He’s fast approaching 70, but Tom Hanks says he’s already experienced his worst year ever.
The Hollywood actor told Entertainment Tonight that 35 is the “most difficult” age.
“Your metabolism stops, gravity starts pulling you down, your bones start to wear down, you stay different,” Hanks, 68, said.
“I think I’m in better shape now. Do you know why? Because my kids are older, I get decent exercise and I can eat well. You can’t do that when you’re 35; life is a burden.”
While there has been little scientific research into the effects of reaching age 35, experts say Tom Hanks is off the mark.
In fact, Steve Hoffmann, a professor of computational biology at the Leibniz Institute on Aging in Jena, Germany, says that the most difficult age in life is actually between 45 and 50.
“I have no reason to doubt that Tom Hanks experienced some kind of physiological deterioration at the age of 35,” Professor Hoffmann told MailOnline.
«However, epidemiological data tell us that the incidence rates of many age-related diseases and disabilities begin to increase between 10 and 15 years later. This may be the time in life when many people start to notice some of the symptoms Tom described.’
Tom Hanks, 68, has described 35 as the most difficult age, adding: “Your metabolism stops, gravity starts to knock you down, your bones start to wear down, you stand differently.”
Professor Hoffmann adds that there is much debate about when exactly the biological aging process begins.
“Some researchers claim that biological aging, at least in some parts of our body, could begin before birth,” he said.
“Others say it only becomes active once sexual maturity is reached.”
Earlier this year, a study identified two major waves of sudden age-related changes in humans.
The team of authors, led by Dr. Michael Snyder of Stanford University, analyzed samples from 108 healthy people between 25 and 75 years old.
They found that age-related changes, including slowing metabolism and increased susceptibility to disease, showed significant peaks at both ages 44 and 60.
Professor Hoffmann said that “it cannot be ruled out that there are additional waves of aging”, such as one around the age of 30, as Hanks suggests.
“There is some debate about the course of the aging process,” said the academic, who reported Similar processes in mice this year..
Recent data suggests that aging occurs in waves. But there is much debate about when exactly the biological aging process begins (file photo)
«Aging can be thought of as a linear deterioration of physiological function; However, recent data suggest that aging can also occur in waves.’
Professor Hoffmann emphasizes that aging is “a highly individual process influenced by many factors”, such as genetics, stress levels, diet and smoking.
Tom Hanks turned 35 in 1991, three years after his breakout role in ‘Big,’ but before filming began on blockbusters like ‘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 slow metabolism, making it easier for them to gain weight.
An X (Twitter) commenter said: ‘I feel the same at 35 years old. I couldn’t agree more.
They added: “It is a time when one is often juggling important responsibilities such as raising a family, professional pressures and financial commitments, leaving little room for personal health and self-care.”
Someone else posted: “Tom Hanks thinks you wear out at 35. I can do more push-ups at 50 than when I was 35.”
However, another X user described 35 as “the best age”, adding: “I was two sizes smaller, had absolutely no pain, had a lot more money and was generally happier.”
Hanks at age 35: The actor appears here on June 30, 1992 at 7030 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
The Hollywood actor, who portrays himself at different ages in his latest film, ‘Here,’ told Entertainment Tonight that 35 is the ‘hardest’
‘Now I’m 69 years old, retired, two sizes too big, single, physically broken down. I developed knee and carpal tunnel problems, all within a year.
Claire Smith, Professor of Anatomy at Brighton & Sussex Medical School, says: “There are many individual factors that contribute to how a person feels about their health.”
“Our bodies are complex systems and damage or errors normally occur in the cells of our body,” he told MailOnline.
“When we are younger, our bodies are better able to repair them, but over time the damage and repair capacity accumulates and this is what we then see as the signs of aging.”
Professor Smith agreed that exactly how the body responds is partly related to genetics and partly to factors in our lives, such as diet.
“You could argue that changes in growth and development in the first years of life are equally demanding on the body, but we simply weren’t aware of them.”