What is telomere testing?
Genetic testing is on the rise as more and more people are interested in the valuable information it can offer. A telomere test is a type of genetic test that measures the length of your telomeres and uses this to determine your biological age. This can provide you with a better understanding of your ageing process, and how to slow it down.
What is a telomere and why is it’s length so important?
Telomeres are DNA structures found at the end of chromosomes. Chromosomes are located within the nucleus of a cell and contain your body’s DNA. Telomeres act as DNA buffers to protect the chromosomes from damage that may occur during cell division.
The telomeres shorten every time a cell divides, so the decrease in telomere length is directly associated with ageing
Lifestyle choices such as smoking, poor diet, drinking too much alcohol, lack of exercise and stress can all affect the length of your telomeres and impact your biological age.
The length of your telomeres can therefore be used as a marker in determining your biological age.
What are the benefits of telomere testing?
Once you receive the results of the test, there are different things you can do to potentially reverse telomere shortening, and therefore increase the lifespan of your cells.
For example, there are certain supplements which have been shown to help improve the length of telomeres, and the test results will help your doctor to point out any supplements that specifically you would benefit from.
In your follow up consultation, we can also investigate whether there are any lifestyle changes that you may want to adopt in order to help improve your genetic age. For example, a healthier more balanced diet, stopping smoking, increase your levels of exercise and reducing the stress in your life.
Who would benefit from it?
- Anyone who is concerned about, or interested in their ageing, and how to slow the process down
- Anyone with a family history of early ageing or conditions that contribute to it.
- Anyone who wants an effective and personalised anti-ageing treatment regime.
What does the test involve?
After recommending telomere testing to you, your doctor will collect a cheek swab sample, and then you will receive the results of the test in 2 weeks. Unlike some types of genetic tests, this is non-invasive and very low risk.
You will be provided with a comprehensive report of the results of the test. This includes your average telomere lengths and your estimated biological age, as well as an interpretation of these results with specific recommendations of active ingredients and/or compounds that are most beneficial for reducing the ageing rate, depending on the length detected in the telomeres.
To find out more about Telomere testing and how we can reduce your ageing rate, please contact us
