- Stress can temporarily change our biological age, but the process reverses when the stressor is resolved, according to a new study.
- Stress can come from emotional distress, disease, drug treatment, environmental exposure, or lifestyle changes.
- Chronic stress occurs when the body stays on high alert, even after the stress eases.
Biological age can increase when people are under stress, but it can be reversed when the tension eases, according to a study published today in Cell Metabolism.
Researchers used DNA methylation clocks to measure and note changes in biological age as it responds to stress in humans and mice.
In one experiment, the scientists performed
The researchers said the biological age of the younger mice could increase relatively quickly due to heterochronic parabiosis, a stressful situation. However, after the mice were separated, the biological age of the younger mice was restored.
Based on that information, the researchers hypothesized that naturally occurring physical or emotional tension periods would have the same reaction, triggering reversible changes in biological age.
The scientists looked at periods of trauma in humans, such as emergency surgery, postpartum recovery, and recovery from COVID-19.
After emergency surgery, they noted that the increase in biological age was restored to baseline within days after the procedure. The same was true for postpartum recovery, although women experienced recovery at varying rates. For COVID-19, immunosuppressant drugs enhanced the biological clock recovery.
The researchers noted that in both animal models and humans, the biological age could change based on the following:
- disease
- drug…
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