He’s quickly approaching 70, yet Tom Hanks claims he has already experienced his worst ever year.
The Hollywood actor, told Entertainment Tonight that 35 is the ‘hardest’ age.
‘Your metabolism stops, gravity starts tearing you down, your bones start wearing off, you stand differently,’ Hanks, 68, said.
‘I think I’m in better shape now. You know why? Because my kids are grown up, I’m getting decent exercise and I can eat right. You cant do that when you’re 35 – life is such a burden.’
While there’s been little scientific research into the effects of reaching 35, experts say that Tom Hanks is off the mark.
In fact, Steve Hoffmann, professor of computational biology at Leibniz Institute on Aging in Jena, Germany, says that life’s hardest age is actually somewhere between 45 and 50.
‘I have no reason to doubt that Tom Hanks experienced some form of physiological impairment at 35,’ Professor Hoffmann told MailOnline.
‘However, epidemiological data tells us that the incidence rates of many age-associated diseases and impairments start kicking off about 10 to 15 years later. This may be the time of life when many people start realizing some of the symptoms Tom described.’
Tom Hanks, 68, has described 35 as the hardest age, adding: ‘Your metabolism stops, gravity starts tearing you down, your bones start wearing off, you stand differently’
Professor Hoffmann adds that there is much debate about when exactly the biological ageing process starts.
‘Some researchers claim that biological ageing, at least in some parts of our body, could begin before birth,’ he said.
‘Others say that it only kicks in once sexual maturity is reached.’
Earlier this year, a study identified two significant waves of sudden age-related changes in humans.
The team of authors, led by Dr Michael Snyder at Stanford University, analysed samples from 108 healthy people between the ages of 25 and 75.
They found age-related changes including slowing metabolism and increased proneness to diseases showed significant peaks at both 44 and 60.
Professor Hoffmann said it ‘can’t be ruled out that there are additional ageing waves’, such as one in the mid-30s as Hanks suggests.
‘There is some debate about the course of the ageing process,’ said the academic, who reported similar processes in mice this year.
Recent data suggests that ageing does occur in waves. But there is much debate about when exactly the biological ageing process starts (file photo)
‘One may think of ageing as a linear decay of physiological function; however, recent data suggests that ageing may also occur in waves.’
Professor Hoffmann stresses that ageing is ‘a highly individual process influenced by many factors’, such as genetics, stress levels, food and smoking.
Tom Hanks turned 35 in 1991 – three years after his breakout role in ‘Big’ but before filming started for blockbusters including ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ and ‘Philadelphia’.
The actor’s comments ring true for many 35-year-olds who have felt the effects of exhaustion and a slowed metabolism, which makes it easier to put on weight.
One commentator on X (Twitter) said: ‘I feel the same at 35. I could not agree more.
They added: ‘It’s an age where one is often juggling significant responsibilities like raising a family, career pressures, and financial commitments, which leave little room for personal health and self-care.’
Someone else posted: ‘Tom Hanks thinks you wear down at age 35. I can do more pushups in my 50s than I could when I was 35.’
However, another X user described 35 as ‘the best age’, adding: ‘I was two sizes smaller, had absolutely no pain, way more money and was generally happier.
Hanks at 35: The actor is pictured here on June 30, 1992 at 7030 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California
The Hollywood actor, who portrays himself at various different ages in his latest film, ‘Here’, told Entertainment Tonight that 35 is the ‘hardest’
‘I’m 69 now, retired, two sizes larger, single, physically crumbling. Developed knee issues and carpal tunnel all within a year.’
Claire Smith, a professor of Anatomy at Brighton & Sussex Medical School, says ‘many individual factors that contribute to how a person feels about their health’.
‘Our bodies are complex systems and normal damage or mistakes occur in our body cells,’ she told MailOnline.
‘When we are younger our bodies are more able to repair them, but over time damage and the ability to repair adds up and these are what we then see as the signs of aging.’
Professor Smith agreed that how exactly the body responds is partly linked to genetics and partly to factors in our lives, such as diet.
‘It could be argued that the changes in growth and development in the first years of life are possibly as equally demanding on the body but we simply were not aware of them.’
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