Latest news with #JenniferAilshire
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Extreme heat is miserable and dangerous. It's also making us age faster
The soupy, smothering extreme heat that has scorched parts of the Northern Hemisphere this summer takes a hard toll on our bodies. It can make you feel nauseous, woozy and dehydrated. It can have pernicious health effects on multiple organs. But there's another, less well-known, impact of extreme heat: It makes you age faster. Prolonged exposure to soaring temperatures can cause a deterioration in our cells and tissues and speed up biological aging, according to a new and growing body of research. Chronological age refers to how long a person has lived, but biological — or 'epigenetic' — age measures how well our tissues and cells function. The difference between the two explains why sometimes someone's age does not seem to match their health and vitality. An accelerated biological age is the 'canary in the coal mine' for future risk of earlier onset of diseases such as cancer, dementia and diabetes, and early death, said Jennifer Ailshire, professor of gerontology and sociology at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. As climate change forces people to endure increasingly severe and longer lasting heat waves, scientists say there is an urgency to better understand the ways heat is slowly and silently undermining human health at a cellular level. How does heat accelerate aging? Our DNA is set at birth; it is the blueprint for how the body functions and cannot be changed. But the way DNA is expressed — the way this blueprint is carried out — can be affected by external factors that trigger chemical modifications that turn genes on or off like a light switch. External factors affecting these switches include behaviors, such as smoking and lack of exercise, as well as environmental factors, like heat. Heat stresses the body, making it work harder as it tries to cool down, which can damage cells. While a little bit of heat stress can be good for the body, helping increase resilience, prolonged exposure taxes the body over extended periods and can have long-term consequences. Research on animals has pointed to strong associations between heat and accelerated aging but, until recently, there were very few studies that looked at humans. Ailshire is one of the scientists trying to change that. She and another researcher, Eunyoung Choi, published the first population-scale research into this area in February. They analyzed blood samples taken from a group of more than 3,600 people across the United States aged 56 and above. They used tools called 'epigenetic clocks,' which capture the way DNA is modified and provide an estimate of biological age. They then linked this to daily climate data in participants' locations in the years before the blood samples were taken. Their results, published in February, found people who experienced at least 140 extreme heat days a year — when the heat index, a combination of temperature and humidity, was above 90 degrees Fahrenheit — aged up to 14 months faster than those in locations with less than 10 extreme heat days a year. This link between heat and biological aging remained even when taking into account individual factors such as exercise levels and income, although the study did not look at access to air conditioning or time spent outside. The strength of the association was significant, too. The results showed extreme heat had the same impact on aging as smoking or heavy alcohol use. Their findings are supported by other recent research. A 2023 study of more than 2,000 people in Germany found medium- and long-term exposure to heat was linked to accelerated biological aging. The impacts were particularly pronounced in women, who can be more vulnerable to heat as they tend to sweat less, meaning it's harder for them to cool down. People with diabetes or obesity were also more at risk, the study found. The effects can even start before birth. A 2024 study looked at accelerated biological aging in children in Kenya who were exposed to drought as fetuses. During pregnancy, their mothers endured heat, as well as dehydration and emotional distress. These factors can cause stress at a cellular level that needs to be repaired, which means less energy is available for other vital functions, potentially leading to accelerated aging, the study found. Heat stress can also reduce blood flow to the uterus and placenta. 'So we see an impact on growth that includes lower birth weights and an overall harder start to life — all of which can be reflected in faster biological aging,' said Bilinda Straight, a study author and a professor at the School of Environment, Geography, and Sustainability at Western Michigan University. What can people do? Thiese findings do not mean that everyone living in hot places will experience accelerated aging, Ailshire said. Each person has their own risk factors and there are ways to adapt. Access to cooling and avoiding exercise in the hottest parts of the day are important. Better nutrition, more exercise (in the cool parts of the day) and medication can also help, she added. Scientists have found drugs including metformin, prescribed for diabetes, and weight-loss medication Ozempic could slow aging. If people can change or find ways to adapt to their heat exposure levels, it may be possible to slow or reverse the accelerated aging process, Ailshire said. 'Because that's not permanent damage; it's an indicator of the potential for permanent damage. It doesn't necessarily signify that this damage has been done.' The area of study is very new. 'We are just at the start of understanding this process, particularly in humans,' Rongbin Xu, a research fellow at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University in Australia. But as places warm up, and heat records continue to be smashed, scientists are going to have a lot more data about the myriad ways heat affects our bodies — and who is most vulnerable. 'If we can't do anything about rising temperatures, then at a minimum, we need to be increasing awareness and finding strategies,' Ailshire said. 'There has to be a way that we can get through this.' Solve the daily Crossword
