Individuals exposed to COVID-19 age faster at a molecular level and face higher risk of age-related diseases and shorter lifespans!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Apr 11, 2025 1 day, 15 hours, 9 minutes ago
Medical News: In a groundbreaking study spanning three years, researchers from Hungary, China, Brazil, Romania, Japan, and the United States have uncovered a disturbing connection between COVID-19 infections and accelerated biological aging. The collaborative research effort reveals that people who contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic are aging faster at a molecular level, potentially placing them at greater risk of age-related diseases and shortened lifespans.
Individuals exposed to COVID-19 age faster at a molecular level and face higher risk of age-related diseases
and shorter lifespans! Image: AI-Generated
The study, led by scientists from the Hungarian University of Sports Science, the Institute for Computer Science and Control (SZTAKI) of the Hungarian Research Network, Waseda University in Japan, Ningbo University in China, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná in Brazil, Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania in Romania, and the Epigenetic Clock Development Foundation in the United States, paints a chilling picture of how the virus affects our very DNA. This
Medical News report delves deep into how COVID-19 might be accelerating time within our bodies.
How COVID Alters the Aging Clock in Our Cells
To understand the impact of COVID-19 on aging, researchers recruited 54 individuals between the ages of 41 and 83, conducting comprehensive physiological and molecular assessments both before the pandemic began in late 2019 and again three years later, between late 2022 and early 2023. Half of the participants reported having been infected with SARS-CoV-2 during this time, while the other half remained uninfected.
The scientists focused on analyzing DNA methylation—a chemical modification of DNA that serves as a record of cellular aging and environmental stress. By using eight different epigenetic clocks—tools that estimate a person’s biological age based on methylation patterns—they were able to track how quickly the participants were aging on a molecular level.
The clocks included DNAmAge, PhenoAge, GrimAge (versions 1 and 2), HannumAge, DNAmFitAge, DNAmAgeSkinBlood, and DNAmTL (a predictor of telomere length, another key biomarker of aging). Telomeres, the protective ends of chromosomes, naturally shorten with age, and their accelerated erosion is associated with disease risk.
Surprisingly, most participants who did not get infected during the pandemic actually exhibited signs of slowed biological aging. However, those who had contracted COVID-19 told a different story—especially when their results were corrected for baseline health, fitness levels, and other variables.
Key Study Findings Show Alarming Aging Trends
After controlling for variables like age, sex, body mass index (BMI), cardiovascular fitness, grip strength, and cognitive performance, the researchers found a statistically significant acceleration of aging in the COVID-infected group.
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Specifically, three of the epigenetic clocks—DNAmGrimAge, DNAmGrimAge2, and DNAmFitAge—showed noticeable increases in aging speed for those who had been infected. This suggests a long-term molecular impact of COVID-19 that persists even after recovery. DNAmGrimAge, in particular, is known for predicting time to death and has previously been shown to strongly correlate with lifespan and healthspan.
The study also found that DNA methylation levels changed significantly in certain gene promoter regions. The H1 FNT gene, which plays a key role in sperm production and gastrointestinal cell regulation, showed a major decrease in methylation. Meanwhile, the CSTL1 gene, linked to immune responses and possibly blood clotting, showed the most significant increase in methylation. Both genes could be tied to aging-related processes, although their exact roles remain to be explored further.
Gender Differences and How Exercise Played a Role
The study also highlighted some intriguing gender-based differences. Among females, the DNAmAge clock showed a higher increase in aging speed compared to males. Conversely, males demonstrated slowed aging in several clocks, possibly due to increased physical activity during the lockdown periods.
Interestingly, while general fitness improved among older participants who remained uninfected—with better vertical jump performance and stable cardiovascular endurance—those who had been infected showed declines, particularly in grip strength. This drop in physical function further supports the theory that COVID-19 affects more than just the immune system, having broader impacts on overall health and resilience.
This decline in physical function, combined with accelerated aging markers, raises concerns that COVID-19 may have left a lasting imprint on survivors that could manifest in more rapid health deterioration over time.
The Epigenetic Fingerprint of COVID-19
At a molecular level, the study used advanced tools to assess methylation across more than 850,000 CpG sites (regions of DNA where methylation occurs). Principal component analysis revealed significant gender-based variations in methylation but no strong batch effects, confirming the validity of the data across time points.
Although the direct comparison of methylation changes between infected and non-infected groups did not yield statistically significant differences without adjustment, the adjusted models revealed a clear pattern—COVID-19 appears to alter the epigenetic clock in subtle but consequential ways.
One of the most profound aspects of this research is that it confirms earlier suspicions: even mild or asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 may carry long-term molecular consequences. This underscores the complexity of the virus and its impact on human health far beyond the lungs.
COVID-19 May Leave an Invisible but Dangerous Legacy
The researchers stress that while the overall aging acceleration observed in infected individuals was “mild,” it is still biologically significant. Over time, even small increases in biological aging can heighten risks for cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, diabetes, and early mortality.
Another sobering takeaway from the study is the role of lifestyle during the pandemic. Participants who remained active, particularly males, saw measurable benefits in physical performance and biological age. This suggests that exercise may offer some protective effect against aging—even in the face of a global pandemic.
However, for those who contracted the virus, these benefits appeared blunted or reversed. This may be due to persistent inflammation or the lingering effects of viral reactivation, both of which are suspected mechanisms behind long COVID.
What This Means for the Future
The findings reinforce the growing concern that COVID-19 may not be a one-time event for those who were infected. Its ability to accelerate aging at the DNA level means that public health systems must be prepared for a potential rise in age-related diseases in the years ahead. More importantly, it suggests that epigenetic clocks could become valuable tools in monitoring long-term recovery and evaluating who may need more aggressive post-COVID care.
Researchers call for further studies to explore whether these molecular changes can be reversed and how lifestyle interventions, medication, or therapy might slow the epigenetic damage caused by SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, scientists hope to identify specific genes, like H1 FNT and CSTL1, that could become biomarkers for accelerated aging and post-COVID syndromes.
Conclusion
This important three-year longitudinal study provides strong evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection may leave behind an invisible but very real biological toll. The virus not only disrupts immune and respiratory systems in the short term but may quietly increase the pace of aging in the long run. These findings challenge us to rethink COVID-19’s legacy, not as a temporary crisis, but as a long-term health burden for millions around the world. It also emphasizes the importance of ongoing monitoring, personalized healthcare, and preventive strategies tailored to COVID survivors.
The study concludes that while COVID-19 infections may accelerate the biological aging process through changes in DNA methylation patterns and telomere length, there is still hope. Positive lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and physical engagement, may help offset some of these negative effects. Nevertheless, the world must be prepared for a potential increase in chronic illnesses and frailty in COVID-19 survivors. As our understanding of epigenetics deepens, so too does our responsibility to use this knowledge for targeted health interventions in a post-pandemic world.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: GeroScience
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11357-025-01635-4
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