A new study led by researchers at the American Heart Association has shown that maintaining a healthy heart would be the solution to reducing biological age by 6 years. Scientists have therefore established 8 steps to put into practice to slow down aging.
We all know what age : it is linked to the passing of time. However, fewer of us have heard of biological age. It is linked to cellular aging and depends on the choices you make and your lifestyle. A good diet, regular exercise, restful sleep, an environment that allows a certain quality of life… All these elements will contribute to maintain a low biological age (even if the years pass). There are blood tests that can determine a person’s biological age, although controversial.
Concretely, you can be a 35-year-old person, a smoker, stressed, a fan of processed foods and who is seriously lacking in sleep… You will then have a higher biological age than a 50-year-old person who has adopted healthy habits all along. his life.
If your biological age is higher than your actual age, you will be at greater risk of certain (age-related) diseases such as cancer, heart disease or Alzheimer’s disease.
Through a news study, researchers have identified the way to rejuvenate biological age. The scientists of theAmerican Heart Association have proven that Maintaining a healthy heart could allow our bodies to feel younger than our actual chronological age. The survey covered more than 6,500 adults of various origins.
Heart-healthy people had an average chronological age of 41, but their bodies were 36 years old biologically
The key to slowing down or even reducing biological age? Take care of your heart.
“ We found that better cardiovascular health is associated with slowed biological aging, as measured by phenotypic age. We also discovered a dose-dependent association: as heart health improves, biological aging decreases “, explains Nour Makarem, Ph.D., lead author of the study and assistant professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia Irving Medical University (USA).
Phenotypic age is simply a tool to assess the biological aging process of our body. It is also a good indicator of future risk of illness and death.
Biological age, called by researchers phenotypic agego beyond the traditional calendar to assess the true wear and tear of an organism. Phenotypic age is calculated by adding your chronological age (how old you are based on your date of birth) with the results of nine different blood tests which check various markers such as sugar levels, inflammation and kidney function.
When a person’s phenotypic age is greater than their actual age, it suggests that their body is biologically aging more quickly.
The team of scientists discovered that people with better heart health presented a younger biological age than those with cardiovascular problems. For example, people with good cardiovascular health had an average chronological age of 41, but their bodies were 36 years old biologically. On the other hand, people with poor cardiovascular health were on average 53 years old but had a biological age of 57 years.
8 Steps to Reduce Your Biological Age by 6 Years
The study highlights eight guidelines that would be effective in improving heart health and reducing biological age.
“ Reduced biological aging is not only associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, it is also associated with longer life and a lower risk of death », adds Nour Makarem.
Start with:
-Eat better (a Mediterranean diet type diet, the healthiest for the heart)
-Be more physically active
-Stop smoking
-Have restful sleep
-Prevent overweight
-Control your cholesterol
-Manage your blood sugar
-Regulate blood pressure
Sources: Study results presented at 2023 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions