Human beings have long been fascinated with the idea of understanding and defining who and what they are. For the majority of mankind’s history, the answer to the questions of personal identity were solely based on philosophical ideas, external appearances and a person’s geographical location on the planet. However, over the past few decades, medical experts have been able to use science to provide a more definitive answer to these questions. This is thanks in part to mankind’s ability to study, identify and differentiate parts of the human DNA.
DNA is the basic building block of all living things, including humans. It sets the standard for things like how tall we will grow, the color of our hair, our personality and many other traits that define who and what a person is.
For this reason, it is understandable that medical professionals are using DNA as a trustworthy way of determining an individual’s overall biological health. A DNA telomere test gives our team the ability to examine the length of your DNA telomeres and see how this relates to your current age. Using this information, our medical professionals can give you a wide range of lifestyle changes and health improvement suggestions to enhance your quality of life and minimize your risk of developing a disease.
Understanding DNA Telomeres
Simply put, telomeres are unique structures located at the end of human chromosomes. They have the same sequence of DNA repeated multiple times. In humans, the sequence is TTAGGG. This sequence is repeated up to 3,000 times in each telomere.
The purpose of telomeres in human DNA is threefold:
- They help with the organization of the 46 chromosomes found in the control center, or nucleus, of human cells.
- In the same way that a plastic tip on the end of a shoelace prevents the shoelace from coming unraveled, so the telomeres serve to protect our DNA, preventing chromosomes of one type from sticking to another chromosome type.
- They prevent DNA information from being lost during the DNA replication process. This is because when a cell goes through DNA replication, the chromosomes are shortened. However, since the telomeres are what is on the end, the only thing that is lost is the telomere. The DNA is left intact, ensuring that none of your genes are lost.
What Does a DNA Telomere Test Do?
Over time, the telomeres of your DNA can become so short that during the reproduction process, some of the information in your DNA is lost. If this happens, a cell may not be able to reproduce itself.
This test is designed to look at the length of your telomeres in relation to your age. Their length, along with how old you are, shows how healthy you are in general. If you have shorter telomeres, you have a higher risk of getting conditions like:
- Depression
- Osteoarthritis
- Vascular dementia
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular diseases
This test can be an excellent wake-up call for an individual whose telomere length indicates that they are at risk for a particular disease. They realize that they need to make lifestyle changes to improve their overall health. One example of a lifestyle change is eating telomere-friendly foods, such as nuts and green, leafy vegetables. For many individuals, this test gives them an early enough warning to allow them to make changes that can save their life.
We encourage you to visit Better Life Carolinas in Charleston or Charlotte to learn more information about how a DNA telomere test can benefit you. We are proud partners with Life Length, the world leader in telomere testing and a United States federally certified laboratory. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.