Learn How Obesity Can Accelerate the Aging Process
WRITTEN BY BONNIEY JUSEF, PHYSCOLOGIST AND MEDICAL AUTHOR
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THIS ARTICLE IS COPYWRITTEN FOR FITNESSBEYONDBELIEF.COM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
NOTE: IF YOU PURCHASE FROM OUR SUGGESTED PRODUCTS BELOW, WE MAY RECEIVE A COMMISSION. WE HAVE CHOSEN ONLY THE BEST FOR OUR READERS IN OUR HUMBLE OPINION. PLEASE READ OUR DISCLOSURE POLICY.
Obesity is an alarming problem, not just in the United States, but in the entire world. According to the World Health Organization, obesity in the whole globe has tripled since 1975. As of 2016, there were over 1.9 billion overweight adults, 650 million of whom were obese.
Obesity is not a foreign subject, and the risks involved are well-known. Some of these risks include chronic heart conditions, diabetes, and impaired metabolism. Of course, these risks worsen, depending on how much fat an individual has. |
So, how does obesity accelerate aging? The answer to this is not simple and is not entirely in black and white.
Researchers have described the aging process as having nine hallmarks. To better understand how obesity can accelerate aging, we will take a look at each of these hallmarks and how obesity impacts the aging process.
Researchers have described the aging process as having nine hallmarks. To better understand how obesity can accelerate aging, we will take a look at each of these hallmarks and how obesity impacts the aging process.
1. Telomere Attrition
Telomeres are the protective caps found at the end of each chromosome that are made up of repetitive layers of a specific DNA sequence. Telomeres prevent the fusion of neighboring chromosomes and the deterioration of chromosomes.
Telomere attrition is the gradual deterioration of these caps. Because it affects the division of cells, telomere attrition significantly reduces the number of cells in vital organs, thereby making the start of biological aging.
With every cell division, telomeres shorten, which in turn accelerates the aging process. Obesity creates an imbalance between how the system deals with reactive oxygen elements and its ability to repair any damage after that.
This imbalance ends up augmenting telomere attrition. And as the telomeres shorten faster, so does the aging progress.
This moderate interaction gives some evidence that obesity hastens the aging process.
Telomeres are the protective caps found at the end of each chromosome that are made up of repetitive layers of a specific DNA sequence. Telomeres prevent the fusion of neighboring chromosomes and the deterioration of chromosomes.
Telomere attrition is the gradual deterioration of these caps. Because it affects the division of cells, telomere attrition significantly reduces the number of cells in vital organs, thereby making the start of biological aging.
With every cell division, telomeres shorten, which in turn accelerates the aging process. Obesity creates an imbalance between how the system deals with reactive oxygen elements and its ability to repair any damage after that.
This imbalance ends up augmenting telomere attrition. And as the telomeres shorten faster, so does the aging progress.
This moderate interaction gives some evidence that obesity hastens the aging process.
2. Epigenetic Alteration
Epigenetic alteration refers to the changes in the gene expression that change how the cell performs its primary functions. Descendant cells and organisms inherit these changes.
Epigenetic alteration usually causes modifications to the DNA. Specific cells are either suppressed or enhanced, depending on the situation. This epigenetic information ensures that the cells become the correct type.
During aging, epigenetic alteration may lead to changes in the gene expression of a cell that may eventually change the primary functioning of the cell. People with obesity have higher chances of epigenetic alteration.
DNA methylation is an example of epigenetic alteration. Research has shown that obesity could bring about DNA methylation of the blood leukocyte. These changes eventually lead to a dysfunction of the immune system.
Epigenetic alteration refers to the changes in the gene expression that change how the cell performs its primary functions. Descendant cells and organisms inherit these changes.
Epigenetic alteration usually causes modifications to the DNA. Specific cells are either suppressed or enhanced, depending on the situation. This epigenetic information ensures that the cells become the correct type.
During aging, epigenetic alteration may lead to changes in the gene expression of a cell that may eventually change the primary functioning of the cell. People with obesity have higher chances of epigenetic alteration.
DNA methylation is an example of epigenetic alteration. Research has shown that obesity could bring about DNA methylation of the blood leukocyte. These changes eventually lead to a dysfunction of the immune system.
3. Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cells and have several functions to perform. They are responsible for providing energy for the cells through ATP production.
As the mitochondria keep aging, they lose their ability to perform their cellular functions. These organelles then release more reactive oxygen cells, which cause damage to other cells. This damage could harm the mitochondria's DNA, leading to mutations.
Excessive consumption of nutrients causes mitochondrial dysfunction, which is a result of increased lipid storage and ATP synthesis in the mitochondria. Obesity increases the chances of mitochondrial dysfunction and reduces mitochondrial biogenesis.
As a result, the powerhouse of the cell cannot produce enough energy for the body cells. The cells, therefore, continue to deteriorate until they die.
4. Cellular Senescence
Senescent cells usually do not take part in cell division. Instead, they emit some harmful chemicals that cause the cells around to be senescent as well. These cells then induce chronic inflammation and reduce tissue repair.
Cellular senescence is a crucial process in the remodeling of tissues and removing damaged cells. Although senescent cells destroy themselves through apoptosis, the immune system also gets rid of them.
Senescent cells accumulate in the body as people age. These cells eventually cause chronic inflammation and other age-related diseases.
According to research, people who are obese tend to have more senescent cells. These cells accumulate faster in the body, as compared to non-obese people. As a result, obese people are likely to develop age-related diseases much quicker than others.
