Longevity & AgingEther Lipids and Sphingolipids Reveal Sex-Specific Aging Waves in Human Plasma
Researchers performed targeted lipidomic profiling of 543 lipid species in plasma from 1,030 adults aged 50–98 years. They identified three non-linear aging inflection points ('crests') at ages 55–60, 65–70, and 75–80, with the 65–70 crest predominant in men and the 75–80 crest in women. Ceramides rose then plateaued after age 85, while ether-linked phospholipids and sphingolipids showed the most pronounced age-related changes. These shifts implicate impaired membrane dynamics, reduced antioxidant defense, altered bioenergetics, and disrupted cell signaling. The study underscores that lipid metabolism during aging is fundamentally non-linear and strongly sex-dependent, offering a framework for developing lipidomic biomarkers and targeted longevity interventions.
