Immune-aging clock suggests faster aging after COVID-19
A study of 195 adults and 94 people with data from before and after COVID-19 built an aging measure based on the immune repertoire.
Source: New immune-repertoire aging clock shows faster aging after COVID (onlinelibrary.wiley.com). Summary written with AI from the source and reviewed by rules; read the original.
What the research shows
The study included 195 adults aged 25 to 93 and another 94 people with data collected before and after they had COVID-19. Using these data, the researchers built an aging clock with the LightGBM algorithm, based on 55 features of the immune repertoire. According to the authors, the rate of aging increased after COVID-19.
An aging clock is a research tool that tries to estimate biological aging, which does not always match chronological age. The idea that immune measures can reflect this process, and that infections can alter it, still needs confirmation from other studies before it could have practical use.
What it means
The result suggests that immune measures may track biological aging and that COVID-19 may influence this pace. It is not yet known whether the faster aging persists over time, whether it leads to health problems, or whether it happens after other infections.
How to read it with care
This is a study with a limited sample, and a biological aging clock is a research tool, not a diagnosis. This result does not replace a consultation. Anyone considering a change in diet, supplements or treatment should talk to a doctor or another qualified health professional.