Human ageing not caused by wear and tear but unhelpful genes

LONDON: Humans do not age because of wear and tear but because biological processes - which once helped us - fail to shut off, new research suggests.

Scientists from University College London, Lancaster University and Queen Mary University of London believe that once-useful genetic programmes continue to ‘run-on’ pointlessly in later life causing age-related diseases.

For example when women breastfeed, calcium is taken from their bones to fortify their milk, but in later life the same process can fuel osteoporosis, arthritis and calcified blood vessels which leads to heart disease.