You may just notice your body starts to accelerate ageing as soon as you turn 50. A new study has revealed that organ and tissue aging speeds up around this time, but not everything declines at the same rate.
Research found that your blood vessels start ageing even faster than other body parts.
Scientists from China analysed tissue samples from 76 organ donors with accidental traumatic brain injuries between the ages of 14 and 68 for the study, published in the journal Cell. They said the samples included many body parts like the heart, lungs, intestines, pancreas, skin, muscle, blood, and even the adrenal glands-part of the endocrine system that produces hormones. According to the study results, the adrenal tissues showed the earliest sign of ageing at around 30 years, which suggests endocrine imbalance could be a reason why systemic ageing happens.
“Dramatic increases in ageing were seen between the ages of 45 and 55,” said Dr Guanhui Liu, a study author and professor at the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Also, the aorta, which is your body’s largest blood vessel, changes the most, along with your pancreas and spleen.
“The 45-55-year window emerges as a pivotal milestone, when most organ proteomes [a set of proteins] undergo a ‘molecular cascade storm’ with an explosive surge in differentially expressed proteins, marking the critical transition to systemic aging,” Liu told Verywell.
Scientists are looking for more research on other organs
Dr Liu said more detailed studies are needed with larger sample sizes and additional organs, especially since the brain, kidneys, and reproductive system were not included in this study.
Scientists used proteomic ageing clocks that helped them measure the ageing of different tissues. Proteomic clocks use proteins to reveal ageing patterns, unlike the epigenetic clocks that examine DNA changes.
Midlife is important for healthy ageing
Experts say many people are not able to measure the age of their organs, but even without that knowledge, it is known that midlife is important for longevity. According to studies, having healthy behaviours in midlife helps increase the chances of ageing in good health.
Doctors recommend starting early by taking a few steps, like consuming balanced and nutritious food, exercising, getting enough sleep, and keeping your brain stimulated.
While it may not be easy to change your genetics, you can always control your lifestyle, especially physical activity and nutrition. A healthy lifestyle helps support the immune system and defend the body from chronic disease in midlife and later life.