Article Review: Heart Healthy Behaviors May Help Reverse Rapid Cell Aging

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association took a deeper look at how heart healthy habits effect cellular aging and in turn cardiovascular disease risk.

The study was conducted over 11-14 years, using participants of the Framingham Heart Study. The participants were evaluated on Life's Essential 8 Scores. The first 4 were behavioral factors: dietary intake, physical activity, hours slept per night, and smoking status. The last 4 were clinical measurements: BMI, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. They also used 4 tools to assess biological age based on DNA methylation and a 5th tool assessed the genetic risk factor of accelerated biological aging.

It was found that each 13 point increase in the Life's Essential 8 Score resulted in a 35% decrease in developing cardiovascular disease for the first time, a 36% reduction in death from cardiovascular disease, and a 29% decrease in death from any cause.

They then found that those with accelerated cellular aging had an even larger reduction in outcomes with each increase in points on Life's Essential 8 Score.

The study supports the theory that positive heart healthy lifestyle changes impact DNA methylation which in turn slows the cellular aging process and this causes a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.

One of the study authors makes a great point to highlight that the study is not saying to go out and get your epigenetic age tested. The study shows the importance of being mindful of your heart health and having a better understanding of why these lifestyle changes decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. Not only do heart healthy lifestyle changes help decrease your cardiovascular risk, but they also improve healthy aging in general.

These lifestyle changes include:

Intake: balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
Physical Activity: 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both, preferably spread throughout the week.
Sleep: at least 7 hours a night for adults.
Smoking Status: staying away from smoking and sources of second hand smoke.