If you’ve ever felt like the heat in the Philippines is draining the life out of you, science might actually back you up. A new study suggests that living in hot climates may accelerate biological aging, potentially adding up to 2.48 years to your biological age. Researchers found that frequent exposure to extreme heat might impact DNA at a cellular level, similar to the effects of smoking.

What the study found

Scientists from the University of Southern California analyzed blood samples from over 3,600 adults aged 55 and older and compared their biological age—measured using "epigenetic clocks"—to temperature records in their living areas.

Their findings showed that:

• People living in hotter regions aged faster than those in cooler areas.
• Living in areas with 140+ extreme heat days per year could make someone biologically 14 months older than those in cooler climates.
• The link between heat and aging remained strong even when factoring in lifestyle, diet, income, and overall health habits.

Understanding heat risks

Why is this important for Filipinos?

With the Philippines experiencing some of the hottest and most humid weather in the world, this research hits close to home. The combination of high temperatures and extreme humidity makes heat exposure even more dangerous here, as it limits the body’s ability to cool down through sweating.

Scientists believe that heat may accelerate aging by:

• Causing cellular stress – High temperatures can disrupt normal cell function, leading to faster deterioration.
• Increasing inflammation – Chronic heat exposure is linked to higher inflammation levels, which contribute to aging-related diseases.
• Altering DNA – Heat might modify gene expression, affecting how the body repairs itself over time.