New Study Reveals 8 Heart-Healthy Habits That Can Delay Biological Aging by 6 Years

A recent study suggests that maintaining habits that are healthy for the heart could slow down biological aging by six years.

There is an increasing wealth of evidence showing that cardiovascular health is closely intertwined with the functioning of all body systems, including cellular aging.

This new research, which was presented earlier this month at the 2023 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association, shed light on the impact of heart health on biological aging.

The researchers discovered a correlation between superior cardiovascular health and slower biological aging. Enhanced cardiovascular health could also potentially increase longevity and lower the likelihood of heart issues and other age-associated diseases.

Nour Makarem, PhD, a senior author of the study and assistant epidemiology professor at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, said, “It was compelling that we observed a dose-response relationship meaning that as heart health improves, biological aging slows down.”

The research team used Life’s Essential 8 checklist to examine the connection between heart health and brain health.

The findings revealed that those who scored high on the checklist had a biological age around six years younger on average than their actual age.

Individuals with optimal cardiovascular health had an average actual age of 41 but an average biological age of 36. For participants with inadequate cardiovascular health, their average actual and biological ages were 53 and 57 respectively.

Makarem suggested that even minor improvements in lifestyle habits such as diet, sleep, exercise, and nicotine use can be beneficial and any progress towards better heart health is significant.

She also touched on the ability of biological age to provide insight into an individual’s overall health, the link between aging and cardiovascular health, and the importance of adopting heart-healthy habits.

Biological or phenotypic age is a measure of cellular activity within the body.

At The Miriam Hospital, Carly Goldstein, PhD, an assistant professor at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and a research scientist, explained that biological age is a reference to the age of cells compared to how long a person has lived.

Goldstein said that scientists make use of blood tests to determine the position of the biomarkers that influence biological aging.

She describes biomarkers as small signals that provide a health snapshot through elements such as inflammation and organ function. They collectively represent the body’s aging process and the chances of falling ill or dying.

With some people, their chronological and biological ages align fairly closely.

Goldstein further explained that people who are aging quicker, either due to chronic diseases or high-stress environments, could have larger discrepancies with their actual ages. On the flip side, those who are diligent with their self-care might even decelerate aging.

Makarem stated that aging and cardiovascular disease have common risk factors and underlying mechanisms.

She emphasized the new research showing that certain risk factors resulting in heart disease can also speed up aging in the body.

While poor heart health can negatively impact aging, good heart health can have a positive ripple effect. “Taking care of your heart health means that you’re taking care of your overall health and giving yourself the best chance of a long, healthy, happy life,” Goldstein said. “Cardiovascular health keeps your body’s cells and systems working as well as possible for as long as possible.”

Things that correlate with heart health seemingly also decelerate biological age.

“People who take care of their risk factors, such as hypertension and lipidemia, and get good sleep and exercise, and eat a good diet, and watch their weight, age much slower,” Harlan Krumholz, MD, professor of medicine (cardiology) at Yale School of Medicine, said.

He stated that these biomarkers help to elongate life expectancy and improve overall function, resulting in slower aging.

Ultimately, cardiovascular health directly influences morbidity and mortality.

“Cardiovascular disease and metabolic health can affect vascular and organ function including the heart, brain, and kidneys in several ways, and thus, cardiovascular disease is still a primary cause of morbidity and mortality,” Ashish Sarraju, MD, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said.

“Controlling cardiovascular risk factors is fundamental to promoting healthy lives,” he concluded.

Making healthy lifestyle changes to improve your cardiovascular health is beneficial, regardless of your age.

“Starting today is better than starting tomorrow or not starting at all,” Goldstein said. “Most people find that making small health changes can make a big impact, and making a change in one area can positively affect another area of your life.”

For example, getting more sleep may lead to more energy to exercise, better blood pressure, and you might crave high salt or sugar foods less often, Goldstein suggested.

Your behavior can have an even bigger effect on your heart health than your genetics.

“Become more active. Eat a healthy diet. Get good sleep. Try to reduce stress,” Krumholz recommended. “It seems that whenever you start these habits, you’re helping yourself.”

Sarraju suggests sitting down with a trusted healthcare professional to discuss the best ways you can implement heart-healthy habits into your routine.

“Slow, sustained changes that will last should be prioritized rather than abrupt extreme changes that may not last,” he said.