A person’s biological aging, Green spaces can stop.

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For the first time in the world, scientists were able to show the connection between the number of plants in the immediate environment of a person and slower biological aging.

We all know perfectly well that green spaces in urban areas improve our lives. They purify the air and saturate it with oxygen, creating a pleasant coolness in the summer heat. It has also been found that walking in a park or forest improves mood. In addition, trees and shrubs adorn the area.

But is there any way to assess the health benefits of green space, if any? Researchers from Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine asked this question. They were able to find out that trees and shrubs can indeed significantly affect health, at least for women. For the first time in the world, they were able to show the connection between the number of plants in the immediate environment of a person and slower biological aging,

How scientists calculate the biological age of a person

With the world’s population aging, associated with increased life expectancy and declining fertility, understanding how to prolong human good health and functioning into old age is a top priority for scientists. Some of them are working on stopping aging altogether, while others are studying the factors that affect biological age. At the same time, the most reliable marker of biological aging, which researchers always pay attention to, is aging-related methylation changes in human DNA. Methylation is the process by which, with age, some sections of DNA become covered with methyl molecules.

Methylation does not change the DNA “text,” but it does affect gene activity. In those areas where DNA is especially prone to methylation, the functionality of some genes is reduced. In other areas, where the aging process reduces methylation, gene overexpression occurs. This phenomenon is as harmful to the body as a decrease in their activity. That is, any deviation of gene activity from the norm is negative.

This method of regulation of genetic activity is usually called epigenetic.

Epigenetic changes occur for various reasons, such as stress, diet, environmental conditions, etc. They are also called “patterns of old age” because as a result of these changes, genes cannot work as they did at a young age. Since epigenetic marks remain for a long time, scientists can use them to accurately estimate the biological age and, consequently, the whole organism.

How plants slow down human biological aging

The researchers first analyzed DNA from women between the ages of 40 and 70 living in different cities in Australia. There were even identical twins among them, which minimized the influence of genes on research results. With the obtained data on biological aging, scientists compared the amount of greenery around their homes.

The researchers used data from satellites in the infrared spectrum to assess the green space in a particular area. They allow you to most accurately estimate the amount of greenery growing in a specific area since plants reflect infrared light. Note that all women have lived in the exact location for the past five years to improve the study’s accuracy.

As a result, the results showed that women who lived in areas with an abundance of greenery had a lower biological age than those who lived far from green spaces. Moreover, if the gardening index deduced by the researchers increased by 0.1 units in a half-kilometer zone from home, the biological clock was 0.31 years younger. Detailed research findings published in Environmental Health Perspectives.

In addition, the researchers found that green spaces can slow down the biological clock and turn it back. That is, some of the DNA age marks disappeared completely. In particular, this applies to labels that are associated with smoking. In addition, it has been recorded that the surrounding greenery has a positive effect on the functioning of various body systems and even contributes to reducing fatty tissue. True, it is too early to assert and talk about a cause-and-effect relationship. Scientists have identified only a specific relationship between green spaces and epigenetic age.

When the biological clock slows, the researchers argue, the diseases associated with aging come later. As a result, the risk of premature death is also reduced. For example, rejuvenation by 0.31 years, mentioned above, reduces sudden death risk by 3%. However, it should be bear in mind that green spaces and several other factors influence biological aging.