A new scientific study suggests the aging process may accelerate earlier than many people realize, long before the milestone birthdays typically associated with old age.
Researchers in China have found that the body does not age evenly across all organs, and one system in particular appears to act as a catalyst, setting off a chain reaction of decline that affects the rest of the body.
The study analyzed 516 tissue samples from 76 organ donors, all of whom ranged in age from 14 to 68 and had died from accidental traumatic brain injuries.
Scientists examined samples from multiple biological systems, including cardiovascular, immune, digestive, endocrine and skin tissues. Using advanced protein-level analysis, the team identified 48 proteins strongly linked to disease. These proteins became more pronounced with age and were tied to serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease, liver fibrosis, fatty liver disease and tumors.
The results showed that not all organs age at the same pace. Protein changes in the adrenal gland, the body’s hormone powerhouse, were observed as early as age 30.
However, the most dramatic shift occurred between the ages of 45 and 55, when proteins across multiple systems began to accelerate, marking what scientists described as an “aging inflection point.”
The aorta, the body’s largest artery, showed the most significant changes. Because the aorta is responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood from the heart throughout the body, its decline has profound consequences.
“Temporal analysis revealed an aging inflection around age 50, with blood vessels being a tissue that ages early and is markedly susceptible to aging,” the study authors explained.
One protein in particular, GAS6, stood out. Its levels rose sharply in the aorta as age increased, and scientists believe it may play a central role in driving aging across the body.
In laboratory experiments, young mice injected with GAS6 developed premature signs of aging, including weakened grip strength, impaired balance and visible vascular damage.
Lead researcher Guanghui Liu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences described blood vessels as a “conduit” that spreads aging molecules throughout the body, potentially accelerating decline in multiple organs at once.
The findings support a growing body of research suggesting aging is not linear, but happens in waves. Still, experts caution against drawing firm conclusions about exact “breaking points.”
Maja Olecka, a researcher at the Leibniz Institute on Aging in Germany who was not involved in the study, noted, per Scientific American. “There are these waves of age-related changes. But it is still difficult to make a general conclusion about the timing of the inflection points.”
In the United States, nearly 58 million people are aged 65 or older, a number expected to rise to almost 89 million by 2060, per the National Institute on Aging. With 93% of older Americans suffering at least one chronic condition and nearly 80% managing two or more, scientists hope studies like this can pave the way for targeted interventions to slow aging and reduce disease.
“These insights may facilitate the development of treatments for aging and age-related diseases, ultimately improving the health of older adults,” the authors concluded.