August 31, 2006
From the desk of Jane Galt:Apparently, I come from an exceptional family:
From the New York Times article on ageing:
At the National Institute on Aging, the question still hovers: Is it possible to find genetic determinants of exceptional health and longevity?“If you could identify factors for exceptionally good health, that might allow people to avoid disease,” said Evan Hadley, director of the institute’s geriatrics and clinical gerontology program.
There are two methods to do this, Dr. Hadley said. One is to look at how the genes of centenarians differ from those of the rest of the population. But, he said, that requires that if longevity genes exist, they are common among centenarians. And, so far, such studies have not yielded much that has held up — with one well accepted exception: a gene for a cholesterol-carrying protein that affects risk for heart disease as well as Alzheimer’s disease. Those who have that gene have double the chances of living to 100. But that chance is not much anyway. Only about 2 percent of people born in 1910 could expect to reach 100. The second approach is to look for rare genes in unusually long-lived families. “If there is something in a family, it may be in only one or a few families,” Dr. Hadley said. But it may have a big effect.
So the National Institute on Aging is starting a research project with investigators at three United States medical centers and at Dr. Christensen’s center in Denmark. The plan is to find exceptional families, those in which there is a cluster of very old, closely related members — two sisters in their 90’s, for example — whose children, who would typically be in their 70’s, and grandchildren, can be studied too.
Two sisters in their 90's? My grandmother is 91, her older brother is 93, and her younger sisters are both in their late 80's. They have some serious health problems--Uncle Leon broke his hip at 92, and my grandmother and Aunt Helen both have macular degeneration, and Grandma's memory isn't what it used to be--but none of them appears to be at death's door.
Of course, the genes have had two generations to weaken, but still, I feel a little stirring of hope.
Perhaps Kevin would like to make that a really long term bet?
Posted by Jane Galt at August 31, 2006 1:37 PM | TrackBack | Technorati inbound linksRex:
I was thinking the same thing!
Makes me wonder if a "Howard" foundation
already exists?
If it does, Jane...you might want
to take a gander at the catalog
for a new beau. *chuckle*
I can't be the only one wondering:
To what extent are such "exceptional" families products of shared environmental characteristics rather than longevity genes?
While the environmental question clearly applies to siblings too, I ask because in my family there seems to be a greater correlation between the longevity of spouses than between the longevity of siblings.
Obviously, this is just an aside. I know these researchers are only interested in genetics.
With that kind of longevity going for one's self, all the more reason to double-down on some good inflation hedges...
My hope is to have the longevity genes of my maternal grandfather. He turned 80 this past March, still has all of his marbles, is still quite physically mobile and strong compared to almost all 80 year old men you will see, and even still has some color in his hair, along with hair.
If I am unlucky, I have the genes of my paternal grandparents. The grandfather died in his forties and the grandmother died in her 80s, but with great dementia and bedridden.
Man, I hate the way my info is never remembered after every comment. That last comment was mine.
Hello,
This is a great blog. I'm going to be sure to link yours to mine. Would you mind doing the same for me?
Thank you very much.
My site:
www.americanlegends.blogspot.com
Take care,
Mark
To what extent are such "exceptional" families products of shared environmental characteristics rather than longevity genes?
I've had a huge fascination with anti-aging research.
Multiple megadoses of acid-neutralized ascorbate (vitamin C) seem an excellent way to correct for certain negative physical conditions improve liver function and prevent cancer. A mix of calcium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate and zinc ascorbate, with a little fresh squeezed lime juice for the bioflavanoids and citric acid should go a long way. The exact amount a person needs and can tolerate varies wildly from person to person, usually in the 1 gram to 15 gram range depending on their state of health. If negative symptoms like gas or diarrhea occur, reduce the dosage. (You can't really hurt yourself by overdosing on vitamin C.)
Provided you don't have a history of liver bile duct obstructions, a little turmeric is also an excellent well tolerated daily anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. It may be better than low dose daily doses of aspirin. It's also anti-viral and anti-inflammatory and prevents pathogen binding to cell walls. (Obligate parasites like Chlamydia, for instance, stick to cells and induces your immune system to attack your own cells. Turmeric helps remove them.)
Reducing inflammation seems to be a huge thing in promoting lifespan. Chronic inflammation causes aging at the cellular level and is linked to diabetes and heart attacks, among other things. C-reactive protein, which indicates chronic inflammation, is much more significant as a marker for heart attack risk than is cholesterol (and nearly all anti-cholesterol medications cause liver damage and other problems).
I have the feeling that there are many chronic conditions out there caused by stealth pathogens , including premature aging, that aren't typically diagnosed by the medical community. Chlamydia, Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma species don't culture well and can all be subclinical to the point where a PCR test for DNA is required (bacterial culture will turn up negative sometimes, even when you're infected). Pathogenic strains of normal bacteria (candida or e.coli for instance) can also cause trouble but still be missed by your doctor because they're part of your normal flora. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Clinton had such advanced coronary illness.
Anti-glycation products are another new thing in anti-aging research. I'm still trying to figure out if they're helpful or not.
