8 Biggest Health Risks at 50 and Beyond — and How to Dodge Them

But it’s about more than the sex. Simply being alone and isolated can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 29 percent. For men, in particular, feeling emotionally supported in a happy marriage can lead to better heart health overall.

Unintentional injuries

When you hear of deaths caused by “unintentional injuries,” your first thought is probably car accidents. But according to CDC data, the most likely cause of accidental death for this age group is unintentional poisoning — primarily from overdoses and drug interactions. “By a wide margin,” says Paul Hsu of the Department of Epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

If this sounds like a recent development, it is, says Nora D. Volkow, M.D., director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “And it’s been driven mainly by opioids,” she says. From 1999 to 2019, opioid-related overdose deaths for adults 55 or older jumped by a staggering 1,886 percent. Benzodiazepines — including Valium (diazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Xanax (alprazolam) and Ativan (lorazepam) — are used (and abused) more by people in their 50s than those 65 or older.

It’s a matter not just of addiction but also of the modern phenomenon called polypharmacy. “It’s just a fancy term for being on multiple medications,” Hsu says. “The older you get, the more chronic conditions you have and the more likely it is that you’re on different meds. But [patients] aren’t always aware of how those drugs will interact with each other.”

1. Understand how vulnerable you are.

Drugs — and alcohol — affect our bodies differently as we age. “We metabolize them more slowly, and that increases the risk of toxicity,” says Maryann Mason, associate professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. They can lead to or complicate lung and heart problems, especially when combined with other medications. Consider Friends star Matthew Perry, who died at age 54 of coronary artery disease that was likely exacerbated by buprenorphine and ketamine, both of which were found in his system.

Some studies have found that a growing number of people over age 50 use medications either longer than prescribed or, in a third of cases, longer than recommended. Make sure you take prescriptions only as directed and they haven’t become a crutch for sleep problems, anxiety or depression.

2. Appoint your own drug czar.

Doctors aren’t detectives, and if you see multiple specialists, one doctor may not know what another doctor has prescribed, especially if they’re in different networks. Your best bet is to bring a list of all the medications you’re taking, including OTCs, to your primary care physician to check for interactions. This is especially important if you wind up in a hospital or rehab facility, notice unexplained weight gain or trouble with mental clarity or balance, or are diagnosed with a new medical condition, says Hedva Barenholtz Levy, a pharmacist in St. Louis and author of Maybe It’s Your Medications.

3. Treat pain and sleep disorders naturally.

Drugs can be a quick fix for many annoyances, but don’t turn your nose up at natural, nonpharmaceutical solutions. Physical therapy and yoga can be helpful for chronic pain, Mason says. Turmeric and ginger, whether in tea or supplement form, may lessen the discomfort of arthritis, according to several studies. CBD, the nonpsychoactive compound found in cannabis, has been repeatedly proven to have pain reduction benefits.

Which isn’t to say it’s easy. Drugs are fast and reliable, and alternative treatments don’t always bring immediate (or any) relief. “But if you stick with the nonmedical path, in the long run they may actually have better results than opioids,” Mason says.

4. Get out there.

A 2021 study found that an increased daily use of opioids and benzodiazepines among older adults was directly correlated with feelings of loneliness. And the cycle is never-ending: Just as drugs can lead to depression and suicidal thoughts, those dark emotions can be a breadcrumb trail back to drug use.

“It’s important to have people in your life who can notice when things are amiss,” Mason says.

COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses

From the ages of 50 to 64, your chance of dying from a respiratory illness such as COVID-19, pneumonia or influenza is four times higher than for those in their 40s. That risk is six times higher among individuals ages 65 to 74, according to recent CDC statistics.

It’s not because viruses are getting stronger. It’s because your lungs and immune system are getting weaker.

Everything your lungs endured and overcame for the past half century made them incrementally weaker, says Paul Thomas, an immunologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. With age, the muscles surrounding your lungs weaken, and your rib cage stiffens, which makes it “less able to easily expand and contract as we breathe,” says James Nestor, author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art.

