你可能聽說過在家測DNA,甚至為了解更多祖先或疾病風險的信息,可能發(fā)過頰拭子或唾液樣本的快遞。現在,有越來越多的公司提供非處方端粒檢測方式,幫助人們了解身體衰老的狀況。
端粒是什么?
端粒是染色體末端DNA和蛋白質的組合。端粒類似鞋帶末端的塑料尖端,能夠防止DNA“磨損”或丟失遺傳物質。隨著年齡增長,端粒會變短。
西班牙薩拉曼卡大學(University of Salamanca)的護理和物理治療教授胡安·路易斯·桑切斯·岡薩雷斯博士說:“端粒是重要的生物衰老標志,通常被認為是細胞的時鐘或計時器,因為端粒標記細胞分裂的次數,直到細胞死亡?!?/p>
一些研究認為,如果端粒長度縮短,糖尿病、心血管疾病和壽命縮短的風險則會增加。研究重點在改變端粒長度,從而預防特定的年齡疾病風險以及降低衰老的影響。
端粒長度對認知能力或癡呆風險的影響尚不清楚。
在2022年的一項研究中,岡薩雷斯比較了70多歲經常鍛煉和不鍛煉的女性的端粒長度,發(fā)現端粒長度和認知能力之間并無關聯(lián)。另一項研究發(fā)現,端粒長度偏短或偏長的話,罹患阿爾茨海默病的風險更高。一名研究員則指出關聯(lián)“并不一致”。
“這是全新領域?!辟e夕法尼亞州立大學(Pennsylvania State University)生物標志物核心實驗室(Biomarker Core Lab)的基因研究員、教授蘇·拉瑟弗德·西格博士表示?!拔覀內匀辉谂ρ芯亢痛_定端粒縮短的各種影響?!?/p>
端粒檢測有效嗎?
一些提供家庭檢測的公司承諾,通過DNA可以檢測出實際生理年齡,并能夠從中了解細胞健康程度。但事實上,端粒測試結果可能不具備參考價值。
“并不是說端粒長度到一定數值就代表不健康,因為正常端粒長度范圍很大?!蔽鞲駹栒f?!岸肆S著年齡增長自然縮短……這只是自然衰老過程,不過人們發(fā)現,同為60歲的人,端粒長和端粒短差別巨大?!?/p>
多大年齡端粒多長算“健康”并無標準,而且評估端粒長度的方法就有多種,結果也往往存在顯著差異。研究顯示,常見測試方法即定量聚合酶鏈式反應或qPCR測試,結果的波動性高達20%,在不同日期檢測可能會獲得不同的結果。
“有些是檢測誤差,有些(端粒長度變化)可能是生物調節(jié)(或)縮短期和補償期延長。”加州大學(University of California)衰老、代謝和情緒中心(Aging, Metabolism and Emotions Center)的聯(lián)合主任埃莉薩·埃佩爾博士表示?!岸肆6淌墙】碉L險因素之一,僅會略微增加患病風險。還有很多其他因素會影響患病風險,例如健康行為和基因?!?/p>
由于存在種種挑戰(zhàn),埃佩爾認為沒有必要在家做端粒檢測,并補充道:“如果有人非常希望在生活方式重大變化之前、期間和之后檢測端粒長度,結果可能有點參考意義。但在我看來,(端粒檢測)沒有那么重要?!?/p>
如何保持端粒長度
想了解端粒長度或許并不需要交出信用卡信息,不過養(yǎng)成可以保持或改善端粒長度的健康習慣確實很重要。
多吃富含豆類、堅果、水果和咖啡的飲食(不喝含糖飲料,不吃紅肉和加工肉類)可能有助于保持端粒長度;運動、良好睡眠和戒煙(或不吸煙)也與避免端粒縮短有關。不過西格爾指出,這些往往都代表著健康生活方式,不管對端粒具體影響如何都有好處。
盡管證據越來越多,不過就連研究人員也承認,需要進一步研究才能夠加深理解端粒長度與健康衰老之間的關系。(財富中文網)
譯者:夏林
你可能聽說過在家測DNA,甚至為了解更多祖先或疾病風險的信息,可能發(fā)過頰拭子或唾液樣本的快遞?,F在,有越來越多的公司提供非處方端粒檢測方式,幫助人們了解身體衰老的狀況。
端粒是什么?
端粒是染色體末端DNA和蛋白質的組合。端粒類似鞋帶末端的塑料尖端,能夠防止DNA“磨損”或丟失遺傳物質。隨著年齡增長,端粒會變短。
西班牙薩拉曼卡大學(University of Salamanca)的護理和物理治療教授胡安·路易斯·桑切斯·岡薩雷斯博士說:“端粒是重要的生物衰老標志,通常被認為是細胞的時鐘或計時器,因為端粒標記細胞分裂的次數,直到細胞死亡。”
一些研究認為,如果端粒長度縮短,糖尿病、心血管疾病和壽命縮短的風險則會增加。研究重點在改變端粒長度,從而預防特定的年齡疾病風險以及降低衰老的影響。
端粒長度對認知能力或癡呆風險的影響尚不清楚。
在2022年的一項研究中,岡薩雷斯比較了70多歲經常鍛煉和不鍛煉的女性的端粒長度,發(fā)現端粒長度和認知能力之間并無關聯(lián)。另一項研究發(fā)現,端粒長度偏短或偏長的話,罹患阿爾茨海默病的風險更高。一名研究員則指出關聯(lián)“并不一致”。
“這是全新領域。”賓夕法尼亞州立大學(Pennsylvania State University)生物標志物核心實驗室(Biomarker Core Lab)的基因研究員、教授蘇·拉瑟弗德·西格博士表示?!拔覀內匀辉谂ρ芯亢痛_定端??s短的各種影響?!?/p>
端粒檢測有效嗎?
