Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/713121
A small pilot study shows for the first me that changes in diet, exercise, stress management and social support may result in longer telomeres, the parts of chromosomes that affect aging. It is the first controlled trial to show that any interven on might lengthen telomeres over me. The study was conducted by scien sts at UC San Francisco and the Preven ve Medicine Research Ins tute, a nonprofit public research ins tute in Sausalito, Calif. that inves gates the effect of diet and lifestyle choices on health and disease. The researchers say they hope the results will inspire larger trials to test the validity of the findings. "Our genes, and our telomeres, are not necessarily our fate," said lead author Dean Ornish, MD, UCSF clinical professor of medicine, and founder and president of the Preven ve Medicine Research Ins tute. "So o en people think 'Oh, I have bad genes, there's nothing I can do about it,'" Ornish said. "But these findings indicate that telomeres may lengthen to the degree that people change how they live. Research indicates that longer telomeres are associated with fewer illnesses and longer life." St u d y o f E a r l y - St a g e P r o s t a t e C a n c e r P a t i e n t s Telomeres are the protec ve caps on the ends of chromosomes that affect how quickly cells age. They are combina ons of DNA and protein that protect the ends of chromosomes and help them remain stable. As they become shorter, and as their structural integrity weakens, the cells age and die quicker. In recent years, shorter telomeres have become associated with a broad range of aging-related diseases, including many forms of cancer, stroke, vascular demen a, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis and diabetes. For five years, the researchers followed 35 men with localized, early-stage prostate cancer to explore the rela onship between comprehensive lifestyle changes, and telomere length and telomerase ac vity. All the men were engaged in ac ve surveillance, which involves closely monitoring a pa ent's condi on through screening and biopsies. Ten of the pa ents embarked on lifestyle changes that included: a plant- based diet (high in fruits, vegetables and unrefined grains, and low in fat and refined carbohydrates); moderate exercise (walking 30 minutes a day, six days a week); stress reduc on (gentle yoga-based stretching, breathing, medita on). They also par cipated in weekly group support. They were compared to the other 25 study par cipants who were not asked to make major lifestyle changes. The group that made the lifestyle changes experienced a "significant" increase in telomere length of approximately 10 percent. Further, the more people changed their behavior by adhering to the recommended lifestyle program, the more drama c their improvements in telomere length, the scien sts learned. By contrast, the men in the control group who were not asked to alter their lifestyle had measurably shorter telomeres – nearly 3 percent shorter – when the five- year study ended. Telomere length usually decreases over me. P o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r G e n e r a l P o p u l a t i o n The researchers say the findings may not be limited to men with prostate cancer, and are likely to be relevant to the general popula on. "We looked at telomeres in the par cipants' blood, not their prostate ssue," said Ornish. L i f e s t y l e C h a n g e s M ay L e n g t h e n Te l o m e r e s , A M e a s u r e o f C e l l A g i n g By Elizabeth Fernandez Diet, Meditation, Exercise Can Improve Key Element of Immune Cell Aging, UCSF Scientists Report Page 40 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com