Ageing is a relentless process. Yet why are some people healthy, alert and even running marathons into their 80s, while some far younger people look old, feel exhausted and are mentally clouded? DR CATHERINE DAVIES explains how part of this answer may lie in our telomeres.
While the medical community has made great strides in DNA science and how one should eat, exercise, detoxify and medicate accordingly, part of the ageing process may also be due to “telomere science”.
In 2009, Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szostek rocked the scientific community when they were awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine. What was their amazing discovery, and how can it help us understand more about our own ageing process?
Telomeres uncovered
The discovery of the moment was all about telomeres and telomerase. Blackburn et al. discovered that telomeres are critical structures found at the end of chromosomes that are made up of numerous copies of nucleotides or base pairs. Telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes from not only degradation, but also from being recognised as double-stranded breaks. Without telomeres, chromosomes would fuse and genetic instability occur.
The classic analogy of the shoelace has been used to describe the telomere’s function. The aglet, or protective cap at the end of shoelaces, protects the shoelace from fraying, just as a telomere protects chromosomes from being damaged.
Long telomeres are “good” for chromosomes, and short telomeres are associated with premature ageing and decreased lifespan.
Denne historien er fra Winter 2017 - Issue 22-utgaven av A2 Aesthetic and Anti-Ageing Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra Winter 2017 - Issue 22-utgaven av A2 Aesthetic and Anti-Ageing Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Weightloss When Willpower Isn't Enough
The popular belief that the ability to lose weight is solely linked to willpower is far from the truth. But doctors practising integrative, functional medicine can consistently help individuals struggling with weight loss by simply identifying the cause of excessive weight, writes DR SLY NEDIC
The Face Of Ageing In Mature Patients
DR SLY NEDIC unpacks the ageing-related changes that take place in the faces of mature patients and advises on the most appropriate procedures.
Nose Reshaping With Nasal Threads
Thanks to the advancement of medical technology, a nose augmentation no longer means having to undergo a surgical procedure. Indeed, a simple nose thread treatment is all you need to get a more defined, lifted nose. DR XEN LUDICK elaborates.
Can Your Skin Ever Be Too Clean?
Revisiting how we think about cleanliness and bacteria could be the key to improving overall skin health. Clean is good, but you can have too much of a good thing, writes DR JUANITA KILLIAN.
Collagen The Anti-aging Supplement Of The Future
Collagen. We hear this word more and more. Is this the ‘new’ buzz in the supplement industry? Should everybody be taking it? And is this the solution to halting aging in its tracks? Dr Burt Jooste provides the answers.
DON'T SWEAT IT!
Exploring the causes, symptoms and treatments of hyperhidrosis. DR XEN LUDICK
SHIMMERING and Sun Kissed - Cracking the secret to glowing skin
DR TARRYN JACOBS reveals the science behind skin radiance, and imparts her expert tips on how to get your glow back.
On the NOSE
Presenting an overview on the surgical procedure that is ethnic rhinoplasty – a specialized operation of the nose that is specifically designed to enhance a patient’s appearance without altering his or her ethnic identity1. PROF NKHENSANI CHAUKE-MALINGA
Benjamin Button-ing it
There’s a crop of Hollywood A-listers, models, musicians and entertainers who seem to exist in that rarefied air where their ageing process has either halted dead in its tracks, completely transformed their appearance or, better still, has miraculously reversed time – with most of them looking even better than they did 20 years ago. So what, pray tell, is their secret? DR ANUSHKA REDDY takes a closer look.
A minimalist approach to Beauty
In an era where we have to streamline many avenues of our lives, beauty and skincare seem to go to the bottom of the list, as many would consider it frivolous to spend hard-earned cash on eyeliner and moisturizer. Yet it is still possible to maintain your skincare routine, albeit in a simplified version. DR SIAN HARTSHORNE imparts some valuable advice.
