Andrew Steptoe of University College London and his colleagues have found that telomere length can predict how long it takes older men to recover from stressful situations. Men with shorter telomeres have longer recovery times than men with longer telomeres. This could mean that men with shorter telomeres suffer from chronic stress. The research appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Telomeres are protective strings of DNA that cap the ends of chromosomes. Over time, cell division and oxidative attacks cause telomeres to shorten. There is a connection between short telomeres and cellular aging; when telomeres reach a critical shortness, cell function is impaired and eventually, cells die. Scientists have found links between short telomeres and smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, heart disease and susceptibility to infectious diseases.
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-03-older-men-short-telomeres-chronic.html
More information and Abstract: PNAS, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1322145111
For Older Men, Short Telomeres Can Be a Sign of Chronic Stress
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