Accelerated metabolic age is associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and major adverse events in adults aged 65 years and older.
In a cohort of 1,218 participants (mean age 59.1 years), a metabolic age (metAge) derived from 987 plasma metabolites was associated with cardiovascular risk. Among adults aged 65 years and older, each one-year increase in accelerated metAge was associated with a 12% higher risk of ASCVD (HR=1.12, 95% CI: 1.00-1.26, two-sided p=0.059) and a 10% higher risk of major adverse events (HR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.18, two-sided p=0.028).
This article is automatically generated from the structured evidence profile behind the claim above. Scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical advice.
Accelerated metabolic age is associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and major adverse events in adults aged 65 years and older. The current body of evidence comprises 1 study. EvidenceHub rates the overall confidence at 34/100 (low).
The Claim
Accelerated metabolic age is associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and major adverse events in adults aged 65 years and older.
This conclusion is most relevant to: Adults aged 65 years and older from the Heart SCORE study (overall cohort: mean age 59.1 years, 67.1% women, 39.2% Black)..
What the Research Shows
The conclusion draws on 1 linked study. Highlights from the cited literature:
- ▸Metabolic signature across Life's Essential 8 profiles is heterogenous and may predict cardiovascular disease and mortality. (Metabolism open, 2026) —
How It Works
The proposed biological pathway:
- ▸Plasma metabolites are profiled using Metabolon platform.
- ▸Elastic net regression derives metabolic age (metAge) from 987 metabolites.
- ▸Accelerated metAge (difference between metAge and chronological age) is calculated.
- ▸Cox proportional hazards models assess association between accelerated metAge and ASCVD/MAE.
- ▸Higher accelerated metAge is associated with increased risk of ASCVD and MAE in older adults.
Who Might Benefit
Evidence fit by population:
- ▸Adults aged 65 years and older from the Heart SCORE study (overall cohort: mean age 59.1 years, 67.1% women, 39.2% Black).
Recommended Dose
N/A
Limitations & Caveats
Important context when interpreting this evidence:
- ▸Observational study design; causality cannot be inferred.
- ▸The association was only significant in adults aged 65 years and older, not in the entire cohort.
- ▸The ASCVD association had a two-sided p-value of 0.059, which is not significant at the conventional 0.05 level.
- ▸The study used modified LE8 metrics, which may not fully capture standard cardiovascular health definitions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is metabolic age (metAge)?▼
Metabolic age is a measure derived from plasma metabolites that predicts chronological age, adjusted for sex and race. It reflects the biological aging of metabolic pathways.
How was metabolic age associated with cardiovascular risk?▼
In adults aged 65 years and older, each one-year increase in accelerated metAge was associated with a 12% higher risk of ASCVD and a 10% higher risk of major adverse events, after multivariable adjustment.
Did the study find any specific metabolic patterns for sleep health?▼
Yes, optimal sleep health was most strongly associated with lower activity of the phosphatidylethanolamine pathway, suggesting a distinct metabolic signature for sleep.
What is the significance of this study?▼
The study shows that metabolic age is independently associated with cardiovascular outcomes, even beyond many Life's Essential 8 variables, highlighting the potential of metabolomics in risk prediction.
References
- 1.Pollack IM, Duan J, Swanson J, Wang H, Kip K, Reis SE, McKennan C, Saeed A. “Metabolic signature across Life's Essential 8 profiles is heterogenous and may predict cardiovascular disease and mortality..” Metabolism open, 2026. PMID: 42571324 DOI: 10.1016/j.metop.2026.100487