Early signs of aging, such as baldness, earlobe crease, and patches of yellow skin around the eyelids, are associated, either alone or in combination, with a greater risk of developing arterial disease and having a heart attack, researchers in Denmark have reported. This is the first study to follow a large group of individuals over time that shows looking old for your age is an indicator of cardiovascular problems.
The findings were reached after analyzing thirty-five years of medical data on nearly 11,000 men and women from the 1970s to 2011. The researchers said that the risk of heart trouble increases with the presence of more visual signs of aging.
My Viewpoint: In medical practice, doctors learn to look at a patient and recognize outward signs of unwellness. Premature baldness (but not a receding hairline) and thinning hair, the development of ear creases where skin is normally smooth, and the development of cholesterol-patches around the eyelids have been warning signs that doctors have been aware of over the years.
What this Means to You: This study offers an alert to both men and women who have these outward signs of accelerated aging. Treat the presence of such signs not as a curse but as a call to action.
My Recommendation: Have yourself checked out by a doctor for inflammation and markers of cardiovascular disease. Above all, start working on your inner body more. That means getting serious about your diet, exercise, a good supplement program, and taking more responsibility for your health.
Christoffersen M, Frikke-Schmidt R, Schnohr P, et al. Visible Age-Related Signs and Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease in the General Population: A Prospective Cohort Study. Circulation. 2013;CIRCULATIONAHA.113.001696, published online before print December 13, 2013
Edston E. The earlobe crease, coronary artery disease, and sudden cardiac death: an autopsy study of 520 individuals. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2006 Jun;27(2):129-33.
Christoffersen M,Frikke-SchmidtR, SchnohrP, et al. Xanthelasmata, arcus corneae, and ischaemic vascular disease and death in general population: prospective cohort studyBMJ 2011; 343 :d5497
