British and Dutch scientists for the first time, discovered certain genetic variants associated with biological aging humans. This practically means that some people are genetically programmed to age faster than others and why some people devote more of their age.
Moreover, the discovery could lead in future to create a genetic test, at a young age, which shows how quickly will age a man during his life.
The researchers from UK universities of Leicester professor in the cardiology shamans and Niles, King’s College London under Professor Tim Spektor, and by the Dutch University of Groningen, analyzed more than 500,000 genetic variants across the human genome and identified those related to the "biological clock" located near the gene TERC, which is involved in maintaining telomere length, using an enzyme (telomerase). Their research was published in the journal "Nature Genetics", according to Reuters, the BBC and the British Independent.
Prompted the investigation was that some people after the 80 have been completely normal arteries, while others already after 40 of them have problems, although not belonging to high risk groups, which means that there must be some intrinsic biological reason for this deterioration.
There are two types of aging: chronological / age (how many years of life have passed since the birth) and bio, whereby the cells of some people may be more aged or younger than the actual (chronological) age. There are increasing indications that some heart diseases, cancers and other diseases closely associated with organic than with chronological age.
The researchers studied structures called telomeres, which are part of chromosomes (they are likened to the plastic tips of shoelaces). People are born with a certain length of telomeres, which usually diminish as the cells proliferate (separated) and aging. Thus, the length of telomeres is a key indicator of biological aging.
British scientists discovered that some people who have a specific genetic diversity, have smaller telomeres (probably because the enzyme telomerase function in different ways these people), so it is more biologically old and its biological "clock" is running faster, which probably makes them more vulnerable to diseases associated with old age.
According to Professor Tim Spektor at the Royal College of London, the loss of telomere length in people with a particular gene variant (shown in one third of the population) represents a loss of nearly four years of biological aging over the true age (ie if one is 60 years, organic is 64). A smaller group of people (approximately 7% of the population) have a second genetic diversity, representing a biological age of about eight years (ie people are chronologically 60 years old, but biologically 68).
Furthermore, according to the researchers, this genetic predisposition may make some "vulnerable" people to age more rapidly when exposed to environments that do harm to the telomeres, as in places where smoking or succumb to obesity, lack of exercise etc. ., so these people tend to be aged several years more than biological standpoint (to show in ten or more years longer than their age).