Yet Another Proposed Definition for Allostatic Load (opens in new tab)

Allostatic load is a fairly fuzzy concept, meaning the degree of wear and tear on the body that acts degrades its ability to resist stress and function correctly. Debates over exactly how to measure allostatic load are a microcosm of the debates over exactly how to measure biological age: various scientists all using the same conceptual term to describe what turn out to be a wide range of proposed approaches to the concrete assessment of that term. The measurement is the definition at the end...