Contrary to what you might think Telomere is not Hercules’ gay lover. The word means telo, or end, (reminiscent of the term telos–end or purpose) and mere, part or segment. Literally a telomere is an end segment and protagonist in the drama of senescence (aging). Telomeres may play a role in influencing the purposefulness of an important segment of our everyday life: how we choose to age.
Telomeres are like caps that make up the end segment our chromosomes, protecting them from damage. Each time our cells divide they lose a little bit of information as part of the DNA of the telomere is missed in the replication process. The result is that the telomere shortens every time. In its lifetime the cell may divide 50 to 70 times until the telomere is too short to protect the essential genetic make-up of the cell and becomes senescent or dies. The shortening of the telomere is not only associated with senescence it is also correlated with cancer, other illnesses and premature death.
If it were not for the immortalizing enzyme telomerase, telomeres would shorten much faster along with our lifespan. The enzyme telomerase works to keep cells immortal by replacing the missing parts to the ends of telomeres. The problem is that the enzyme cannot work as fast as telomeres lose their length in the process of cell replication. By age 35, telomeres are on average only about 37% of the length they were when we were born and, at age 65, about 18% of their original length.
Because longer telomeres have been correlated with longer lifespans there has been significant research on telomere length, especially associated with exercise. A January 8, 2010 study from the University of Colorado showed that the telomere length in endurance exercise-trained healthy adults (55 to 72 years old) were not significantly smaller than the length in endurance exercise-trained young adults (17 to 32 years old). Similar studies elsewhere have come up with the same results.
Telomeres are longer in people who get regular aerobic exercise because exercise increases the amount of the immortalizing enzyme telomerase that works to lengthen telomeres, although how and why this occurs is still unknown. It is already well established that regular exercise increases life-expectancy. Telomeres offer an explanation, though incomplete, why exercise prolongs senescence, diminishes the appearance of cancer and leads to a longer, healthy life in general.
Instead of spending money on cosmetics and all the superficial stuff that work from the outside in with a conspicuously spurious effect one might wisely examine a segment of his or her telos and chose to work at the cellular level outward to promote genuine youthfulness, health and longevity. The Fountain of Youth is within grasp for free daily with an abundant supply. However, instead of merely sauntering up to the Fountain and sipping this cool, libation it requires that one run around it several dozen times huffing and puffing and wiping off brow sweat.