I ,too,thought I'd be on board with the Howard Foundation comments.Ryan,without trying to denigrate you,you haven't a clue.a huge fascination dooesn't translate into knowledge.A few points:Candida is a yeast(not bacteria),Crestor,the most powerful of the super statins has an incidence of serious side effects of about 1 in 24,000-Lipitor is 1 in 40,ooo-,no one that I know is certain of C reactive proteins usefulness,I don't know WTF 'tumeric' is;Chlamydia et al might not culture well,but there are excellent immuno assays for them,so they're not missed,you might be referring to anti glycosylation-not glycation enzymes,and this isn't even my field.
Look,there are some smart guys doing this.Sinclair's work at Harvard is linking the decades old work on lower animals and food intake to inducible enzymes.Short answer:drink grape juice.
But it's not easy,it takes lots of time to stay abreast and even those people take aspirin and statins.(I do -and all my grandparents are living.)
Candida is a yeast(not bacteria)
I knew that. My mistake. I just wasnt't thinking when I typed.
Tumeric is an alternate spelling of turmeric.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumeric
As for the rest, I need to break things up into several posts or my citations will set off the spam filter.
CRP, at concentrations known to predict cardiovascular events, may serve to impair EPC antioxidant defenses, and promote EPC sensitivity toward oxidant-mediated apoptosis and telomerase inactivation. These data further support a direct role of CRP in the development and/or progression of atherothrombosis.(Thrombosis is the formation of a clot inside a blood vessel obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system.) Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2006 Aug 24
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16931792&query_hl=5&itool=pubmed_docsum
This presentation reviews two types of molecules associated with the diagnosis, development, or treatment of atherosclerosis: C-reactive protein (CRP)...
Arch Physiol Biochem. 2006 Apr
Serum hs-CRP levels correlated well with factors strongly associated with insulin resistance such as homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting insulin level, and body mass index...
While hs-CRP associates with insulin resistance and subclinical atherosclerosis in ealy-state type 2 diabetes, our data suggest that hs-CRP is a useful marker of subclinical atherosclerosis in early-state type 2 diabetes mellitus independent of factors that directly reflect insulin resistance.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16926521&query_hl=5&itool=pubmed_docsum
BACKGROUND: American Heart Association/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines support the measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) to further risk stratify individuals at intermediate risk (10%-20% 10-year risk) for heart disease.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16923436&query_hl=5&itool=pubmed_docsum
Chlamydia et al might not culture well,but there are excellent immuno assays for them,so they're not missed
Yes. But the probelm is that immuno assays only work when they're used. And some pathogens, as I mentioned, may be regarded as normal bacterial flora even when acting as pathogens.
...Long-term sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease include ectopic pregnancy, tubal factor infertility, tubo-ovarian abscesses and chronic pelvic pain. Subclinical pelvic inflammatory disease is responsible for a significant portion of these long-term sequelae.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16932044&query_hl=14&itool=pubmed_docsum
From a small study of 14 infertile men;
Positive semen cultures for Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis or Ureaplasma urealyticum ...were associated to the presence of free stereocilia in semen. These data suggest that a silent chronic infection of the epididymis by C. trachomatis, M. hominis, U. urealyticum and/or inflammation produced by varicocele might be the cause of stereocilia loss in the semen.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16420239&query_hl=14&itool=pubmed_docsum
I mention this because many doctors regard difficult to culture organisms like Ureaplasma and various Mycobacterium species as harmless and don't typically test for them.
A study of 1605 randomly selected men aged 42, 48, 54, or 60 who did not have either symptomatic coronary heart disease or ischaemia on exercise testing at entry to the Kuopio ischaemic heart disease risk factor study in between 1984 and 1989.
...
CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin C deficiency, as assessed by low plasma ascorbate concentration, is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=9066474&query_hl=30&itool=pubmed_docsum
you might be referring to anti glycosylation-not glycation enzymes,and this isn't even my field.
Enzyme-controlled addition of sugars to protein or lipid molecules is termed glycosylation; this process is less haphazard than glycation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycation
Short answer:drink grape juice.
Or grapeseed extract + Grape skin extract, and save yourself the cupfulls of sugar.
But it's not easy,it takes lots of time to stay abreast and even those people take aspirin
I didn't suggest avoiding taking aspirin. I was trying to suggest that turmeric was, at least in some ways similar to aspirin as an anti-inflammatory. My mistake, though, for relying on common names rather than Linnean classification. The species of Curcuma which is a COX-2 inhibitor (but not COX-1) is C. phaeocaulis while C. longa is more commonly used in western cooking, apparently. One of the active ingredients in Turmeric (C. Longa) is Curcumin, which is very similar to Warfarin, if that tells you anything about the herb.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16786056&query_hl=34&itool=pubmed_docsum
Ryan, all that stuff would be fascinating posted at your own blog. A quick little link-whorage here would then be sufficient. Besides, the topic was the genetic component of longevity; maybe you would want to post at your blog a discussion of whether such a component exists.
sorry triticale. I do apologize for posting here rather than linking. I didn't think of posting at my own blog (since I rarely use it) but in the future I'll do that. (and I also apologize for downplaying the importance of someone's lipid profile)
Besides, the topic was the genetic component of longevity
True but I don't think you can discuss the genetic component of anything without also talking about the environmental component. They're not independant. One side of my family has high cholesterol, which is both an environmentally influenced and genetically influenced trait. I can't change my genes but I can change my diet. Same with most conditions affecting lifespan. Altering your environment (through diet, chemicals, etc) can often compensate for genetic "destiny".
Ryan,
Don't be overly apologetic, you're on the right track.
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