Study shows men and women follow different aging timelines
“A new study from China has found that men and women age in strikingly different ways -- and the clues lie hidden in the results of everyday blood tests and health check-ups. The study, recently publish…”
The study, recently published in the journal Nature Aging, was jointly conducted by researchers from the China National Center for Bioinformation (CNCB), under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Institute of Zoology of CAS, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University and other institutes. Researchers looked at health data from more than 104,000 adults across China, aged 18 to 98.
They focused on 172 common measurements, such as weight, cholesterol and blood sugar. From this, they built special "ageing clocks" to show when human bodies go through the biggest changes over time. They found that for men, the most important turning point came between ages 35 and 45.
During this decade, their metabolism shifted noticeably -- body mass index went up, along with triglycerides and cholesterol. For women, the big change happened later, between 55 and 65, around the time of menopause. At that stage, women experienced strong hormonal changes, along with rising fat and cholesterol levels.
"Stay connected with Aman-e-Pakistan for ongoing live reporting and verified investigative updates."
Yet despite these distinct ageing trajectories, the physical differences between men and women tended to diminish as they grew older. Read More:1 dead, 11 missing after mudslide in eastern China.
The study also showed that certain substances in our blood -- including glucose, lipids, uric acid and two tumour-related markers called CEA and HE4 -- build up as we age and are linked to faster biological ageing. To test this, the scientists exposed human blood vessel cells to higher levels of these substances in the lab.
The cells began to show clear signs of senescence, suggesting that these factors are not just markers of ageing but may actually help cause it. But there is some encouraging news. The researchers found that some ageing effects might be reversible.
For example, a common diabetes drug called metformin helped protect cells from the ageing damage caused by high glucose levels. In another experiment, mice that were switched from a high-fat diet back to a normal diet showed clear improvements in liver ageing.
"This suggests that lowering metabolic stress -- by improving diet or controlling blood glucose -- could be a potential strategy to slow down ageing," said Xiong Muzhao, a researcher from CNCB.The findings suggest that reducing age-related metabolic burden may be a promising strategy for promoting healthy ageing.
They also highlight the importance of sex-specific assessment and intervention throughout the lifespan, said Li Jiaming, a researcher from CNCB.
Continue Reading: More in National
Swipe or click arrows to explore National desk coverage
