A new study published April 12 in Nature AgingTrusted Source delves a little deeper into this problem by identifying biomarkers associated with aging that are abundant in certain tissues of adults (and old mice).
This biomarker is a type of lipid called bis(monoacylglycerol) phosphate (or BMP). Lipids are a group of molecules that include fats, waxes, phospholipids such as BMP, etc.
In addition to showing that the level of BMPs increased with age, researchers found that a short training program reduced these molecules in the muscles of older women.
Alexander Stolzing, Ph.D., professor at Loughborough University in Leicester, England, called the comprehensive analysis of lipids in the new study “extraordinary”.
Stolzing was not involved.
However, he told Healthline that “without further studies including health markers, the potential impact of reducing BMP on the level of health and fitness remains uncertain.”
The researchers said they plan to conduct further studies to better understand how BMPs contribute to aging and whether exercise or other interventions can affect the long-term effects of BMPs.
Lipids play several roles in the body. It forms part of your cell membranes, stores and transports energy, helps your body absorb fats and vitamins, and is used to produce hormones.
However, high lipid levels can increase your risk of developing these diseases. For example, high blood triglycerides and LDL cholesterol – two lipids – increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Similarly, BMPs have been implicated in several diseases, including metabolic diseases, cancer, liver and kidney diseases, and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. BMPs are expressed in greater amounts in the blood platelets of people with COVID-19.
To see how the levels of BMPs change with age, the authors of the new study examined 10 different tissues in mice, including muscle, kidney, liver and heart. BMPs are present in greater amounts in those tissues in older mice.
