Keep The Long in Longevity – Telomere Length and Cancer

Keep The Long in Longevity – Telomere Length and Cancer

We are all mortal and some people will go to great lengths to live longer. The quality of life is just as important and telomeres, the cap at the end of each strand of DNA has been associated with both. Telomere length may be a predictor of cancer risk and cancer fatality.

One of the theories on aging is that each time your DNA replicates, you lose telomere length. Once a cell reaches a certain number of replications, the telomere becomes too short. Like a shoelace that loses its cap, with the cap (telomere) gone, DNA unravels and can no longer serve as a template to make new proteins, cells and other factors for growth and repair. Loss of telomere length can also cause cells to become unstable and replication continues in an unbridled fashion to produce malignant cancer.

In July’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers looked at telomere length and the overall incidence of cancer and mortality. They found a link between telomere length and certain types of cancer. There was also some evidence that tumors with a high fatality rate were associated with telomere length. Tumors with a more favorable prognosis showed little or no association with telomere length.

Keep The Long in Longevity – Telomere Length and Cancer Takeaway:

Their conclusions were that short telomeres are associated with an enhanced risk of cancer and fatal cancer in particular. You can measure your cellular longevity by measuring telomere length. Telomere length can be maintained with an anti-aging diet, dietary supplements and lifestyle. Although, other factors all of which may enhance your health. Therefore, assure healthy aging and the ability to repair and regenerate cells. Schedule a consult with an Anti Aging Doctor to measure your telomere length and learn how to preserve that length. Stay tuned for more on this topic.