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Adrenaline May Damage DNA

Posted by timothy on from the why-I'm-younger-than-my-older-brother dept.

Thelasko writes "Ever wonder why heads of statetend to age twice as fast as the rest of us? New research shows that adrenaline may damage DNA, potentially accelerating aging."

23 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. In other news... by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 3, Insightful

    stress causes you to age...

    Go figure!

    1. Re:In other news... by guybrush3pwood · · Score: 2

      Probably not, but "eating" them sure does... *wink wink*

      --
      Perhaps I'm trolling, perhaps I'm not.
    2. Re:In other news... by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yeah it sounds really obvious, until you realize they're figuring out the actual biochemical mechanism behind it. Stress also increases the chance of heart disease and cancer. P53 (or specifically its failure) is also involved in many cancers.

      It looks like useless research on the surface, for the lay person. But when you dig into it you realize that if you can map out the biochemical pathway, you can think about designing drugs to block certain parts of it - resulting in prolonged life or decreases tumor incidence, for example. Stuff like this actually is important.

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    3. Re:In other news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      To each his own, but I'd rather be bathed by a hundred red-blooded virgins, myself.

    4. Re:In other news... by ohnocitizen · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Why is this only useful if they can cure "diseases x,y,z"? Isn't aging the most debilitating disease of all? If it yields any insights into how we age, even those that don't lead directly to cures, there can still be much merit.

    5. Re:In other news... by repapetilto · · Score: 2

      Its also important to consider diminishing returns. Another thing to consider is that, in biology, many things are related in ways that are not immediately obvious. A third aspect is that researchers specializing in different fields will have different perspectives. So it is good to have a diverse field of study.

    6. Re:In other news... by repapetilto · · Score: 2

      They would need to be mutating the sperm/egg cells. A mutation in a skin cell (for example) is not going to get passed on. That does make me wonder if stress level is related to birth defects or anything like that though. Maybe mutations elsewhere are just an unwanted side effect. I can't see how that would be selected for.

    7. Re:In other news... by V.+P.+Winterbuttocks · · Score: 2

      Your ideas interest me and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

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    8. Re:In other news... by repapetilto · · Score: 2

      Actually, here is the paper . They say it does occur in the testes.

    9. Re:In other news... by MrL0G1C · · Score: 2

      Unlike Europeans who lock their children in a basement and rape them repeatedly or other Europeans who run around shooting people.

      That's how racism works, you take an anecdote and apply it to the whole population.

      https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Josef_Fritzl

      http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1578285/norway-gunman-revisits-scene-of-rampage

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10219655

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    10. Re:In other news... by datapharmer · · Score: 2

      Well on earth you can tell with C-14 as beta decay eventually converts it into nitrogen-14.

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      Get a web developer
    11. Re:In other news... by genner · · Score: 2

      Unlike Europeans who lock their children in a basement and rape them repeatedly or other Europeans who run around shooting people.

      That's how racism works, you take an anecdote and apply it to the whole population.

      That's terrible.
      That's what people in Russia do.

  2. Any stress can be damaging by whiteboy86 · · Score: 2

    I thought it was a common sense that any physical, mental or biological (food) stress can lead to DNA damage and wear out.

    1. Re:Any stress can be damaging by martas · · Score: 2

      I thought it was common sense that cancer kills. Why are we doing so much research on these things? And with taxpayer money, too!

      --
      weinersmith
    2. Re:Any stress can be damaging by aliquis · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Common sense isn't science thought.

      "Of course the world is flat!"

  3. Re:Adrenaline by Dyinobal · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I thought the president just got messages from the big corporations as to what decision to make.

  4. Re:What about Military Members? by Riceballsan · · Score: 2

    I have a feeling it is more about consistant stress rather then extreme bursts. I have a feeling the aging comes more from a stress scale on an 6 of 10 24/7 for 8 years moreso then a burst of addrenaline at a 9 of 10 twice a day for 2 years. I also have to wonder if it is unused adrenaline, when an adrenaline burst is caused by say a granade going off 10 feet, that burst is used to help you run/jump/dive etc... When you are stressed out in a meeting, all it can do is make your heart race, mess with your breathing etc... maybe that energy turning inwards is what causes the damage. So people who can spend more time exercising, shouting etc... when under stress, take less damage then ones who have to sit at a desk smile and pretend they have things under control.

  5. Re:Adrenaline by optimism · · Score: 4, Informative

    Yeah, but it's gotta be stress-inducing when he gets conflicting directives from different banks.

  6. Re:Steve Jobs' DNA test confirms. by king+neckbeard · · Score: 2

    I think you may have the wrong picture, unless Steve Jobs has turned into Norse Mythology. Honestly, I don't want to acknolwedge the existence of iDin, which is 30% thinner and lighter than Odin

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  7. Endurance Athletes, etc by ItMustBeEsoteric · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If this were true in all cases, people like me would be in trouble. I run 50+ miles per week and the runner's adrenaline high is a part of my daily life. However, it has to be balanced with the benefit of aerobic exercise: http://www.natap.org/2011/HIV/081911_03.htm That said, I'd imagine most heads of states don't put in those kind of miles, and the CNN article (mostly about Obama) is far from scientific. "Looking older" has shit to do with overall health in many cases. However, the study seems to imply chronically elevated adrenaline levels--and athletes have anything but. Catch us before or after a workout, and many of us* are some of the most mellow people you could meet (because the stress relief offered by heavy exercise is a hell of a boon). Personally, I think that's the key that many people who "read" this article will miss: stress keeps adrenaline *chronically* elevated.

    1. Re:Endurance Athletes, etc by phantomfive · · Score: 2

      I am wondering why you think running causes you to experience adrenaline. Everything I've seen suggests it's caused by something like dopamine or endorphines, not adrenaline. The most likely way you would experience an adrenaline rush while running is if a giant dog were chasing you. Which it probably isn't.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    2. Re:Endurance Athletes, etc by Mr.+Slippery · · Score: 2

      ...and the runner's adrenaline high...

      The runner's high is from endorphins, not adrenaline.

      --
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      You cannot wash away blood with blood
  8. ...but Dr. McCoy says adrenaline reverses aging! by rocket+rancher · · Score: 2

    I'll trust Starfleet medical on this one.