What is DNA damage?
Inside the nucleus of every cell in our body is DNA. The integrity of this DNA is critical to healthy cell replication and function. But every day, we experience up to one million DNA damage incidents from free radicals. The resulting accumulated damage underlies many conditions of aging and disease.
DNA damage and aging
The true cause of aging is the degradation of cell health over time. We can’t see it happening at the cellular level, but we see the symptoms of aging outwardly as sagging skin, age spots, achy joints, mental fog, loss of energy, and a general decrease in quality of life.
DNA damage and disease
Studies have proven that DNA damage accumulating over time leads to chronic conditions of aging, and also diseases such as cancer.
How your body repairs DNA damage?
Your body has anti-oxidants that help to block free radicals from causing DNA damage, but it’s not a perfect system, so damage does occur. Fortunately, your body has enzymes that repair DNA damage as it occurs. But eventually, your body’s DNA repair process cannot keep up with the damage that occurs, so that damage accumulates. This happens as you age, but also if your lifestyle is unhealthy, as in the case of smokers.