanish public radio (RNE), immunologist María Mittelbrunn highlighted the crucial role of the immune system in shaping how we age and how healthy we remain throughout life. While aging is inevitable, she emphasized that the way we age can be influenced by lifestyle, habits, and, above all, the state of our immune system. Far from only defending the body against external threats such as viruses or bacteria, the immune system also plays a key role in controlling internal processes, including chronic inflammation and the emergence of diseases like cancer.
Mittelbrunn explained that one of the main challenges of aging is the development of chronic, low‑grade inflammation often referred to as “inflammaging” which progressively damages tissues and increases the risk of cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases. This process is closely linked to the gradual decline of immune function over time.