Also as we age, our immune cells become less capable of recognizing the difference between a life-threatening infection and something minor, Thomas says. “So while they’re responding to false flags, the bigger viruses are able to slip through unnoticed.”

1. Practice long, slow breathing through your nose.

“When you’re breathing through the mouth, you’re exposing yourself to everything in the air,” Nestor says. By breathing through your nose, you not only filter out that junk, you also take slower and deeper breaths, “which sends signals to your nervous system to calm down.” Nestor recommends a method called coherent breathing: inhaling to the count of 6, then exhaling at the same leisurely 6-count pace, which gives your body more time to access the oxygen you inhale. Studies have found that deep breathing exercises protect lungs from infection, improve sleep and decrease stress and depression.

2. Get vaccinated.

Every respiratory infection you’ve had in your life has left its mark; the fewer infections you get going forward, the healthier your lungs will be into your later years. It’s not just the frequency of infections but their ferocity that matters.

“Even if you get infected, with a vaccine you’ve got more T-cell players on the bench to come in and help, so you don’t get as sick,” Thomas says. Be sure to discuss influenza, COVID, pneumonia and pertussis vaccines with your doctor. There’s also a new RSV vaccine for older adults.

3. Sit up!

Hours spent at the computer means we’re not regularly stretching the ligaments in our rib cage. As respiratory muscle strength and flexibility decrease, so does our lung function.

To correct this, Nestor recommends the rib stretch: Gently inhale as much air as you can through your nose, then hold your breath for 10 to 20 seconds (or however long you’re comfortable). Repeat at least three times per day.

4. Invest in an air filter.

An air purifier — even a portable one — can filter at least 99.5 percent of harmful particles from the air, and some studies suggest it might reduce the transmission of COVID. Look for devices that use HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters with a MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating of 17 or higher, the most efficient at removing small particles from the air.

5. Get at least 600 IU of vitamin D every day.

Research has shown that getting enough vitamin D is vital to healthy lung immunity and may help reduce deadly inflammation in severe COVID-19 cases. Adults over the age of 50 should get at least 600 international units (15 micrograms) of D every day, according to Recommended Dietary Allowance guidelines. It’s hard to get enough vitamin D from food alone, so talk to your doctor about checking your vitamin D levels and whether taking a supplement makes sense for you.

Liver disease

As we get fatter, so do our livers — with potentially deadly consequences.

Surprised to see this on the list? Don’t be. For people in their 50s, deaths from liver disease have more than doubled since 2001. Although booze plays a part, it’s mostly because of our ever-expanding bellies.

“Much of it is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which is the new mouthful term for fatty liver disease,” says Elliot Tapper, M.D., director of the Cirrhosis Program at the University of Michigan. This buildup of fat can lead to the liver becoming fibrous and scarred, which may eventually result in cirrhosis or even liver cancer.

Globally, more than two-thirds of people classified as either overweight or obese have some form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, according to a recent study in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

Our livers take a hit on everything from polypharmacy — the more medications we’re prescribed, the more we’re at risk of liver injury — to menopause — as estrogen levels drop, so does estrogen’s protective effect against liver scarring and liver cancer. And alcohol does more damage to us now than it did back when grunge was still a thing.

But if you start taking care of your liver today, you can actually reverse much of any damage that’s been done.

“Your liver doesn’t age in the same way kidneys age or your brain ages,” says Anna S. Lok, M.D., director of clinical hepatology at the University of Michigan. “The liver is robust and, in most cases, there’s very minimal decline with aging.”

“As long as you catch it early,” agrees Tapper, “the liver can recover. I’ve had patients in their 50s who were close to death because of liver disease, and they made the necessary lifestyle changes. There’s no magic pill I can give them, but through hard work, they’re able to extend the warranty on their livers by many years.”

1. Get a liver test.

Since the early stages of liver disease have few or no symptoms, you may not know your liver is sick until it is badly damaged. If you drink, even if it’s just “one or two drinks a night,” make sure your health care provider knows, Lok says. The result of a liver function test, used to measure enzyme levels, is often the first hint of liver damage.

