When do we start getting older? New research reveals when organs start ageing, ‘Best ways to add healthy years…’

Scientists in China studied tissues from around 70 people aged 14 to 68 to understand when ageing starts at the cell level. The research was published in the journal Cell. This is what they found.

The ageing process speeds up between 45 and 55. Proteins, which are made in cells using mRNA instructions, begin to form less properly with age. This signals the start of ageing.

The scientists examined many body parts, such as the heart, liver, pancreas, lungs, skin and muscles. They found that different organs age at different speeds.

The spleen, adrenal gland and aorta showed early ageing signs from age 30. The aorta had the biggest changes in protein levels between 45 and 55.

These changes in protein production help scientists understand how and when ageing begins inside the body. Experts say this could help in future treatments to slow down ageing or prevent age-related diseases.

“This is just a beautiful roadmap that gives us an initial overview of organ ageing,” USA Today quoted Neville Sanjana as saying.

Sanjana is an associate professor of biology, neuroscience and physiology at New York University.

The research could help create new treatments for age-related diseases. These treatments may help people live longer and stay healthy for more years. According to experts, this type of study is useful for developing therapies to slow down ageing.

“This kind of data generation is so powerful for folks who want to do things like bioengineering and creating new kinds of therapies to restore healthy ageing,” Sanjana said.

“Starting at 45 to 50, you could gain as much as 10 years of healthy life and this study just shows the truth of that at a cellular level,” said Dr. Thomas Blackwell.

Dr. Blackwell is a professor of medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

“The best ways to add healthy years to your life are to maintain a healthy level of blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, don't smoke and drink ‘very little’," Blackwell added.