Skip to main content

Women With HIV Age Faster, Study Shows

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Feb 16, 2024.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Feb. 16, 2024 -- Women with HIV experience accelerated DNA aging, potentially leading to poorer physical function sooner in life than expected, a new study says.

Markers of aging measured in blood revealed that women with HIV age faster than their chronological age, according to results published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

"Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind accelerated aging in people with HIV is crucial for developing targeted interventions and improving the quality of life for those living with the virus,” lead researcher Stephanie Shiau, an assistant professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the Rutgers University School of Public Health, said in a news release.

The results mirror previous studies that reported accelerated aging in men with HIV, Shiau said.

More than half of people living with HIV around the world are women, and women accounted for an estimated 46% of new infections in 2022.

For the study, researchers recruited 195 women with HIV ages 40 to 60 and compared them to women without the virus.

The researchers analyzed how aging biomarkers in their blood were related to their bone mineral density and measurements of physical function like muscle strength, walking speed, balance and endurance.

Researchers found that women in both groups who couldn’t stand on one leg stand for 30 seconds displayed increased aging.

Further research is needed to confirm and better understand the association between HIV, accelerated aging and physical function, researchers said.

"The work demonstrates that women living with HIV experience an accelerated aging process at the DNA level, and that this aging process may be linked to functional outcomes," Shiau said. “Future studies will need to see whether these findings are observed longitudinally.”

Sources

  • Rutgers University, news release, Feb. 15, 2024

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted February 2024

Read this next

Gratitude May Bring Longer Life

WEDNESDAY, July 3, 2024 -- People who are grateful for what they have tend to live longer, a new study reports. Older women who scored highest on a questionnaire measuring...

Mediterranean Diet Ups Survival Odds After Cancer

WEDNESDAY, July 3, 2024 -- The Mediterranean diet can help cancer survivors maintain their heart health and live longer, a new study says. Cancer patients whose eating patterns...

FDA Warns of 48 Illnesses, One Death Linked to Diamond Shruumz Edibles

WEDNESDAY, July 3, 2024 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday it is now investigating nearly 50 illnesses and one death that may be linked to eating Diamond...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.