Goodbye to youth: scientists determine the age at which a person enters adulthood or when to consider a person as old
A study analyzing the body’s proteins has determined there are three major phases in life when it comes to getting older.
If you were asked to define when ‘old age’ begins, your answer might well depend on your age at the time of the question. Luckily, there is objective evidence to go along with our subjective views thanks to a scientific study.
The science behind how the body ages
Researchers from the University of Stanford analyzed the blood plasma of 4,263 donors between the ages of 18 and 95, focusing on the body’s proteins, which they discovered is a key indicator when it comes to the effects of aging.
The study gathered 3,000 proteins for each donor, 1,379 of which vary according to age. And it was discovered that it was possible to predict the age of each participant with remarkable accuracy by focusing on 373 of the proteins.
From the data, scientists were able to identify three major phases in life when it comes to how the body ages (mental aging wasn’t considered and appears to be another concept entirely…).
The results of the study might surprise you, potentially in a good way.
Three major phases related to aging
The Stanford scientists believe we don’t truly begin our adult lives until the age of 34, which is when the body begins to show the first signs of wear and tear.
The period from 34 to 60 is seen as ‘adulthood,’ which is followed by ‘late adulthood,’ spanning the ages of 60 through 78.
‘Old age,’ they say, doesn’t occur until we get to 78 and beyond.
Signs of getting older
As well as defining the three major phases related to aging, the study also outlined the eight most common signs of getting older, the majority of which you could probably guess if asked:
- Metabolism slows down
- Bones lose density
- Memory starts to decline
- Sleep patterns change
- Vision and hearing deteriorate
- Muscle mass begins to decrease
- Skin develops spots and wrinkles
- Mobility becomes more limited, and movements slower
Between each of the three phases, some, many, or all of these signs become more apparent, due to the body’s protein production no longer being stable and gradually declining.
But let’s focus on the positive - ‘adulthood’ and ‘old age’ don’t begin until later than most of us previously imagined. Which must be good news, right?
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