What is Metabolic Age? The Surprising Results

We’ve all heard the saying, “You’re only as old as you feel.” But what if your body is actually older than you think? That’s where metabolic age comes in.

Metabolic age is a measure of how healthy your metabolism is. It determines how well your body ages, both physically and biologically. In this blog post, we will discuss what metabolic age is and the surprising results that can come from measuring it!

What is Metabolic Age and How to Improve It

What is Metabolic Health?

Metabolic health is a measure of how well your body can process and use the food you eat. Metabolic age is a number that represents how fast or slow your metabolism is compared to other people of the same age and gender.

Poor metabolic health can lead to various health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It can also cause you to age more quickly than you should and not align with your chronological age.

It’s remarkable to see how your diet and lifestyle can significantly impact your metabolic age. Dr. Hyman explains what he observed as a doctor on a father/son difference in their actual biological age in this current video, which is only one minute long:

Poor Health Will Increase Metabolic Age

Poor metabolic Health is caused by a variety of factors, including diet, exercise habits, genes, and chronic stress. This can lead to an increase in body fat, insulin resistance, wrinkles, grey hair, and a decrease in muscle mass.

Genes make up 25-35% of your metabolic age. The other 65-75% is determined by diet and lifestyle choices. Which leaves you with a lot of control over how healthy you want to be.

If you have a poor diet or are inactive, your metabolic age will be higher than it should be. Especially if you have certain genes that affect your metabolism. Left uncontrolled this lifestyle can lead to more chronic problems and the development of a condition called metabolic syndrome.

This syndrome represents obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and abnormal lipid levels. In addition, poor metabolic health can also lead to a decrease in brain function like dementia and alzheimer’s disease. Not addressed quickly enough can develop into heart disease, stroke, and even cancer.

All of these factors can make you look and feel older than you are.

The good news is you can take action now to improve your metabolic age by making changes to your lifestyle. These include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, managing stress levels, and getting enough sleep.

As a result, it is critical to maintain your metabolic health to avoid the accelerated aging process. Making these changes may help you live a longer and healthier life!

Lower Your Metabolic Age Easily with these Steps to Get Metabolically Healthy

Ok, now that you are aware of the potential problems associated with inadequate metabolic health resulting in high metabolic age, it is time to take action to improve your metabolic health and get younger.

Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to lower your metabolic age and improve your overall health.

Test and Determine Your Baseline

Let’s start with the data because, without it, you can’t improve.

We are seeking optimal levels of five markers: blood sugar, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, blood pressure, and waist circumference—without using medication.

This is the first step in understanding what your current metabolic age is. Once you know where you are starting from, it will be easier to set goals and track your progress over time.

A simple way to find out what your metabolic age is to use a fitness tracker, heart rate monitor, or other wearable devices that measure heart rate and other health metrics like VO₂ max. This is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during exercise and is an excellent marker.

Target your basal metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you burn at rest. Use this free online basal metabolic rate (BMR) calculator to help.

Get your lipid tests. Maybe you already have a doctor you work with who has probably already run some tests. If not, you can go to any lab and get a full lipid panel.

However, if you wish to calculate your metabolic age, you’ll need access to data from other individuals with the same chronological age as you since you want to see how you compare to them.

Only a few personal trainers registered dietitians, and other professionals at medical or fitness facilities have the technology for calculating your metabolic age. If you’d like to find out more about it, look online for services in your region or call around.

One company provides this at your convenience:

Focus on Nutrition

Eating more nutrient-rich whole foods and fewer processed foods. healthy foods that will help improve your metabolism. These include proteins, good animal fats, and a mixture of some fruits and vegetables.

If you don’t know where to start, you can get some ideas from my list, but I personally have had outstanding success with the Ketovore Diet.

Increase Activity

In addition, make sure to get plenty of exercise each day. Exercise helps to improve metabolism by increasing the number of calories you burn each day. A consistent exercise program increases the basal metabolic rate.

Build in some strength training because lean muscle mass burns more calories—even when you are at rest.

Choose an activity you enjoy so that it doesn’t feel like a chore, and make sure to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.

Good Sleep

Make sure to get enough sleep each night. Sleep is important for overall health and can also help improve metabolism.

Getting adequate sleep helps to regulate hormones, including those that control appetite and metabolism. It also helps the body to repair damaged cells and tissues.

Aim to maximize your sleep each night, and if you are struggling and need some ideas to improve your sleep you may want to read my post on insomnia.

Manage Stress Levels

Try to reduce the amount of stress in your life.

When you are stressed, your body releases the hormone cortisol. This hormone can lead to an increase in appetite and cravings for unhealthy foods and lead to weight gain. It can also affect blood sugar levels and contributes to insulin resistance.

So, try to find ways to relax and reduce stress in your life. This may include yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises.

Reevaluate

One of the most important things you can do is to reevaluate your metabolic biomarkers regularly. By tracking your blood sugar, cholesterol, and other key indicators, you can get a better sense of how your metabolism is functioning.

If you see that your numbers are improving, it can be a great motivator to keep up the good work. On the other hand, if your numbers are slipping, it may be time to make some changes in your lifestyle.

Either way, monitoring your metabolic age is an important part of staying healthy and fit.

Final Thought

Metabolic age is a significant aspect of overall health and well-being. You can take steps toward a better life by learning what metabolic age is, how it’s calculated, and how to improve it.

Regularly checking your metabolic age might help you make the required adjustments to keep your metabolism functioning smoothly. Now is the time to act; don’t put it off any longer! Begin now!