2024-08-18 10:05:36
Age is a very subjective feeling. On a biological level, researchers have now been able to prove that there are two general stages of aging.
Wrinkles become deeper, hair turns greyer and the risk of joint or cardiovascular disease increases: age spares no one. However, we do not age continuously, but in two noticeable spurts: in our mid-40s and then again in our 60s. This was discovered by a recent study from Stanford University in the USA. The study was published in the specialist journal “Nature Aging”.
For their study, the team from Stanford University examined thousands of the body’s own molecules from the blood, stool and oral mucosa of test subjects. The bacteria, viruses and fungi found on and in the body were also examined. All of these together allow conclusions to be drawn about metabolism, intestinal health and inflammation levels in the body, among other things. Over a period of up to seven years, samples were regularly taken and analyzed from a total of 108 people between the ages of 25 and 75.
The result: In over 80 percent of the test subjects, these molecules changed significantly more than usual between the ages of 44 and 60. And this applies regardless of which class of molecules you look at, explain the study authors. They conclude that people do not change gradually over time, but go through “dramatic periods of change” in which, from a biological perspective, they age more quickly.
What is special about the study is that the researchers can assign the different molecules to certain health conditions. The number of molecules associated with cardiovascular disease and skin and muscle health changes in both stages of life. Alcohol and fat metabolism seem to change particularly in the 40s, while the immune system and kidney function change primarily in people in their early 60s.
The authors noticed that the first aging spurt in the 40s roughly coincided with the period of menopause in women (between 45 and 55 years). However, men also went through these changes in a similar way. Therefore, the faster rate of aging in that interval cannot be explained by menopause alone. The team concludes that a general shift in the aging process occurs in both sexes in the mid-40s.
The authors are therefore certain that people in their 40s and 60s in particular should pay attention to their health. In order to counteract age-related changes as best as possible, they recommend, among other things, exercising as much as possible and consuming little alcohol. This protects the heart and maintains muscle mass.
Despite the important findings, the researchers at Stanford University admit that some of the observed effects could also be related to the lifestyle of the respective age groups. They also point out that the study should be carried out again with more subjects to confirm the results. In addition, future research should further investigate the exact causes of these aging spurts.