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528 Chama, N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87108 http://www.cbass.com |
From The Desk Of Clarence Bass
By Clarence and Carol Bass
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Your Age and Medical Decisions
"The Age Illusion" The March 28, 2026 New England Journal of Medicine has a thoughtful commentary by Martin G. Lee, M.D. suggesting that using chronological age in medicine to serve as a baseline for treatment, clinical trials, and screenings ignores or overlooks physiological variability which may lead to over-treatment or under-treatment and is a poor basis for medical decision making.
As an recent example he points out that early in the Covid-19 pandemic, there were proposals to incorporate age thresholds into triage protocols which might have denied intensive care to older adults.
This type of approach in medicine oversimplifies the "complexity of human biology," and is not a real measurement of an individual's functional status or resilience.
Those of us in the fitness field recognize the truth of this statement because we see around us examples of individuals who have made adjustments to their diet, incorporated weight training and aerobics into their lives, and pay attention to sleep and stress patterns. Not only do they look better than others their age, but functionally they are better. These changes do not eliminate possible medical problems, but it does mean that they probably have greater physiological reserve than others their age.
Dr. Lee suggests there is a need for a more comprehensive evaluation of an individual at the primary care level, an important level where evaluation of a person's physiological reserve could "meaningfully influence outcomes" before any later surgeries, preventive strategies, or intensive therapies. The resulting composite score could then help clinicians distinguish "robust older adults" from those who have limited reserve. This is particularly important when there is cancer screening, transplant evaluation, or anticoagulation where chronological age thresholds may apply.
Many factors would need to be worked out, but Dr. Lee concludes by saying, "The way clinicians measure age shapes medical decision making, and relying heavily on chronologic age may obscure the complexity of aging. A more biologically grounded approach holds promise for aligning clinical care with physiological realities."
My Take
If you are concerned that your chronologic age may obscure your true health profile when you see a new physician, your best move is to give him the information he needs to properly evaluate your physiological reserve. Keep in mind that physicians generally work under tight time limits and the information you provide need not be long and detailed. Saying a simple "I consider myself fit; I weight train twice a week, and do aerobics several times a week along with keeping a good diet, and watching my sleep patterns and stress." These are powerful modifiers of aging and help the physician better understand your physiological condition. It gives him real world performance and a multidimensional picture rather than one based solely on age.
Clarence at 70 Photo by Laszlo
May 1, 2026 Comment on this article: FEEDBACK Ripped Enterprises, P.O. Box 51236, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87181-1236 Home | Products Index | Ripped Bks | Lean Adv. Bks | Lean For Life | Recommended Bks | |Consultations | Tapes | To Order | Feedback] Copyright © 2026 Clarence and Carol Bass. All rights reserved.
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