What is inflammation?
Inflammation is your body's alarm-and-repair response: immune cells rush to a problem, fight it and start repairs, and then the alarm is supposed to switch off.
Think of it as a fire brigade. When there's a real fire, you want them there fast, sirens blaring. The problem is when the sirens never stop: a constant low-level emergency that slowly wears down the whole neighborhood.
Why it matters for aging
Acute inflammation is what you see when a cut turns red, warm and swollen: blood flow increases and immune cells arrive to clean up and repair. It's a sign the system is working.
With age, many people develop a constant, low-level inflammation that scientists nicknamed "inflammaging". It's one of the twelve hallmarks of aging, the main processes scientists agree drive aging, and it's linked to heart disease, diabetes, dementia and frailty. It can also make you feel tired and foggy, because inflammatory signals tell the brain to slow down and rest.
A common myth
Inflammation is always bad, so you should take anti-inflammatory pills or supplements whenever you can.
Short bursts of inflammation are essential for healing and fighting infection. The harmful kind is chronic, low-grade inflammation that lingers for years. Sleep, exercise, a healthy waistline and not smoking lower it more reliably than any pill.
Go deeper
Deep dives
Related terms
Updated Nov 9, 2026 · All terms