Telomeres Are Keys to the Body’s Time Machine

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Researchers now believe they may have discovered the proverbial time machine for the human body!

Imagine being 90 years old, but with the organ function and mental faculties of a 20-something. No matter how wide-ranging our opinions might be, nearly everyone can probably find common-ground in the wish to live our lives in our physical and mental prime — and new breakthroughs in longevity science mean that living with high energy and robust good health is increasingly possible, even as we age.

Breakthrough in Age Reversal Research

Telomeres are small units of DNA at the ends of our chromosomes. They are not unlike the aglets on the ends of our shoelaces, keeping our chromosomes from fraying, and our genes from unravelling.

if shortening telomeres
cause our cells to age,
lengthening them should
reverse the age of cells!”

Normally, cells divide until they become dysfunctional or die. This is a primary reason that we grow old. What happens is that these telomeres shorten. Now, the hypothesis of the researchers was essentially this: if shortening telomeres cause our cells to age, lengthening them should reverse the age of cells!

A Startling Experiment

In an experiment, scientists artificially aged mice and, as you might expect, the mice developed degenerative problems (yes, this is the shadow side of modern science; please don’t think I’m just glazing over it; presenting this research accurately means addressing its use of mice).

As the mice were knocking on death’s door, researchers re-activated the telomerase enzyme. “What happened?” you ask. Well, the telomeres lengthened!

After 30 days, there was a reversal of degeneration in every system. Age-related pathologies reversed, organ damage reversed, neurological damage reversed, fertility was restored, and the mice went on to live normal life spans! See what I mean by “time machine?!”

Now, to be fair, mice are not people — and artificially shortened life spans are not necessarily a perfectly accurate representation of naturally shortened life spans. However, if nothing else, this study is surely grounds for further research and should legitimize age reversal studies within the mainstream scientific community.

As consciousness about the longevity lifestyle increases, their should be less need for undoing damage because good choices will have acted as preventative measures from the beginning (for more information about this, you can check out the article from Life Extension Magazine, “What Are We Doing to Reverse Your Biological Age?”).

Time Machine in a Pill?

It should be noted: as telomeres shorten, and cells become dysfunctional, we become afflicted with disease. Telomere-shortening is a normal part of life. However, there is much evidence to support the idea that people who practice healthy lifestyles may slow the shortening rate. There is also evidence that…

• ▸ fish oil
• ▸ vitamin D
• ▸ carnosine
• ▸ and multi-vitamins

…may slow the shortening rate.

 
So, while there is no “time machine” telomerase pill on the market at the moment, we have other powerful methods at our disposal. And, even if their were a time machine pill on the shelves this very day, it’s important to understand the point of this study. The researchers are trying to find a means to reverse pathologies in people who have made a lifetime’s worth of bad choices. People who follow the standard modern diet would fit in this category.

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