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The 12 Hallmarks of Ageing

  • Writer: Darren Morris
    Darren Morris
  • Jan 29, 2025
  • 5 min read

For millennia, why and how we age has been a bit of a mystery – all the way back to Plato, history is littered with stories of the mythical quest for eternal life and the fountain of youth!

It’s really only very recently – 2013 infact – that a key study was released that shed more light on it and has become accepted as the reference of understanding what causes ageing.


The 12 Hallmarks of Ageing wheel

Ageing is a complex process driven by a number of interconnected biological factors. These hallmarks, as they have been termed, explain why our bodies wear down over time, leading to age-related diseases and functional decline. They are grouped into three categories based on how they contribute to ageing:


Primary Hallmarks – these are the initial causes of damage that contribute to the ageing process

Antagonistic Hallmarks – these are the body’s responses to that damage that initially are good, but become detrimental when they happen too much and too often

Integrative Hallmarks – are the lasting effects of the damage.

 

In this article I’ll give you a bit more information on each with a simple understanding of how they impact ageing and what can be done at a very simplistic level to help fend off ageing. You’ll notice a theme emerge with these – they have all been shown to be helped with some simple lifestyle adaptations.

 

We’ll be deep diving into each one of the hallmarks in future blogs with much more information to help you understand what you can do to help manage each of them.

 

Primary Hallmarks: The Root Causes of Damage

 

1. Genomic Instability

Our DNA acts as a blueprint for building and maintaining our body. Over time, this blueprint accumulates damage from things like UV rays, pollution, and natural metabolic processes [1]. Think of DNA like the foundation of a house—if it cracks, the whole structure becomes unstable. As these cracks (mutations) add up, cells may stop working properly, produce faulty proteins, or even turn cancerous. 


What can help: You can help protect your DNA by eating antioxidant-rich foods (e.g., berries, dark chocolate), avoiding harmful exposures like smoking or excess sun, and managing stress, which can contribute to DNA repair issues [1]. 

 

2. Telomere Attrition

Telomeres are like the plastic tips on shoelaces—they protect the ends of our chromosomes from fraying. Each time a cell divides, these tips shorten. Eventually, they become so short that cells can no longer divide and either die or enter a “zombie” state (senescence) [2]. This process contributes to tissue wear and tear. 


What can help: Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and reducing chronic stress have been shown to slow telomere shortening [2]. 

 

3. Epigenetic Alterations

Epigenetics involves changes in how our genes are turned on or off without changing the underlying DNA sequence. Imagine your genes are a piano, and epigenetics is the player deciding which keys to press. Over time, the wrong notes are played—some genes are switched on when they shouldn’t be, while others are silenced. This disrupts normal cellular function, contributing to ageing [3]. 


What can help: Sleep, a nutrient-rich diet (especially foods high in polyphenols like green tea and blueberries), and exercise can positively influence epigenetic regulation [3]. 

 

4. Loss of Proteostasis 

Our cells constantly make proteins, which must be properly folded to work. However, as we age, the system responsible for folding, repairing, and recycling proteins becomes overwhelmed. Misfolded or damaged proteins build up, causing issues like protein clumping seen in Alzheimer’s disease [1]. 


What can help: Hydration, intermittent fasting, and nutrient-rich diets help support the body’s protein maintenance systems [4]. 

 

5. Disabled Macroautophagy 

Macroautophagy is the cell’s recycling process, where damaged parts are broken down and reused. Imagine a factory that can’t get rid of its broken machinery—it eventually clogs up and stops running smoothly. A decline in this recycling ability leads to the accumulation of dysfunctional components, worsening cellular health [1]. 


What can help: Regular exercise and intermittent fasting stimulate autophagy and help cells clear out their junk [1, 4]. 

 

Antagonistic Hallmarks: Responses That Can Backfire

 

6. Deregulated Nutrient Sensing

Our bodies have systems to monitor nutrient levels, like a thermostat regulating temperature. Key pathways, such as insulin and mTOR, ensure we use energy efficiently and respond appropriately to food. Over time, these systems can become overactive or unbalanced, leading to metabolic disorders and accelerating ageing [5].

 

What can help: Calorie moderation, avoiding overeating, and limiting sugar and refined carbohydrates can improve nutrient sensing [5]. 

 

7. Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Mitochondria are the cell’s power plants, generating energy for all bodily functions. As we age, these power plants become less efficient and produce harmful by-products called reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can damage cells. It’s like running an old car that pollutes more than a newer model [6]. 


What can help: Regular aerobic exercise boosts mitochondrial health, while a diet high in healthy fats (e.g., nuts, avocados) supports energy production [6]. 

 

8. Cellular Senescence 

Senescent cells are like old workers in a factory who refuse to leave and disrupt everyone else. These cells stop dividing but don’t die, instead releasing harmful chemicals that cause inflammation and damage nearby cells [7]. Over time, this build-up of “zombie” cells contributes to tissue dysfunction and chronic inflammation. 


What can help: Anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the effects of senescent cells [7]. 

 

Integrative Hallmarks: Downstream Effects

 

9. Stem Cell Exhaustion

Stem cells are like the body’s repair team, creating new cells to replace damaged or old ones. As we age, these cells become fewer and less efficient, leading to slower healing and reduced tissue regeneration [8]. This explains why wounds heal more slowly and tissues become thinner or weaker with age. 


What can help: Sleep, resistance training, and avoiding harmful habits like smoking help preserve stem cell function [8]. 

 

10. Altered Intercellular Communication 

Cells constantly communicate with each other, like players in a football team. When this communication breaks down, it can lead to chronic inflammation and hormonal imbalances, making tissues and organs less efficient [9]. 


What can help: A fibre-rich diet, stress management, and reducing processed foods can improve cellular communication and systemic health [9]. 

 

11. Chronic Inflammation

Persistent, low-level inflammation (sometimes called "inflammaging") damages tissues over time, contributing to diseases like arthritis, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions [10]. It’s like a smouldering fire slowly burning through the body’s resources. 


What can help: Anti-inflammatory diets (e.g., rich in omega-3s, turmeric, and ginger), regular physical activity, and managing stress effectively can lower inflammation [10]. 

 

12. Dysbiosis

The gut microbiome is an ecosystem of trillions of bacteria that support digestion, immunity, and even brain function. When this balance is disrupted, it can lead to issues like poor nutrient absorption, weakened immunity, and systemic inflammation [11]. 


What can help: Eat fermented foods like yoghurt or kimchi, prioritise prebiotics (e.g., bananas, garlic), and avoid unnecessary antibiotics to support a healthy microbiome [11]. 

 

These 12 hallmarks of ageing interact like a web—damage in one area often amplifies problems in another. For example, DNA damage (genomic instability) can lead to senescence, while mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to chronic inflammation. But as you’ll have seen, many of them can be helped by similar interventions. Diet, Exercise, Sleep, Stress Optimisation.



That is why scientists believe that around 80% of what causes us to age is driven by these lifestyle factors and not our genetics.

Understanding these processes provides a roadmap for interventions that can promote healthier, longer lives. 

 

References

 

 

 
 
 

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