Because of genes! How quickly we age depends on many other factors

Wrinkles, age spots, light hair: as we age, it’s us – whether we want to or not. However, not every person ages, externally. And that will be the genes are not to blame.

"Forever young" – Forever young the German Band wanted to stay in Alphaville, as you wrote the eponymous Hit in the eighties. "It is so hard to be older and without any Grund", front man Marian Gold was singing. A sorry, the to know many people – and this will flush billions annually into the coffers of the cosmetic industry.

In the process, increasing wrinkles, age spots, and lights can be growing hair, not only with creams and lotions to combat it. What many people don’t know How fast we age on the outside, depends on our genes considerably affected by how we behave, where we live and how we interact with our environment.

"Aging affects never only an Organ, the entire Organismus&quot ages always;

Alone for changes in the skin, the largest visible organ, the Numbers are clearly. "20 to 30 percent of the skin changes are due to genetic factors. The remaining 70 to 80 percent caused by environmental influences for example UV radiation and air pollution,” says Jean Krutmann, Director of the Leibniz Institute for environmental medical research.

Who would like to understand why changes in our appearance so greatly with environment and behavior, you must take a close look into the cells of the human body. "Aging affects never only an Organ, the whole organism ages. External changes are related with the whole aging process and can sein&quot an indication of the condition of our body;, Martin Denzel from the Max Planck Institute for the biology of ageing, says.  Display  
 

Difference between genetically-related and externally influenced skin aging clear

We feed ourselves fat, drink alcohol, smoke or lie too long in the sun, we expose our body to biological Stress. As a result, in both young and older people to molecular damage, for example, in the DNA. Such damage can occur in every Minute, a thousand-fold. However, while a young body monitors them well and quickly repaired, it is an older body is less and less able. "Aging means that the body can always handle worse with Stress. In the body cells and DNA mutations accumulate. Thus, institutions can fail easier, or tumors entstehen", Denzel explains.

On the skin, such a cell changes to have two visible effects. "The are changes in the skin pigmentation. You will be inhomogeneous and ageing spots may appear. The skin elasticity decreases, it Falten&quot arise so;, Krutmann says. The difference between genetically-leave-related and externally influenced skin aging seen with the naked eye. "Each of us gets to the age of fine wrinkles. Environmental influences add to this, however, the wrinkles deeper. It is a Protein of the connective tissue is then degraded more collagen."

Also substances that we take in through the mouth, aging

To find out, by which the human skin suffers especially, what you changed and aging, Krutmann and his colleagues in the laboratory Tests. During the harmful, even cancer-causing effect of UV-radiation or tobacco smoke may have researched well and is proven, the scientists on the issue of air pollution is still at the beginning. In Petri dishes they bring real pieces of skin in contact with contaminants. "Best the skin with suspended particulate matter, can be quickly a tanning feststellen", Krutmann says. "In particular, soot from diesel engines has proved to be harmful." If in addition to these pigment changes are also at an increased risk for skin cancer is caused still to be explored.

A key driver for the visible aging substances that we take in through the mouth to us are in addition to external influences on the skin. Only a few weeks ago in the journal &quot came;Epidemiology & Community Health" published study by the University of southern Denmark, to the conclusion that the strong alcohol can cause consumption and Smoking outward signs of physical aging. So would the wrinkle on the earlobes, the risk of so-called old man bows around the pupils and a yellowish-orange plaque on the eyelids will be significantly increased. The researchers had evaluated data from more than 11,500 adults from the greater Copenhagen area.

"Youthful appearance can be a sign that a man is biologically young ist&quot remained;

Again and again, shows that people’s appearance, despite similar environmental influences at different speeds old. The harmful effect of external factors also depends upon the physical conditions. "People have a different genetic make-up. There are people that are well over a hundred years old, even though they smoked or alcohol consumed haben", Denzel explains. These differences are often visible. "The chronological and the biological clock can be decoupled. Youthful appearance can be a sign that a man is biologically remained young."

Even if the dream of eternal youth does not entirely satisfy, there are factors, the speed and visibility affect of our ageing. While we cannot change our genes nothing, alcohol and tobacco consumption, eating habits, sun protection, and air quality in our Hand. If you believe the experts, is aging no one "without any Grund" – not even the Band Alphaville.