In a recent study, the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology—BIPS has made significant progress in identifying health markers that are crucial for a long and healthy life. Led by Prof. Dr.
Krasimira Aleksandrova and in close collaboration with the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE), the research provides valuable insights for healthy aging. In the study published in the journal Age and Ageing , Aleksandrova and her team analyzed specific combinations of molecular markers reflecting various biological processes as possible indicators of healthy aging. The focus was particularly on identifying specific combinations of blood biomarkers that can help distinguish people who are reaching older age in good health versus those who develop chronic diseases, such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and cancer.
"Our results show that people who reach old age and remain free of chronic diseases are those who have maintained optimal levels of specific combinations of metabolic analytes linked with insulin sensitivity and inflammation throughout late phases of their life," explains Aleksandrova. This may indicate a common protective mechanism that reduces the risk of age-related diseases. By understanding these markers and their complex interrelation, we can better assess what preventive measures need to be taken to avoid chronic diseases and improve quality of life at old age.
For the study, data was collected from a large group of older a.
