# @science on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DPcmbXhk_lL
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/35423805-science-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/fd4d0b3725.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-10-06T00:00:21.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Science 🧬 (@science) — https://gondola.cc/science

## Caption

A researcher from Brigham Young University found, in 2017, that running for 30 or 40 minutes every day, 5 days a week, can reduce the shortening of telomeres and decrease cellular aging by approximately 9 years.⁠
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Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, thread-like structures in cells that hold our DNA. They're often compared with the plastic tips at the end of shoelaces, as they stop the ends of chromosomes from fraying & sticking to other chromosomes.⁠
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Telomeres are considered a marker of biological age. As we get older, telomere length shortens. When telomeres become too short, they can no longer protect chromosomes, leading to cell dysfunction and eventual cell death.⁠
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Poor lifestyle factors, such as lack of exercise, also contribute to telomere shortening by causing oxidative stress, which is the inability of the body to offset the cell damage caused by free radicals.⁠
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#aging #running #runner #cellularaging #chromosomes #science #biology

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## Tags

aging, science, cellularaging, running, runner, biology, chromosomes

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