Even if you don’t have a history of alcohol abuse, your doctor may recommend the test if there are risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure and high blood triglycerides. It’s important to be your own health advocate and be vocal about whether you should get a liver panel.

The more you share with your doctor, the better. “Are you taking nutritional supplements?” Lok says. “Some people believe taking more supplements will counteract alcohol and drugs, but some supplements can be just as dangerous, if not more so, to your liver.”

2. Put some color back in your diet.

Pasta, bread and rice are delicious, but studies have found that limiting refined carbs, simple sugars and processed foods is paramount in the defense against fatty liver.

“Carbs and sugars stress the liver,” Tapper says. “You don’t have to completely cut them out, but in general, make a goal of getting less white stuff on your plate.”

Cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, are high in an inflammation-fighting compound that research suggests may help to decrease fat in the liver. Dark berries, including blueberries, raspberries and cranberries, are loaded with antioxidants called polyphenols, which several recent animal studies suggest might reduce liver fibrosis and manage age-related liver disease.

3. Get a move on.

People with MASLD — even those who aren’t overweight — are able to improve their early-stage liver disease through exercise. Try a combination of strength training — at least two sessions — and 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week (that’s a half hour of brisk walking or bicycling five days a week), which studies show can significantly reduce liver fat.

4. Have that second (or third) cup of coffee.

“We do not know exactly how,” Lok says, “but many studies found that drinking three or more cups of coffee each day decreases the growth of scar tissue in the liver and may reduce the risk of liver cancer.” It may also reduce the severity of MASLD in overweight people with diabetes. If you avoid caffeine, decaf has been shown to protect the liver.

Diabetes

It’s scary, deadly and often silent. Nearly a third of us will develop glucose intolerance, a.k.a. diabetes

Nearly 30 percent of all adults over the age of 65 have diabetes, says the American Diabetes Association. Many of them don’t even realize it.

How is that possible? Because the most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes — fatigue, increased hunger or thirst, frequent urination and blurred vision — can often be confused with “just getting old,” says Michael Greger, M.D., author of How Not to Die. Although most doctors will check blood glucose levels during an annual exam, “not all adults without symptoms will keep their regular checkups,” says Sonya Khan, M.D., a specialist in endocrine disorders at the University of Texas MD Anderson Center.

There’s also fear. “Some people put their heads in the sand because they are frightened of a diabetes diagnosis,” says Christine Palumbo, a registered dietitian in Chicago. They put off seeing their doctor for just a few more months — then the months turn into years, and prediabetes turns into full-blown diabetes.

Don’t let that happen to you. Here’s how to stop diabetes in its tracks.

1. Go big at breakfast.

An increasing number of studies have found that a Mediterranean diet — a meal plan heavy in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish rich in omega-3s — can greatly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

“Any diet that maximizes whole foods, including a variety of plant-based foods, and minimizes processed foods is great,” says Victoria Vieira-Potter, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Missouri. Stick with veggies and fish, which help reduce insulin resistance. Try to cut down on red meat, which a recent Harvard study found may raise your diabetes risk by up to 51 percent.

If you plan on skipping a meal, “it should be dinner, not breakfast,” Greger says. “Blood sugar response to the same food is worse at night.” Because of our circadian rhythms, “breakfast or lunch should ideally be our biggest meal of the day,” he says.

2. Digest with a walk.

A National Institutes of Health study found that just a half hour of walking a day reduces your diabetes risk by about 50 percent. The real key may be timing.

“If you exercise after a meal, your muscles can siphon off some of the extra blood sugar floating around for energy,” Greger says. “Blood sugar from a meal starts appearing in the bloodstream 15 to 20 minutes after you take your first bite and ramps up after 30 minutes.”

It doesn’t need to be a major hike. A 2022 study found that walking for two to five minutes after a meal can significantly lower blood sugar levels. But don’t wait too long: “The ideal time is 60 to 90 minutes after your meal, since this is when blood sugar levels start to peak,” says Amy Shapiro, a registered dietitian.

