Anti Aging Facts - Genetic Theory Of Anti Aging
 

The genetic theory of aging believes that lifespan is largely determined by the genes we inherit. According to the theory, our potential age is primarily determined at the moment of conception.

By Andy Kahn 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Americans live an average of 75 years. Compared to Americans residents of rural Japan, live an exceptionally long life, with a low incidence of chronic and disabling disease.

Rural Japan which has consistently produced many centenarians. Hoping to find the secret to their longevity, researchers have pointed to their low fat diet of rice and fish, the simple, stress-free environment that comes with living in an agricultural town, the sense of community and belonging the people have. The elderly in rural Japan remain active and engaged, working in their chosen fields even into their nineties.

But what precisely is responsible for the long lives of rural Japanese? Is it diet, environment, lifestyle? Or is it simply the good fortune of good genes? Most scientists working in the field of longevity agree that every human has a potential life span of 120 years. In fact all forms of life have a species-specific life span: a dog's maximum life span is 20 years and a tortoise is 150 years. Life expectancy, however, is a different issue altogether. It is the additional number of years a person can expect to live at any given age. The cellular damage and internal attrition on the body caused by environmental factors are closely associated with the onset of life-shortening diseases. This can explain the discrepancy between actual life spans and maximum possible life spans.

Aging is dependent on a genetically determined, biological timetable. Various theories have been developed to explain how genes might place a limit on life span. One widely accepted theory of aging suggests that the answer can be found in a cell's genetic material (chromosomes), which function as an aging clock. At the ends of each cell's chromosomes are telomeres, spirals of DNA that protect the cell when it divides. Telomeres get shorter and shorter each time a cell divides as does the daughter cell's telomeres. After a certain number of divisions have taken place, the telomeres get so short no more divisions can occur and the cell degenerates dramatically and dies. When large numbers of cells undergo this fate, the specific organ suffers, leading to the eventual deterioration and death of the organism.

So don't think that you are doomed just because your family members tend to die young -- and also don't think that you can ignore your health if your family members tend to live long.