Aging It’s not a slow, linear process, according to new research from Stanford researchers.
In fact, aging, particularly slowing metabolism and wrinkling of the skin, can occur in what scientists describe as “age-related waves” in the face of a constant rise. The study published in the journal Natural aging The journal found that molecules in the body and the microbes and bacteria that make up the gut microbiome undergo rapid changes at two key intervals: ages 44 and 60.
“We’re not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes,” said Michael Snyder, PhD, professor of genetics at Stanford University and one of the study’s researchers. University Press Coverage“It turns out that the mid-1940s is a time of dramatic change, just like the early 1960s. And that’s true no matter what kind of molecules you look at.”
Molecular change, when molecules and microbes become larger or smaller, affects the body’s risk for chronic diseases, ability to fight them and the pace of aging, the study found. The changes in people in their 40s were closely linked to heart disease, skin and muscle function, and how people metabolize caffeine, fat and alcohol. Molecular changes in people in their 60s play a role in oxidative stress, immune health, heart disease, caffeine metabolism, kidney disease and fur and muscle aging. It is in line with the 12 characteristics of agingas Chronic inflammation and cellular senescence, which occur at the molecular level as people age. It also explains how older adults experience heightened sensitivity to alcohol, gain weight, and experience age-related muscle loss.
Researchers studied more than 100 volunteers between the ages of 25 and 75 who donated blood or provided biological samples every few months for nearly two years, and assessed changes in more than 135,000 molecules and microbes. The authors concluded that a large majority of molecules and microbes — 81 percent — did not change in a linear fashion as individuals aged. The most rapid changes occurred between ages 45 and 60 in both men and women.
“This suggests that while menopause or perimenopause “While risk factors may contribute to the changes seen in women in their 40s, there are likely other, more significant factors influencing these changes in both men and women,” said Xiaotao Shen, PhD, study author and adjunct professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, in the Stanford news release. “Identifying and studying these factors should be a priority for future research.”
While the underlying mechanisms of why rapid molecular change occurs at these two key intervals are largely unknown and the study only captured data after a two-year follow-up, it sends a message to pay special attention to Prioritizing Your Health as You Reach Middle Age to combat some of the molecular changes that are beyond your control.
This means regular resistance training to counteract muscle loss, Moving daily to offset the risk of heart disease and eat nutritious, filling whole foods to combat a falling metabolism.
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This story originally appeared in Fortune.com