3. Sleep smart.

Various studies have shown that not getting seven to eight hours of shut-eye per night can substantially increase your risk of developing diabetes. But so can getting too much sleep (more than nine hours in a single night). Some research has even suggested that people who take long naps during the week are more likely to have diabetes.

The key to healthy sleep is to establish a regular bedtime schedule and stick to it. Inconsistent sleep “often leads to increased levels of ghrelin, a hormone that increases your appetite,” Palumbo says. “It can then lead to more snacking of easily digested carbs and subsequent weight gain as the body attempts to obtain more energy.”

4. Take prediabetes seriously.

Almost half of adults 65 and older have prediabetes, according to the CDC. Although the condition isn’t technically a disease — it just means a person’s fasting glucose levels are higher than recommended — it is a warning flare from your body. If left untreated, 9 percent of older patients with prediabetes will cross the threshold into diabetes.

If you are prediabetic, start closely monitoring your blood sugar levels — and not just during doctor visits. Glucose monitors have become more sophisticated, and some can monitor your blood sugar in real time.

“It can make it easier for you to determine just how you react to certain foods over the course of a day,” Palumbo says. “One-size-fits-all nutrition advice isn’t necessarily optimal. A continuous glucose monitor can help take the guesswork out of eating if you have prediabetes.”

Stroke

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. Around two-thirds of those are over the age of 65.

The good news: Around 80 percent of all strokes are preventable, according to the CDC. It’s not just about recognizing the FAST warning signs of a stroke (Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911). “It begins with preventive measures,” says J. David Spence, M.D., director of the Stroke Prevention Centre at the Robarts Research Institute in London, Ontario.

1. Monitor your vitals.

“Blood pressure is the leading risk factor for strokes,” says Nieca Goldberg, M.D., medical director of Atria New York City, a health care organization. If your blood pressure gets checked only during your annual exam, it may be time to rethink that.

It’s not just about buying a home monitor or making regular visits to your pharmacy’s blood pressure kiosk. “It’s important to create an environment that promotes accuracy,” says Thomas Holland, M.D., a clinician-researcher at Rush University Medical Center. “This includes taking your blood pressure at consistent times each day, such as every morning, and recording the readings.” This helps you and your doctor see the trends in your blood pressure and better determine if any interventions are needed. Holland suggests emptying your bladder and avoiding caffeine for at least 30 minutes before a reading. Recent research suggests that lying down could provide a better BP measurement.

Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, an irregular or rapid heartbeat — which affects 10 percent of people over 80 — could make you five times more likely to have a stroke, according to some researchers. Holland suggests investing in a smartwatch “equipped with heart rate monitoring technology,” which he says “can provide valuable data for your primary care physicians or cardiologists.”

2. “B” vitamin savvy.

A B vitamin deficiency can dramatically increase your odds of suffering from a cerebrovascular event, mostly because of the vitamin’s role in reducing the levels of an amino acid that increases blood clotting and is harmful to the arteries.

Discuss taking a supplement with your doctor. Spence suggests a natural B12 supplement rather than a synthetic — “particularly in people with impaired kidney function.” But, Spence says, “diet is far more important than most people think.”

3. Grab a wall.

British researchers looked at which exercises were most effective for people with hypertension and found the greatest health benefits came from isometric (or “static hold”) exercises. “Like wall squats,” says Jamie Edwards, a researcher at Canterbury Christ Church University and the study’s lead author. 

To do them, put your back against a wall and slowly lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then hold the position for as long as you can. When you clench your muscles like this without moving, it compresses the blood vessels. When you release that pressure and the blood comes rushing back, the vessels widen and dilate. “It’s different from other modes of exercise, like running or weight lifting,” Edwards says.

He recommends trying four two-minute squats, with two minutes of rest between them. “This should be performed three times a week for four weeks to produce changes,” he says.

4. Daily baby aspirin? Nope.

Low-dose aspirin inhibits the enzymes that lead to clot formation, but it also increases the risk of bleeding, Holland says. That can be life-threatening for people who are prone to falling. It’s a serious enough risk that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force rescinded its recommendation for low-dose aspirin, advising that it not be prescribed for preventing a first heart attack or stroke in otherwise healthy older adults.

