Did you know there are two times in life when our bodies suddenly age?
At age 44, fat metabolism changes, and at 60, carb metabolism takes a hit.
Middle age is when all the social and career experiences you’ve built up over time start to pay off. You’re at the peak of your critical thinking and work skills. But it’s also when stress from work and life starts catching up with you, and health issues can pop up. Usually, middle age is considered to be from the early 40s to the early 60s. But when and how do health challenges start during this time?
Researchers at Stanford University noticed that the risk of diseases related to aging speeds up at specific points in life. For example, in the U.S., the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s increases with aging but has noticeable spikes around 40 and 65 years old.
Our bodies change throughout life, but there are two major times when big changes happen: around the mid-40s and again in the 60s.
Professor Michael Snyder (Genetics) and his team at Stanford found that our bodies don’t just gradually change during middle age—they go through two dramatic shifts. These happen at ages 44 and 60, according to their study published in the journal Nature Aging.
Professor Snyder explained, “People change throughout their lives, but there are two key periods when significant changes occur—one around the mid-40s and another in the 60s.”
A previous study from the same university in 2019 suggested that people age in three phases, with major changes in protein levels related to aging at ages 34, 60, and 78. This study also confirmed that aging doesn’t just happen gradually but involves several turning points.
In this latest study, researchers analyzed samples from 108 healthy adults aged 25 to 75. They collected blood, stool, and swabs from the mouth, skin, and nasal passages every 3 to 6 months, with a median tracking period of 1.7 years and up to 6.8 years.
They looked at changes in 135,239 different biomolecules and microbial communities. Analyzing 246 billion data points, they found that most molecules (81%) didn’t change gradually but experienced significant shifts at ages 44 and 60. The changes were most noticeable in molecules related to cardiovascular health, caffeine metabolism, skin, and muscle. Some molecules, like those related to alcohol and lipid (fat) metabolism, changed more at 44, while those related to immune regulation, kidney function, and carbohydrate metabolism changed more at 60.
Professor Snyder noted, “It’s not surprising that we see molecular changes at 60, given that this age is associated with a higher incidence of age-related diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancer. But the changes at 44 were unexpected.”
At first, researchers thought the sharp changes around the mid-40s might be related to menopause, but they saw similar changes in men of the same age. The exact reasons for these molecular shifts remain unclear.
So, what should we do? Researchers say we can adjust our lifestyles to cope with these changes. For instance, if your carbohydrate metabolism is declining, you could tweak your diet. Since alcohol and caffeine metabolism decreases at these ages, it might be wise to cut back on both.
Professor Snyder mentioned that some of these changes might be linked not just to biology but also to lifestyle habits concentrated in these age groups. For example, issues with alcohol metabolism might be related to increased alcohol consumption during the stressful mid-40s.
Researchers concluded, “This study shows that lifestyle becomes crucial once you hit your 40s. If your body is starting to change, now is the time to improve your diet and exercise habits.”
Going forward, the researchers plan to explore why these dramatic shifts happen at these ages. But whatever the cause, the fact that these turning points occur highlights the importance of taking care of your health during these times. As Professor Snyder said, “You need to adjust your lifestyle and habits while you’re still healthy.”
