Extreme heat can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, affect mental health and worsen asthma. And those negative health effects are particularly dangerous to elderly people: Now, a new study suggests extreme heat could even alter the DNA of older adults and accelerate biological aging.

New research reveals residents in America's hottest cities may age 14 months faster biologically. Discover which 6 cities show the most dramatic effects.

A study published in the journal Science Advances makes the case that extreme heat is aging millions of Americans more quickly than their counterparts in cooler climates. The impact of chronic exposure to high temperatures, researchers found, is equivalent to the effect of habitual smoking on cellular aging.

Extreme heat exposure may speed up biological aging in older adults, a new study finds. Authors of the report said they’re concerned about how climate change and heat waves could affect molecular aging activity and long-term health.

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer A new study found that adults ages 56 and older who lived in areas with more heat waves had accelerated biological aging.Biological age refers to the age of your cells, not the amount of time that has passed since your birth.