Donald Trump's health: Iowa video explained, mental capacity, age, latest news - is he dragging his leg?

Earlier this week, he won the Iowa Republican caucus, placing him as his party's front-runner to clinch the Presidential nomination.

But should Donald Trump enter the White House for a second term, he will be 77 when he does so - and will continue to be the second oldest US president in history - behind rival Joe Biden.

Trump and his supporters often cite Biden's age as a major reason as to why his assumed presidential competitor shouldn't be re-elected. But at just four years Biden's junior, Trump's not exactly a spring chicken either.

While the outspoken Republican has often boasted of an impeccable health record, recent footage shows that age may be catching up with him. So just how exactly is Trump's health, and should America be looking to a third, much younger, candidate for the White House.

How is Trump's health?

Recent video footage of Trump has raised suspicions that the years may be catching up to him Just this weekend (13 January), the typically lively 77-year-old appeared unusually frail and unsteady as he entered a hotel in Des Moines following an active day of campaigning.

And despite securing a decisive victory in the Iowa Republican caucus, medical experts have cautioned that Trump exhibited signs of fatigue, gauntness and unsteadiness on his feet in his Monday night (15 January) victory speech.

Dr Stuart Fischer, an internal medicine physician in New York, told DailyMail.com: "I've never seen that in him. The walking is one issue, but the balance is another. He looked a little bit like he was on a ship at sea."

During the speech, observers noted a subdued demeanour in Trump, with a lower tone in his voice, a departure from his usual animated style. So what's wrong?

What's wrong with Trump?

Of course, Trump's campaign team has not commented on any potential health complications. In the run up to the general election, admitting to any kind of weakness - physical or otherwise - would be seen as a big no no.

But it could just be that age is catching up to Trump. After all, he's had a busy few months for anybody, let alone a 77-year old, with both a demanding campaign schedule and escalating legal challenges to contend with.

According to Dr. Keith Vossel, a neurologist at the University of California Los Angeles, the ex-president appears "pretty worn out", but he told DailyMail.com that he doesn't "see anything neurological going on."

Many have also asserted that Trump's physical appearance has recently showcased a slimmer physique and a more gaunt facial expression, with speculation circling that the former president may have shed weight through popular weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy.

But "you cannot fool Mother Nature," says Dr. Fischer. "If you've not had a healthy life, or if you're unlucky enough to get one of multiple chronic diseases, you will age more quickly, and then the curtain will come down."

Is it just cold?

The Iowa caucus took place under a cold snap so severe Trump's campaign had worried whether its effect on his relatively older voter base could hurt his chances.

The historic - and potentially fatal, for older citizens at least - weather could even have been behind Trump's subdued demeanour.

Dr Fischer says: "Temperatures are really severely low. It’s not like in New York City, where it's 30 or so. Plus, there's a wind chill, and you're catching him coming right in. It could take up to five minutes to fully acclimate once you get indoors."

Extreme cold can prompt blood vessels to constrict, diminishing the flow of oxygen-rich blood, resulting in cramping and hindering both movement and coordination. This potential muscle stiffness and a reduction in sensation could potentially account for Trump's awkward and slow gait.