According to recent research from the University of North Carolina (USA) and published in the journal Trends in Molecular Medicine , there are certain environmental factors as well as toxic substances that cause an acceleration in the aging process of a person , as well as hope of life. The most aggressive are these:
Tobacco
It is the most toxic and most harmful substance. Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 potentially toxic substances. Those who smoke reduce their life expectancy by about seven years, but those who are exposed to tobacco smoke, the so-called passive smokers, are also affected. In fact, the mutagens in cigarette smoke, such as carbon monoxide or nicotine, directly damage our DNA.
Sun
The sun’s UV rays are well known to stimulate skin aging, but also cause very aggressive skin cancers, such as melanoma. But the effect of the sun does not stop here: the infrared rays of the sun, which cause us the sensation of heat, also produce changes in some biomarkers of aging that are associated with a shortened life expectancy and neurodegenerative diseases.
Arsenic and benzene
Both substances are powerful geronthogens. The first, decreases the ability of DNA to repair itself; the second, found in car emissions or tobacco smoke, among others, limits the production of telomeres (ends of chromosomes) and therefore they are associated with a shorter life span.
Obesity
Being overweight is related to diseases linked to aging such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer. Also obesity causes a decrease in the length of telomeres.
Stress
Although it is not a substance, it does act as a powerful ally for premature aging. Although various studies show that a little stress can be positive, a lot causes a decrease in defenses, an increase in cardiovascular diseases, a negative impact on memory as well as a decrease in the enzyme telomerase, which is responsible for repairing telomeres .
