Key points from article :
Researchers discovered blood markers that differentiate healthy aging from rapid aging.
These markers predict biological age, reflecting how fast a person's cells and organs age.
The study compared walking ability in 196 older adults to categorize healthy and rapid agers.
Healthy agers were 75 years or older and could ascend a flight of stairs or walk for 15 minutes without resting.
Rapid agers, who were 65 to 75 years old, had to rest during these challenges.
A 25-metabolite index, the HAM Index, effectively distinguished healthy from rapid agers.
The HAM Index even predicted walking ability in a separate group of older adults.
Planning more research to evaluate how the metabolome of younger people shifts over time
Research led by Aditi Gurkar from University of Pittsburgh, published in Aging Cell.