5. Deregulated Nutrient Sensing
For nutrient sensing to take place, there are some major signal pathways involved. These are the IIS pathway, that determines whether there is glucose in a cell, AMPK, that monitors the ATP levels, mTor, that determine the concentration of the amino acid, and sirtuins that determine whether the nutrients are sufficient.
The mTor and IIS pathways accelerate the aging process. Obesity over activates these pathways, while dampening the AMPK and sirtuins pathways. This results in a hastening of the aging process altogether.
6. Stem Cell Exhaustion
The aging process affects stem cells in adverse ways. With time, these cells deteriorate and can no longer differentiate into the different cell types. They then face cellular damage that could lead to the death of cells or cellular senescence.
One of the effects of obesity is inflammation in specific tissues. This inflammation then activates stem cell exhaustion. Obese patients, for example, a reduced number of active cells. Besides, these cells are more susceptible to mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular senescence, augmenting the aging process.
7. Altered Intercellular Communication
While the process of aging may affect the cells, it also affects the cells' ability to interact with other cells. The neuronal, neuroendocrine, and endocrine cells are often the most affected ones.
Two of the most common consequences of altered communication is immunosenescence and inflammaging. Immunosenescence is the immune system's inability to adapt to aging, while inflammaging refers to the pro-inflammation state that accompanies the aging process.
Inflammaging produces cytokines that accelerate the aging process. Patients who are obese tend to have more pro-inflammatory cells, especially in the adipose tissue. These patients produce more cytokines that lead to the aging of the muscle and the patient, as well.
8. Genomic Instability
Scientists believe that the accumulation of DNA damage in the cells eventually leads to aging. In mammals, the cells perform non-homologous end-joining upon the discovery of DNA damage, which results in genomic stability.
Obese individuals have specific mechanisms that may increase genomic instability. Oxidative stress, which is one of these mechanisms, results in degenerative and inflammatory processes, which may alter the gene expression.
Oxidative stress, together with other mechanisms such as the oxidation of fatty acids and hormonal imbalances caused by obesity, may cause DNA damage, which eventually leads to the hastening of the aging process.
While the process of aging may affect the cells, it also affects the cells' ability to interact with other cells. The neuronal, neuroendocrine, and endocrine cells are often the most affected ones.
Two of the most common consequences of altered communication is immunosenescence and inflammaging. Immunosenescence is the immune system's inability to adapt to aging, while inflammaging refers to the pro-inflammation state that accompanies the aging process.
Inflammaging produces cytokines that accelerate the aging process. Patients who are obese tend to have more pro-inflammatory cells, especially in the adipose tissue. These patients produce more cytokines that lead to the aging of the muscle and the patient, as well.
8. Genomic Instability
Scientists believe that the accumulation of DNA damage in the cells eventually leads to aging. In mammals, the cells perform non-homologous end-joining upon the discovery of DNA damage, which results in genomic stability.
Obese individuals have specific mechanisms that may increase genomic instability. Oxidative stress, which is one of these mechanisms, results in degenerative and inflammatory processes, which may alter the gene expression.
Oxidative stress, together with other mechanisms such as the oxidation of fatty acids and hormonal imbalances caused by obesity, may cause DNA damage, which eventually leads to the hastening of the aging process.
9. Loss of Proteostasis
Proteostasis refers to the quality control of the proteins in a cell. The endoplasmic reticula synthesize the proteins and bind the unfolded proteins to trigger the response.
With aging, the cells' ability to perform proteostasis decreases, especially during rest or in stressful environments. As a result, there is a reduction in the number of chaperones, which serve as the heat shock protein and ensures that proteins are correctly folded and are stable.
Obese patients are likely to suffer from chronic unfolded protein response, which leads to an increase in the degraded proteins. As a result, these patients are likely to develop age-related conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Proteostasis refers to the quality control of the proteins in a cell. The endoplasmic reticula synthesize the proteins and bind the unfolded proteins to trigger the response.
With aging, the cells' ability to perform proteostasis decreases, especially during rest or in stressful environments. As a result, there is a reduction in the number of chaperones, which serve as the heat shock protein and ensures that proteins are correctly folded and are stable.
Obese patients are likely to suffer from chronic unfolded protein response, which leads to an increase in the degraded proteins. As a result, these patients are likely to develop age-related conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
It is quite clear that the accumulation of excess fat has a hand at accelerating the aging process. Besides the well-known effects of obesity, it seems that many people now have another reason to worry.
While many Americans are already predisposed to obesity, there are some things that you can do to avoid it. Have a more active lifestyle, exercise regularly, and eat healthily. It may sound like too much to do, but if you want to stay young for longer, you should keep obesity at bay by all means possible. My suggestion for the ultimate weight loss regiment is the Black Seed Oil Weight Loss Plan. Check it out here. |
References
- Obesity and overweight. World Health Organization 2018. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
- Steve Hill. Obesity Might Accelerate Aging. https://www.leafscience.org/obesity-might-accelerate-aging/
- Tamara Tchkonia Dean E. Morbeck Thomas Von Zglinicki Jan Van Deursen Joseph Lustgarten Heidi Scrable Sundeep Khosla Michael D. Jensen James L. Kirkland. Fat tissues, aging, and cellular senescence. Online Library 2010. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1474-9726.2010.00608.x
- Valentina Salvestrini, Christian Sell, and Antonello Lorenzini. Obesity May Accelerate the Aging Process. Frontiers 2019. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2019.00266/full
- Does Obesity Literally Accelerate Aging? Sens Research Foundation 2019. https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2019/05/does-obesity-literally-accelerate-aging/