Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Annalisa Merelli
Published on 2024-03-22 23:24:39
Pregnancy is a significant stressor on the body, but a recent study published in Cell Metabolism discovered that while pregnancy may accelerate the body’s biological clock, this effect is largely reversed after delivery, especially among individuals who breastfeed. The findings shed light on the non-linear progression of molecular aging, showcasing that it does not always move forward in a straight line.
Previous studies, such as one published in Cell Metabolism in 2023, have also highlighted the association between pregnancy and faster molecular aging in both mice and humans, similar to the effects seen with infections like Covid-19. However, the new findings delve deeper by demonstrating that the reversal of aging was most notable in women who breastfed or had a lower body mass index (BMI).
The research involved analyzing blood samples from approximately 120 women at different stages of pregnancy, with around 65 of them providing samples postpartum. Over a span of about 20 weeks, genetic biomarkers increased by one to two years during pregnancy, indicating an acceleration in biological aging. Surprisingly, this accelerated aging trend did not persist after delivery. The biological age of participants decreased at three months postpartum, making them appear younger biologically than during late pregnancy.
High BMI was linked to a higher biological age throughout pregnancy and postpartum, with an increase of 0.7 to 1.4 years in women with a BMI of 30 compared to those with a BMI of 23, depending on the biomarker. On the other hand, breastfeeding contributed to a faster recovery rate, with exclusively breastfeeding women exhibiting an average biological age approximately one year younger than formula-fed individuals. The reasons behind this phenomenon remain unclear, though it could be related to the loss of body mass associated with breastfeeding or other factors.
Researchers aim to conduct further studies that include pre-pregnancy samples to compare aging trends during pregnancy and recovery with the pre-pregnancy molecular age. This could help determine if postpartum recovery completely reverses the aging that occurred during pregnancy. Additionally, they hope to identify pregnancy-specific biomarkers that offer a more precise measurement of molecular aging.
The scientific community anticipates that exploring molecular aging during pregnancy could pave the way for targeted interventions that benefit pregnant individuals. By improving our understanding of this process, researchers can not only enhance health outcomes but also potentially develop strategies to mitigate the effects of accelerated aging during pregnancy.
