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Ageing speeds up at 2 points in your life. Experts share things you need to be aware of

A study shows faster ageing of molecules in people in their mid-40s and aged 60; muscle injuries and fat accumulation were more common, too

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A study shows increases in the rate of ageing of our bodies at two points in our lives. One effect is that we become less effective at metabolising the caffeine in coffee. Photo: Shutterstock

First at 44 and again at 60, people experience faster ageing at two key points in their lives. It is a new discovery from Stanford University and Nanyang Technological University researchers that could help scientists better understand how humans age on a molecular level.

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Published in science journal Nature Ageing, the research followed 108 California-based participants ages 25 to 75 for around 20 months, with some being tracked for nearly seven years.

Each volunteer gave biological specimens, including skin, oral and nasal swabs, and blood and stool samples, every three to six months.

The objective? To track changes to molecules, particularly RNA, proteins and microbiomes.

“Take care of yourself more closely at specific time points during your lifespan,” study author Shen Xiaotao, assistant professor in microbiome medicine at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, told CNN.

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“We are not becoming old gradually,” he added.

People become less effective at metabolising alcohol at the age of about 40 – and even less so at age 60 – a study suggests. Photo: Shutterstock
People become less effective at metabolising alcohol at the age of about 40 – and even less so at age 60 – a study suggests. Photo: Shutterstock
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