The research has uncovered 22 compounds (metabolites) present in different concentrations in the blood of individuals young and old, compounds that represent 'markers' of old age.
One of these markers is, for example, the amino acid C-glycosyl tryptophan (C-glyTrp), whose levels in the blood vary significantly with age. In the under-35 and in the over-70, the mean levels were respectively 138 and 194 nanograms per milliliter of blood.
Experts prove optimistic and consider that the study of the concentrations of these metabolites in the blood, in the future will serve not only to verify the true biological age but also to make early diagnoses of diseases even before symptoms appear.
