"Unlocking the Youthful Potential of Motherhood: How Giving Birth Reverses Your Biological Age"
A new study has discovered that pregnancy causes a woman's biological age to increase, but giving birth reverses this effect, returning her DNA markers to a more youthful state. This fascinating discovery, published in Cell Metabolism, has shed light on the remarkable plasticity of the human body and the potential impact of pregnancy on biological age.
The study, led by perinatal-health specialist Kieran O'Donnell at Yale University, analyzed the distribution of certain chemical markers on DNA called methyl groups. These methyl groups, which are added to DNA in a process called methylation, are part of the epigenome and can be used to estimate a person's biological age.
The researchers found that pregnancy led to changes in the distribution of methyl groups, similar to those seen in older people. However, several months after giving birth, the chemical patterns reverted to an earlier state. This trend was less noticeable in new birth parents with obesity, highlighting the impact of pre-pregnancy weight on the body's ability to bounce back.
The study also found that people who breastfed exclusively experienced a greater reduction in biological age than those who used formula or a mix of formula and breast milk. Some participants' biological ages were a few years younger postpartum than in early pregnancy, suggesting a rejuvenation effect.
While the study did not measure the biological age of participants before pregnancy, the data are suggestive, and O'Donnell would like to follow up with the participants in the future.
However, interpreting the findings is tricky, and some researchers caution that pregnancy should not be conceptualized as a biological problem. Instead, methylation might underlie some of the sweeping changes that the body must undergo to support a growing fetus, such as altered gene expression.
Nonetheless, the study has opened up new areas for ageing research and highlighted the potential for new terms and terminology to be developed. While the benefits of breastfeeding are many, its absence is not a dangerous predicament.
This exciting new research has shown that pregnancy can have a significant impact on a woman's biological age, but giving birth can reverse this effect, returning her DNA markers to a more youthful state. While more research is needed, this study has shed light on the remarkable plasticity of the human body and the potential impact of pregnancy on biological age.
Source: <https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00843-w>
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