Telomere Length Test May Soon be Available to Consumers
Posted on May 16, 2011
The Independent reports that tests that measure telomeres will soon be on the market. Telomeres are structures located on the tips of all chromosomes. Telomeres are composed of coils of DNA. Telomeres get shorter with age. They have been linked to ageing and longevity. Experts say telomeres can be used to measure a person's biological age.
The Independent says a telomere test will go on sale in Britain later this year. It will cost 435 pounds, which is about $706 U.S. There is no information yet about U.S. availability of the test, but eventually telomere tests like this should be available to consumer worldwide.
Professor Jerry Shay of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre in Dallas told The Independent, "Everyone talks about the chronological age, but there is also a biological age, and telomere length is actually a pretty good representation of your biological age. Telomeres are important - there is no question of that."
Life Length, the company behind the technology, itself notes that there is not proof that telomere shortening causes aging.
While the association of short telomeres in older people supports the idea that telomere shortening is a marker of age-related pathology, it does not prove that telomere shortening causes aging. Telomere length is not associated with overall survival but rather with more years of living a healthy life, suggesting that telomere length may be an informative biomarker of healthy aging.On the plus side, these tests could give consumers more information about their health and life expectancy. On the downside, health insurance companies could also make use of the information. Health insurance companies might decide to charge higher rates to people with short telomeres.