"Atherosclerosis usually starts in the teens and 20s, and by the 30s we can see changes in most people," says cardiologist Matthew Sorrentino MD, a professor at The University of Chicago Medicine. In the early stages, your heart-related screening tests, like cholesterol checks, might still come back normal.

Where does atherosclerosis begin?

Atherosclerosis, sometimes called "hardening of the arteries," occurs when fat (cholesterol) and calcium build up inside the lining of the artery wall, forming a substance called plaque. Over time, the fat and calcium buildup narrows the artery and blocks blood flow through it.

At what age does hardening of the arteries begin?

Atherosclerosis rapidly develops between ages 40 to 50, research shows. Written by Timothy Huzar on April 16, 2020 — Fact checked by Rita Ponce, Ph. D. A study has found that fatty plaques in the arteries that supply the heart, brain, and legs with blood rapidly build up in people between the ages of 40 and 50 years.