Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others • Hacker News Board

Re: Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others

#121

Post by FpUser » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 2:23 AM UTC

RickJWagner wrote: post #120

FpUser wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>"3 sets of 15 to 20 pull-ups depending on the day" It is always 20 for me. 4 sets. I am 64. I used to do 30 when I was a teen but I was much lighter then. also lots of swimming, cycling, hiking canoeing etc. etc

That’s awesome. I’m 60 and find pull ups are getting harder. I’d be delighted to get 20 in a set.

Prolly because I was doing those all my life. Funny that even after more than a year long break at 50+yo due to trauma it only took me a 1.5 month to recover from 5 to back to 20. I guess once you do something long enough body just gets accustomed.

Re: Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others

#122

Post by bob_theslob646 » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 2:37 AM UTC

Lyngbakr wrote: post #74

snowwrestler wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re not going to find a reliable “debunking” in HN comments of a scientific paper published in Cell. But this paper is about analyzing tissue samples from internal organs. Which is generally not what people feel when they “feel” aging. In fact most internal organs can’t be felt at all (no nerve endings), which is how people get surprised with Stage IV cancer diagnoses like pancreatic cancer. What people generally…

> And the truth is, there is a lot a person can do to adjust or mitigate these things, through simple lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. This is spot on. I'm 46 and I've been fortunate to be healthy and in decent shape my entire life; however, a check up that was fine but trending in the wrong direction prompted these lifestyle changes. I lift run or lift daily, have reduced my carb intake significantly, stopp…

Why did you reduce your carb intake?

Re: Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others

#123

Post by SamPatt » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 2:41 AM UTC

anal_reactor wrote: post #117

dnissley wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How's your diet? Do you get plenty of vegetables? Cruciferous especially. Do you avoid fried foods? Alcohol? Caffeine? Sugar? Consuming enough high quality protein? How's your sleep? Do you avoid eating within a couple hours of bedtime? Are you waking up to pee in the night?

I used to eat a salad every day until recently when I decided I can't be bothered to visit work canteen anymore. They gave shit food but I'd always take an extra big salad of raw vegetables. Recently my diet got worse. I used to love cooking, but now I can't be bothered, so it's instant ramen, milk with buckwheat, or potatoes + egg + bacon + fried vegetables. Not sure what "high-quality protein" is. I had a period wh…

I've been where you're at, and speaking frankly, if you don't make some changes, it'll only get worse. It sounds like you're tinkering at the edges but that can only get you so far.

Ramen, bacon, beer, cola, weed...

Maybe cut back or eliminate those for a few weeks and see how you feel? It's obviously way easier said than done but I can almost guarantee that cleaner living will bring back some of the lost energy, and once you've got more energy it gets a lot easier to get (and stay) on track again.

Best of luck.

Re: Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others

#124

Post by anal_reactor » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 2:44 AM UTC

SamPatt wrote: post #123

anal_reactor wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to eat a salad every day until recently when I decided I can't be bothered to visit work canteen anymore. They gave shit food but I'd always take an extra big salad of raw vegetables. Recently my diet got worse. I used to love cooking, but now I can't be bothered, so it's instant ramen, milk with buckwheat, or potatoes + egg + bacon + fried vegetables. Not sure what "high-quality protein" is. I had a period wh…

I've been where you're at, and speaking frankly, if you don't make some changes, it'll only get worse. It sounds like you're tinkering at the edges but that can only get you so far. Ramen, bacon, beer, cola, weed... Maybe cut back or eliminate those for a few weeks and see how you feel? It's obviously way easier said than done but I can almost guarantee that cleaner living will bring back some of the lost energy, and…

Seems like I'm doing the journey the other way around. I don't see much point in maintaining healthy lifestyle if the effort of doing so is higher than the reward. If I'm tired either way, then why bother.

Re: Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others

#125

Post by boppo1 » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 2:49 AM UTC

Lyngbakr wrote: post #74

snowwrestler wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re not going to find a reliable “debunking” in HN comments of a scientific paper published in Cell. But this paper is about analyzing tissue samples from internal organs. Which is generally not what people feel when they “feel” aging. In fact most internal organs can’t be felt at all (no nerve endings), which is how people get surprised with Stage IV cancer diagnoses like pancreatic cancer. What people generally…

> And the truth is, there is a lot a person can do to adjust or mitigate these things, through simple lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. This is spot on. I'm 46 and I've been fortunate to be healthy and in decent shape my entire life; however, a check up that was fine but trending in the wrong direction prompted these lifestyle changes. I lift run or lift daily, have reduced my carb intake significantly, stopp…

Say more about carb intake and cushion time. What % of calories?

Re: Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others

#126

Post by senectus1 » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 2:59 AM UTC

kelnos wrote: post #94

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #75

There was another recent study that made the front page of HN (would have to search to find it) that found two "peaks" of aging, at 44 and 60. As someone in my late 40s, I certainly identified with that. I was in fairly good shape and feel like, despite some grays and some crows feet, my body was relatively the same from my early 20s to my early 40s. 44 really did hit me like a ton of bricks though - working out got…

Well, shit, I just turned 44 a few weeks ago. Great, that's what I have to look forward to this year...

I turn 51 this year.

I am also in denial. its not just a wet place in egypt.

Re: Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others

#127

Post by SoftTalker » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 3:49 AM UTC

_DeadFred_ wrote: post #53

SoftTalker wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I started weight training at about age 54. I had never done any form of regular exercise in my life. Attempts here and there, but nothing ever stuck for very long. I am stronger now than I ever have been.

If you don't already make sure to include optimizing for twitch/fast muscle development. I've noticed it's the hardest loss to overcome for me in my 50s.

I have thought about adding power cleans. I started with Starting Strength so squats, bench, deadlift, and still mainly do those lifts, press, and some other accessory lifts. All barbell or dumbbell. Never added the power cleans though.

Re: Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others

#128

Post by gsf_emergency_2 » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 4:05 AM UTC

Teever wrote: post #115

PaulHoule wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's commonly thought that if your cells kept dividing the way that they do when you're young and they accumulated genetic damages you'd get cancer more often.

That isn't a satisfying answer because humans can obviously generate germline cells that don't suffer from this issue. So the question becomes why can't somatic cells repair themselves to be as healthy as germline cells?

Re: Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others

#129

Post by rz2k » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 4:32 AM UTC

dnissley wrote: post #110

anal_reactor wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm 30. I feel 70. No clue why. I take vitamin supplements, I exercise, I try to sleep, I had basic blood test. Nothing.

How's your diet? Do you get plenty of vegetables? Cruciferous especially. Do you avoid fried foods? Alcohol? Caffeine? Sugar? Consuming enough high quality protein? How's your sleep? Do you avoid eating within a couple hours of bedtime? Are you waking up to pee in the night?

> Cruciferous especially.

Unless it’s gout.

Re: Ageing accelerates around age 50 ― some organs faster than others

#130

Post by teapot7 » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 5:30 AM UTC

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #75

There was another recent study that made the front page of HN (would have to search to find it) that found two "peaks" of aging, at 44 and 60. As someone in my late 40s, I certainly identified with that. I was in fairly good shape and feel like, despite some grays and some crows feet, my body was relatively the same from my early 20s to my early 40s. 44 really did hit me like a ton of bricks though - working out got…

I'm closing in on 62 and I've been saying for a while now that as soon as I turned 60 my body sent me a note saying "That's it - I'm done now. The rest is up to you".

I feel validated by this study.