A new study found that the belief that our metabolism slows down as we age might just be a common myth.

Researchers found that our metabolism peaks at the age of 1 and then slightly slows down until we are about 20 years old. It remains much the same throughout our adult lives until we hit 60 years old, when it very slowly starts to decline again.

Study author Herman Pontzer, an associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University, said, “Metabolic rate is really stable all through adult life, 20 to 60 years old. There’s no effect of menopause that we can see, for example. And you know, people will say, ‘Well, when I hit 30 years old, my metabolism fell apart.’ We don’t see any evidence for that, actually.”

This study uncovered a lot of information that had never before been recognized – mainly because a study this large had never been able to be done before.

This study uncovered the secret that declining metabolism has little to do with lifestyle and health factors, and more to do with the fact that our cells literally start to change as we get older. That is why seniors have a declining metabolism.

The study showed that there aren’t nearly as many differences between the male and female metabolism as many originally thought. The metabolic rates also didn’t spike during teen years or pregnancy as was suspected.

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

• Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
• Plant-Based Health Resources
• Plant-Based Food & Recipes
• Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
• The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
• Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
• High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
• Plant-Based Meal Prep

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!