What Is Inflammaging and How Can It Be Reduced?

The short answer

Inflammaging is the chronic, low-grade, sterile inflammatory state that accumulates with age. It is driven by senescent cells (which secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines), mitochondrial dysfunction, gut dysbiosis, and accumulated cellular damage. Elevated C-reactive protein, IL-6, and TNF-alpha are its biomarkers. Inflammaging is causally implicated in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer.

What the evidence actually shows

The concept of inflammaging was formalised by Franceschi et al. (2000) in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, who proposed that chronic low-grade inflammation is a fundamental driver of aging. Ferrucci & Fabbri (2018) in Nature Reviews Cardiology provided a comprehensive mechanistic review, identifying senescent cells, gut dysbiosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction as the primary drivers. The CANTOS trial (Ridker et al., 2017, NEJM) provided causal evidence that reducing inflammation (using canakinumab, an IL-1β antibody) reduced cardiovascular events by 15% and lung cancer incidence by 67% in patients with elevated CRP, demonstrating that inflammation is not merely a marker but a causal driver of disease.

"Targeting inflammation with an IL-1β antibody reduced cardiovascular events by 15% and lung cancer incidence by 67%, demonstrating that inflammaging is causally linked to disease."

— Ridker et al., NEJM 2017 (CANTOS)

What the major health authorities say

The NIA identifies chronic inflammation as a key driver of age-related disease and a major focus of longevity research. MedlinePlus notes that chronic inflammation is associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. The NIH recommends anti-inflammatory lifestyle strategies — particularly diet, exercise, and sleep — as the foundation of healthy ageing.

Practical implications

The most evidence-supported strategies for reducing inflammaging are: the Mediterranean diet (reduces CRP by 20–30% in RCTs); regular aerobic exercise (reduces IL-6 and CRP); adequate sleep (7–9 hours; sleep deprivation acutely elevates inflammatory markers); stress management (chronic stress elevates cortisol and pro-inflammatory cytokines); smoking cessation; and maintaining a healthy weight (visceral fat is a major source of pro-inflammatory cytokines). Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) have the strongest supplement evidence for reducing inflammatory markers.

Where reasonable people still disagree

• Whether measuring CRP or IL-6 in routine clinical practice adds meaningful prognostic value beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
• The role of senolytic drugs (which clear senescent cells) in reducing inflammaging in humans — promising in animal models but early-stage in human trials.
• Whether specific dietary components (e.g., polyphenols, curcumin) provide meaningful anti-inflammatory benefits beyond the overall dietary pattern.