Stanford Medicine researchers have uncovered significant findings that defy traditional theories that claim that ageing takes place gradually. Their recent work found that the human body undergoes two sharp changes at the age of 44 and 60 in terms of its molecular composition.
The study notes that pivotal ages are times when thousands of molecules and microorganisms in the body increase, drop, or undergo a particularly seismic shift, all of which contribute to visible physiological changes. This could explain why some people suddenly feel much older or experience a rapid decline in health during these periods.
As per a release by the Stanford University School of Medicine, researchers assessed many thousands of different molecules in people from age 25 to 75, as well as their microbiomes-the bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live inside us and on our skin-and found that the abundance of most molecules and microbes does not shift in a gradual, chronological fashion. Rather, we undergo two periods of rapid change during our life span, averaging around age 44 and age 60. A paper describing these findings was published in the journal Nature Ageing on August 14.
"We're not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes," said Michael Snyder, PhD, professor of genetics and the study's senior author. "It turns out the mid-40s are a time of dramatic change, as are the early 60s. And that's true no matter what class of molecules you look at."
These big changes likely impact our health-the number of molecules related to cardiovascular disease showed significant changes at both time points, and those related to immune function changed in people in their early 60s.
Although ageing has commonly been conceptualised and described as a continuum from birth to death, this research suggests that there are cycles and accelerations of ageing in different periods of life. This might help in the proper understanding and management of age-related health issues in the coming future.
