Phobias accelerate aging

Women with phobias on molecular parameters are older. This premature aging researchers blame the psychological stress, which can shorten telomeres and thus the old cells.
 
There are a variety of phobias darkness, and anyone can be called a couple of the most well-known, like klaustro- or arachnophobia. Perhaps there is no such object or a situation which would not be linked to any kind of irrational fear of panic. Phobias are common: according to statistics, for example, 8% of Americans suffer from at least any one phobia.

The psychological stress associated with phobias, as well as any stress, obviously, must somehow affect health. To test this, researchers from Brigham Hospital at Harvard University (USA) took blood samples from more than five thousand women aged 42 to 69 years. A blood test was compared with the psychological testing. It was found that women with phobias were on molecular markers older than his age - about six years.

In an article published in PLoS ONE, the researchers argue that the link between phobias and accelerated aging can act telomeres. They are the authors of special attention. These terminal fragments of chromosomes protect genetic information from damage during cell division. As we age, telomeres shorten, and the risk of damaging important genes increases. Telomere shortening can be accelerated by oxidative stress and inflammation. In turn, the short telomeres damage increases the risk of heart, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, especially at a certain age.

Psychological stress, according to scientists, just and can lead to inflammation and oxidative damage to telomeres. However, as the authors emphasize the study of direct evidence linking stress and telomere length is not. So this is only one possible explanation of how stress can shorten the life - although the most plausible.

Phobias are most susceptible women of middle age and postbalzakovskogo: just then exacerbated worries about leaving youth. Well, perhaps a visit to a therapist and receive antifobiynyh sedatives to help them keep young beauty if not, then at least the younger health.