After reaching age 50, your body might start aging more rapidly. Recent research indicates that the aging process of organs and tissues speeds up around this milestone, with blood vessels aging particularly quickly.
The study, published in Cell, analyzed tissue samples from 76 organ donors who had suffered accidental traumatic brain injuries, ranging in age from 14 to 68 years.
The samples included a variety of body parts: heart, lungs, intestines, pancreas, skin, muscle, blood, and adrenal glands which are part of the endocrine system responsible for hormone production.
Researchers found that the adrenal tissues showed early signs of aging around age 30, suggesting hormonal imbalances may initiate broader systemic aging processes, according to study author Guanghui Liu, PhD, a professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The most significant increases in tissue aging occurred between ages 45 and 55. The aorta, our body's largest blood vessel, exhibited the most dramatic changes during this time-frame, along with noticeable changes in the pancreas and spleen as well.
"The 45-55 year period appears to be a critical phase when most organ proteomes [protein sets] undergo 'molecular cascade storms' due to an explosion of differentially expressed proteins that mark the transition into systemic aging," Liu stated via email to Verywell.
Further research with larger sample sizes and additional organs is needed, especially since the brain, kidneys, and reproductive system were not included in this study. However, this initial proof-of-concept demonstrates "human aging can be analyzed, quantified, and potentially modulated through a protein-centric approach," Liu said.
The researchers employed proteomic aging clocks to measure tissue aging, which differs from epigenetic clocks by using proteins instead of DNA changes to uncover aging patterns.
"The proteomic clocks are transforming our perspective on biological age," noted Douglas Vaughan, MD, director of the Potocsnak Longevity Institute at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
"This provides a method to determine the age of your organs: Are your lungs older than your brain? Is your heart older than your endocrine system?" Vaughan added. "It appears that various systems do indeed age at different rates."
Previous studies have suggested aging accelerates during different points in midlife. A 2024 study in the Nature Aging Journal reported two distinct bursts of accelerated aging: one at ages 44 and another at 60.
Nature AgingA separate study found that the brain's aging process shifts during midlife (ages 40-65), potentially affecting future cognitive health.
"There are different moments in our lives where we age at varying rates. Though we may not notice, these changes are happening," Vaughan stated.
These studies highlight the benefits of regularly measuring biological age, which could assist both you and your healthcare provider to identify periods of accelerated aging and find ways to slow it down through diet, exercise, sleep, stress reduction, or medications.
Even without access to specific organ age measurements, midlife is recognized as critical for overall longevity. Research shows that maintaining healthy habits during this period can improve chances of aging well.
It's never too early to adopt beneficial behaviors.
"Starting these practices as soon as possible is advisable since we begin aging from the moment we are born," emphasized Robert Mankowski, PhD, an associate professor in the department of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Consuming a balanced diet, regular exercising, getting sufficient sleep, and keeping your mind active support healthy aging.
While genetics remain uncontrollable, lifestyle choices concerning physical activity and nutrition are within our control. Leading a healthy life aids in building a strong immune system and protecting against chronic diseases during midlife and beyond, noted Mankowski.