Your body ages rapidly in two ‘bursts,’ at 44 and 60. Here’s how to prepare.

One of the Stanford study’s authors, microbiome scientist Xiaotao Shen, says the team’s work also builds on previous findings, “collectively demonstrating that aging is nonlinear.”

But these findings don’t have to make you dread hitting your 40s and 60s. Understanding how and when we age can help individuals and healthcare professionals take specific steps to prevent—or at least prepare for—some of the most undesirable outcomes of aging.

How changes at the molecular level affect you

For nearly two years, the Stanford scientists behind the research measured molecular activity by analyzing the microorganisms contained in blood, skin, nose, mouth, and gut samples that were taken every three to six months from 108 study participants of various ethnic backgrounds, whose ages ranged from 25 to 75.