Aging Biomarkers In Osteoporosis: A Systematic Review Of Molecular Mechanisms, Biological Aging, And Population Evidence
As we get older, our bones naturally become weaker, a condition known as osteoporosis. While our chronological age is a clear risk factor, scientists are exploring “biological age” – how old our cells and tissues actually are – to better understand why some people develop osteoporosis more severely than others of the same age. This research looked into two key indicators of biological aging found in our blood: changes in DNA methylation, which are like tiny tags on our genes that can affect how they work (often measured by “epigenetic aging clocks”), and the length of telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of our chromosomes that shorten with age. Laboratory studies have often shown a connection between these biological aging markers and bone health. However, when researchers looked at studies involving larger groups of people, the evidence was less clear. There aren’t many studies on epigenetic aging clocks and bone health, and the findings regarding telomere length have been inconsistent. Many of these population studies faced challenges such as small numbers of participants, study designs that weren’t ideal, a lack of diversity in the groups studied, and different ways of measuring the aging markers and bone health. To get a clearer picture, future research needs to involve more people, follow them over time, and account for various influencing factors to determine if these biological aging markers can truly help predict and manage osteoporosis.
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