AGEING RESEARCH
ENTERING THE TELO-AGE S
tudies into telomeres – DNA structures linked to the ageing of cells – date back eight decades. But since
telomeres were the focus of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, they’ve become the centre of attention in scientific communities and are already being used as health biomarkers in spa lifestyle programmes. Telomeres are caps at the ends of
our chromosomes which prevent them from fraying as our cells replicate. As a cell ages, its telomeres become shorter; when they fall below a certain length, the cell can no longer divide and it dies. This cell loss causes ageing in the body. However, the ageing of our cells
doesn’t always match our chronological ageing because, in addition to normal ageing, telomeres can be worn down through an unhealthy and stressful lifestyle. Conversely, it’s also been found that telomerase – an enzyme stimulated by healthy lifestyle changes including enhancing wellbeing – can protect telomeres from shortening and
46 In the last three years,
telomeres – an indication of cellular ageing – have
galvanised medical interest. Jay Williams explains the science behind telomere health and how it can be
used in spas and health clubs
may even lengthen them, effectively reversing the ageing process. A telomere test can analyse the
length of your telomeres to accurately measure your biological age and provide an evaluation of health – ie the longer your telomeres are, the healthier both you and your cells are. It can even show disease risk: cells with shortened telomeres may function poorly and have been linked to age-associated diseases such as osteoporosis and dementia. Until now, the ability to measure
telomere length has only been available through blood tests, but US company
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
Telome Health has now developed the saliva-based TeloTest™. Telome Health has been founded by leading telomere experts (more on that shortly) and the test is exciting news for the health, fi tness and wellbeing industry because saliva samples can be easily collected in a test tube at the club or at home. This single test might soon become the gold standard for gauging overall wellbeing, and an opportunity for operators to provide a wellness diagnostic tool.
The power of knowing Sha Wellness Clinic in Spain is one of the most recent examples of a spa taking advantage of advances in the study of telomeres. In January, it launched a seven-day Anti-Ageing Programme – costing €7,000 (US$9,350, £5,850) – that includes telomere analysis, via blood samples, to diagnose a person’s biological age. This information is then used in lifestyle and nutrition consultations specifically designed to improve the guest’s state of overall health.
July 2013 © Cybertrek 2013
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