While many retirees move to warmer climates for retirement, a new USC Leonard study shows that extreme heat can speed up the aging process in older adults, SWNS reported.
According to a study published in the Journal Science Advances, people living in areas with more hot weather appear to age faster on the molecular level than residents in cooler areas.
The effect has been shown to accelerate “biological aging,” and researchers have raised new concerns about how it will affect long-term health.
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Although age is based on the date of birth, biological age is measured by how well the body is functioning at the molecular level, according to the National Institute of Aging.
Having a biological age than your age is associated with a higher risk of illness and death.
Similarly, extreme fever (classified as above 90 degrees Fahrenheit) has long been linked to health problems, including increased risk of death, the SWNS report states.
Extreme fever can accelerate “biological aging” in older adults, research found. (istock)
In this study, senior author Jennifer Ailscher (Professor of Gerontology and Sociology at USC Leonard Davis School) and co-author Eunyoung Choi (USC Leonard Davis Postdoctoral Scholar) examined how biological age changed over six years in thousands of participants aged 56 and older.
Blood samples taken at various points were analyzed for specific changes (called “epigenetic changes”) about how individual genes are “on or off,” the press release states.
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As reported by SWNS, the researchers analyzed these patterns and estimated biological age using a mathematical tool called the “epigenetic clock.”
The changes in age of biological age were then compared with the history of the heat index reported by the National Weather Service from 2010 to 2016, along with the history of the heat index and the number of heat days.
Participants living in areas over half of the year above 90 degrees Fahrenheit experienced additional biological aging of up to 14 months compared to their cool-weather counterparts. (istock)
This analysis revealed a “significant correlation” between areas with more extreme heat days and individuals experiencing a greater increase in biological age, even after controlling for other factors.
“Hot days defined as above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (participants living in areas defined as above 90 degrees Fahrenheit), such as Phoenix, Arizona, experienced up to 14 months of additional biological aging compared to areas residing in areas residing in areas less than 10 days a year.”
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The study took into account relative humidity using a heat index rather than just air temperature, Ayrscher said in the release.
“Elder people should not sweat the same way. They will begin to lose their ability to provide the skin cooling effect that arises from sweat evaporation.”
“It’s really about the combination of heat and humidity,” Ayrscher said.
“It’s because (they) don’t sweat the same way, especially for the elderly. They start to lose their ability to have the skin cooling effect that comes from the evaporation of sweat.”
This analysis revealed a “significant correlation” between areas with more extreme heat and areas with greater biological age increases. (istock)
Dr. Chris Scudeli, a family doctor based in Jacksonville, Florida, spoke to Fox News Digital about what he noticed about fever and aging in his field.
“I have observed a significant increase in hospitalizations and fever-related incidents among elderly people, particularly during record temperatures last summer in the northeastern region (Florida).
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Certain drugs, such as cardiac drugs, such as antidepressants and beta-blockers, can further impair the body’s ability to regulate body temperature, increasing the likelihood of a fever-related illness, according to doctors.
Some chronic health conditions can also alter the body’s normal response to fever, a condition on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
The US map shows the amount of “extreme attention” heated days in various regions. (SWNS)
Scuderi has provided some tips to help people beat the fever.
These include scheduling outdoor activities during the cooler parts of the day, maintaining proper hydration, and checking all medications with a family doctor to identify potential issues.
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Another tip from the CDC is to drink water before you feel the sensation of thirst.
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“If your doctor limits the amount of liquid you drink or you have you with water pills, ask how much you should drink during the hot season,” the website recommends.
The researchers’ next step is to determine how other factors become more vulnerable to heat-related biological aging, leading to health.
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In the meantime, Ayrscher noted that the findings could encourage policymakers, architects and others to be in mind when updating urban infrastructure, such as updating urban infrastructure, building shaded areas, planting more trees, and increasing urban green space.
