I also think it was old age, and about the revival of how he is now. lets not forget what kabuto said, that he made madara's summoning a bit different. do the words "you have been completed beyond what you were in your prime" meen anything??
I belive this is supposed to be interpreted as giving back madara's body as it was befor the fight with the first (wich left him seriously dammaged, a shell of his former self) but it included any advances he made from that point, his EMS transforming into Rinnegan and all the powers that came with it. perhaps his chakra reserves were cut down sevearly by the first and he was unable to actualy use the rinnegan propperly, but now he is.