Aging News and Research

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Medicare Advantage skews hospital readmission penalties

For more than a decade, hospitals have worked to help older adults avoid repeated inpatient stays, incentivized by a federal program that cuts Medicare reimbursements if hospitals have higher-than-expected rates of readmissions for people with certain conditions.

22 Jan 2026

Age-related changes in the gut microbiota impair intestinal stem cell function

A new study led by Hartmut Geiger at the University of Ulm, Germany, and Yi Zheng and Kodandaramireddy Nalapareddy, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), USA reveals that age-related changes in the gut microbiota directly impair intestinal stem cell (ISC) function and that restoring a youthful microbial environment can reverse this decline.

22 Jan 2026

Myosteatosis: An emerging predictor of outcomes in chronic liver disease

Myosteatosis, the pathological infiltration of fat into skeletal muscle, is increasingly recognized as a key predictor of poor clinical outcomes across a spectrum of liver diseases.

22 Jan 2026

Regular aerobic exercise slows a key marker of brain aging in midlife

Regular aerobic activity significantly reduces brain-PAD, indicating that exercise is crucial for maintaining brain health and reducing dementia risk.

22 Jan 2026

Sperm RNA aging shift that may explain paternal age effects

Study reveals an 'aging cliff' in sperm RNA, linking age-related changes to early development and highlighting risks associated with advanced paternal age.

22 Jan 2026

A routine blood test may reveal who is most at risk of osteoporosis

A routine creatinine blood test may identify individuals at higher risk for osteoporosis and fractures, highlighting its potential as a risk assessment tool.

22 Jan 2026

Study shows DHPS enzyme controls macrophage maturation across multiple organs

A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, its Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that an enzyme involved in protein translation is essential for circulating immune cells, called monocytes, to mature into tissue-resident macrophages, a specialized population of immune cells that maintain organ health by clearing dead cells and debris.

21 Jan 2026

New chip-based test could revolutionize blood transfusions

A new, fast and easy test could revolutionize blood transfusions-giving blood centers and hospitals a reliable way to monitor the quality of red blood cells after they sit for weeks in storage.

21 Jan 2026

Shingles vaccination is linked to slower biological aging in older adults

This population-based study of U.S. adults aged 70 and older found that shingles vaccination was associated with slower epigenetic and transcriptomic aging, as well as lower systemic inflammation. No significant associations were observed for neurodegeneration or cardiovascular biomarkers, highlighting domain-specific molecular effects rather than broad clinical changes.

21 Jan 2026

Arthritis significantly restricts employment for millions of American adults

According to new research from the University of Delaware, nearly 40% of American adults ages 18 to 64 with arthritis - almost 10 million people - say the medical condition is limiting their ability to work.

21 Jan 2026

Algae may help meet future protein demand without straining the planet

This narrative review evaluates clinical evidence on algae and algal proteins as sustainable, nutrient-dense food sources with high protein quality and bioactive compounds. Findings suggest potential benefits for muscle protein synthesis, cardiometabolic markers, immune modulation, and antioxidant status, while emphasizing heterogeneity, short-term data, and the need for longer clinical trials.

20 Jan 2026

Community water fluoridation not associated with changes in birth weight

A new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health finds that community water fluoridation (CWF) is not associated with significant changes in birth weight-a widely accepted indicator of infant health and a predictor of later-life outcomes.

20 Jan 2026

How "old RNA" reshapes sperm metabolism

Increasing paternal age has been linked to elevated health risks for the next generation, including higher risks of obesity and stillbirth. But what drives this increased risk remains unknown.

20 Jan 2026

Shingles vaccination may slow biological aging in older adults

Shingles vaccination not only protects against the disease but may also contribute to slower biological aging in older adults, according to a new USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology study.

20 Jan 2026

Adding lean pork to a plant-forward diet supports healthy aging biomarkers

A randomized crossover feeding trial in adults aged 65 years or older found that plant-forward diets incorporating either minimally processed lean pork or lentils produced similar short-term improvements in cardiometabolic and neuroactive biomarkers. Both diets supported metabolic health and functional stability, with no overall adverse biomarker effects attributable to including minimally processed red meat within a Dietary Guidelines–aligned pattern.

19 Jan 2026

Brain structure changes linked to adaptability decline in aging adults

As people age, structural brain changes influence their ability to adapt to the environment. New from eNeuro, Tatiana Wolfe and colleagues at the University of Arkansas characterized changes in the brain across two periods of adulthood that may correspond to changes in adaptive behavior.

19 Jan 2026

Understanding the trends of various neurological disorders in the Chinese population

Neurological disorders represent a mounting public health crisis in China, exacerbated by rapid population aging.

19 Jan 2026

Elevated tau in Long COVID patients raises risk for neurodegenerative diseases

A study of 227 individuals who experienced neuro cognitive difficulties post COVID-19 infection – such as headaches, vertigo, balance dysregulation, changes in taste/smell, and brain fog – displayed a significant increase in their blood plasma of a crucial protein called tau, which is found in nerves and especially in the brain.

19 Jan 2026

Super agers' resilience against Alzheimer's disease linked to protective gene variant

The gene variant posing the greatest genetic risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is called APOE-ε4. A different variant of the same gene, APOE-ε2, is thought to confer protection against AD.

19 Jan 2026