Check out this answer from Consensus:
The collective findings from multiple studies indicate a strong link between telomere dynamics and longevity. While initial telomere length and the rate of telomere shortening are significant predictors of lifespan, species-specific mechanisms and environmental factors also play crucial roles. Overall, maintaining longer telomeres and a slower rate of telomere erosion are associated with increased longevity.
Telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, play a crucial role in maintaining genomic stability. Their length and dynamics have been extensively studied to understand their relationship with aging and longevity. This synthesis aims to consolidate findings from various research papers to determine whether telomeres are linked to longevity.
Key Insights
- Telomere Length and Longevity Correlation:
- Species-Specific Telomere Dynamics:
- Long-lived species like the naked mole-rat show unique telomere dynamics, such as mild elongation with age, suggesting mechanisms that buffer against aging1.
- In contrast, other long-lived species like Spalax and Leach’s storm petrel show telomere shortening with age, but the longest-lived individuals tend to have longer telomeres initially1 4.
- Impact of Telomere Shortening Rate:
- Telomere Length as a Predictor of Longevity:
- Environmental and Genetic Influences:
Are telomeres linked to longevity?
Karl Riabowol has answered Likely
An expert from University of Calgary in Cell Biology, Anti-Ageing, Biochemistry, Genetics
Yes. Although this has been difficult to accurately test in the human population due to outbreeding and different experimental designs used in different studies. In highly inbred animals such as dogs, breeds with longer telomeres show a very strong tendency to live longer and of course, conversely, breeds with short telomeres have shorter lifespans.
Are telomeres linked to longevity?
Ken Parkinson has answered Uncertain
An expert from Queen Mary University of London in Oncology, Anti-Ageing, Cell Biology
There is an extensive literature on the correlation between leukocyte telomere length and health and it has been suggested that age-adjusted leukocyte telomere length is an indicator of your physiological age and susceptible to diet and oxidative damage etc. and there is undoubtedly a trend but with considerable scatter. Clearly, leukocytes are only one cell type and may not reflect the status of the more important tissues such as neurones, fat cells and muscle.
Recent data has shown that telomeres are particularly bad at repairing certain types of DNA damage including oxidative damage whether they are short or not and this damage accumulates in non-dividing cells with age (at least in mice).
However, there is no evidence that anti-oxidants prolong the lifespan of any mammalian species whereas telomere length and telomerase do. Oxidative damage does inhibit telomerase as well but positive regulators of telomerase are also present in a good diet.
People have different telomere lengths at birth further confounding the interpretation of these extensive correlations.
Are telomeres linked to longevity?
Dot Bennett has answered Near Certain
An expert from St George’s, University of London in Cell Biology, Skin Cancer, Oncology
Yes. Future lifespan is correlated with telomere length at a given age, although not 100% correlated obviously. People can die from many causes.
Are telomeres linked to longevity?
Vincent Geli has answered Likely
An expert from Cancer Research Center of Marseille in Oncology, Cell Biology
Yes, although studies have to be interpreted with caution to avoid confounding effects, many studies have correlated the occurrence of age-related disease with shorter telomere length.
The most convincing studies are probably those carried out on centenarians. Studies on “high-performing” centenarians that are remarkably successful in escaping or postponing age-related diseases indicate that telomere length as well as telomerase activity following stimulation are greater in the high-performing centenarians compared to low-performing centenarians. This is partly due to the fact that longer telomeres/telomerase activity contribute to sustain the function of the immune system.
Are telomeres linked to longevity?
Gerardo Ferbeyre has answered Near Certain
An expert from Université de Montréal in Biochemistry, Anti-Ageing
Definitely yes. In humans there are many correlative studies that show an association between short telomeres and age-linked diseases. However, correlations do not entail causation. The work of Maria Blasco has provided important demonstration that telomeres are linked to aging by studying the effects of expressing telomerase in mice.
Telomerase, the enzyme responsible for telomere synthesis, was discovered by Blackburn and Greider for which they were awarded with the Noble prize. In Blascos’ experiments, she and her colleagues showed that telomerase can increase the average life span in mice. However, there are important issues that remain unclear. Mouse have longer telomeres that humans and express telomerase in all their tissues but live shorter. It could be that other factors cause telomere damage or prevent telomerase from functioning in mice.