Lifeboat Foundation

Observational studies of the relationship between alcohol use and telomere length have produced conflicting results. The largest such study to date, of 4,567 individuals, found no association between alcohol intake and either baseline or longitudinal change in telomere length [9]. Another analysis of two American cohorts (n = 2623) also reported null findings [10]. On the other hand, a few small studies (sample size range: 255‑1800) have observed associations with heavy drinking or AUD. Participants with AUD have been reported to have shorter telomeres compared to healthy controls [11]. A longitudinal study of Helsinki businessmen observed that higher midlife alcohol consumption was associated with shorter telomere length in older age [8]. Drinking 30 g/day of alcohol in older participants was associated with shorter telomeres in a Korean study [12]. Associations were stronger in those experiencing the alcohol flush reaction, raising the intriguing possibility that acetaldehyde, ethanol’s toxic breakdown product, is mechanistically involved. In a recent review of 27 studies, 10 showed significant associations between alcohol use and telomere length [13]. The studies included cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. The majority comprised European participants with ages ranging from the third to seventh decade. Most studies observed positive associations between alcohol and LTL. However heterogeneity between studies in methods of quantifying telomere length and categorizing alcohol intake hindered meta-analysis and aggregation of the data.

MR seeks to identify potentially causal determinants of an outcome. It estimates the association between genetically predicted levels of an exposure and an outcome of interest. Residual confounding and reverse causation aim to be less of a concern than in most other methods of analyzing observational data [14]. With MR, genetic proxies can be used to study the effects of genetically-predicted variability in alcohol consumption or AUD risk. To our knowledge, no MR study of alcohol and telomere length has yet been attempted.

We conducted a large observational study of two alcohol phenotypes, alcohol consumption and AUD, and leucocyte. We then performed linear MR analyses to investigate the evidence for a causal effect between alcohol consumption/AUD and LTL. Estimates generated by our observational and genetic methods were compared. Genetic distinction between different alcohol use traits motivates their separate analysis. Quantity/frequency measures such as drinks per week and AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption, a 3 item screening tool), while moderately genetically correlated with AUD, have distinct patterns of genetic correlation with other traits [13]. Furthermore, as there has been much speculation about potential J-shaped relationships between alcohol and health outcomes [15], we performed a non-linear MR analysis to examine the shape of the relationship between alcohol consumption and telomere length.

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Bristle Discount Link (Oral microbiome quantification):
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https://www.bmq30trk.com/4FL3LK/GTSC3/

Continue reading “Quantifying Biological Age: Blood Test #4 in 2022” »

Elevian is one of several companies searching for ways to increase life span — in this case, using a protein called GDF11. But challenges lie ahead.

Glycine, the simple let often over looked longevity supplement could seriously improve your health!

Glycine is a simple, cost effective longevity supplement that is often overlooked. With numerous positive effects on health and longevity, maybe it’s time to add glycine to your longevity regiment?

Researchers at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have developed a first-of-its-kind roadmap detailing how stem cells become sensory interneurons—the cells that enable sensations like touch, pain and itch.

The study, conducted using embryonic stem cells from mice, also identified a method for producing all types of sensory interneurons in the laboratory. 𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐝𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬.

Ageless biomarkers and diagnostics company overview.

So proud of fellow Ageless Partners® coach Kamila Issabayeva for giving such an excellent overview of all the different Biomarkers currently on the market. Also, I had the pleasure of being a co-moderator together with Jason C. Mercurio of this wonderful intellectual presentation.

Continue reading “Ageless Biomarkers & Diagnostics Companies” »

Scientists studying the aging process in the eye have made an important discovery around the role of a so-called “youth” protein, and shown how it promotes a cellular recycling process that maintains our vision. Experiments on mice missing this protein led to fast-tracked degeneration in the retina, indicating that the protein plays an important protective role against age-related vision loss.

Led by scientists at the US National Eye Institute, the study centers on a protein called pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF). This protein plays an important mediatory role in a natural recycling process in the eye. It is produced by a layer of support cells, called the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which sits beneath the retina’s light-sensing photoreceptor cells and helps recycle and replenish them as their outer edges wear out. This ability declines as we grow older and in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), leading to vision loss.

“People have called PEDF the ‘youth’ protein, because it is abundant in young retinas, but it declines during aging,” said Patricia Becerra, senior author of the study. “This study showed for the first time that just removing PEDF leads to a host of gene changes that mimic aging in the retina.”

Summary: Researchers have created a new blueprint that outlines how embryonic stem cells from mice become sensory interneurons and identified a method for producing sensory interneurons in a lab setting. If the results can be replicated in human stem cells, researchers say the findings could contribute to the development of therapies to restore sensation to those suffering nerve damage and spinal cord injury.

Source: UCLA

Researchers at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have developed a first-of-its-kind roadmap detailing how stem cells become sensory interneurons — the cells that enable sensations like touch, pain and itch.