Why do shorter people have lower DNA damage and live longer?

[mad_scientist]

Anyone know?

[StringJunky]

You need to provide sources that this the case.

[mad_scientist]

here u go:

https://youtu.be/3nH_T9fLd_Q?t=2m17s

Edited April 8, 2017 by mad_scientist

[Sensei]

here u go:

https://youtu.be/3nH_T9fLd_Q?t=2m17s

 

You can't be serious with this "source"...

[Strange]

here u go:

https://youtu.be/3nH_T9fLd_Q?t=2m17s

 

 

There wasn't anything relevant in there, as far as I could tell.

 

But at least it was short. (See what I did there.)

[swansont]

There are a number of studies showing the longevity issue.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071721/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1600586

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/07/height_and_longevity_the_research_is_clear_being_tall_is_hazardous_to_your.html

http://www.menshealth.com/health/do-tall-guys-die-younger

[HB of CJ]

Gravity Sucks

[CharonY]

The really contentious part is the DNA-damage aspect, as to my knowledge there is no link. Size, on the other hand has physiological consequences.

[OldChemE]

The interesting part to me is that in reading the links posted by Swansont the two medical articles kept mixing the topic of height with the topic of diet. In other words, they repeatedly mentioned dietary differences that they implied were responsible to some degree for height differences. So, is it height that is the factor or is it the means by which the height is achieved??

[CharonY]

The background is that height is strongly dependent on nutrition during infancy and childhood.

[Velocity_Boy]

You need to provide sources that this the case.

 

 

How about this source?

 

 

http://www.my9nj.com/fox-content-hub/231038610-story

Anyone know?

Anytime a member of a species tried to abnormal height of weight, the chances of DNA damage increase simply because there are more cells in the organisms. Thus more chances for the DNA in any of those additional cells to be damaged.

 

There are also disorders and diseases found in tall people that are exclusive to, well, tall people. Marfan Syndrome comes to mind. As does people with pituitary gland abnormalities. And of course talked people have a much increased chance of orthopedic problems.

 

We need to remember that DNA damage by no means equates to having a disease or other noticeable affliction. Nor does it guarantee poor health. We all have a slew of damaged DNA chains in our bodies. And only a very tiny percentage of us will ever suffer from that of know about it.

 

I also think it would be incredibly difficult to prove that over the years of human development and civilizations, that persons who are below the normal bright at their given era actually enjoyed greater longevity than their taller peers. There would be way too many factors that could be corrolary and not causal.

 

Given all that, there is this......

 

 

 

http://www.my9nj.com/fox-content-hub/231038610-story

[Danijel Gorupec]

Did I just read that well-fed kids might grow into people that might have some under-sized internal organs for their body size? Like broiler chicken.

 

Hmm... not entirely senseless if we suppose that evolution optimized our genome for a restricted-diet childhood... But even if so, I guess medicine will find methods to counteract.

 

If so (and I am a complete ignorant in this field and short), I guess that somewhat decreased oxygen supply to cells (under-sized lungs, heart, blood vessels), or decreased cell waste removal, or possible problems with temperature regulation could have effect on DNA damage by reducing cell ability of DNA reparation.

[Velocity_Boy]

Did I just read that well-fed kids might grow into people that might have some under-sized internal organs for their body size? Like broiler chicken.

 

Hmm... not entirely senseless if we suppose that evolution optimized our genome for a restricted-diet childhood... But even if so, I guess medicine will find methods to counteract.

 

If so (and I am a complete ignorant in this field and short), I guess that somewhat decreased oxygen supply to cells (under-sized lungs, heart, blood vessels), or decreased cell waste removal, or possible problems with temperature regulation could have effect on DNA damage by reducing cell ability of DNA reparation.

 

 

Uh, no...that's a huge exaggeration, considering that the slightly smaller organ-to-body-size ration would be, percentage-wise, all but negligible. At least insofar as it being enough to cause a significant curtailing in the oxy-delivery mechanism at the cellular level.

 

But after doing a little research on this whole matter I came across an online article published a few years ago in the UK.

 

Here please find an interesting discovery at the genetic level...........

 

 

"Short men will live longer than taller people because they are more likely to carry a gene that protects them from the effects of ageing, scientists have revealed.

The so-called “longevity gene” FOXO3 has been proven to enhance lifespan in animal tests but has never before been linked to variations in height in humans.

A new scientific study, the largest of its kind and involving more than 8,000 aging American-Japanese men in Hawaii, conclusively showed a direct connection between short height and long life.

FOXO3, they found, leads to smaller body size during early development and a longer lifespan overall. Short men were also more likely to have lower blood insulin levels and less likely to get cancer.

“This study shows, for the first time, that body size is linked to this gene,” said co-author and University of Hawaii professor Bradley Willcox.

The scientists split their test subjects into two groups, those 5ft 2ins and shorter and those 5ft 4ins and taller, and found that there was a clear divide in how long each lived.

There was also no clear cut-off point at which point being even taller stopped you living any shorter, or vice versa. Dr Willcox said: “The folks that were 5-2 and shorter lived the longest. The range was seen all the way across from being 5-foot tall to 6-foot tall. The taller you got, the shorter you lived.”

[CharonY]

That is actually quite interesting and from a rough look at the data, the link seems to have more explanatory power than the earlier mentioned cancer rate.

[mad_scientist]

 

"Short men will live longer than taller people because they are more likely to carry a gene that protects them from the effects of ageing, scientists have revealed.

The so-called “longevity gene” FOXO3 has been proven to enhance lifespan in animal tests but has never before been linked to variations in height in humans.

A new scientific study, the largest of its kind and involving more than 8,000 aging American-Japanese men in Hawaii, conclusively showed a direct connection between short height and long life.

FOXO3, they found, leads to smaller body size during early development and a longer lifespan overall. Short men were also more likely to have lower blood insulin levels and less likely to get cancer.

“This study shows, for the first time, that body size is linked to this gene,” said co-author and University of Hawaii professor Bradley Willcox.

The scientists split their test subjects into two groups, those 5ft 2ins and shorter and those 5ft 4ins and taller, and found that there was a clear divide in how long each lived.

There was also no clear cut-off point at which point being even taller stopped you living any shorter, or vice versa. Dr Willcox said: “The folks that were 5-2 and shorter lived the longest. The range was seen all the way across from being 5-foot tall to 6-foot tall. The taller you got, the shorter you lived.”

 

Which humans have this FOXO3 gene for shorter height? Is it exclusive to east asians or do all groups of humans have this gene?

 

in the link i provided, the guy also mentions shorter people have higher heart pumping efficiency, does this mean shorter people have an unfair advantage making better long-distance runners where you undertake prolonged endurance activities which require the heart to be pumping efficiently?

Did I just read that well-fed kids might grow into people that might have some under-sized internal organs for their body size? Like broiler chicken.

 

Hmm... not entirely senseless if we suppose that evolution optimized our genome for a restricted-diet childhood... But even if so, I guess medicine will find methods to counteract.

 

If so (and I am a complete ignorant in this field and short), I guess that somewhat decreased oxygen supply to cells (under-sized lungs, heart, blood vessels), or decreased cell waste removal, or possible problems with temperature regulation could have effect on DNA damage by reducing cell ability of DNA reparation.

 

hmm...interesting. i have heard that the mediterranean diet as well as cultures which place a high emphasis on intermittent fasting actually live longer and are healthier. maybe there is some sort of connection?