CNN
4 days ago
- Health
- CNN
Extreme heat is making us age faster. Here's how
The soupy, smothering extreme heat that has scorched parts of the Northern Hemisphere this summer takes a hard toll on our bodies. It can make you feel nauseous, woozy and dehydrated. It can have pernicious health effects on multiple organs. But there's another, less well-known, impact of extreme heat: It makes you age faster. Prolonged exposure to soaring temperatures can cause a deterioration in our cells and tissues and speed up biological aging, according to a new and growing body of research. Chronological age refers to how long a person has lived, but biological — or 'epigenetic' — age measures how well our tissues and cells function. The difference between the two explains why sometimes someone's age does not seem to match their health and vitality. An accelerated biological age is the 'canary in the coal mine' for future risk of earlier onset of diseases such as cancer, dementia and diabetes, and early death, said Jennifer Ailshire, professor of gerontology and sociology at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. As climate change forces people to endure increasingly severe and longer lasting heat waves, scientists say there is an urgency to better understand the ways heat is slowly and silently undermining human health at a cellular level. Our DNA is set at birth; it is the blueprint for how the body functions and cannot be changed. But the way DNA is expressed — the way this blueprint is carried out — can be affected by external factors that trigger chemical modifications that turn genes on or off like a light switch. External factors affecting these switches include behaviors, such as smoking and lack of exercise, as well as environmental factors, like heat. Heat stresses the body, making it work harder as it tries to cool down, which can damage cells. While a little bit of heat stress can be good for the body, helping increase resilience, prolonged exposure taxes the body over extended periods and can have long-term consequences. Research on animals has pointed to strong associations between heat and accelerated aging but, until recently, there were very few studies that looked at humans. Ailshire is one of the scientists trying to change that. She and another researcher, Eunyoung Choi, published the first population-scale research into this area in February. They analyzed blood samples taken from a group of more than 3,600 people across the United States aged 56 and above. They used tools called 'epigenetic clocks,' which capture the way DNA is modified and provide an estimate of biological age. They then linked this to daily climate data in participants' locations in the years before the blood samples were taken. Their results, published in February, found people who experienced at least 140 extreme heat days a year — when the heat index, a combination of temperature and humidity, was above 90 degrees Fahrenheit — aged up to 14 months faster than those in locations with less than 10 extreme heat days a year. This link between heat and biological aging remained even when taking into account individual factors such as exercise levels and income, although the study did not look at access to air conditioning or time spent outside. The strength of the association was significant, too. The results showed extreme heat had the same impact on aging as smoking or heavy alcohol use. Their findings are supported by other recent research. A 2023 study of more than 2,000 people in Germany found medium- and long-term exposure to heat was linked to accelerated biological aging. The impacts were particularly pronounced in women, who can be more vulnerable to heat as they tend to sweat less, meaning it's harder for them to cool down. People with diabetes or obesity were also more at risk, the study found. The effects can even start before birth. A 2024 study looked at accelerated biological aging in children in Kenya who were exposed to drought as fetuses. During pregnancy, their mothers endured heat, as well as dehydration and emotional distress. These factors can cause stress at a cellular level that needs to be repaired, which means less energy is available for other vital functions, potentially leading to accelerated aging, the study found. Heat stress can also reduce blood flow to the uterus and placenta. 'So we see an impact on growth that includes lower birth weights and an overall harder start to life — all of which can be reflected in faster biological aging,' said Bilinda Straight, a study author and a professor at the School of Environment, Geography, and Sustainability at Western Michigan University. Thiese findings do not mean that everyone living in hot places will experience accelerated aging, Ailshire said. Each person has their own risk factors and there are ways to adapt. Access to cooling and avoiding exercise in the hottest parts of the day are important. Better nutrition, more exercise (in the cool parts of the day) and medication can also help, she added. Scientists have found drugs including metformin, prescribed for diabetes, and weight-loss medication Ozempic could slow aging. If people can change or find ways to adapt to their heat exposure levels, it may be possible to slow or reverse the accelerated aging process, Ailshire said. 'Because that's not permanent damage; it's an indicator of the potential for permanent damage. It doesn't necessarily signify that this damage has been done.' The area of study is very new. 'We are just at the start of understanding this process, particularly in humans,' Rongbin Xu, a research fellow at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University in Australia. But as places warm up, and heat records continue to be smashed, scientists are going to have a lot more data about the myriad ways heat affects our bodies — and who is most vulnerable. 'If we can't do anything about rising temperatures, then at a minimum, we need to be increasing awareness and finding strategies,' Ailshire said. 'There has to be a way that we can get through this.'
