{"id":13893,"date":"2021-06-15T13:14:14","date_gmt":"2021-06-15T13:14:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.longevitybynature.biz\/?p=13893"},"modified":"2023-02-06T02:35:24","modified_gmt":"2023-02-06T02:35:24","slug":"why-do-we-lose-telomeres-as-we-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.longevitybynature.biz\/why-do-we-lose-telomeres-as-we-age\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do We Lose Telomeres as We Age?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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No one wants to experience the effects of aging. A recent peer reviewed study showed that you can actually slow down the aging process to protect your body long term from cellular aging. I am sure you are familiar with the term DNA.. But did you ever learn the word Telomeres in your high school science class? unlikely.. Telomeres are an essential part of the DNA and play a role in the aging or anti-aging process. This small but mighty part of your DNA is responsible for warding off major degenerative conditions like Cancer, Diabetes, Osteoporosis,, Arthritis and how young and old you look. \u00a0 When we\u2019re children, we are carefree and pain-free, able to use our bodies in whichever way we want to. However later in life, we start to feel more aches and pains, recover less quickly from long days or heavy lifting, and can start to develop long-term diseases. Many people put this down to genetics, but adult health is rarely related to genetics and\u00a0 is heavily influenced by our lifestyle choices and our cellular age. This puts a lot of power back in our hands.<\/span><\/p>

If you want to live a long, healthy life, then you\u2019ve likely come across the term \u201ctelomere\u201d during your research, but what exactly are telomeres and how do they affect how we age? Read on to find out!<\/span><\/p>

What are telomeres and why are they important in aging?<\/b><\/h3>

Telomeres are an essential part of our cells and our DNA. Telomeres are like a protective cap at the end of the chromosomes on our DNA that prevents them from becoming damaged. Telomeres contain sequences of bases that are lost each time our cells replicate.<\/span><\/p>

Telomeres are so important in aging because when they are damaged, so are our cells. Every time our cell replicates some of the bases in our telomeres are lost, and once the telomeres lose too many bases and become too short, the cell can no longer be replicated. This leads to cell death, which is why we age.<\/span><\/p>

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What happens to telomeres as we age?<\/b><\/h3>

As we age, our telomeres lose bases and start getting shorter, until they can no longer be replicated. If we\u2019re healthy, our telomeres will be able to hold on to most of their bases and therefore protect the cell\u2019s \u201creal\u201d age. If we are unhealthy, we\u2019ll lose more bases, shortening the cell\u2019s lifespan and thus, our own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Why do we lose telomeres as we age?<\/b><\/h3>

Telomeres get shorter as we age because our bodies can\u2019t replicate cells completely (this is called the \u201cend replication problem\u201d). So, each time our cell replicates, a little bit more of the information in our DNA is lost. We don\u2019t lose telomeres entirely as we age, but they do become less effective. Think of them like the cap on the end of a shoelace \u2013 after a few years of use, the end of the shoelace usually starts to fray and stick out around the cap. The better you look after your shoes, the longer those caps will last.<\/span><\/p>

Does telomere shortening cause aging?<\/b><\/h3>

While we can\u2019t say that telomere shortening causes aging, we can say that there is a very strong link between the two. Countless studies have found that shorter telomeres have an adverse effect on how our bodies function \u2013 the shorter our telomeres, the more likely we are to experience disease and life-threatening illnesses. The better we protect our telomeres, the better our cells are able to protect their cell age and defend against signs of aging and disease.<\/span><\/p>

Do cells age faster or slower with longer telomeres?<\/b><\/h3>

The longer the telomere, the <\/span>slower <\/span><\/i>we age. While cells with short telomeres are more likely to die, healthy cells with long telomeres can pass more information onto the next replication of that cell. We all lose cells (which can be best seen in our skin), but if our telomeres are long and our cells are healthy, that next replication will be a much closer match to the original cell, leading the cells to age more slowly.<\/span><\/p>

Can telomeres predict aging?<\/b><\/h3>

They don\u2019t necessarily predict aging \u2013 but they are a biomarker. Think of it this way; if someone lives a relatively unhealthy life now by eating processed foods, few fruits, and vegetables, and is extremely sedentary, their telomeres will be much shorter than a fit person of the same age. Doctors believe that cells with short telomeres in individuals who plan to make no lifestyle changes are indicative of future health problems, such as developing cancer.<\/span><\/p>

But, if that person were to turn things around and start eating well and exercising regularly, their telomeres would stop shortening at such a fast rate.<\/span><\/p>

So, a doctor can look at your telomeres and tell you your biological age compared to your real age, such as a biological age of 40 when you\u2019re only 30. If you lead a healthy lifestyle, your biological age can be much younger than your real age.<\/span><\/p>

Research Breakthroughs with Telomeres and Aging<\/b><\/h3>

Research on telomeres and their function and responsibility in the aging process is being studied all the time because many believe they hold the key to reversing many of the effects of aging. Here are some of the biggest recent breakthroughs around telomeres and aging:<\/span><\/p>