Home
Newsletter
Events
Blogs
Reports
Graphics
RSS
About Us
Support
Write for Us
Media Info
Advertising Info
Aging

Antidepressant Drugs Linked to Accelerated Aging and More Wrinkles

Sunday, April 12, 2009 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
Tags: aging, health news, Natural News


Most Viewed Articles
https://www.naturalnews.com/026040_aging_drugs_antidepressant.html
Delicious
diaspora
Print
Email
Share

(NaturalNews) The use of antidepressant drugs can contribute to faster aging, including the development of wrinkles, according to a study on identical twins conducted by researchers from University Hospitals Case Medical Center and published online in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

"A person's heritage may initially dictate how they age, but if you introduce certain factors into your life, you will certainly age faster. Likewise, if you avoid those factors you can slow down the hands of time," said researcher and plastic surgeon Bahaman Guyuron.

The researchers sought to determine the relative influence of genetic and environmental factors on aging by comparing identical twins, who share the same genetic code. Each member of 186 pairs of twins completed a comprehensive questionnaire and provided digital photographs. An independent panel was recruited to estimate the perceived age difference between each pair of twins. When one twin had used antidepressants and the other had not, the former appeared significantly older than the latter.

Other factors associated with an older appearance included divorce, obesity in the young and abnormal weight loss in the middle aged or elderly.

One element linking all of the observed risk factors for accelerated aging might simply be stress, Guyuron noted, but there might be a more direct effect as well. Because antidepressants usually function as muscle relaxants, their continued use might eventually lead the facial muscles to lose tone and to sag. Likewise, abnormal weight loss can contribute to a sagging look.

The good news from the study, Guyuron said, is that it provides tips for people hoping to avoid stressors that lead to more rapid aging.

"In this study, we looked at identical twins because they are genetically programmed to age exactly the same, and in doing so we essentially discovered that, when it comes to your face, it is possible to cheat your biological clock," Guyuron said.

Sources for this story include: timesofindia.indiatimes.com.

Receive Our Free Email Newsletter

Get independent news alerts on natural cures, food lab tests, cannabis medicine, science, robotics, drones, privacy and more.


comments powered by Disqus



Natural News Wire (Sponsored Content)

Science.News
Science News & Studies
Medicine.News
Medicine News and Information
Food.News
Food News & Studies
Health.News
Health News & Studies
Herbs.News
Herbs News & Information
Pollution.News
Pollution News & Studies
Cancer.News
Cancer News & Studies
Climate.News
Climate News & Studies
Survival.News
Survival News & Information
Gear.News
Gear News & Information
Glitch.News
News covering technology, stocks, hackers, and more