CNN
4 days ago
- Health
- CNN
Extreme heat is making us age faster. Here's how
The soupy, smothering extreme heat that has scorched parts of the Northern Hemisphere this summer takes a hard toll on our bodies. It can make you feel nauseous, woozy and dehydrated. It can have pernicious health effects on multiple organs. But there's another, less well-known, impact of extreme heat: It makes you age faster. Prolonged exposure to soaring temperatures can cause a deterioration in our cells and tissues and speed up biological aging, according to a new and growing body of research. Chronological age refers to how long a person has lived, but biological — or 'epigenetic' — age measures how well our tissues and cells function. The difference between the two explains why sometimes someone's age does not seem to match their health and vitality. An accelerated biological age is the 'canary in the coal mine' for future risk of earlier onset of diseases such as cancer, dementia and diabetes, and early death, said Jennifer Ailshire, professor of gerontology and sociology at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. As climate change forces people to endure increasingly severe and longer lasting heat waves, scientists say there is an urgency to better understand the ways heat is slowly and silently undermining human health at a cellular level. Our DNA is set at birth; it is the blueprint for how the body functions and cannot be changed. But the way DNA is expressed — the way this blueprint is carried out — can be affected by external factors that trigger chemical modifications that turn genes on or off like a light switch. External factors affecting these switches include behaviors, such as smoking and lack of exercise, as well as environmental factors, like heat. Heat stresses the body, making it work harder as it tries to cool down, which can damage cells. While a little bit of heat stress can be good for the body, helping increase resilience, prolonged exposure taxes the body over extended periods and can have long-term consequences. Research on animals has pointed to strong associations between heat and accelerated aging but, until recently, there were very few studies that looked at humans. Ailshire is one of the scientists trying to change that. She and another researcher, Eunyoung Choi, published the first population-scale research into this area in February. They analyzed blood samples taken from a group of more than 3,600 people across the United States aged 56 and above. They used tools called 'epigenetic clocks,' which capture the way DNA is modified and provide an estimate of biological age. They then linked this to daily climate data in participants' locations in the years before the blood samples were taken. Their results, published in February, found people who experienced at least 140 extreme heat days a year — when the heat index, a combination of temperature and humidity, was above 90 degrees Fahrenheit — aged up to 14 months faster than those in locations with less than 10 extreme heat days a year. This link between heat and biological aging remained even when taking into account individual factors such as exercise levels and income, although the study did not look at access to air conditioning or time spent outside. The strength of the association was significant, too. The results showed extreme heat had the same impact on aging as smoking or heavy alcohol use. Their findings are supported by other recent research. A 2023 study of more than 2,000 people in Germany found medium- and long-term exposure to heat was linked to accelerated biological aging. The impacts were particularly pronounced in women, who can be more vulnerable to heat as they tend to sweat less, meaning it's harder for them to cool down. People with diabetes or obesity were also more at risk, the study found. The effects can even start before birth. A 2024 study looked at accelerated biological aging in children in Kenya who were exposed to drought as fetuses. During pregnancy, their mothers endured heat, as well as dehydration and emotional distress. These factors can cause stress at a cellular level that needs to be repaired, which means less energy is available for other vital functions, potentially leading to accelerated aging, the study found. Heat stress can also reduce blood flow to the uterus and placenta. 'So we see an impact on growth that includes lower birth weights and an overall harder start to life — all of which can be reflected in faster biological aging,' said Bilinda Straight, a study author and a professor at the School of Environment, Geography, and Sustainability at Western Michigan University. Thiese findings do not mean that everyone living in hot places will experience accelerated aging, Ailshire said. Each person has their own risk factors and there are ways to adapt. Access to cooling and avoiding exercise in the hottest parts of the day are important. Better nutrition, more exercise (in the cool parts of the day) and medication can also help, she added. Scientists have found drugs including metformin, prescribed for diabetes, and weight-loss medication Ozempic could slow aging. If people can change or find ways to adapt to their heat exposure levels, it may be possible to slow or reverse the accelerated aging process, Ailshire said. 'Because that's not permanent damage; it's an indicator of the potential for permanent damage. It doesn't necessarily signify that this damage has been done.' The area of study is very new. 'We are just at the start of understanding this process, particularly in humans,' Rongbin Xu, a research fellow at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University in Australia. But as places warm up, and heat records continue to be smashed, scientists are going to have a lot more data about the myriad ways heat affects our bodies — and who is most vulnerable. 'If we can't do anything about rising temperatures, then at a minimum, we need to be increasing awareness and finding strategies,' Ailshire said. 'There has to be a way that we can get through this.'
