Telomere Testing

You are here: Home \ Telomere Testing

The Importance of Telomeres

Its never too late to be what you might be.

“Rediscovering the fountain of youth.”

DNA or a chromosome is responsible for the genetic information in the body. It makes up our biological cells, tissues, and organs. 

Telomeres are repetitive genetic information located at the end of a chromosome. They look like caps at the tips of shoelaces. Moreover, they are also vital to human cells as they protect the ends of DNA from being damaged. 

Cells need to multiply to replenish our body, and whenever it makes a copy, telomeres get shorter bit by bit. As the age increases, telomeres get too short and are unable to protect the cells during multiplication. This event causes cells to get damaged and stop functioning correctly. Eventually, the cells die, and ultimately you die too. Thus, the length of the telomeres are a known factor in determining the cell age.

According to a study in 2011, the shortening of telomeres causes apoptosis or cell death and leads to increase risks for diseases and survival. Moreover, lifestyle plays a factor in decreasing the shortening rate of telomeres. Thus, exercise and proper diet can help in preventing the length of telomeres from shortening.

Telomere testing requires a blood sample sent to a specialized lab which is handled by physicians.

Benefits of telomere testing

  • Understand the individual’s overall aging process
  • Gain insights on the impact of the current lifestyle practices on his health
  • Get a heads-up on the risks of acquiring age-related diseases
  • Know when to change lifestyle practices to combat the disease

FURTHER READING

https://www.tasciences.com/what-is-a-telomere.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3370421/