If you’re considering taking a daily baby aspirin, or you already do, talk with your primary care physician or cardiologist about what’s best.

Alzheimer’s disease

Who among us hasn’t experienced a brief moment of confusion — “Where the heck are my keys? Where’d I put my reading glasses?” — and immediately thought, Is this the start of my memory decline?

This panic is all too common, says Ronald Petersen, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging.

“But there’s a big difference between incidental forgetfulness and Alzheimer’s,” he says. “Incidental forgetfulness, which is just not remembering as well as you used to, is not usually a sign of disease.”

How do you spot the difference? Distractibility is a big factor in minor memory loss, Holland says. “I use the example of going to the kitchen to get a snack, but then I notice a picture is tilted, so I adjust it and realize it’s dirty, and one thing leads to another, and by the time I’m done cleaning the kitchen, I don’t know why I went in there to begin with,” he says.

Memory lapses that could be a warning of Alzheimer’s tend to be the things we typically take for granted, Holland says, “like forgetting how to get home, forgetting faces of siblings, partners, children, or forgetting specific parts of one’s profession that were normally second nature.”

If you find yourself questioning your memory lapses, here are some ways to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s.

1. Do household chores.

Exercise can be a huge dementia deterrent — reducing Alzheimer’s risk by as much as 45 percent, according to some studies. But it can also pose dangers. “As we get older, there is a need for caution to prevent falls and to avoid strain on tendons and ligaments,” says Allison Reiss, M.D., a member of the medical, scientific and memory screening advisory board at the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

Though vigorous exercise may be best for brain health, even low-impact exercise can make a difference. A 2022 study found that regularly doing household chores — sweeping or washing the dishes or anything that keeps you on your feet and moving — was associated with a 21 percent lower risk of developing dementia. “Any type of physical activity keeps the circulatory system in good shape to provide blood flow to the brain,” Reiss says.

2. Work your brain.

We should be “constantly stimulating our brains in different ways,” Reiss says. Anything from quilting to learning a second language can “build your brain to withstand the progression of cognitive decline,” she says.

But you don’t necessarily have to learn an entirely new skill to reap the benefits. What’s most important is that it’s something you enjoy doing. “If it’s not fun, you won’t return to it,” Petersen says. “That’s what’s most important. What do you love that isn’t sitting and mindlessly watching TV? Is it doing the crossword puzzle or playing sudoku? Then do that. Is it staying up to date on current affairs? Do that. Just stay intellectually active.”

3. Go green.

“A recent study found a correlation between gut inflammation and Alzheimer’s,” notes Uma Naidoo, M.D., the director of nutritional and metabolic psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and the author of This Is Your Brain on Food. “This suggests that lowering gut inflammation later in life through a diet rich in whole foods and fiber may help to keep the progression of Alzheimer’s at bay.”

Studies suggest that the primarily plant-based MIND diet and the “Green Med” diet — a variation on the popular Mediterranean meal plan that further reduces meat in favor of more dark leafy vegetables and green tea — may do just that. These diets are “preeminent ways we can protect cognitive health,” Holland says. 

Don’t look for shortcuts with vitamin supplements. “We now understand that it’s the entire composition of the food, including bioactives like flavonols, that makes these foods beneficial,” Holland says. Your doctor may recommend supplements to address nutritional gaps, but for a richer source of nutrients, “eat your fruits and vegetables, and drink some tea every now and again.”

4. Call a friend.

Interacting with loved ones may help to boost your levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), says Joel Salinas, M.D., a neurologist at NYU Langone Health who has studied the connection between brain function and having active social connections. Higher BDNF levels correlate with stronger cognitive reserve, which “can stimulate brain activity,” he says.

In other words, BDNF can serve as an indicator of sufficient fuel in the tank in your brain. Talking with friends — and just as important, listening to them — “keeps us sharp and engaged and gives us resilience and the ability to use our brains flexibly,” Reiss says. “It actually cushions the brain against deterioration.”