Surfing the Silver Tsunami

Everything you do that ages you shortens your telomeres. Think of them like the hard bit at the end of your shoelaces, except these shoelaces are the spirally chromosomes that house your genes, the blueprint for making new, young cells. Every time you make a new cell your telomere length shortens. When you run out of sufficient telomere length the game is over.

Every month there are around 100 new studies into what shortens or lengthens telomeres, with over 20,000 studies to date giving concrete clues as to what to eat, supplement and how to live to stay young and healthy for as long as possible. The good news is that the advice is completely consistent with the advice I’ve been giving you over the past 40 years of studying optimum nutrition, confirming that supplementing nutrients at levels above the basic RDAs has a positive anti-ageing benefit.

Anti-ageing nutrients

The nutrients that, so far, have been associated with longer telomeres are B vitamins (especially folate and B12), vitamin CWhat it does: Strengthens immune system – fights infections. Makes collagen, keeping bones, skin and joints firm and strong. Antioxidant, detoxifying pollutants and protecting against…, D, zincWhat it does: Component of over 200 enzymes in the body, essential for growth, important for healing, controls hormones, aids ability to cope with stress…, magnesiumWhat it does: Strengthens bones and teeth, promotes healthy muscles by helping them to relax, also important for PMS, important for heart muscles and nervous… and omega-3. Generally, the higher your intake the longer your telomeres. Also, multivitamin takers have longer telomeres and the longer the telomeres the less is the risk for cancer. Particularly key is your homocysteineHomocysteine is an amino acid found in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine have been associated with narrowing and hardening of the arteries, an increased… level. The lower your level the longer your telomeres. A recent study in the European Journal of Nutrition gave 60 older people a supplement of vitamin B6, B12, folate, D and calciumWhat it does: Promotes a healthy heart, clots blood, promotes healthy nerves, contracts muscles, improves skin, bone and dental health, relieves aching muscles and bones,… versus just vitamin DWhat it does: Helps maintain strong and healthy bones by retaining calcium. Deficiency Signs: Joint pain or stiffness, backache, tooth decay, muscle cramps, hair loss….. One year later those taking the B vitamins had lower homocysteine and longer telomeres.

Zinc and magnesium are key to slowing ageing. The ‘pen’ that copies DNA to accurately make new cells is called a ‘zinc finger’. Last year a cell study confirmed that boosting zinc levels lengthened telomeres. Magnesium is key to healthy telomers because it regulates their structure, integrity and function. A study of over 10,000 Americans finds that ‘Higher mineral and vitamin consumption is associated with longer telomeres among adults in the US.’

Another finds that the higher a person’s omega-3 intake (from fish and seeds) compared to omega-6 the longer the telomeres. . In older people with mild cognitive impairment supplementing omega-3 slows down telomere shortening. DHA, one of the key smart fats in omega-3 rich seafood, has the strongest positive association.

Foods that slow down ageing

What should you eat to slow down ageing? The latest research is completely consistent with my optimum nutrition advice. Eating a Mediterranean style diet, having more nuts and seeds and more foods high in antioxidants have all been linked to slower cellular ageing and longer telomeres. This kind of diet is known to reduce inflammation, Research shows that the more anti-inflammatory foods. a person eats the longer are their telomeres. Two studies, in China and that those who eat more vegetables have longer telomeres. Wheat may not be so good – people with celiac disease, glutenGluten is a protein found in the cereals wheat, rye and barley. Obvious sources of gluten in the diet are bread, pasta, breakfast cereals and… sensitivity, have shorter telomeres.

Also, eating organic food may have real benefit. A ten year study finds that the higher the level of food-based pollutants, primarily from pesticides and herbicides and industrial non-biodegradable pollutants, the shorter the telomeres and the greater the level of inflammatory markers.

Anti-ageing lifestyle secrets

The better you sleep, the more you exercise and the less you stress the longer your telomere are likely to be. As far as longevity is concerned seven hours sleep seems to be the optimal. A study this year in the European Journal of Epidemiology finds that those in the top quarter of daily steps (ideally over 6,500 steps a day) had longer telomeres compared to those in the bottom quarter.

It pays to have a positive attitude and a low stress life. Post-traumatic stress disorder, childhood traumas, depression and a cynical attitude are all linked to accelerated ageing. Conversely two studies show that those who practice meditation regularly have longer telomeres. In one study, those with post traumatic stress disorder who exercised didn’t have the usual telomere shortening. Another study of women finds that both obesity and smoking are associated with shorter telomere length, as is heavy alcohol consumption in older people.

Those who have been following my anti-aging health advice over the years, summarised in Ten Secrets of Healthy Ageing, will be heartened to see that the advice I’ve been giving is now being shown to affect your healthy lifespan at a really fundamental level. When I first came into this field the predominant concept was that you needed enough nutrients for enzymes to work, but now it is clear that optimising your intake of nutrients not only turns on and off the right genes, but may actually lengthen your healthy life by allowing more cell divisions to occur before your telomeres fray at the edges. This confirms the value of supplementing vitamin B, C, D antioxidants, zinc, magnesium and omega-3, which is exactly what I do everyday in my 100% Health Pack.

Theoretically, following my anti-ageing diet and lifestyle, plus daily supplements, should equate to longer telomeres, so I decided to have mine tested through Regenerus labs. It turns out I have the average telomere length of a 29 year old, someone half my age! You can too.  This test is available in the UK via www.regeneruslabs.com in London who have many centres around the UK for taking a blood sample. They send you a collection kit. The test costs £413. 100% Health Club members receive a 10% discount, saving over £40. To claim your discount call 0203 750 0870 and quote the promotion code PH18-10% valid until end July.