What’s your type’ is no longer about personality traits. If new medical research is anything to go by, it now holds the key to understanding how you age. Growing old is an inevitable phenomenon, but it manifests differently in individuals. Some may experience heart issues in their 40s, but maintain a robust metabolism, while others could be at risk of diabetes yet have a strong immune system. Imagine if there was a roadmap to ageing—a personalised guide that could help navigate the journey of growing older.
Dr Michael Snyder, a genetics professor at Stanford Medicine, in his study published in Nature Medicine in 2020, introduced the concept of ageotypes, which categorises how different parts of the body undergo degeneration. The four broad types are: metabolic, hepatic (liver), immune, and nephrotic (kidneys). The study in question covered 106 individuals, aged 29 to 75 years.
The focus was a comprehensive examination of each participant’s molecular composition through the collection of blood, saliva, urine, stool and other biological samples over a period of two years. During genetic analyses and microbiome inspections, the scientists measured 10,343 genes, 306 blood proteins, 722 metabolites, and 6,909 microbes, among other things. “It can help individuals zero in on health-risk factors and find the areas in which they are most likely to encounter problems down the line,” said the study.
The team identified that people could fall into one or more sub-categories based on how certain body systems deteriorate over time, allowing for targeted interventions to potentially extend lifespan. “Everyone is born with certain genetic risk factors, and these cannot be changed. Over time, additional issues may accumulate, or dormant harmful genes can become active. If you have a family history of any disease, unhealthy lifestyle habits may lead to its quicker progression,” says Dr Ashutosh Gupta, Head, of Fetal Medicine, at Artemis Hospital, Gurugram.
As research progresses, new terms are emerging. There is epigenetic ageing, which means how the behaviour and environmental factors (from the food one consumes to the water one drinks and the air a person breathes) can cause changes that affect the way genes work. There is also DNA methylation—an epigenetic mechanism—which cells use to control gene expression. Darshit Patel, the founder of Decode Age, India’s first longevity research company, breaks it down: “Suppose my family has a history of diabetes and obesity, which can be seen as a genetic predisposition. I have, however, taken proactive measures to manage my diet, lifestyle and habits. As a result, I have successfully mitigated the risk of Type 2 diabetes.”
Patel, however, doesn’t second the idea of confining ageing to types.
He suggests that the focus is shifting from examining individual organs to a more comprehensive approach. “Ageing is how your biology is deteriorating over time. If you start putting areas to it, for example, liver or kidney ageing, or brain or immune system ageing, you will never be able to reach a consensus about how your overall body is declining,” he says.
He highlights the emergence of ‘ageing clocks’, including epigenetic clocks (which study the biological clock and predict mortality and health conditions) and transcriptomic ageing clocks (that use gene expression data to predict biological age). “These innovative tools assess gene expression levels in your blood and analyse age and future health based on the methylation status of specific CpG sites (the regions in the DNA sequence) in the genome and manage healthy ageing,” he says.
For now, there is no direct test to determine your ageotype. Though, your medical history, including blood sugar, insulin and creatinine levels, can offer clues about what kind of ‘ager’ you are. “When people reach their 40s, they can try to identify reasons they may be ageing more rapidly. Knowing your ageotype can influence lifestyle choices such as diets or fitness regimes. For instance, if you discover you are a metabolic ager, you might consider adjusting your diet to a healthier one. Those with an immune ageotype might prioritise better sleep habits to reduce the risk of inflammatory and immune-related diseases,” says Dr Gupta. So, what’s your type?
THE FOUR AGEOTYPES
Metabolic Agers
These individuals age due to metabolic factors like insulin resistance, which affects how their bodies use energy from food. They might struggle with blood sugar control and be more susceptible to Type 2 diabetes later in life or show signs of elevated hemoglobin A1c.
Immune Agers
Ageing for them is related to their immune system’s performance. They may exhibit high levels of inflammation and may be more susceptible to autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Hepatic Agers
They may show signs of organ-related issues such as cirrhosis, hepatitis and fatty liver disease.
Nephrotic Agers
They experience deterioration connected to kidney health with problems such as stones, infections, cysts and cancer.