Study: People mostly age between 44 and 60 years old

2024-08-26 09:28:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Aging happens slowly and steadily but not just like that, says a new study. In at least two stages in life it takes on accelerated momentum. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine and Singapore examined 108 people between the ages of 25 and 75 from California over seven years. They determined the molecular and microbial profile of blood, saliva and other samples. Other clinical laboratory values ??were also obtained.

Not everyone experiences the aging spurt right between the ages of 44 and 60

Molecular biologist and aging researcher Hartmut Geiger from the University of Ulm, Germany considers the study to be innovative, valuable and adaptable to Germany as well. Geiger told SWR that it cannot generally be assumed that these aging bursts always occur in everyone by age 44 or 60. After all, these data are taken as statistical averages - so they reflect the average.

Research can now focus on these age groups. It should be noted that the number of participants in the study was relatively small, 108 people. According to molecular biologist Geiger, it makes sense to continue the research with larger groups. The most important thing, however, is "that you don't come around without knowing where to focus, but you can approach the problem more specifically, so that you have a new target that you can continue to pursue in further research." Researchers can focus on these two triggers of aging, the mid-40s and age 60, and see how this can be slowed.

People in their mid-40s and around 60s should pay special attention to their health

However, given the dramatic aging process in the study, scientists from the US recommend that people in these age groups pay special attention to their health. This also includes adjusting your lifestyle, for example more movement, at the time of the fastest muscle loss. Aging expert Geiger also recommends a healthy diet, good social contact and low stress. Applying these tips is already known to have a good anti-aging effect and may even affect the two mentioned aging jerks.

Worldwide anti-aging research

While researchers from the US refer to the two spurts of old age at the ages of 44 and 60 as "age turning points", Ulm aging researcher Geiger considers this to be too fatalistic a term. This means that nothing more can be done. But Geiger told SWR that he is confident that research will find something that can delay these basic aging mechanisms.

Aging can soon at least be slowed down

At the University of Ulm, Geiger's team is researching a protein that increases with age, particularly in blood cells, the liver and the brain, where it promotes the aging of stem cells. Deactivating this process could be a way to slow down aging. As in Ulm, research teams around the world are looking for ways to delay aging. Molecular biologist Geiger expects that: "In the next 10 to 15 years, things may come to market that can slow down such changes."/DW