7 Ways That You Can Slow Biological Ageing

Biological ageing is a useful marker for understanding your overall health and well-being. Unlike chronological age, which only reflects the number of years you have lived, biological age reflects how well your body is functioning at a cellular and physiological level. In this article, we’ll explain what biological ageing means, why it matters, and outline evidence-based strategies that may help slow down the ageing process.

Here are the five biggest takeaways from this article about slowing biological ageing:

• Unlike chronological age, biological age gives a more accurate picture of how well your body is functioning.

• Exercise, particularly consistent aerobic activity like running combined with strength training, has been shown to provide a significant biological boost.

• A healthy, balanced diet, especially one rich in polyphenols like the Mediterranean or Green Mediterranean diet, can slow the ageing process.

• Keeping cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure under control helps prevent age-related diseases and slows the rate of biological ageing.

• Getting good quality sleep, reducing stress, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding smoking can protect your cells from damage.

Biological ageing is a marker of how your body is truly ageing. It reflects the gradual changes that occur in cells, tissues, and organs over time, including the build-up of cellular damage and the decline in the body’s ability to repair itself [1]. Unlike your chronological age, which tells you how long you have been alive, your biological age tells you how old your cells are. This can provide a better insight into how well your body is performing, and whether you need to make any changes to ensure you are living a healthy life. 

A good way to think of it is like a jumper. You may have only had the jumper for a year (it’s chronological age), but if you don’t look after it, it could show wear and tear that would normally suggest it’s much older (it’s ‘biological age’). At Vivere, we can provide you with insights about both your biological age, as well as tailored advice on how you can live a healthier, longer life.

Engaging in regular exercise can be a useful strategy for slowing down or even reversing biological ageing. A study found that adults who spent 30-40 minutes running five days a week experienced almost a “9-year biological advantage” to those who did not [2].

Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that naturally shorten with age and cell division. Shorter telomeres are associated with accelerated biological ageing and higher risk of age-related diseases. Research shows that regular physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, is linked to longer telomeres or slower telomere shortening, which may partly explain how exercise supports healthier biological ageing.

As we age, telomeres naturally shorten which reflects wear and tear on cells. Regular exercise can have a positive impact on the length of telomeres.

Eating a healthy diet, particularly one similar to a Mediterranean/Green Mediterranean diet, can have a significant impact on biological ageing. According to a clinical trial these diets, which are rich in polyphenols (micronutrients that are found in plant-based foods like green tea), can slow biological ageing [3]. Researchers have also highlighted that biological age can be positively influenced in women by their nutritional choices - one rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in red meat, added sugars, and saturated fats [4]. 

Managing your blood sugar levels can help to slow biological ageing, and can also have other benefits to health including enhancing lifespan. Not only does managing blood sugar levels help prevent conditions such as diabetes, but it can also help to slow general age-related cell damage [5].

Conditions like type 2 diabetes, which is affected by blood sugar levels, can also have an impact on biological ageing [6]. Type 2 diabetes, like the rate of biological ageing, can be altered and impacted by lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise levels. 

Managing your blood pressure is crucial in the broader context of the ageing process. Maintaining optimal blood pressure levels is key to promoting cardiovascular health and, indirectly, influencing the speed of biological ageing [7]. Again, blood pressure can be managed by simple lifestyle changes including diet, exercise and more.

As well as biological ageing, controlling your blood pressure can prevent cardiovascular issues and enhance overall health.

Smoking is a well-known accelerator of the ageing process [8]. Smoking is detrimental to health for several reasons, and can impact organs, bodily functions and biological ageing [9]. Some of the ways that smoking can affect biological age include:

• Damage to DNA

• Shortens telomeres

• Generates oxidative stress

• Contributes to skin ageing, damaging collagen and elastin

• Increases risk of age-related diseases including cardiovascular disease and certain cancers

Ensuring that you get plenty of sleep, as well as getting high-quality sleep, is important if you are looking to slow or reverse the effects of biological ageing. The quantity and quality of sleep play pivotal roles in influencing various molecular and physiological processes that contribute to the ageing trajectory [10].

Lack of sleep or sleep disturbances can create issues with metabolism, causing cellular damage, hindering body repair mechanisms and more. These disruptions can contribute to accelerated ageing biologically. 

Correctly managing your weight, particularly through diet and exercise, significantly improves biological age and can slow the process [11]. Maintaining a healthy weight is associated with a range of positive effects that contribute to overall well-being and may slow down the ageing process. Maintaining a healthy weight contributes to optimal metabolic function, reducing the risk of age-related conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Weight management also aids in controlling chronic inflammation, preserving cellular integrity, and mitigating oxidative stress, all of which impact the ageing process.

"Biological ageing offers a more accurate reflection of your overall health and well-being than chronological age, providing valuable insight into how your body is performing at a cellular level. By adopting key lifestyle habits such as regular exercise, a balanced diet rich in polyphenols and maintaining healthy cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels, you can slow down the ageing process and improve your longevity. Additionally, avoiding smoking, ensuring quality sleep, and managing a healthy weight further contribute to protecting your cells and preventing age-related diseases".

"While ageing is a natural process, how we age is strongly influenced by the choices we make each day. By paying attention to biological ageing, we gain a clearer picture of our health and the opportunity to take meaningful action. Small, sustainable changes in diet, exercise, and sleep can have a profound impact on how well our bodies function over time".

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[1] Biomarkers of Aging and Relevant Evaluation Techniques: A Comprehensive Review - PMC

[2] How Exercise Helps You Age Well - National Council of Aging

[3] Mediterranean diet high in polyphenols linked with slower biological aging | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

[4] Diet holds key to slowing biological aging, researchers say - (Environmental Factor, November 2021)

[5] Targeting glucose metabolism for healthy aging - PMC

[6] Diabetes mellitus correlates with increased biological age as indicated by clinical biomarkers - PMC

[7] Disease or not, aging is easily treatable - PMC

[8] Smoking, health and ageing - PMC

[9] Is 60 the New 50? Examining Changes in Biological Age Over the Past Two Decades

[10] Sleep and Biological Aging: A Short Review - PMC.

[11] Effect of Diet, Exercise, or Both on Biological Age and Healthy Aging in Older Adults with Obesity: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial - NLM