Studies Biological age differs at a young age

Differences in the aging process can be measured at an early age
Why is the one with 60 physically fitter than a peer? The justification provides the so-called "biological age", which describes the individual's physical condition and state of health. Researchers at the US-based Duke University have now gained interesting insights into aging from the study of nearly 1,000 38-year-olds. Accordingly, differences in biological age are recognizable at an early age.

Biological age describes the individual physical condition
"Everybody is as old as he feels" - this saying may be more than you think. For while one is still active in sports at the age of 70, some 40-year-olds are already out of breath when climbing stairs. Although the year of birth gives information about the biographical age, it does not say much about the condition of the individual. In contrast, the so-called "biological age" describes the individual physical condition and the health of a person.

The biological age is recognizable early. (Image: JenkoAtaman - fotolia)

The biological age can vary greatly, whereby people born on the same day, later e.g. look very different old. However, the differences do not come to light until later in life. Instead, the course of biological aging, according to the gerontologist Dan Belsky already recognizable at a young age on the basis of physical condition. "If we want to prevent certain age-related diseases, we need to study aging in young people," said Duke University expert.

Researchers use extensive "Dunedin study" as a basis
To better understand the processes of aging, Belsky and his team analyzed the biological age of nearly 1,000 38-year-olds using 18 different biomarkers (such as kidney, lung or liver function). As a basis, the researchers used the so-called "Dunedin study", a long-term survey, for which the more than a thousand subjects from the New Zealand city of Dunedin were regularly examined medically and psychologically up to the age of 38 years.

Subjects age differently fast
The biomarker analysis yielded a startling result, as the biological age of the study participants was between 28 and 61 years. To determine the individual age processes, the researchers then compared the data with the results of the same participants at the age of 32 and 26 years. It turned out that aging seems to be an individual process at an early age. For while most of the year in one year a "biological year" had become older, in others the biological age rose even up to three years per chronological year. Still others did not age, making them physically much younger than their year of birth would suggest.

Correspondingly, the physical condition showed marked differences, as the faster-aged probands, for example, had a higher risk of stroke or more frequent coordination problems. "Even before mid-life, people who aged faster, were physically less fit, showed cognitive decline and brain aging, reported poor health, and looked older," the researchers write.

Aging is only 20 percent genetic
The results of the study, according to Dan Belsky and his team, could help identify and understand aging processes. A point that has a particularly high importance in view of the steadily aging society. An important role would be played by previous findings from the twin research, which point out that aging is apparently only 20 percent genetically predetermined. The much larger proportion would therefore be determined by environmental influences, which could be medically influenced. "Our results show that aging processes can be quantified in people who are young enough to prevent age-related diseases, opening a door to new anti-aging therapies," the researchers said in their report. (No)