How Lifestyle and Metabolism Make the Brain Age Faster
A new study shows: Five modifiable risk factors have been found to alter brain structure and accelerate cognitive decline.
.svg)
Many fear physical loss in old age — but the state of our brain is at least as important. A new study shows that the biological age of our brain can differ significantly from the actual age. And the biggest lever lies not in genetics — but in our everyday lives.
The study: 16 years of brain age research
A team of researchers from the University of California analyzed over 3,000 MRI scans over a period of 16 years and compared them with health data. The aim was to find out which factors are associated with accelerated brain aging — regardless of calendar age.
The result: Five modifiable risk factors Significantly accelerate brain aging — even from middle age.
The five hidden risks
- high blood pressure (hypertension)
— Leads to chronically reduced blood flow in the brain.
— Strengthens degradation processes in regions of memory and decision-making ability. - Increased blood sugar
— Harmful even below the diabetes line.
— Increases oxidative stress and promotes inflammation in the brain. - smoking
— Reduces oxygen supply, promotes vascular calcification and accelerates neuronal decay. - Excessive alcohol consumption
— Reduces brain volume, particularly in regions for emotion and planning
— Negative effects even with regular moderate consumption. - High body mass index (BMI)
— Correlates with inflammatory processes and structural brain changes.
— Obesity in middle age = higher risk of dementia.
The biological brain age: measurable & impressionable
The study shows that people with several of these risk factors had brains that on average three years older was than that of their healthier peers. The effect is additive: Each additional risk factor accelerates the aging process.
The good news: All of these factors are impressionable — through diet, exercise, sleep, targeted stress reduction and better medical support in middle age.
What does this mean for healthy aging?
These findings underscore a central message of Longevity research:
Ageing is not a passive process — but an active state that we can influence.
While genetics only determine around 10— 20% of our aging process, the rest is in our hands — or more precisely: in our everyday lives. The close link between cardiovascular health, metabolic balance and cognitive vitality is once again supported by this study.
What can be done:
- Regular blood pressure and blood sugar check (even without symptoms)
- Mediterranean diet with a focus on omega-3, antioxidants and low sugar
- Daily exercise — Just 30 minutes of walking lowers the risk
- Stopping smoking & abstinence — the effects on the brain are measurable
- Healthy sleep — not only for recovery but also for neuronal regeneration
References
“Discovery of High-Risk Clinical Factors That Accelerate Brain Aging in Adults: A Population-Based Machine Learning Study” by Jing Sun, Luyao Wang, Yiwen Gao, Ying Hui, Shuohua Chen, Shouling Wu, Zhenchang Wang, Jiehui Jiang and Han Lv, October 21, 2024, Research. DOI: 10.34133/research.0500
Publiziert
22.5.2025
Kategorie
Lifestyle
Experte
Many fear physical loss in old age — but the state of our brain is at least as important. A new study shows that the biological age of our brain can differ significantly from the actual age. And the biggest lever lies not in genetics — but in our everyday lives.
The study: 16 years of brain age research
A team of researchers from the University of California analyzed over 3,000 MRI scans over a period of 16 years and compared them with health data. The aim was to find out which factors are associated with accelerated brain aging — regardless of calendar age.
The result: Five modifiable risk factors Significantly accelerate brain aging — even from middle age.
The five hidden risks
- high blood pressure (hypertension)
— Leads to chronically reduced blood flow in the brain.
— Strengthens degradation processes in regions of memory and decision-making ability. - Increased blood sugar
— Harmful even below the diabetes line.
— Increases oxidative stress and promotes inflammation in the brain. - smoking
— Reduces oxygen supply, promotes vascular calcification and accelerates neuronal decay. - Excessive alcohol consumption
— Reduces brain volume, particularly in regions for emotion and planning
— Negative effects even with regular moderate consumption. - High body mass index (BMI)
— Correlates with inflammatory processes and structural brain changes.
— Obesity in middle age = higher risk of dementia.
The biological brain age: measurable & impressionable
The study shows that people with several of these risk factors had brains that on average three years older was than that of their healthier peers. The effect is additive: Each additional risk factor accelerates the aging process.
The good news: All of these factors are impressionable — through diet, exercise, sleep, targeted stress reduction and better medical support in middle age.
What does this mean for healthy aging?
These findings underscore a central message of Longevity research:
Ageing is not a passive process — but an active state that we can influence.
While genetics only determine around 10— 20% of our aging process, the rest is in our hands — or more precisely: in our everyday lives. The close link between cardiovascular health, metabolic balance and cognitive vitality is once again supported by this study.
What can be done:
- Regular blood pressure and blood sugar check (even without symptoms)
- Mediterranean diet with a focus on omega-3, antioxidants and low sugar
- Daily exercise — Just 30 minutes of walking lowers the risk
- Stopping smoking & abstinence — the effects on the brain are measurable
- Healthy sleep — not only for recovery but also for neuronal regeneration
Experte
Referenzen
“Discovery of High-Risk Clinical Factors That Accelerate Brain Aging in Adults: A Population-Based Machine Learning Study” by Jing Sun, Luyao Wang, Yiwen Gao, Ying Hui, Shuohua Chen, Shouling Wu, Zhenchang Wang, Jiehui Jiang and Han Lv, October 21, 2024, Research. DOI: 10.34133/research.0500
Publiziert
22.5.2025
Kategorie
Lifestyle
Follow us
