How bodies age differently has been explored using broad tools and large participant populations in the past. Recently, a small-scale more refined study has been reported, focusing on molecular aspects of aging. The study utilized 106 healthy participants (female & male) from 29 to 75 years of age, and used blood, stool and other biological samples, to track participants’ levels of certain microbes and biological molecules, such as proteins, metabolites and lipids, over 2-3 years, monitoring how the levels changed over time, and how they correlated with age. Based on the findings, the study defined different types of aging patterns in different individuals, termed ‘ageotypes’, on the basis of the types of molecular pathways that changed over time in a given individual. In particular, they identified four well-defined ageotypes: metabolic (buildup and breakdown of substances in the body), immune (immune system responses), hepatic (liver function) and nephrotic (kidney function), which can overlap, or be exclusive. It is expected that ongoing research will identify and characterize further ageotypes, and that the use of ageotypes will assist individuals in zeroing in on health-risk factors and find the areas in which they’re most likely to encounter problems as they age.

Here are links to three media articles on the work:

Scientists Discover 4 Distinct Patterns of Aging

‘Ageotypes’ provide window into how individuals age

Ageotypes: Why do people age differently?

Here is a link to the research study:

Personal aging markers and ageotypes revealed by deep longitudinal profiling

All links have been added to Aging