Age: it's all in the genes

London - Finding the secret of what ages some people faster than others has long challenged scientists.

And now they may be a step closer to unlocking that mystery after identifying a gene that can make roughly half of us look two years younger than our peers.

The downside is that the other half have DNA that can age their skin as much as smoking – which is one of the biggest contributors to putting years on our faces. British and Dutch scientists say that unlocking the genetic secrets of ageing paves the way for pills and potions that could help all of us look younger for longer, even if we’re not blessed with the natural youthfulness of Joan Collins, who remains well-preserved despite always insisting she hasn’t had cosmetic surgery.

The researchers showed volunteers photos of more than 4 000 men and women and asked them to say how old they looked.

They then examined the DNA of the people in the pictures, to see if those who looked younger or older than their years carried particular genes. This showed that a gene called MC1R was the key. One version of the gene led to people looking older than they really were, the journal Current Biology reports.Genes come in pairs and around 6 percent of Britons were born with two copies of the ‘ageing’ gene and so look two years older than those who don’t have it at all. Another 43 percent have one copy and so look one year older.

But the other half are lucky enough to not carry it at all and stay younger for longer. Further analysis showed that those who had been aged by the gene didn’t have any more wrinkles. Nor were they any more likely to be sun worshippers than the others.

How the gene ages us is still a mystery but the team says it may fuel a number of features, such as age spots, red veins and loose skin.

Researcher Manfred Kayser, of Erasmus MC University in Rotterdam, said that the two-year difference is similar to that between smokers and non-smokers.

Study co-leader David Gunn, of food and beauty giant Unilever said: “By learning the secrets of those who look young for their age, we can find innovative ways to help everybody look younger for longer.”

In the meantime, Dr Gunn says the three best things for holding back the years are stopping smoking, staying out of the sun and looking after teeth.

Daily Mail