Can You Change Your Metabolic Age?

You may be familiar with terms like metabolism and even metabolic health. But have you ever heard of metabolic age?

Your metabolic age reflects the state of your overall metabolic health and function. This number is calculated by comparing how many calories your body burns at rest compared to other people your age, and some research shows it can help detect metabolic health issues.

But there’s much more to the term ‘metabolic age’ than a calculation. It’s also important to consider other aspects; for example, how important is this measurement to your overall health, especially if you want to improve your metabolic health? What factors influence your metabolic age? And how can metabolic age be changed?

In this article, we'll explore exactly what your metabolic age says about your overall metabolic health and how you can improve it with healthy habits. Plus, don’t miss the handy BMR calculator our health team added to help calculate your own.

How Does Your Metabolism Work?

Your metabolism refers to every chemical reaction your body carries out to complete bodily functions and keep you alive. Some of these functions include things like energy conversion, blood circulation, food digestion, cognitive function, hormone regulation, and waste elimination.

To complete all of these processes, the body burns a certain number of calories to transform food into energy, and this is measured by basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR is used to measure your body's daily energy expenditure, and this rate can be influenced by factors such as age, fat mass, and leptin in the body.

To consider all the other daily activities, such as walking, eating, and exercising, a measurement called total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is calculated. Your TDEE factors in your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and your daily activity to determine how many calories you burn daily with all activities.

Metabolic Rate and Metabolic Age

As we mentioned, basal metabolic rate (BMR) estimates the number of calories your body burns daily simply by keeping itself alive. This number is usually similar to your resting energy expenditure (REE) or the number of calories burned while you rest.

Your metabolic age is calculated using your BMR. However, this number is then compared to the average BMR for people of the same chronological age (your actual age).

Research indicates that as you age, your BMR decreases by 0.75 percent annually, coupled with a 1 percent increase in body fat per year after reaching 40. However, increased metabolic age has been found to predict metabolic syndrome and other adverse health effects in some people.

How to Determine Your Metabolic Age

So, how do you calculate your metabolic age? To do so manually, you'll first need to know your basal metabolism.

The common formula for these measurements takes your height, body weight, sex, and age into account. The concept of metabolic age suggests that a value that is the same or younger than your real age indicates better metabolic health.

Try Our BMR Calculator

Start by determining your basal metabolic rate here:

If you want to calculate your BMR manually, here’s a simple formula you can use:

• For men: BMR = (4.536 × weight in pounds) + (15.88 × height in inches) − (5 × age) + 5
• For women: BMR = (4.536 × weight in pounds) + (15.88 × height in inches) − (5 × age) − 161

Once you have estimated your approximate BMR, you can use it to determine your metabolic age. The formula for metabolic age is similar to that of BMR. This number will be lower if your BMR is lower than the average BMR for your age group.

More Accurate Ways to Find Your Metabolism Rate

It's important to acknowledge that certain studies have identified potential errors in these calculations ranging from 10 to 35 percent. So, don’t view a higher metabolic age as an immediate cause for alarm. Additionally, your lean body mass plays a significant role in determining your BMR and should consistently be considered.

If you're looking for a more accurate measurement of your metabolism, you may want to consider undergoing metabolic testing, usually conducted in a clinical environment. One common approach involves a five-day diet analysis to establish your average calorie consumption. Furthermore, your resting carbon dioxide and oxygen levels can be measured to determine your metabolic rate accurately.

Nevertheless, the precision of these tests is not flawless since they don't consider your body size (like waist circumference, for example), fitness and energy levels, possible underlying health conditions, and other lifestyle factors. Additionally, some people naturally possess a faster or slower metabolism than others.

Tips for Changing Your Metabolic Age

Because your metabolic age is based on your BMR, to change or improve your metabolic age, you’ll want to focus on boosting your BMR. Here are some effective ways to do that.

