If you have noticed a sudden accumulation of wrinkles, aches and pains or a general sensation of having grown older almost overnight, there may be a scientific explanation. Research suggests that rather than being a slow and steady process, aging occurs in at least two accelerated bursts.
The study, which tracked thousands of different molecules in people aged 25 to 75, detected two major waves of age-related changes at around ages 44 and again at 60. The findings could explain why spikes in certain health issues including musculoskeletal problems and cardiovascular disease occur at certain ages.
“We’re not just changing gradually over time. There are some really dramatic changes,” said Prof Michael Snyder, a geneticist and director of the Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine at Stanford University and senior author of the study.
“It turns out the mid-40s is a time of dramatic change, as is the early 60s – and that’s true no matter what class of molecules you look at.”
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Turned 44 6 months ago. Haven’t felt it yet. Guess it’s going to get rough soon…
Wait til you sleep wrong and wake up wondering how you threw your back our.
One morning you’ll wake up and every bone in your body will pop simultaneously. Then while you lay there aching you’ll let out a 6 mimutes and 20 second fart that doesn’t have a happy ending.
The horror.
Yeah West in his seminal “Scale” kind of corroborates the whole story.
It seems, though, that the molecular changes you are undergoing do not immediately translate into increased mortality, so you’re going to have several more years of - presumably - feeling well until the big drop-off starts for all of us at about 60.
BTW, because of its wide range of topics, its solid scientific underpinnings and its excellent intellectual accessibility, this is one of two books I positively think should be taught at any school, the other one being Solé’s “Phase Transitions.”
Fucking great. I turn 44 next year.
So is it kinda like extra stages of puberty?
Fuck you all, I just turned 44.
RIP
44 is probably the average age at which people start paying for their kids’ college tuitions. That shit will age anybody.
My dad had a depression at 60, got visibly older. Looks like him being over 60 is another factor.
TIL I turned 44 at 30
Oh man, 30 was the best.
Sorry to hear yours isn’t.
As a 41 year old, goddamnit
Lol literally my thought.
I just turned 45. Prepare yourself.
I feel this
Some things scientists should just keep to themselves 😡
43: chuckles, I’m in danger.
47 tomorrow and I feel it
This is reassuring, even if not true. The mid-40s slide is a bump, not a new slope.
Even more hopeful: a sudden change implies a common trigger and maybe something can be done about that trigger (sorry if the article answered it, I didn’t read)
Article focuses on behavior, not on fixing our bodies.
(Humanity has a huge issue blaming the experiencer. A large “you smelt it, you delt it” attitude.)
My anecdotal confirmation is that I started having a lot more health issues in my mid 40s. My eyesight got a lot worse. I started having issues with high blood pressure and cholesterol. I’m about to turn 50 and things have mostly stabilized. Medication and more regular exercise helps. My eyes are still bad but they aren’t getting worse as fast as they were.
I started playing Ultimate Frisbee again at 44 and quickly regained most of my youthful speed and jumping ability (and my tendency to huck). So for me it was like the opposite of this article’s contention. Age 52/53 was a lot worse as that’s when I started getting arthritis.
Yeah, well, that’s why it’s anecdote and not data, right? Everyone is going to be a little different, but the trend is there 😆
1st heart attack at 49…
Heart attack got my Dad at 48 ten years ago. If anyone has a preexisting heart condition like my father had, then you need to get checked up often or you might die sooner.
I’m 44 next month.
Oh.
Well that explains why I feel like I’m about 80 now that I’m 47.
Woah there, save something to degrade in another 13 years.
It’s okay, my mom’s in her 80s and my dad made it to his 80s and their parents all made it to their 90s, so I have a good 5-15 years to degrade once I turn 60.
48 here… i used to be able to read the freaking copyright date on those eye charts … once i hit mid 40s i need glasses.
In less than 2 years (in my early 40s), my eyes went from better than 20/20 with great close up, to barely 20/20 with astigmatism and I need readers
My eyes started losing strength when I was 15. 10 years later, I still got my near sight vision, but I know that will be gone in about 20 years from now…
I just got progressive bifocals. It was nice to be able to read my watch properly again, but not so nice to have to look down whenever I’m going up or down stairs and to have to move my head around all the time to see all the real estate on my monitor since it’s 27".
I’ve worn contacts for almost 40 years, but got tired of using readers these last several years to be able to, you know, read. After unsuccessfully trying multivocal contacts, I got progressive glasses. My vision? GREAT? The 3 weeks it took to get my brain used to moving my head more and my eyes just right (especially while driving) so that seeing the right part of my prescription wasn’t swinging all over the place and making me nauseous? Fucking hell. That was absolute torture. It’s worth it on the other side at least.
I do kinda miss contacts. I may get a second opinion for my prescription and try again.
I def feel like I noticed this in my mid 40s. My face and hair all looked very different within a year.
