A new scientific study has found that human ageing doesn't happen at a constant pace. While childhood and early adulthood show rapid growth and stability, researchers say the human body begins to age more quickly around the age of 50.
The study, based on an analysis of protein changes across a wide range of adult ages, indicates that the rate of ageing speeds up noticeably after this milestone. Researchers found that organs and tissues begin to decline more steeply, with veins among the fastest to show signs of ageing.
The study, published 25 July in Cell, also suggests that some tissues, especially blood vessels, age faster than others, and it identifies molecules that can hasten the march of time.
"Based on ageing-associated protein changes, we developed tissue-specific proteomic age clocks and characterised organ-level ageing trajectories. Temporal analysis revealed an ageing inflection around age 50, with blood vessels being a tissue that ages early and is markedly susceptible to ageing," writes a team led by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"Together, our findings lay the groundwork for a systems-level understanding of human ageing through the lens of proteins."
Researchers found a major ageing shift between ages 45 and 55, with the most dramatic protein changes in the aorta. One protein from the aorta, when given to mice, triggered accelerated ageing. The study highlights how blood vessels may transport ageing-related molecules, offering new insight into how ageing spreads throughout the body.
This shift marks a key turning point in the body's natural ageing process. Experts suggest that understanding this change can help improve early health interventions and promote healthier ageing as people approach midlife.
