Look for ‘really dramatic changes’ in your body at these two ages: Stanford Study

We know that the body changes over time, but new research suggests that these changes may be more sudden and shocking than previously thought.

A new study from Stanford Medicine reveals that many of the body’s molecules and microorganisms increase or decrease significantly in number at two specific times – at ages 44 and 60.

The researchers came to this conclusion after evaluating thousands of molecules – including RNA, proteins and metabolites – and their microbiomes, the collection of bacteria, viruses and fungi that live on and within us, in people aged 25 to 75.

The researchers found that 81% of the molecules studied exhibited non-linear fluctuations, meaning they underwent more changes at certain times than others. The findings were published Wednesday in the journal Nature Aging.

Michael Snyder, chair of genetics and lead author of the study, says: “We’re not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes. It turns out that the mid-40s is a time of dramatic change, as is the early 60s. And that’s true no matter what class of molecules you look at.”

Researchers believe that these dramatic changes are reflected in significant transformations within the body.

The research team was inspired to study the effects of molecular and microbial shifts after observing that the risk of developing age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease is a sharp and non-sustainable increase.

For those in their 40s, molecular changes were seen in the number of molecules associated with alcohol, caffeine, lipid metabolism, cardiovascular disease, and skin and muscle.

For those in their 60s, the changes were related to carbohydrate and caffeine metabolism, immune regulation, kidney function, cardiovascular disease, and skin and muscle.

Among the 108 study participants, the researchers identified four “mojotypes,” indicating that the kidneys, liver, metabolism and immune system age at different rates in different people.

When the researchers looked for groups of molecules with the greatest fluctuation in amounts, they found that these changes occurred mostly in two intervals: when people reached their mid-40s and early 60s.

The mid-40s cluster surprised scientists who initially assumed menopause or perimenopause was driving these changes in women, thus skewing the group. However, when they divided the study group by gender, they found that group displacement affected men equally.

Xiaotao Shen, a former postdoctoral researcher at Stanford Medicine and first author of the study, explains, “This suggests that while menopause or perimenopause may contribute to the changes observed in women in their mid-40s, it is likely that others , more important factors influencing these changes in both men and women. Identifying and studying these factors should be a priority for future research.”

As Shen suggests, more research is needed to explore the driving force behind these sudden changes, whether the results are the product of behavioral or biological factors.

Regardless of the cause, researchers recommend paying special attention to your health in your 40s and 60s, perhaps by increasing exercise and decreasing alcohol consumption to live in better harmony with these biomolecular shifts.

As Snyder says, “I’m a big believer that we should try to adjust our lifestyle while we’re still healthy.”