Dogs and Humans May Share the Same Metabolic Signatures of Aging, Study Finds

Researchers with the Dog Aging Project, a US nationwide study following pet dogs, examined blood samples from participating dogs for metabolites — small chemicals and molecules produced during normal biological processes — connected to how soon or how late the dogs died. The findings were published in The Journals of Gerontology.

Rather than looking at single molecules, the researchers studied thousands of metabolites at once to identify broader patterns, sometimes called a metabolic "fingerprint," associated with better or worse survival outcomes. "The molecules that are risky for dogs or protective against a sooner death are very similar to those in people," said Dr. Kate Creevy, chief veterinary officer for the Dog Aging Project and a professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

To check whether the same patterns hold in humans, the researchers compared their dog findings against five previously published studies of human mortality that used comparable metabolite-based methods, and found the patterns linked to earlier or later death were consistent across all five. Creevy noted the biomarkers found do not necessarily cause the outcomes they are linked to, but studying why they are present could help identify the underlying causes.

People live into their 70s on average, while dogs typically live 12 to 13 years, giving researchers a shorter window to study comparable aging patterns. The Dog Aging Project gathers survey responses, and from some participants annual biological samples, from dog owners across the United States.