Smoking, drinking alcohol, obesity rate, etc.
Biologically, men are older than women, even at the same age, a study has found. According to a research team from the Center for Anti-Aging at the University of Iwyveskille University in Finland, men in their 50s are biologically four years older than women of their age.
The researchers followed the biological age of 2,240 twins. According to their age, the researchers divided them into two groups: 21-42 years old and 50-76 years old. Of the subjects, 151 pairs were male and female twins. The researchers adjusted their genetic factors and lifestyle to observe them.
The team estimated biological age using an epigenetic clock that measures DNA methylation levels. This is the degree to which special molecules called methyl groups are attached to the DNA in the cell. It is described as like a barnacle that attaches to the hull of a ship and slows it down.
The team used four epigenetic clocks to accurately predict biological age. We also identified factors that can influence the rate of aging, including education level, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption and levels of physical activity. The results of the study showed that males were biologically older than females in all groups.
Differences that were evident from a young age increased with age, ranging from up to 1.2 to up to 4.3 years. The research team said, “In the past, the aging gap between men and women was wider, but it is estimated that it has gradually narrowed.” The research team cited the drop in smoking rates among men as one of the reasons.
In Finland, the number of men who smoke has decreased from 37% in the 1970s to 17% today, while the number of women remains unchanged at around 15%. “Another factor is that men are more likely to be overweight than women,” the research team said. “This study may help explain why women tend to live longer than men.”
“We found that men are biologically older than women of the same age, and the difference is quite large in older people,” said Anna Kankaape, Ph. It could be explained by the difference and the beneficial effects of the female hormone estrogen on health.”
The results of this study (Do Epigenetic Clocks Provide Explanations for Sex Differences in Life Span? A Cross-Sectional Twin Study) were published in the international journal ‘The Journals of Gerontology: Series A’.