Focus on Muscle-Building Workouts

Building muscle is one key factor in boosting your metabolic rate. You may already know this if you've read our other fitness blogs. Strength training, weight lifting, and other resistance physical activities can be very effective at building lean muscle mass and improving body composition.

Being physically active and lifting weights not only increases insulin sensitivity but also promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Along with that, increased muscle mass and more physical activity can help to manage or maintain your weight. Here are examples of muscle-building and resistance-training exercises to add to your routine:

• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Push-ups and pull-ups
• Lunges
• Shoulder press
• Chest press

Eat More Protein

Your body needs adequate amounts of essential amino acids from your diet to help build muscle. If you're not getting enough protein, not only is it much harder to increase muscle mass, but you may also lose muscle, which can slow down your metabolic rate.

Consuming adequate protein, especially when doing strength training, can be beneficial. When it comes to adequate protein consumption, here's what the research recommends:

Complete protein sources such as pasture-raised poultry and eggs, wild-caught seafood, Greek yogurt, tofu, minimally processed red meats, and other whole food sources are great ways to boost your intake.

These guidelines can be beneficial for individuals trying to boost their protein intake. However, protein needs can vary based on each person's individual health needs and activity level. Discuss your protein intake with your dietitian or nutritionist before making any significant dietary changes.

Reduce Stress

Stress is a common culprit for weight loss and obesity. Excess stress can cause your body to hold onto fat, lead to weight gain, and even hinder muscle-building efforts.

Research has found that cortisol, the stress hormone, is associated with increased abdominal fat (and overall body fat). Stress, over time, can also contribute to inflammation.

While acute inflammation is helpful in muscle building, chronic inflammation can prevent muscle growth over time. Reducing chronic stress can benefit metabolism by reducing inflammation, improving insulin sensitivity, and reducing blood pressure.

Here are some tips to reduce stress:

• Create a daily routine that works for you
• Journal to release your emotions and energy
• Exercise to release any pent-up stress 
• Practice mindfulness or meditation
• Get more movement throughout the day

When it comes to exercise, registered dietitian Amanda Donahue, MS, RD, CD, explains, “Make sure to consider intensity levels of exercise that’s best suited to you in the moment. If you’re overly stressed, for example, something lower intensity may be better for internal and physical stress versus a high-intensity workout like HIITs.” Working with a specialist like a registered dietitian can help you figure out the perfect fit for your body.

Increase Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin signals our cells to let glucose in to be used for energy. But if your body isn't responding to insulin, blood glucose levels can remain elevated. Over time, chronically high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, can lead to poor metabolic health and even diabetes.

One way to reduce this negative impact is to optimize your carbohydrate consumption. Working with a dietitian to determine the amount of carbohydrates right for you and your activity levels can be helpful.

Additional tips to improve insulin sensitivity include:

Reduce Inflammation

Chronic inflammation can contribute to insulin resistance and poor metabolic health. To combat this, you can include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich foods and ensure enough sleep, as a lack of sleep can increase insulin resistance.

Too much sugar can increase your risk of inflammation. By reducing sugary drinks, sweets, and processed foods, you can lower your overall inflammation.

Reducing stress through meditation, mindfulness, and other practices may also be beneficial. You can also try limiting your time spent in polluted areas and reducing exposure to obesogens.

Get More Sunshine

Spending some time in the sun may help improve insulin sensitivity. Studies found that getting an adequate amount of bright sunshine was linked to reduced insulin resistance and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Optimize Your Diet

Consume plenty of insulin sensitivity-boosting nutrients such as magnesium, fiber, protein, and cruciferous vegetables.

Magnesium is found in nutritious foods such as leafy greens, nuts, and seeds. Pasture-raised eggs and poultry are sources of protein rich in amino acids like L-carnitine, taurine, and L-arginine.

Stay Active

Along with boosting muscle tissue, regular exercise can also help insulin sensitivity. A large body of research has shown that aerobic exercise increases insulin sensitivity. Plus, this can also help prevent metabolic slowdown, improve cardiovascular health, and help you avoid future health problems.

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