As researchers are trying to figure out ways to slow down aging, they’re also studying the human body to understand how and when aging occurs. In a breakthrough discovery, scientists from Stanford University found evidence that explains a certain feeling some people might get during their lifetimes.
Some of you might be aware of that feeling that you’ve aged almost overnight, even though the aging process is continuous and, therefore, believed to be slow. That is, you might not notice significant changes in your body from one day to another. But there are at least two periods in life when multiple changes can occur at the same time. That’s when people might experience aging more dramatically.
The study tracked 135,000 different molecules in 108 people aged 25 through 75. Analyzing the data, the researchers discovered two major waves of change at around the ages of 44 and 60. Other research suggests there might be a spike in aging around the age of 78, but the current study didn’t have participants that old to prove it.
“We’re not just changing gradually over time. There are some really dramatic changes,” Michael Snyder told The Guardian. “It turns out the mid-40s is a time of dramatic change, as is the early 60s – and that’s true no matter what class of molecules you look at.”
The 108 volunteers agreed to submit samples of blood, skin, and stool over a period between one and seven years. They also provided oral and nasal swabs. Samples were collected every few months.
For the study, the researchers tracked changes in many types of molecules, including RNA, proteins, and metabolites. They even analyzed the various types of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in multiple body parts.
The Stanford team found that molecular changes do not happen in simple chronological progression, as it was initially believed. Instead, they identified two age groups where those changes were more prominent. This helps explain the feeling of aging overnight in the mid-forties and early sixties.
The findings can also explain why some people begin to experience certain medical conditions as they approach and pass these milestones.
The two waves of dramatic aging apply to both men and women. Initially, the researchers believed the hormonal changes associated with perimenopause in women would explain the unexpected aging wave in the mid-40s. However, they then discovered similar changes occurred in men.
The first wave of dramatic aging impacted molecules linked to cardiovascular disease. The researchers also found that molecules responsible for metabolizing caffeine, alcohol, and lipids undergo big changes during the mid-40s.
The changes related to the early 60s concern molecules tied to immunity, carbohydrate metabolism, and kidney function.
Moreever, the scientists observed molecular changes linked to skin and muscle aging for both dramatic aging waves.
These findings might explain why certain heart conditions might appear after the mid-40s. Similarly, they might explain the higher risk of developing diabetes later in life or why Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular illness see upticks after the early 60s.
The study can’t explain whether some changes are related to aging or behavioral patterns. For example, alcohol metabolism might be tied to an increase in consumption in the mid-40s, characteristic of a more stressful period.
Still, the study’s conclusion might be important for future public health policies. It can also raise awareness about the importance of being open to lifestyle changes around these two waves of increased aging.
I say that as someone who has started running marathons before that first wave of dramatic aging. I did it before the study came out, but for the same health considerations. I’m aware of my body’s aging and the risks involved with the process. I’m looking to embrace aging as it happens, and being more active should help with that.
The full study is available in Nature Aging.
