Page 18 - Seniorstoday May 2023 Issue
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are well-known “secrets” of healthspan potentially act as a readout for aging.
and longevity. Although newer studies It is important to note, however, that while
on the effects of diet interventions such as epigenetic clocks have been valuable in
intermittent fasting and time-restricted predicting chronological age, they do not
feeding on longevity have not been equate to biological age. In addition, it is
rigorously tested, they do show multiple unclear how these epigenetic marks work
health benefits, including better glucose or how they contribute to aging.
and insulin regulation. Another well-regarded marker
While genetics is difficult to control, of biological age is the build-up of
diet and exercise can be modified to delay dysfunctional cells called senescent or
biological aging. zombie cells. Cells become senescent when
they experience multiple types of stress
How to measure biological age and become so damaged that they cannot
Currently, there is no effective test to divide anymore, releasing molecules that
predict an individual’s health trajectory cause chronic low-grade inflammation and
early enough in life in order to intervene disease.
and improve quality of life with age. Animal studies have shown that getting
Scientists are interested in identifying rid of these cells can improve healthspan.
a molecule that is sensitive and specific However, what clearly defines senescent
enough to serve as a unique fingerprint for cells in humans is still unknown, making
biological age. them challenging to track as a measure of
Considering the health and resilience of biological age.
the individual instead of focusing solely on Lastly, the body releases unique
disease state is important in discussions metabolites or chemical fingerprints, as
on biological age. Resilience is the state of byproducts of normal metabolism. These
adapting and bouncing back from a health metabolites play a dynamic and direct role
challenge and is often more predictive in physiological regulation and can inform
of functional health. A molecular aging functional health. My lab and others are
fingerprint may provide a tool to help figuring out the exact makeup of these
identify people who are less resilient and chemicals in order to figure out which can
require more aggressive monitoring and best measure biological age. A lot of work
early intervention to preserve their health still remains on not only identifying these
and help reduce gender, racial and ethnic metabolites, but also understanding how
health disparities. they affect biological age.
There are several promising molecular People have long sought a fountain of
markers that may serve as biological age youth. Whether such an elixir exists is still
fingerprints. unknown. But research is starting to show
One of these markers are epigenetic that delaying biological age may be one way
clocks. Epigenetics are chemical to live healthier, fuller lives.
modifications of DNA that control gene Aditi Gurkar is Assistant Professor of
function. Several scientists have found that Geriatric Medicine, University of Pittsburg
DNA can get “marked” by methyl groups in This article is republished with
a pattern that changes with age and could permission from theconversation.com
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