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Rapid Aging And Smoking
If we could get older without aging, we’d be a lot happier. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Smoking accelerates the aging process quickly.
Did you know that smoking causes the same cellular defect found in people with Werner’s Disease? Werner’s Disease is a rare genetic disease, which causes its sufferers age excessively and prematurely.
Smoking speeds up the aging process, causing smokers to die on average, seven to thirteen years sooner than nonsmokers
People who have Werner’s Disease have graying hair, thin skin and hoarse voices by the time they are in their 20s. They develop cataracts, diabetes, hardening of the arteries and weak bones very quickly. By the time they’re in their 40s and 50s, most of people suffering from Werner’s Disease usually die of heart disease and cancer.
Research proves that smokers also tend to die prematurely of heart disease and cancer and experts are asking themselves if there may be a link.
Werner’s Disease is caused by a mutation in a gene called WRN. The gene makes the WRN protein that protects and repairs DNA in every cell of the body.
Lung cells, which were collected from smokers with emphysema had too little WRN protein. The smoker’s WRN genes were normal, however, something was keeping them from making enough WRN.
When lung cells were cultured in the laboratory, cigarette smoke extract decreased the cell’s WRN production and made the cells age more quickly. Cells, which were genetically engineered to make too much WRN were not as affected by the smoke extract.
If that wasn’t scary enough, we already know that smoking gives rise to cancers and shortens life span by seven years. Wrinkling caused by the sun can be reversed, however, wrinkling caused by cigarette smoke cannot be reversed.
It is incredibly difficult to compare two individuals who are the same age. Everyone ages differently. However, newer research has proven that a person who is 65 years old and smokes, may actually have aged like a 73 year old because of the aging affects smoking has on your skin and general overall health.
In general, smoking makes you look older. Smoking gives you wrinkles, it creates smile lines around your mouth, it stains your teeth and fingertips and it constricts your blood vessels and robbing your skin of nutrients.
Though researchers are attempting to combat the aging affects that smoking has on the human body, there is no sure cure at this time. Unfortunately, the best way to stop aging so quickly is to quit smoking. It’s never too late to quit and it’s important not only for your overall body health, but for your skin health too.
Tags: aging, nicotine addiction, quit smoking, quitting, smoking, smoking cessation, stop smoking, tobacco
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