Seong-Jin Seong, a professor of neurosurgery at Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, talks about the brain. The brain is a small volume of 1.4 kilograms, but it dominates me and seems perfect, but also imperfect. From the perspective of a doctor who majored in brain, how to understand the brain in order to live a healthier, happier life, and how to communicate with others who have different brains than you Let’s explore with the stories. See you once a week on Saturday
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[조성진 순천향대 부속 서울병원 신경외과 교수] In 1996, Korea joined the OECD and began to enter the developed world. Due to the high economic growth and the development of IT, the overall constitution of society has improved, and our body seems to have improved due to the even intake of nutrients. According to the official statistics of national institutions this year, the average height of Koreans was 172.5 cm for men and 159.6 cm for women. Compared to 40 years ago, men are said to have increased by 6.4 cm and women by 5.3 cm. In particular, the average height of men in their twenties is 174.4 cm for men and 161 cm for women.
There are many advantages to being tall, but there are also reports that taller height may increase the risk of certain diseases. Past studies have shown that tall people have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease, and short people have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. However, it is not clear whether height is a major factor or whether other factors, such as nutritional status or environmental factors, are a greater cause. Recent studies have reported that tall people have an increased risk of developing peripheral neuropathy and impaired venous circulation in the lower extremities. It was reported that the reason is because the length of the peripheral nerve is long and the length of the vein is increased.
A gradual decrease in height with age is a normal phenomenon of aging. Height begins to decrease around the age of 50, and the rate of decline accelerates at the age of 60. The first cause of the decrease in height is a decrease in the size of the disc between the vertebrae, and there are reasons such as compression fractures of the spine due to osteoporosis and changes in posture due to aging. After the age of 60, height loss accelerates, and studies show that people who lose a lot of height are due to low bone density, fractures of the spine, and vitamin D deficiency. Interestingly, people who live in higher latitudes are more vulnerable to osteoporotic fractures because they have less sun exposure. Even now, there are many grandfathers and grandmothers who cannot straighten their back because of kyphosis, in which the back is bent forward due to a compression fracture of the vertebrae due to osteoporosis.
A study that followed up Nordic women found that a significant decrease in height more than doubled the risk of dying from stroke or cardiovascular disease. A decrease of 1 cm in height was associated with a 14% higher risk of death from any cause. A decrease in height of 2 cm or more is said to more than double the risk of stroke. have.
When bone is lost due to osteoporosis, calcium accumulates in blood vessels, which accompanies inflammation and oxidative stress, which increases the risk of stroke by affecting the blood vessels of the brain. To prevent stroke, it is important to measure height, bone density, and vitamin D level in health checkups. In particular, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, which occurs frequently in postmenopausal women, is also important for stroke prevention.
Osteoporosis management is very important in people over 70 years old. Osteoporosis increases the risk of muscle weakness and makes people fall more easily. As a result, when a fracture of the pelvis or femur occurs, physical activity drops sharply, and thereafter, the activity drops sharply and there is a risk of death from various complications. rises Gait is also important, and walking fast may help protect cardiovascular health and prevent bone loss.
There is no need to feel inferior just because you are short. It is said that short people live longer, but are less likely to get cancer. The taller you are, the more energy you need, the more your body metabolizes, the more active oxygen you generate, the more damage to cells and tissues, and many disadvantages in terms of energy efficiency.
These days, many growth hormone treatment is being done through the growth clinic, but it should be noted that it can be disadvantageous in terms of health and lifespan.