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Aging changes in the lungs


The lungs have two main functions. One is to get oxygen from the air into the body. The other is to remove carbon dioxide from the body. Your body needs oxygen to work properly. Carbon dioxide is a gas the body produces when it uses oxygen.

During breathing, air enters and exits the lungs. When you breathe in (inhale), air flows through the airways into the lungs. The airways are made of stretchy tissue. Bands of muscle and other support tissue wrap around each airway to help keep them open.

Air keeps flowing into the lungs until it fills tiny air sacs. Blood circulates around these air sacs through tiny blood vessels. Oxygen crosses into the bloodstream at the place where the blood vessels and air sacs meet. This is also where carbon dioxide crosses from the bloodstream into the lungs to be breathed out (exhaled).


Changes to the bones and muscles of the chest and spine:

  • Bones become thinner and change shape. This can change the shape of your ribcage. As a result, your ribcage cannot expand and contract as well during breathing.
  • The muscle that supports your breathing, the diaphragm, becomes weakened. This weakness may prevent you from breathing enough air in or out.

These changes in your bones and muscles may lower the oxygen level in your body. Also, less carbon dioxide may be removed from your body. Symptoms such as tiredness and shortness of breath can result.

Changes to lung tissue:

  • Aging also causes the air sacs to lose their shape and become baggy.

These changes in lung tissue can allow air to get trapped in your lungs. Too little oxygen may enter your blood vessels and less carbon dioxide may be removed. This makes it hard to breathe.

Changes to the nervous system:

  • The part of the brain that controls breathing may lose some of its function. When this happens, your lungs are not able to get enough oxygen. Not enough carbon dioxide may leave the lungs. Breathing may get more difficult.
  • Nerves in your airways that trigger coughing become less sensitive. Large amounts of particles like smoke or germs may collect in the lungs and may be hard to cough up.

Changes to the immune system:



As a result of these changes, older people are at increased risk for:

  • Lung infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis
  • Shortness of breath
  • Low oxygen level


To decrease the effects of aging on the lungs:

  • Do not smoke. Smoking harms the lungs and speeds up lung aging.
  • Do physical exercise to improve lung function.




Cefalu CA. Theories and mechanisms of aging. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine. 2011;27(4): 491-506.

Davies GA, Bolton CE. Age-related changes in the respiratory system. In: Fillit HM, Rockwood K, Woodhouse K, eds. Brocklehurst's Textbook of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. 7th ed. Philadelphia PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2010:chap 15.




Review Date: 10/27/2014