Stanford Study Reveals Surprising Age-Related Health Changes: Key Findings on Accelerated Aging in Your 40s and 60s

Some gray hair and more wrinkles are just part of getting older. But that doesn’t happen as slowly and steadily as we think. Researchers from the prestigious Stanford University analyzed thousands of different molecules and microbes in 108 people aged between 25 and 75. For years, they took samples of stool and blood every few months, as well as pieces of skin and samples from the nose and mouth.

And it shows that most of these molecules and microbes do not change in a gradual, historical way. Instead, as humans we experience two periods of rapid change in our lives. On average, this happens between the ages of 44 and 60.

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“We don’t just change gradually over time. There are big changes,” said Michael Snyder, professor of genetics and author of the study. “It turns out that the mid-40s is a time of big change, just like the early 60s and that applies to all types of genetics. And that applies no matter what kind of molecules you look at.”

Menopause

The researchers thought that peaking in the mid-40s might have something to do with perimenopause in women so the results gave a distorted picture. But the data for men showed the same results. “This suggests that while menopause or perimenopause may contribute to the changes seen in women in their mid-40s, other, more important factors are likely to influence the -these changes in men and women,” said Xiaotao Shen, a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford. Medical School and author of the study.

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The first wave of changes included molecules linked to cardiovascular disease and the ability to metabolize caffeine, alcohol and lipids. The second wave of changes involved molecules involved in immune regulation, carbohydrate metabolism and kidney function. Molecules associated with aging skin and muscles changed at all times.

It is possible, the scientists said, that some of these changes are related to lifestyle or behavioral factors that are common in these age groups, rather than biological factors, Snyder said. For example, a disorder in alcohol metabolism could be the result of an increase in alcohol consumption in the mid-40s, often a stressful time in life.

The attention

The team plans to investigate the reasons for these clusters of changes. But whatever the reasons, these clusters show that people need to pay attention to their health, especially in their 40s and 60s, the researchers said. For example, you could exercise more during both periods to protect your heart and maintain muscle mass, or drink less alcohol at age 40 because your ability to metabolize alcohol decreases .

“I strongly believe that we need to make lifestyle changes while we are still healthy,” Snyder said.