Stress has massive effects on the human body.
Due to its detrimental effects on all bodily systems, including the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, neurological, and reproductive systems, stress may cause a wide range of unhealthy diseases in humans.
In contrast, a recent study by a multidisciplinary team of scientists showed that stress can both accelerate and reverse the biological ageing of humans.
According to a study published on April 21 in the journal Cell Metabolism, "the biological age of humans and mice undergoes a rapid increase in response to diverse forms of stress, which is reversed following recovery from stress."
These changes occur over relatively short time periods of days or months, according to multiple independent epigenetic ageing clocks.
"This finding of fluid, fluctuating, malleable age challenges the longstanding conception of a unidirectional upward trajectory of biological age over the life course," says co-senior study author James White of Duke University School of Medicine.
"Previous reports have hinted at the possibility of short-term fluctuations in biological age, but the question of whether such changes are reversible has, until now, remained unexplored. Critically, the triggers of such changes were also unknown."
"Despite the widespread acknowledgment that biological age is at least somewhat malleable, the extent to which biological age undergoes reversible changes throughout life and the events that trigger such changes remain unknown," says co-senior study author Vadim Gladyshev.
The authors of the study stated that the research data show that biological age undergoes a rapid increase in response to diverse forms of stress, which is reversed following recovery from stress.
"Our study uncovers a new layer of ageing dynamics that should be considered in future studies. The elevation of biological age by stress may be a quantifiable and actionable target for future interventions."