In 2004 a University of California, San Francisco research team reported that chronic stress may play a role in shortening telomeres, the tiny protein complexes at the ends of chromosomes that help protect genetic information as cells divide. As telomeres shorten, cells lose the ability to divide; they can also get confused about their mission and start to manifest serious ailments, from Parkinson’s to heart disease. (Other studies have linked shortened telomeres with the onset of dementia.) While cell loss is an integral part of the aging process, chronic stress accelerates it by munching away at these protective proteins so they diminish faster than they would naturally.
See also How Old are your Telomeres?
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