Study shows heart-healthy behaviors may help reverse rapid cell aging

According to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the benefit of better heart health may be associated with the positive impact of heart-healthy lifestyle factors on biological aging (the age of the body and its cells).

A healthy heart is crucial for a positive lifestyle and can help slow down the aging of cells. When the heart is healthy, it efficiently pumps blood throughout the body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to organs and tissues. This improves overall energy levels. Regular physical activity, which supports heart health, also releases endorphins, enhancing your mood and reducing stress.

The study investigated how DNA methylation, a process that controls gene activity, might link heart health to cell aging and risk of death. DNA methylation levels are a key marker for estimating biological age, which is influenced by genes, lifestyle, and stress.

Researchers analyzed data from 5,682 adults in the Framingham Heart Study, using interviews, exams, and lab tests. They used the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 tool to score heart health from 0 to 100, based on diet, exercise, sleep, smoking, body mass index, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. They also used tools to estimate biological age from DNA methylation and genetic predisposition to faster aging. Participants were tracked for 11-14 years for heart disease and death.

The analysis found that:

1. For each 13-point increase in an individual’s Life’s Essential 8 score, the risk of developing cardiovascular disease for the first time was reduced by about 35%, death from cardiovascular disease was reduced by 36%, and death from any cause was reduced by 29%.

2. In participants with a genetic risk profile making them more likely to have an accelerated biological age, the Life’s Essential 8 score had a larger impact on outcomes potentially via DNA methylation, i.e., DNA methylation accounted for 39%, 39%, and 78% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular death, and all-cause death, respectively.

3. Overall, about 20% of the association between Life’s Essential 8 scores and cardiovascular outcomes was estimated to be due to the impact of cardiovascular health factors on DNA methylation; in contrast, for participants at higher genetic risk, the association was almost 40%.

“Our study findings tell us that no matter what your actual age is, better heart-healthy behaviors and managing heart disease risk factors were associated with a younger biological age and a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, death from heart disease and stroke and death from any cause. The study highlighted how cardiovascular health can impact biological aging and has important implications for healthy aging and prevention of cardiovascular disease and potentially other health conditions,” said Jiantao Ma, Ph.D., senior study author.

Reference: Jiantao Ma, Ph.D, et al.; Epigenetic Age Mediates the Association of Life’s Essential 8 With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality; Journal of the American Heart Association; DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.123.0327431