The secret to longevity resides in our genes.
Unfortunately, we can’t say that the fountain of youth has been discovered. However, a group of scientists has managed to tag a few genes which could hold the key to a long life. Secret to a long life has been unraveled and it would seem that it’s all in the genes.
The study itself has been performed by several medical researchers who were keen on finding how people can reach their 100th birthday. In order to see what ticks inside us, the group requested the assistance of several thousand volunteers.
Approximately 1800 people over 100-year-old were interviewed in this research endeavor. The scientist studied an additional group comprised of 5400 people over 90. Based on their observation, the results tend to point in the same direction.
The secret to a long life has been unraveled and it seems to have something to do with our genes. Researchers have been able to trace the process to 4 pairs of genes in each, which share common traits with several known disease.
As so, the group managed to retrace the process back to the genes which are associated with blood type, cell division and, more stunning, with Alzheimer’s disease. The scientists even stumbled upon another surprise: it would seem that one of the genes responsible for the aging process can also be found in a species of fruit flies. That specific gene can actually make extend the fruit fly’s lifespan.
Stuart Kim, a fellow researcher engaged in this project, declared that the secret to longevity resides in how well do we fare against disease. Moreover, based on the evidence, he seems convinced that genetics is very important our quest for a long and disease-free life.
Based on their findings, it would seem that people of way managed to find a way to stay away from certain life-threatening diseases. Moreover, Kim and his research team seem to agree that a strong immunity may prove to be a more plausible lead when talking about longevity than undiscovered anti-aging genes.
And, as a matter of fact, there seems to be a heap load of evidence to support his claims. For example, people who have type O negative blood are not at risk of developing cancer, because this blood type was never associated with cancer.
Among the 4 pairs of genes the scientists have isolated, there are even a few which are capable of determining if a future transplant could be accepted or rejected.
Further research into the matter must be conducted in order to find out what can be done in order to prolong our lives.
Photo credits:www.wikipedia.org
