Men are losing a key chromosome with age and it may be deadly

Aging men often lose the Y chromosome in a growing number of their cells—a phenomenon known as mosaic loss of Y (mLOY)—and it may be far more dangerous than once believed. This loss has been linked to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and shorter lifespans. Researchers suspect Y-less cells may grow faster or evade the immune system, providing a biological mechanism for why men often die younger than women. The study suggests that monitoring mLOY could become a vital tool for predicting and potentially mitigating age-related health risks in the male population.