Researchers are working on a new way to measure how the body ages. They are looking at how much fat accumulates in muscle tissue. This can be an important indicator of the biological age of the body, that is, how much damage and loss of function has occurred at the cellular level.
A good and fast method for measuring aging is of great importance. This way, new treatments that try to slow down aging can be tested more quickly. Until now, this has often taken a long time, for example because research with animals has to be followed for years. Measuring fat in muscles can be a useful tool for gaining a faster understanding of the effects of therapies.
Research also shows that the functioning of our cells declines with age, partly due to dysfunctional mitochondria—the cell’s energy factories that produce less energy and release more harmful substances as we age. This plays a role in muscle weakness and other age-related conditions.
In addition, exercise helps to slow down the aging process. In people who have survived cancer, exercise appears to slow down biological aging and improve memory. This shows that staying active helps the body better resist the damage caused by aging.
For anyone who wants to become healthier as they age, it is important to know that new measurement methods and knowledge about aging are important steps towards better treatments in the future. Understanding how muscles and cells change helps in developing ways to make aging less drastic.
Source: Reason
