Sex Differences In Associations Between Adversity And Biological Ageing
Our bodies age at different rates, a concept known as biological aging, which can be distinct from our chronological age (the number of years we have been alive). Recent research has shed light on how challenging life experiences, or adversities, can influence this process differently in men and women, depending on when these challenges occur.
The study found that women who faced significant difficulties during childhood tended to show more signs of accelerated biological aging. This was evident across several indicators, including changes in their metabolomic aging (how their body processes substances), increased frailty (a state of being more vulnerable to health problems), shorter telomeres (protective caps on our DNA that shorten with age), and reduced grip strength.
Conversely, men who experienced adversities later in life, during adulthood, showed a stronger link to certain markers of accelerated biological aging, particularly increased frailty and weaker grip strength.
These findings suggest that the timing of difficult life events plays a crucial role in how they impact our aging process, and that men and women may have different periods of vulnerability. Understanding these sex-specific patterns is important for developing targeted strategies to promote healthy aging.
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