Why do some people look older in their 20s while others look like they’ll stay young forever?
This question, of course, is one that concerns us all, and which many consider a mystery that can’t really be explained. But in recent years, several interesting studies have found various factors that affect the process and may shed more light on one of the great and important questions of humankind.
In an article published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, the aging process is generally defined: "Aging is associated with a decrease in the ability of skeletal muscle regeneration after a severe injury, resulting in a decrease in physical strength and physiological abilities," the researchers wrote.
And the focal point of this article is one factor that influences this process, a factor that you probably haven’t heard of.
"Genetic studies have identified a powerful anti-aging hormone - Klotho," states a document that reviewed important studies on the mysterious hormone.
And, while most research on the subject has until now been conducted only on mice, one enlightening study actually focused on a group of women. Ninety mothers living with "high mental stress" were picked for the study along with 88 other women who lead more relaxed lives. All women were generally healthy and in their 30s or 40s.
The researchers found that among the women who faced high mental stress there was a significantly lower rate of this hormone.
Dr. Eric Perther, a lecturer in psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco who led the study, said that "our findings suggest that the hormone Klotho, which we now know is very important for health, may be linked to emotional stress and even illness along with premature death."
In the same breath, however, Perther stressed that his research is merely observational and has not shown a cause-and-effect relationship between high levels of stress and a decrease in this hormone level, and certainly hasn’t been connected to a process of accelerated aging.
A study at the University of California was conducted after researchers at the same university identified that a particular genetic variant found in one in five people causes increased production of the hormone Klotho. In this study, scientists proved that the cognitive abilities of those people who have increase Klotho are better and that their brain’s prefrontal cortex is larger. Also, the researchers explained, these people tend to live longer and suffer from fewer diseases associated with aging.
In another study, the same group of researchers went even further and increased the rate of this hormone in laboratory mice. Findings showed that this improved the brain function in those mice and reduced the rate of toxins associated with other studies in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
And with all these findings, it is still important to state: it will probably be a long time before experiments are performed in humans and we understand exactly if and how this hormone affects the rate of aging and the risk of developing various diseases.
Of course until then, no one would recommend taking certain supplements without monitoring. But there is one conclusion we have presented here which can certainly be used to improve life in general, and perhaps even prevent aging.
We’re all aware of how mental stress affects our body, our brain and our emotions. A long line of studies has shown that stress increases the development of muscular inflammation along with the risk of various diseases and adversely affects many biological processes. The good news is that today there are many proven ways to improve our response to stress and reduce its impact on us.
The first step in this direction is to increase awareness of how stress is handled in our lives. As awareness increases, we can seek out tools to help lower the flames. It’s a difficult process which might require professional help, yet it’s a great investment for ourselves throughout our lives.