Since ancient times, many people have fantasized about immortality, ancient emperors alchemy to seek immortality, the result is that many emperors have died because of alchemy, such as the famous Tang Taizong Li Shimin, it is said that he died violently because of taking a Dan medicine from Tianzhu. Immortality, immortality, nothing more than a vain daydream.
The top journal "Nature" shows that through the study of human life expectancy in recent decades, in fact, human life expectancy has a limit, may be about 115 years. Even if people do not have any diseases, they will gradually age and eventually die, and this natural law is controlled by what structure in the body?
Here, it is necessary to mention a structure - telomeres.
In the past, when scientists were looking for the gene that causes cell death, they found a substance called telomeres, which exists at the top of chromosomes, like a high hat placed on the head of a chromosome. Almost every human cell has 23 pairs of chromosomes that contain our genetic code. Telomeres do not carry genetic information, but they are essential for maintaining the stability and integrity of chromosomes, and thus for the DNA on which all cells in our bodies depend for their functioning.
In most somatic cells, telomeres are limited in length. As we age, our telomeres also naturally shorten, because each time a cell divides, the telomeres lose some. When telomeres can no longer be shortened, chromosomes become unstable and cells cannot continue to divide. At this time, the cell also reaches the universally believed limit of 100 divisions, and begins to gradually age and die.
As a result, telomere shortening has long been considered a marker of biological age, and telomeres have also been dubbed the "clock of life" by scientists.
The faster the telomere shortens, the shorter the lifespan. So is there a way to delay the shortening of telomeres and thus prolong life?
Earlier studies have suggested that the rate at which telomeres shorten may be linked to sugary beverages, processed meats, and other foods rich in saturated fats and sugars. A recent study by the University of Navarre in Spain showed that people who ate three or more servings a day doubled their telomere length compared to those who rarely ate ultra-processed foods. The study, which was divided equally into four groups (low, medium, medium high, and high) based on their intake of ultra-processed foods, showed that the other three groups were 29%, 40%, and 82 percent more likely to shorten telomeres than the lowest ultra-processed food group. It can be seen that a healthy diet can delay the rate of telomere shortening, while junk food can accelerate telomere shortening.
In addition to dietary factors, the professor of exercise science found that the telomeres of the body of the high-level physical activity population were 9 years higher than the telomeres of the sedentary population, and the telomeres of the moderate active population were 7 years higher than the biological aging advantage of the telomeres of the active population.
Other studies have shown that the rate of telomere shortening is affected by mood, and the more depressed people are, the faster their telomeres will shorten, because stress produces an enzyme that causes telomeres to shorten like a cliff.
Why can't humans live forever, because humans are just genetic workers. In order to obtain as long a lifespan as possible, in addition to the genetic factors of longevity genes, it comes down to a healthy diet, effective exercise and a positive and optimistic self-confidence mentality.
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