Exposure to violence shown to shorten telomeres in children

A new study conducted by the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy in Durham, N.C. has shown that children exposed to violence in their formative years are much more likely to experience telomere loss than those that have not experienced childhood trauma. Taking DNA samples from children at ages 5 and 10, researchers determined that children who underwent excessive stress  experienced a shortening of telomeres equal to seven to ten years of premature aging. This stress could take the form of domestic violence, physical maltreatment by an adult, or bullying.

This data is unique as it proves that stress can be toxic and detrimental to our health, even at a very young age. There is hope, however, as telomeres can be lengthened over time if the children live a healthy and stress-free lifestyle as adults.

Italy’s illegal waste dumps linked to shortened telomeres

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Naples has found that the environmental pollution leaching from an estimated 1230 illegal hazardous waste dumps in Italy’s Campania region is causing shortened telomere lengths in nearby residents. The study was sparked by an unusually high number of cancer fatalities and birth defects found in this region, dubber the “triangle of death.”

The study took blood samples from 50 healthy women in the area who came in for abortions. The findings showed that the telomeres of women living within the hazardous area were significantly shorter than those living outside of it. “It means that the cells have been put under oxidative stress,” said gynecologist Carmine Nappi, who headed the study. “The women are healthy, but their reduced telomere length means that their cellular age is higher than their biological age.”

It is unclear which chemicals specifically are causing this shortening effect, but the researchers suspect toxic industrial waste products called dioxins, which are suspected of affecting embryo development.

Study finds that exercise prevents muscle atrophy in seniors

A recent study out of the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine in Pittsburgh, PA, has found that the atrophying of muscles and declining of strength that many believe is inevitable with aging is in fact avoided with regular exercise.

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Study finds link between telomere shortening and heart attack risk

A recent study has once again found a possible link between telomere shortening and an increased risk of disease.

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