Genes: How they change with age

Ritesh Bawri

20 May 2025 — 2 min read

Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR / Unsplash

Antagonistic pleiotropy is an evolutionary theory that helps explain why we age and why certain diseases appear late in life.

In simple terms, why do our genes cause disease in old age.

Antagonistic pleiotropy refers to a single gene that produces both beneficial and harmful effects.

The difference being whether it is acting in your youth or old age.

Evolution favours genes that enhance survival and reproduction in early life. If they end up harming you in your old age, then from an evolutionary point of view, that is fine.

Nature is selecting for short-term gain, even at the cost of long-term health.

Allow me to explain with examples. Take testosterone. It boosts muscle growth and reproductive success in youth.

But the same hormone can increase the risk of heart disease and prostate cancer in later years.

Another example is the APOE4 gene, which may have helped our ancestors fight infections, but today raises the risk of Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease.

Genes involved in inflammation work similarly. They protect against pathogens when we’re young but drive chronic conditions like arthritis and dementia as we age.

Insulin signaling ensures energy is quickly used or stored. Yet over time, this same system accelerates aging, weight gain, and the risk of cancer when calorie intake is constantly high.

So what can you do?

The first is to understand that your body changes as you age. Then in a step by step process you change your lifestyle to mitigate these changes.

So, for example, caloric restriction and intermittent fasting help reset insulin signaling and reduce inflammation.

Prioritizing deep sleep helps regulate the immune system and repair oxidative damage.

A diet rich in colorful plants offers natural compounds that buffer against the wear and tear caused by time.

We cant change our genes. But we can influence how they manifest.

Antagonistic pleiotropy may be a consequence of evolution, but its effects are not beyond our control.

Lifestyle, more than genetics, becomes the key to aging well.

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain

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