Since its discovery in the late 1930s, several studies have been rolled out to explore the impact of telomeres on overall health and better understand their contribution to getting older beyond stopping chromosomes from shredding. Explore the basics of telomeres and their connection to longevity.
Truth or Myth? Investigating the Relationship Between Telomere and Longevity
What Are Telomeres?
Telomeres are stretches of DNA structures hanging at the ends of chromosomes. It is made up of components similar to those found in DNA, including guanine, adenine, thymine, and cytosine.
The structures are essential for preserving vital genes during a process called cell division. After each division, telomeres become slightly shorter as chromosomes replicate themselves.
By wrapping up two ends of thread-like chromosomes, telomeres play a crucial role in protecting them from fraying or attaching, thereby preventing possible damage to genetic information.
Telomere and Aging: Are They Connected?
The incidence of shortening telomeres has helped scientists learn about senescent cells. The accumulation of senescent cells is an irreversible phenomenon involving cells that lose the ability to multiply. Instead of dying right off, these dysfunctional cells start releasing chemicals that harm a larger number of healthy cells.
Widespread corruption in cell structures is one of the hallmarks of aging, observed in the development of various health diseases and implications like atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. In 2003, a study found that short telomeres were associated with increased mortality rates and heightened risks of cardiovascular and infectious diseases in people aged 60 and older. In addition to cell division, excessive exposure to toxins like pollution, smoking, and alcohol can also shorten telomeres due to the uncontrolled growth of free radicals.
In other words, it’s been proposed that shorter telomeres might have something to do with the inevitable aging process. As telomeres continue to wear and tear, our bodies also begin to deteriorate over time, with the eventual consequence being death once all bodily functions stop working correctly.
Although telomeres depend on telomerase to maintain their optimal length, the bad news is that the enzyme is only available in regularly dividing cells like germ cells, male sperm cells, and adult stem cells. The absence of telomerase in most body cells means that telomeres only get shorter over time before they can compensate for missing pieces with telomerase.
This observation has sparked numerous debates about the possibility of using telomeres in the battle against aging and whether telomeres may help humans refrain from the adverse effects of aging and even dodge death.
Unlocking Longevity: Is It Possible to Lengthen Telomeres?
Given the association between aging, diseases, and telomeres, more and more people are keen on the idea of prolonging their lives by increasing telomere length.
In a 2013 study investigating the efficacy of lifestyle modifications for telomere preservation, 10 male participants with a low risk of prostate cancer were asked to practice several healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating balanced diets, exercising regularly, and doing yoga to manage stress. At the end of the study, it was found that 10 men had experienced longer telomeres after 5 years compared to 25 other men who were also at low risk of prostate cancer but didn’t follow the recommended practices.
Is it possible to lengthen telomeres? The answer is that it is impossible to lengthen the telomeres, unfortunately. Even though decades have passed, research on lengthening telomeres to stave off aging is still underway and limited. The study above is only to show that adopting a healthy lifestyle can help people achieve optimal health and strengthen bodily functions, not necessarily lengthening already-shortened telomeres.
Tips To Lengthen Telomeres
Although we can’t avoid shortening telomeres, there are several steps and valuable modifications you can use to delay the shortening of telomeres.
Here are some tips and steps you can use to help delay the shortening rate of telomeres and promote healthy aging:
- Exercise Regularly: Besides strenuous and high-intensity exercises, brisk walking is a great, effortless way to get your body moving. By taking 8,000 steps per day, your mortality rate is reduced by up to 50%. It also helps promote healthy weight if you aim to shed extra weight.
- Eat A Healthy Diet: As nutrition plays a massive role in health, focusing on what to put on your plate is crucial for achieving a longer, healthier life. Loading up fibers, lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits can help lengthen your telomeres, following many studies proving the impacts of nutrition and dietary habits on telomere length.
- Get Adequate Omega-3 Fatty Acids: In addition to supporting heart and brain health, omega-3 fatty acids also help hinder the shortening rate of telomeres.
- Load Up Vitamin D: The sunshine vitamin is entrusted to protect telomere length as it is an abundant source of anti-inflammatory properties. A study has shown that people with sufficient vitamin D levels have longer telomeres.
- Look After Mental Health: Chronic stress is known to have several adverse effects on a person’s overall health, physically, emotionally, and mentally. It drives up cortisol levels, increasing the risk of many life-threatening health conditions like stroke. Keeping stress at bay is essential for preserving telomere length because increased oxidative stress associated with chronic stress can damage telomeres over time. Meditating, practicing mindfulness, and exercising are some stress relief methods you can try to manage your stress.
- Limit Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol can harm DNA in general and telomeres in particular. Heavy drinkers or those with a history of alcohol abuse have shorter telomeres than non-drinkers.
- Quit Smoking: Smoking is one of many external factors contributing to aging and the shortening of telomeres.
- Get Plenty of Sleep: Quality sleep time, or roughly 7-8 hours of sleep, seems to positively impact telomere length.