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Aging seems to occur in a linear fashion throughout the human lifespan, from childhood to the “golden years,” but a new study has revealed one specific turning point when aging starts to accelerate in the body.
Researchers in China discovered that at around age 50, tissues and organs begin to age at a faster pace.
‘BODY CLOCK’ COULD DETERMINE BIOLOGICAL AGE AND LONGEVITY, RESEARCHERS SAY
The findings were based on a study of 516 samples taken from 13 human tissues spanning five decades.
The analysis revealed a surge at around 50 years old, led by blood vessels that are “markedly susceptible” to aging.
A researcher said these findings could help with early targeted interventions regarding accelerated organ aging and disease risk. (iStock)
To understand how individual organs age, researchers also collected tissue samples from 76 Chinese organ donors between 14 and 68 years old, all of whom suffered from accidental traumatic brain injuries.
The samples covered seven systems, including cardiovascular, digestive, immune, endocrine, respiratory, integumentary (skin) and musculoskeletal, as well as blood samples.
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The researchers found that between the ages of 45 and 55, many tissues undergo “substantial proteomic remodeling” (major changes in proteins), particularly in the aorta (main heart artery), making them more susceptible to aging.
Researchers discovered that blood vessels are the most susceptible to aging. (iStock)
“Together, our findings lay the groundwork for a systems-level understanding of human aging through the lens of proteins,” the researchers summarized.
Study co-author Guanghui Liu, a researcher at the Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, discussed the study findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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Although aging involves a “multi-organ decline,” Lui said, the study aimed to determine whether organs age at a “single rhythm.”
Certain substances in the blood — called “senokines” — function as a sort of clock that tracks aging and then speeds it up, according to the expert.
A table indicates where researchers noted sensitivity to aging in the human body.
The blood vessels are among the first parts of the body to show signs of aging, according to the researcher, as they release proteins that can influence how the entire body ages.
Rather than something that happens to one organ at a time, the findings suggest that aging should be regarded as a whole-body process.
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Liu suggested that linking tissue and plasma profiles in the human body could allow for “non-invasive” age assessments based on blood samples.
This could help enable early, targeted interventions to counter accelerated organ aging and reduce disease risk, he said.