Forbes
08-04-2025
- Health
- Forbes
New Study Says High Heat Where We Live Accelerates Aging
Living in an area with more heat days ages you faster Longevity has become a popular buzzword in anti-aging conversations, including those related to real estate. Simply put, this approach asks how the places where we live can help us stay young, energetic and vibrant. The key, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Southern California's Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, may lie in real estate's long-standing mantra: Location, location, location! 'People in neighborhoods that experience more days of high heat show faster aging at the molecular level than residents of cooler regions,' reported gerontology and sociology professor Jennifer Ailshire, the study's lead author. So, what should you look for when selecting a new neighborhood for your 'forever' home, particularly if you're looking in the Sunbelt? Living in an area with more heat days ages you faster on a biological level, the study reveals. These changes could happen relatively quickly – maybe your first summer in your new neighborhood – and could accumulate over time. 'This correlation persisted even after controlling for socioeconomic and other demographic differences, as well as lifestyle factors such as physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking,' the study's co-author, postdoctoral student Eunyoung Choi, noted. The study team looked at 3,600 participants aged 56 and older from across the country over a six-year period. Using blood samples, they looked for changes in how individual genes impact biological age at each time point, comparing them to their location's heat index reports 0f 'Caution' levels (80°F to 90°F), 'Extreme Caution' levels (90°F and 103°F), and 'Danger' levels (103°F and 124°F). Sunbelt states have long attracted older adults, both for their warmer weather, more affordable housing prices and, frequently, tax advantages and family proximity. According to the Census, this trend continues, with Texas and Florida experiencing the largest numeric gains from 2023 to 2024. Arizona, Georgia, both Carolinas and Georgia are also in the top 10 for numeric growth in that timeframe. While high heat can (and does) hit many areas in the country, you're likeliest to experience more of it in the regions chosen for their historically warmer weather. So, what should you do if San Antonio, Sedona or Sarasota are your relocation ideals? Look for neighborhoods with plentiful trees and vegetation, experts suggest. These have a cooling effect and can reduce the impact of heat. A real estate professional with deep neighborhood knowledge can guide you to these areas. Also look at community and home amenities with an eye toward coverings, fans, misting and water access. If they're not present currently, what would adding one or more of them to your property cost? These features should also be factored into any new construction or remodeling projects you have planned. As outdoor living has boomed across all home levels, from production to custom, covered spaces have dramatically increased too. Motorized louvered roof systems are one of the most popular approaches, giving flexibility to address heat with opened and closed options. Awnings and fixed coverings can help too if a louvered system isn't feasible. So do window coverings that can be automated to close during the hottest times of day to keep the home's interior cooler. In July 2022, I shared a 'Beat the Heat' article with readers offering more solutions that are still relevant. If you're building a new home, adding on or replacing a roof, the Environmental Protection Agency suggests using a cool or green roof. Cool roof materials are highly reflective and emissive. Green roof systems use vegetation. Writing on its website, the agency says: 'Both cool and green roofs provide benefits of lower surface and air temperatures, and decreased energy demand.' It notes that a green roof costs more upfront but typically lasts longer. With specific regard to green roof benefits, the EPA cites improved human health and comfort, 'Green roofs, by reducing heat transfer through the building roof, can improve indoor comfort, and lower the incidence of heat stress associated with heat waves.' You can – and should – create a cooling landscape for your home to beat the heat. You're definitely going to want to use native plants that are adapted to the local environment and reduce water use and maintenance. Moana Nursery with three locations in Nevada, suggests planting shade trees around your home, using shrubs and ground covers to reduce heat reflection from hard surfaces like pavers and minimizing hardscape, layering your plants to trap cool air and provide shade at different height levels, creating planted windbreaks to direct cooling breezes toward your home, adding water features, and offering a range of other helpful ideas on a beat the heat section of its website. It turns out that those charming older neighborhoods with canopies of shade trees that have long attracted home buyers have longevity benefits as well. They may not exist where you're home shopping, or where you currently live, but creating cooler shade areas outdoors on your property and keeping your home's interior cooler can increase both your comfort and lifespan.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Aging may speed up in areas with extreme heat, research suggests
