Maintaining an active lifestyle can help you stay biologically younger. A recent study indicates that individuals experience two phases of accelerated biological aging, but making healthy lifestyle choices can slow down the process.
Significant Highlights:
- The study reveals that the body doesn’t age at a consistent pace but goes through two distinct periods of rapid aging—one in the forties and another in the sixties.
- Researchers suggest that the significant changes in the forties may be heavily influenced by lifestyle factors.
- A balanced diet and consistent exercise can help ward off many age-related health issues.
Aging in Distinct Bursts: New Insights into Human Biology
Contrary to the long-held belief that aging happens gradually, new research suggests that the human body undergoes two major biomolecular shifts. These shifts occur around the ages of 44 and 60, significantly influencing our health and biological aging processes. This finding may redefine how we understand the aging process and how we approach age-related diseases.
The study analyzed over 135,000 molecules and microbes from participants ranging in age from 25 to 75. Researchers discovered that these biological changes are not evenly spread throughout life but occur in two distinct bursts.
“It turns out the mid-forties is a time of dramatic change, as is the early sixties,” says Michael Snyder, PhD, a professor of genetics at Stanford Medicine and senior author of the study. “During both these periods, lots of shifts are happening. In the sixties, the shifts are particularly dramatic.” He further notes that these findings may help uncover the molecular mechanisms behind age-related diseases, potentially leading to earlier diagnoses and better prevention strategies.
Bodily Transformations Occur in Clusters
To understand the changes, the researchers collected biological samples from 108 individuals every three to six months over a period of up to 6.8 years. The participants came from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and over half were female. The collected samples included blood, stool, skin swabs, and oral and nasal swabs, which were analyzed for molecular content such as RNA, proteins, and metabolites.
Throughout the study, scientists tracked age-related fluctuations in these molecules and microbes. They found that more than 80% of the molecules underwent nonlinear changes, meaning they did not increase or decrease steadily over time. Instead, their numbers fluctuated significantly during two key periods—when participants were in their forties and sixties.
James White, PhD, an assistant professor at Duke University School of Medicine and the Duke Aging Center, finds the results striking. “It is generally thought that aging manifests itself gradually and progressively, but these findings suggest this may not be the case,” he says. Dr. White’s perspective aligns with earlier studies, such as a 2019 analysis published in Nature Medicine, which found that molecular shifts happen at ages 34, 60, and 78, adding weight to the theory that aging does not occur in a simple, linear fashion.
The Impact of Molecular Shifts on Health
The shifts in biomolecules observed in this recent study were linked to several key health areas, including cardiovascular health, skin and muscle aging, and caffeine metabolism. However, there were differences between the two age periods.
In their forties, individuals showed changes in molecules associated with fat and alcohol metabolism. These shifts may indicate that lifestyle factors, such as diet and physical activity, are playing a critical role. “Perhaps people at this age are becoming more sedentary, and their poor diets build up to a point where things fall apart,” says Snyder.
By contrast, in their sixties, participants experienced molecular changes related to carbohydrate metabolism, immune function, and kidney health. The immune system, for example, naturally weakens with age, making the body less capable of fighting infections and cancer. Additionally, the risk of heart disease increases markedly during this period.
Snyder emphasizes that while the physical decline in one’s sixties is to be expected, the changes in the forties were somewhat surprising. He attributes these early shifts to lifestyle factors such as stress and poor diet.
Midlife Stressors and Their Impact on Aging
Biological changes in the forties may be closely tied to lifestyle challenges. “Early middle age is associated with busy family schedules, high stress at work, midlife crises, and weight gain,” says Dr. White. “It’s a time in life when stress is high and self-care is low.” Divorce rates also peak around this time, adding to the stress load.
These stressors may lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as increased alcohol consumption. The study’s authors suggest that midlife stress could explain why alcohol-related molecules were particularly affected in participants in their forties. Poor dietary choices, lack of exercise, and elevated stress levels during this period could all contribute to accelerating the biological aging process.
Steps to Mitigate Age-Related Decline
While aging is inevitable, there are steps individuals can take to mitigate the decline associated with these molecular shifts. “This study suggests nuances on how we go about prevention, but we already know the major factors that lead to lower [health] risks,” says Josef Coresh, MD, founding director of NYU Langone’s Optimal Aging Institute. He recommends focusing on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, avoiding weight gain, controlling diabetes and hypertension, not smoking, and maintaining regular physical activity.
Snyder adds that people in their forties should pay close attention to their cholesterol levels, work to build muscle mass through exercise, and reduce alcohol consumption as metabolism begins to slow. For those in their sixties, he advises increasing the intake of anti-inflammatory foods, such as garlic, and antioxidants like vitamins C and E. These dietary changes can help stabilize molecular levels and reduce inflammation.
“I’m a big believer that we should try to adjust our lifestyles while we’re still healthy,” says Snyder, highlighting the importance of making proactive changes before significant health issues arise.
A New Perspective on Aging
This new study challenges traditional notions of aging and emphasizes the importance of lifestyle factors in determining the pace of biological aging. By understanding when and how these molecular changes occur, researchers hope to provide more targeted interventions that could delay or mitigate age-related health issues. Although aging is a natural part of life, the choices we make—especially in our forties and sixties—can have a profound impact on how we experience this inevitable process.
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