Blood Proteins Mirror How Well a Body Still Performs
Graded Preliminary — a one-time, very detailed assessment of 2,019 people in China with no follow-up, so whether the calculated clocks predict later illness was not tested.
- Design
- Cross-sectional study
- Participants
- 2,019
- Duration
- —
- Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
Proteins in blood plasma reflect not just a person's age in years but also how much physical capacity the body retains.
A birth date says little about how fit someone actually is. A research team in China set out to measure biological age instead. They examined 2,019 people aged 18 to 91 in unusual depth: physical capacity tests, clinical measurements and proteins in the blood.
From these data the team built several calculators, which they call aging clocks. One estimates basic physical capacity, another combines a wide range of measurements, and further ones focus on single organs. One result stood out. Proteins in blood plasma tracked not only a person's age in years. They also worked as a stand-in for how much physical capacity the body still had. Looking for patterns, the team found that clotting factors in the blood build up with age. The authors describe these factors as a driver of aging in several organs and of inflammation throughout the body.
All measurements come from a single point in time. Whether people with an older-looking clock later fall ill or die sooner cannot be read from this work. The role of the clotting factors also rests on data analysis so far, not on a pathway tested in people.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors declare no competing interests.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.