What Causes Aging Genetically?
We have all heard the excuses for getting old. As most of us probably know by now, there are a variety of factors that can work together in order to make us feel and look older. If you are beginning to see the effects, you don't want to take out the fact that you may have inherited aging. If you want to find out why you are beginning to look and feel older, then understanding how genetics factor may help you to progress in understanding what aging means.
The DNA that is inherited by individuals is the main way in which genetics cause aging. The DNA is the blueprint that tells your body what to do and when to do it. It allows you to have the physical traits that everyone loves about you. This also means that it has the ability to change the physical attributes throughout your life. For some, the DNA communicates with the other parts of the body and tells it to begin slowing down the body. This is one of the major reasons attributed to aging.
This is not just a theory that a scientists have thought about, there have been several experiments that have led to this conclusion. For example, researchers in the Netherlands have conducted experiments that prove that DNA is one of the major reasons for aging. They did this by examining mice, finding that there was a defect in one of the genes they carried. This defect caused the DNA repair to slow down in functioning and to age prematurely. The gene known as XPD accelerated the aging process and added in damage by oxidation.
The Aging Research Center can provide more evaluations of genetic aging. This particular center has found specific DNA sequences that are related directly to the aging process. One piece of research has found that the DNA will communicate to the nervous system, brain and the cerebellum. As it travels it tells the different areas to age. The result is that there will be increased glycoprotein in the body, which will cause the rest of the body to slow down. They have found that the genetic blueprint plays a large part in how humans' genomes relate directly to how the body communicates to them that they need to grow older.
Not only have scientists been finding the genetic relations to aging, but they are also finding ways in which this is set off and stopped. One of the ways in which this has been done is through evaluating the first human chromosome completely. By doing this, they have found that the different genes in this particular chromosome are all related to how the body functions and communicates from each individual part of the chromosome. They have been able to find how much of this relates to aging, the nervous system, and disorders, giving them the ability to begin to find how aging is related to the DNA.
One of the most obvious ways in which scientists have proven that genetics are DNA related is by the disease Progeria. This particular disease is most often found in children, and causes them to age at a faster rate. Usually, these children will die by the age of 15. Progeria is a rare genetic disease that causes children to go bald, form wrinkles, and then moves into more severe symptoms such as osteoporosis. While this particular disease shows that aging is related directly to a genetic trigger, it also shows that when this blueprint dysfunctions, it can cause more severe problems.
Of course, these same scientists are also finding that there are ways to offset the communication that the different pieces of DNA in the chromosomes are sending. One of the proven ways to work against the DNA is to offer it the ability to communicate differently through the use of proteins. It has been found that the protein p66shc has allowed mice to live up to 30% longer than usual when relating directly to aging from DNA. This means that while aging can be caused by genetics communicating with the rest of the body, there are also ways to change the way in which it is communicating.
The research that has been done on mice and men both lead to the same conclusion; DNA is one of the major communications to your body for aging. If you have a history of families aging in your family, then you can simply look at the proof that is available that shows how aging is also genetic. If you know that aging is related to genetics, then you can begin to work against it now. It is never too early to change the communication of the genetics that are given to you.