Scientists have discovered how we age – it doesn't happen gradually

Scientists have revealed the nuances of the aging process and named the periods when a “leap” of changes in the body occurs.

That is, there are certain periods when the body ages sharply at the molecular level. This is the conclusion reached by scientists from Stanford University in California (USA), having published the results of their research in the scientific journal Nature Aging.

They found that Aging is not a gradual process, but two “leaps” that occur at 44 and 60 years of age. During these periods the body changes and, as follows from their research, the first period occurs in middle age, writes Washington Post: Stanford University geneticist Michael Snyder says:

“Obviously, you change throughout your life. But there are two main periods when a lot of change happens: one is when people are about 40 or 45 years old, and one is when they are about 60.”

The study involved more than 100 healthy people of different ethnic backgrounds, aged 25 to 75 years. They took swabs from the mouth and nose, skin, and blood and stool samples. The participants were observed for about two years.

Approximately 135,000 different molecules and microbes associated with the cardiovascular and immune systems, metabolism, skin and muscles were analyzed. The analysis showed that 81% of the molecules changed quantitatively in people in their 40s and 60s.

Scientists also found changes, the same for both groupsassociated with cardiovascular disease, caffeine metabolism, skin and muscle health. There are also certain differencesFor example, in 40-year-old participants, significant changes were observed in molecules associated with alcohol and lipid (or fat) metabolism. In those over 60, in molecules associated with immune regulation, kidney function, and carbohydrate metabolism.

Michael Snyder noted that many age-related diseases begin to manifest themselves at the age of 60so the changes identified in this group of participants did not come as a surprise.

But the changes in 40-year-olds initially surprised the researchers. They dismissed the possibility that they could be explained by the onset of menopause or perimenopause (the stage when menstruation still occurs, but it becomes irregular) in women, since the changes were also found in men.

Despite this, during the study Scientists still haven't figured out why the molecules in our bodies change. At the same time, they note that middle-aged people should pay special attention to their health. Snyder explains:

“For example, if you know that your carbohydrate metabolism is disturbed, then you can help this by changing your diet and switching to a healthy diet.”

Scientists note that Focusing on molecular changes may “provide clues” to why age-related diseases occur. But they say it's too early to say exactly how these changes are related to aging. Xiaotao Shen, a computational biologist at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, says:

“When people age, the molecules in the body change. However, we do not yet know what provokes them. The results of the study prove that a person's lifestyle influences this. Therefore, after 40 years, scientists advise paying attention to your diet, doing physical exercises, because at this age the body begins to change.”

The scientists note that longer studies with more participants are needed to better understand how molecular changes affect the functioning of various body systems, morbidity and mortality. It is also worth finding out what they entail.

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