Although many retirees move to warmer climates for retirement, a new study from USC Leonard shows that extreme heat may speed up the aging process in older people, SWNS reported. People living in areas with more days of hot weather appear to age faster at a molecular level than residents of cooler regions, according to the study, which was published in the journal Science Advances. The effect was shown to accelerate "biological aging," the researchers found, raising new concerns about how it could affect long-term health. Dementia Risk Could Be Lowered By Doing This For 5 Minutes A Day: Study While chronological age is based on birthdate, biological age is measured by how well the body functions at the molecular level, according to the National Institute on Aging. Having a biological age greater than your chronological age is associated with a higher risk of disease and death. Read On The Fox News App Likewise, extreme heat (categorized as 90 degrees Fahrenheit and above) has long been associated with health issues, including increased risk of death, the SWNS report stated. In the study, senior author Jennifer Ailshire (professor of gerontology and sociology at the USC Leonard Davis School) and co-author Eunyoung Choi (a USC Leonard Davis postdoctoral scholar) examined how biological age changed over a six-year period in thousands of U.S. participants, all aged 56 and older. Blood samples taken at various points were analyzed for certain changes — called "epigenetic changes" — in how individual genes are turned "on or off," the press release stated. One Man Knows The Secrets Of Living A Long, Healthy Life, And It's All About One Activity The research team used mathematical tools called "epigenetic clocks" to analyze these patterns and estimate biological ages, as SWNS reported. They then compared older participants' changes in biological age to their locations' heat index history and number of heat days reported by the National Weather Service from 2010 to 2016. The analysis revealed a "significant correlation" between areas with more days of extreme heat and individuals experiencing greater increases in biological age, even after adjusting for other factors. "Participants living in areas where heat days — defined as 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher — occur half the year, such as Phoenix, Arizona, experienced up to 14 months of additional biological aging compared to those living in areas with fewer than 10 heat days per year," said Choi in a press release. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter The study used heat index, rather than just air temperature, to take relative humidity into account, Ailshire noted in the release. "It's really about the combination of heat and humidity," said Ailshire. "Particularly for older adults, because [they] don't sweat the same way. We start to lose our ability to have the skin-cooling effect that comes from that evaporation of sweat." Dr. Chris Scuderi, a family physician based in Jacksonville, Florida, spoke to Fox News Digital about what he has noticed regarding heat and aging in his field. "I've observed a notable rise in hospitalizations and heat-related incidents among older adults, particularly during last summer's record-breaking temperatures in Northeast [Florida]," said Scuderi, who was not involved in the study. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter Certain medications, such as antidepressants and heart medications like beta blockers, can further impair the body's ability to regulate temperature, which increases the likelihood of heat-related illness, according to the doctor. Some chronic health conditions can also change the body's normal reaction to heat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website states. Scuderi offered a few tips to help people beat the heat. Those include scheduling outdoor activities during cooler parts of the day, maintaining proper hydration, and checking all medications with a family physician to identify any potential issues. For more Health articles, visit Another tip from the CDC is to drink water before feeling the sensation of thirst. IMAGE "If your doctor limits the amount of fluids you drink or has you on water pills, ask them how much you should drink during hot weather," the website recommends. Next steps for the research team will be to determine what other factors could make someone more vulnerable to heat-related biological aging and how it might connect to health. In the meantime, Ailshire noted that the findings could prompt policymakers, architects and others to keep heat mitigation and age-friendly features in mind as they update urban infrastructure, such as building bus stops with shaded areas, planting more trees and increasing urban green article source: Aging may speed up in areas with extreme heat, research suggests
