The Common Medicines That Could Affect How Fast You Age

A new wave of attention around everyday medication has raised an uncomfortable question: could some widely used drugs influence how fast the body declines with age? The concern does not mean people should panic, and it does not mean prescribed medicine is suddenly unsafe. It means one particular type of medication deserves more careful review, especially in older adults.

The medicines at the centre of the discussion are anticholinergic drugs, which block acetylcholine, a chemical messenger involved in nerve signalling. Reporting by The Independent highlighted research linking higher anticholinergic exposure with faster physical decline in older adults, including reduced walking speed, while a 2026 Age and Ageing study found anticholinergic burden and taking many medicines were associated with accelerated biological ageing in people aged 65 and over.