The effects of aging are first noticed by how we physically look and feel on the outside—wrinkles, gray hair, fatigue.

Many people may not understand how and why we are aging on the inside. While we can see the passing of time by looking in the mirror, a much closer look reveals how a ticking clock deep within our cells affects our aging.

There is a growing portfolio of research that suggests telomeres—the tiny caps at the end of each strand of our DNA—may hold the key to understanding why our bodies age and how we may be able to slow or even reverse the cellular aging process.

Telomeres protect the strands of DNA that make up our chromosomes and allow our cells to function and reproduce properly; similar to how the plastic tips at the end of shoelaces protect them from becoming frayed and losing their functionality.

Each time our cells reproduce, our telomeres get a tiny bit shorter and when they get too short, cells will die or become senescent (stop functioning properly). This shortening of our telomeres is similar to the ticking hands on a clock and is the main cause of age-related breakdown in our cells.

Cells that reproduce the most—such as those in the skin, lungs and parts of our immune system—are most affected by telomere shortening. Poor lifestyle choices, such as an unhealthy diet, psychological stress or lack of exercise can also affect telomere length.

Turning back the clock!

The good news is that there are ways that you can slow, stop or even reverse the telomere shortening that happens as we age.

This can be done in several ways:

Activating an Enzyme Called Telomerase

The only scientifically proven way to lengthen telomeres is by activating an enzyme called telomerase, which is made only inside your cells. In 2009, a group of scientists was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine for their discovery of how telomerase impacts telomere length.

Further research indicates that, by activating telomerase, we may be able to slow, stop or perhaps even reverse the telomere shortening that occurs as we age. Based on this body of research, products—like TA-65MD nutritional supplements-–have been developed to target telomerase activation.

Lifestyle Changes

Research also shows that telomere shortening can be slowed by making healthy changes to your lifestyle. Taking the following steps can positively affect telomere length:

• Reduce stress
• Stop smoking
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise more
• Eat a healthy diet

While getting older is inevitable, the effects of aging we see and feel, don’t have to be.

Science has finally opened the door to healthy anti-aging solutions. Activating the enzyme telomerase within our own cells is a scientifically proven way to address telomere shortening and encourage cells to function as though they were younger.

Aging well from the inside is crucial to aging well on the outside and it all starts with our telomeres and keeping our clock ticking at its best.

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Author: Noel Thomas Patton

Editor: Ashleigh Hitchcock

Photo: flickr