Young Adults’ Hearts Aging 3X Faster?!

I must admit, I’m concerned about the young people in our country.

We’ve already seen the devastating health consequences that a Western diet, sedentary lifestyle, and disrupted circadian rhythm are having on Baby Boomers and (more recently) Gen Xers.

And from what I can tell, the lifestyle choices of the next generations—technically called millennials and Gen Z—are FAR worse.

This latest research gives us a glimpse of the devastating effect this could have on their futures.

A recent study tracked over 1,500 adolescents from age 17 to 24.

Researchers found that the prevalence of prediabetes (a fasting blood sugar of greater than or equal to 5.6 mmol/L) increased nearly 5-fold from age 17 to 24.

As blood sugar levels increased, so did the risk of excessive heart enlargement (left ventricular hypertrophy) and heart dysfunction.

Those who had fasting blood sugar of 5.6 mmol/L or more had a 46 percent increased risk of excessive heart enlargement.

And those with a blood sugar level greater than 6.1 mmol/L had a threefold increased risk.

These high blood sugar levels also decreased heart muscle relaxation and increased blood pressure.

However, the damage didn’t end there—insulin resistance was also connected to an increased risk of heart damage.

Of course, we already know that high blood sugar levels (prediabetes) raise the risk of type 2 diabetes. But this study highlights the impact that chronically high blood sugar levels have on your heart.

Even worse, it revealed that these consequences occurred in young people who did NOT have outright diabetes.

I urge you to start encouraging the younger folks in your life to take the necessary steps to ensure their blood sugar levels are under control before it’s too late.

This includes eating a whole foods diet, getting regular physical activity, minding your circadian rhythm, and managing your stress levels.

And then be sure you’re leading by example.

P.S. Key exercise slashes diabetes risk by 44%!

SOURCE:

Andrew O. Agbaje, Justin P. Zachariah, Alan R. Barker, Craig A. Williams, et al., Persistent Hyperglycemia and Insulin Resistance With the Risk of Worsening Cardiac Damage in Adolescents: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study of the ALSPAC Birth Cohort. Diabetes Care 2025; dc242459.