According to a brand new study by researchers at Stanford University, aging just isn’t a slow, linear process.
In fact, aging, particularly the slowing of metabolism and wrinkling of the skin, can occur in what scientists call “age-related waves“ in comparison with a gradual increase. The Natural aging The journal found that the body’s molecules, in addition to the microbes and bacteria that make up the gut microbiome, change rapidly during two key periods: ages 44 and 60.
“We are not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes,” said Dr. Michael Snyder, professor of genetics at Stanford University and one in every of the researchers on the study during which University press releases“It turns out that the mid-1940s is a time of dramatic change, as is the early 1960s. And that’s true regardless of which class of molecule you look at.”
Molecular changes, when molecules and microbes increase or decrease probably the most, affect the body’s risk of chronic disease, ability to fight off disease and the pace of aging, in line with the study. The changes within the 40s were closely linked to heart disease, skin and muscle function and the way in which people metabolize caffeine, fat and alcohol. The molecular changes within the 60s play a task in oxidative stress, immune system health, heart disease, caffeine metabolism, kidney disease and skin and muscle aging. It is consistent with the 12 signs of agingcorresponding to chronic inflammation and cellular aging, which occur on the molecular level as people age. It also explains why older adults develop greater sensitivity to alcohol, gain weight, and experience age-related muscle loss.
The researchers studied over 100 volunteers between the ages of 25 and 75 who donated blood or provided biological samples every few months for nearly two years, examining changes in over 135,000 molecules and microbes. The authors concluded that the overwhelming majority of molecules and microbes (81%) didn’t change linearly because the person aged, with the best changes occurring in men and girls between the mid-40s and early 60s.
“This suggests that while menopause or perimenopause may contribute to the changes seen in women in their mid-40s, there are likely other, more significant factors influencing these changes in both men and women,” Xiaotao Shen, PhD, study creator and assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University Singapore, said within the Stanford news release. “Identifying and investigating these factors should be a priority in future research.”
The underlying mechanisms underlying the rapid molecular changes during these two vital periods are largely unknown, and the study only collected data after two years of follow-up, however it sends the message that individuals should pay special attention to their health in midlife to combat a few of the molecular changes which are outside of their control.
This means regular strength training to counteract muscle loss, day by day exercise to counteract the danger of heart disease, and eating nutritious, filling whole foods to counteract metabolic decline.
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