When does aging really move to overdrive? New research suggests that it may be faster than you think.
Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences studied tissue proteins from around 70 people aged 14 to 68, according to a study published July 25 in Journal Cell.
These proteins give scientists a window into when the aging process can begin at the cellular level, said Dr. Thomas Blackwell, PhD, Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education and Professor of Medicine at the University of Texas Department of Medicine.
The protein is created “factory” using instructions from messenger RNA, he said. The signs of aging are when the cells’ ability to properly and efficiently create proteins begins to collapse.
Looking at tissues taken from organs throughout the body, including the heart, liver, pancreas, spleen, lungs, skin and muscles, researchers determined that aging would begin to accelerate from 45 to 55.
They also discovered that organs were aging at different rates. For example, the spleen, aorta (the main artery of the body), and the adrenal glands (the cause of hormone production) showed signs of aging at about 30.
“We’ve seen a lot of experience in biology,” said Neville Sanjana, an associate professor of biology, neuroscience and physiology at New York University and an associate professor of biology, neuroscience and physiology at New York Genome Center.
The findings of this study, he said, could have many implications for future research into the treatment of chronic conditions associated with aging, which not only adds decades to a patient’s lifespan, but also adds to the health range, which is the duration of the life of a person spent in health.
“For me, it’s exciting,” Sanjana said. “This type of data generation is extremely powerful for those who want to create a new kind of treatment to help restore bioengineering and healthy aging.”
For Blackwell, the study also shows that patients still have opportunities to change the aging trajectories of their later lives. “But the windows are short,” he said.
The best way to add healthy years to your life is to maintain healthy levels of blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, and “never smoke and drink,” Blackwell said.
Research has shown that diet, exercise, genetics, and sometimes luck can shock your lifespan. However, new research suggests that people may still see benefits from later life changes.
“From 45 to 50, you can get 10 years of healthy life, and this study shows the truth about it at the mobile phone level,” he said.
Adrianna Rodriguez can visit adrodriguez@usatoday.com.
