They say “age is just a number” — and now there’s scientific proof to that effect.
The amount of candles on your birthday cake has little to do with how old you are biologically, according to a recent study from Stanford University School of Medicine.
Lead researcher Michael Snyder and his team identified the four specific “age-o-types” — metabolic, immune, hepatic (which pertains to the liver) and nephrotic (which pertains to the kidneys) — to determine how some areas of the body mature faster than others in different people, and how those changes can serve as precursors for future health issues.
“Our study captures a comprehensive view of how we age by studying a broad range of molecules and taking multiple samples across years from each participant,” said Snyder in a January 2020 report. “We’re able to see clear patterns of how individuals experience aging on a molecular level — and there’s quite a bit of difference.”
For the findings, analysts closely observed 43 healthy men and women ranging in age from 34 to 68 for two years. Researchers took samples of feces, blood, genetic material, microbes, proteins and other byproducts of metabolic processes over the course of at least five wellness checkups, and tracked levels of biological molecules over time.
Through extensive examinations of the samples, the specialists discovered 608 molecules that could be used to predict what might contribute to age-related health problems. They then categorized the biomarkers into the four age-o-type classes.
“The age-o-type is more than a label,” said Snyder. “It can help individuals zero in on health-risk factors and find the areas in which they’re most likely to encounter problems down the line.”
Metabolic
Folks under the metabolic designation have a greater likelihood of developing heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes due to the rapid aging of their metabolisms — the chemical reactions in the body’s cells that change food into energy. Despite being at higher risk for weight-related diseases, a person with a metabolic age-o-type can still have a stronger immune system than someone much younger.
Immune
An immune age-o-type refers to an individual whose immune system is aging more rapidly than the rest of the body. Increased maturity to the system often prompts inflammation throughout the body, enhancing the risk of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
Hepatic
People with a hepatic age-o-type are afflicted with a fast-aging liver — a vital organ charged with detoxifying the blood of poisonous substances such as alcohol and drugs. Rapid aging ultimately decreases the liver’s ability to properly function as a person gets older, leaving them extremely susceptible to cirrhosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Nephrotic
A nephrotic age-o-type pertains to the kidney — which filters out waste from the blood to produce urine, balances bodily fluids and helps manage blood pressure. Folks afflicted with quickly aging kidneys can expect to experience high blood pressure and renal failure later in life.
The grim realities of poor health in old age aside, Snyder says a person’s age-o-type doesn’t determine their fate. Instead, it affords them the opportunity to make healthy lifestyle improvements — such as losing weight, kicking nicotine and alcohol habits, and managing blood pressure and glucose levels — to avoid sickness before it’s too late.
“Our study shows that it’s possible to change the way you age for the better,” he assured.
He went on to note that participants who adopted healthier ways of living ultimately decreased their body’s rate of aging.
“Among those who exhibited decreased levels of hemoglobin A1c, many had lost weight, and one made dietary changes,” reads the report. “Some who saw a decrease in creatine (a naturally occurring substance in the body that affects the liver, kidneys and pancreas) indicating improved kidney function, were taking statins (prescription drugs to lower cholesterol).”
A fascination with reversing one’s biological age has become a trendy phenomenon in recent months — thanks, in part, to anti-aging advocate and tech guru Bryan Johnson.
The 46-year-old tech mogul has gone viral for unabashedly spending $2 million a year on a strict regimen in hopes to bio-hack — an attempt to boost a person’s biological makeup through dieting, exercising, supplements intake and other extreme measures — himself into an 18-year-old.
Andrew Boyd, a 23-year-old YouTuber, achieved social media superstardom in October after adopting Johnson’s intense routine for 75 days. Through the experiment, Boyd ultimately dropped 30 pounds and reduced his biological age to 19.
“I felt incredibly focused and energized,” he told online audiences.
Snyder, too, has embraced a more health-conscious way of being after determining his own biological aging patterns during his study.
“I was a bit disappointed to see that I was aging at a pretty average rate,” the scientist said, adding he’d collected the data on himself at the end of 2016.
“I started lifting weights right around that time,” Snyder confessed. “It’ll be interesting to see if that influences my aging pathways in another year’s time.”
