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Have you ever thought about what it would feel like to know how long you are likely to live? That sounds straight out of a Sci-Fi movie, doesn't it? Well, it is not science fiction anymore. Researchers have developed a revolutionary technique analysing ‘intrinsic capacity’ with the help of your blood or saliva sample. According to WHO, “intrinsic capacity refers to the combination of one’s physical and mental abilities. The IC framework comprises cognition, mobility, psychological, vitality, and sensory functions.”
This new test analyses the DNA methylation with the help of a blood sample, and those analyses can track your ageing process and predict how long you are likely to live. The innovation could prove to be very helpful in helping people live a longer, healthier life by providing them ‘personalised’ care. Rather than relying on traditional medical methods, the technique can ‘individualise’ medical care and improve healthcare all over the world.
Tracking Aging And Predicting Lifespan
A study published in Nature Aging positions ‘intrinsic capacity (IC) Clock’ as a key indicator of aging and claims that it can guide targeted interventions to ensure good health in older age. From the blood or saliva samples, researchers collected data on DNA methylation- the process responsible for activating and deactivating genes. DNA methylation changes over time and the factors can vary from person to person. The common variables include, mutations, environment, metabolism, among others. The scientists then used this information to do a ‘predictive analysis of the IC Clock’ and determined the relationship of IC clock and mortality.
Another study by the Swedish AMORIS cohort supported this method by tracking 44,000 people and concluded that blood biomarker profiles can indeed provide important clues about longevity.
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Markers Predicting Lifespan
Scientists have identified a few key bio markers that help determine the longevity of your life. In people who had lived than a 100 years, following were the common indicators:
Higher total cholesterol and iron levels, traditionally considered as a risk factor for heart disease, scientists were surprised to find that those with longer lives had higher cholesterol and iron levels.
Lower glucose (HbA1c) levels, indicated better sugar control and also minimized the risk of diabetes.
Lower creatinine levels meant they had better functioning kidneys and as a result better overall health .
Lower uric acid and liver enzymes, hinting at low levels of inflammation and as a result better metabolism.
Doctor Suggests Lifestyle Changes
Dr. Shoibalini Karmokar, a general practitioner from Aceso Health Clinic, Mumbai, says the markers that determine lifespan suggest that with a few lifestyle changes, you can maintain good health for longer periods of time. “The notion that a healthy life is purely subject to good genetics and luck is challenged by these new researches. Our routines, diet and physical activity may play a huge role in determining the quality and quantity when it comes to aging,” she adds. Shoibalini suggests a few measures you can take from the research and adapt to for healthier living:
Eat Well: The focus should be on eating healthy, like fruits, veggies, and grains to name a few.
Physical Activity: It is important to have a fixed routine as to how much physical activity you are putting in on a daily basis.
Mindfulness: Keep your brain busy with healthy activities, that helps with keeping you present in the moment and protects you from stress.
Early Checkups: One should go for regular check ups to ensure that if something is not well, you get to know at an early stage than finding it out when it is too late.
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Conclusion
Inventions like these are a reminder that one should maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to be healthy in older age. It is not about ‘living long’ as is misconstrued often in public parlance, but it is about how well you are living. And to achieve both these parameters, regular blood testing, as suggested by these researchers is key in understanding your own body and taking care of it.