There are many ways to describe aging, but usually, we imagine a man or a woman perhaps around 45 years old with a few wrinkles and fine lines on the face. However, based on a new research, significant signs of aging that affect not only the appearance but also the overall function of the body can begin as early as middle 20s.
What's more, people of the same age can "age" differently. This may explain why some men and women your age may already be losing their way or are getting sicklier than you.
This study is conducted by a group of researchers from New Zealand, the UK, United States, and Israel. Unlike the other studies about aging, the research is turning its attention to the young adults.
The paper, which is now available in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, uses the data available in a longitudinal study that first began many years ago. In the said study, which is called Dunedin Study, over a thousand men and women were considered as subjects. These were people who were born during the early years of the 1970s, which means by around this time, they were at least 43 years old.
The team picked at least 18 biomarkers, which will be used as criteria for measuring aging. In 2011, when the subjects were almost hitting 40, they tested the functions of their vital organs such as the heart, kidney, and liver. They also determined their cholesterol level, lung function, and even their telomeres, which have been found by many studies to be a significant contributor to aging.
Based on these data, they were able to describe the "biological age" for the participants between 30 and 60 years old. They then compared these data with the results of the biomarkers when the subjects were at least 26 years old.
Using the slope method to differentiate or compare the variables, they discovered that it's possible for a person to age rapidly-that is, as fast as 3 years. This simply means that a person who's 26 years old can actually have a biological age of 29.
The study's merit may come in the fact that even young adults should already be monitored for certain diseases.