Aging accelerates at two key stages of human life: a new study reveals when...

Human evolution remains one of science’s broadest frontiers, and understanding ourselves continues to challenge even the experts.

Researchers are still uncovering surprising insights — including a new study on aging that shows it doesn’t always progress gradually. Instead, it speeds up during two distinct stages of life.

Published in Nature Aging in 2024, the study highlights two critical turning points. “We don’t just change gradually over time — some shifts are truly dramatic,” explains Michael Snyder, a geneticist at Stanford University.

The two key ages: 44 and early 60s

Snyder’s team identified two ages when aging accelerates sharply: around 44 years old and again in the early 60s. “Your mid-40s are a time of drastic change, just like your early 60s. And that’s true no matter which molecules you analyze,” Snyder notes.

To reach these findings, researchers tracked 108 adults who donated biological samples over several years. The data revealed that diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular conditions don’t always develop slowly — instead, they often spike after certain ages.

What the molecules reveal

By analyzing proteins, lipids, RNA, and microbiome samples from the gut, nose, mouth, and skin, the team found that 81% of all molecules shifted significantly during one or both of these aging stages.

Menopause and beyond

Co-author Xiaotao Shen, a metabolomics expert, points out that the first peak often coincides with menopause or perimenopause in women. “This suggests that while menopause may contribute to the changes observed in women between 40 and 50, other significant factors are influencing these shifts in both men and women,” Shen explains.

The bottom line: Aging doesn’t just creep up slowly — it surges at two critical stages, the mid-40s and early 60s. Understanding these biological “jumps” could help doctors better predict and treat age-related diseases.

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