Inflammaging
A chronic, low-grade, sterile inflammatory state that develops and intensifies with age. Coined by researcher Claudio Franceschi in 2000. Unlike acute inflammation (which resolves), inflammaging is persistent, systemic, and driven by multiple sources including senescent cells (SASP), gut dysbiosis, visceral adipose tissue, and mitochondrial damage. Elevated inflammatory markers -- particularly IL-6, TNF-alpha, and hs-CRP -- characterize the condition. Inflammaging accelerates muscle loss, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and virtually every other hallmark of aging.