一些提供家庭檢測的公司承諾,通過DNA可以檢測出實際生理年齡,并能夠從中了解細胞健康程度。但事實上,端粒測試結果可能不具備參考價值。
“并不是說端粒長度到一定數值就代表不健康,因為正常端粒長度范圍很大?!蔽鞲駹栒f?!岸肆S著年齡增長自然縮短……這只是自然衰老過程,不過人們發(fā)現,同為60歲的人,端粒長和端粒短差別巨大。”
多大年齡端粒多長算“健康”并無標準,而且評估端粒長度的方法就有多種,結果也往往存在顯著差異。研究顯示,常見測試方法即定量聚合酶鏈式反應或qPCR測試,結果的波動性高達20%,在不同日期檢測可能會獲得不同的結果。
“有些是檢測誤差,有些(端粒長度變化)可能是生物調節(jié)(或)縮短期和補償期延長?!奔又荽髮W(University of California)衰老、代謝和情緒中心(Aging, Metabolism and Emotions Center)的聯(lián)合主任埃莉薩·埃佩爾博士表示?!岸肆6淌墙】碉L險因素之一,僅會略微增加患病風險。還有很多其他因素會影響患病風險,例如健康行為和基因。”
由于存在種種挑戰(zhàn),埃佩爾認為沒有必要在家做端粒檢測,并補充道:“如果有人非常希望在生活方式重大變化之前、期間和之后檢測端粒長度,結果可能有點參考意義。但在我看來,(端粒檢測)沒有那么重要?!?/p>
如何保持端粒長度
想了解端粒長度或許并不需要交出信用卡信息,不過養(yǎng)成可以保持或改善端粒長度的健康習慣確實很重要。
多吃富含豆類、堅果、水果和咖啡的飲食(不喝含糖飲料,不吃紅肉和加工肉類)可能有助于保持端粒長度;運動、良好睡眠和戒煙(或不吸煙)也與避免端粒縮短有關。不過西格爾指出,這些往往都代表著健康生活方式,不管對端粒具體影響如何都有好處。
盡管證據越來越多,不過就連研究人員也承認,需要進一步研究才能夠加深理解端粒長度與健康衰老之間的關系。(財富中文網)
譯者:夏林
You may have heard about at-home DNA testing and might have even sent a cheek swab or saliva sample off in the mail to learn more about your ancestry or disease risk. Now, a growing number of companies are offering over-the-counter tests to measure your telomeres and provide insights into how your body is aging.
What are telomeres?
Telomeres are combinations of DNA and protein at the end of a chromosome. Similar to plastic tips on the ends of shoelaces, telomeres prevent DNA from “fraying” or losing genetic material. Your telomeres get shorter as you get older.
“Telomeres are the main biomarkers of aging,” says Juan Luis Sánchez González PhD, professor of nursing and physiotherap at the University of Salamanca in Spain. “They are considered to be the clocks or timers of the cell since they mark the number of cell divisions until the cell dies.”
Some research has linked shorter telomere length to an increased risk of?diabetes,?cardiovascular disease and?shorter lifespan. Research has also focused on changing telomere length as an avenue to prevent age-specific disease risk and limit the impacts of aging.
The impact of telomere length and cognitive performance or dementia risk is less clear.
In a 2022?study, González compared telomere length of physically active women in their seventies with inactive women in the same age group and found no correlation between telomere length and cognitive performance. Separate?research found shorter and longer telomere length were associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. One researcher?noted the link was “inconsistent.”
“This is a new field,” says Sue Rutherford Siegel Ph.D., a genetic researcher and professor in the Biomarker Core Lab at Penn State. “We’re still trying to research and identify all the ramifications of telomere shortening at this point in time.”
Does telomere testing work?
Some companies that offer at-home testing promise your DNA will reveal your true biological age and provide insight into your cellular health. In reality, the results obtained through telomere testing might not be valuable.
“It’s not like a person who has [a certain] measurement of telomere length is in good health because there’s a great range [in normal telomere length],” says Siegel. “Telomeres will shorten with age naturally…it’s just the natural progression of aging, but even among 60-year-olds, you’ll find a vast amount of differences between those that have long and short [telomeres].”
Not only is there no standard for what constitutes a “healthy” telomere length by age, there are also multiple methods for evaluating telomere length and often significant variations in the results.?Research shows that one common test, the quantitative polymerase chain reaction or qPCR test, has up to a 20% variability in results and testing on different days can lead to different results.
“Some of it is measurement error but some [changes to telomere length] may be true biological regulation [or] periods of shortening and compensatory periods of lengthening,” says Elissa Epel PhD, co-director of the Aging, Metabolism and Emotions Center at the University of California. “Having short telomeres is simply a risk factor for health [but] it only slightly increases your risk for disease. So many other factors go into your risk [like] your health behaviors and your genetics.”
Given the challenges, Epel doesn’t believe it’s worth investing in at-home telomere testing, adding, “If someone is dedicated to getting repeated measures of telomere length, before, during and after a big lifestyle change, that could be interesting. But for me [testing] is not a priority.”
How to preserve telomere length
It might not be necessary to hand over your credit card information to learn your telomere length but it is important to prioritize healthy habits that could preserve or improve telomere length.
Eating a diet chock full of legumes, nuts, fruits, and coffee (and skipping sugar-sweetened drinks, red and processed meats) could help?preserve telomere length; exercise, optimal sleep and quitting (or not smoking) were also?linked to less telomere shortening—but Siegel notes that these are the oft-cited hallmarks of a healthy lifestyle and beneficial regardless of their impact on telomeres.
Despite a growing body of evidence, even researchers?admit that further studies are needed to get a better understanding of the connection between telomere length and healthy aging.