The pace of aging: a promising set of biomarkers?

A recent study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal states results from a longitudinal and transversal following of a New Zealand population of more than 1,000 patients whose data were collected over 12 years (between the ages of 26 and 38, on subjects recruited at birth) [1].

During the study, the researchers studied 18 biomarkers given as either risk factors and/or markers of age-related diseases, in order to measure the “pace of aging” among this new population. The different biomarkers allow to evaluate the organ function and general health There are physical criteria such as BMI (Body Mass Index), hip-to-waist ratio or dental health, but also biological criteria, like the levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, creatinine and urea. At last, genetic criteria were taken into account, with the detection of mutations for the APO (a molecule linked to lipid regulation) or hemoglobin coding genes.