The £400 Test That Tells You How Long You'Ll Live

[LaoPo]

THE INDEPENDENT

DNA testing

The £400 test that tells you how long you'll live

DNA breakthrough heralds new medical era – and opens ethical Pandora's box

By Steve Connor, Science Editor

Monday, 16 May 2011

A blood test that can show how fast someone is ageing – and offers the tantalising possibility of estimating how long they have left to live – is to go on sale to the general public in Britain later this year.

Graphic: How the test works

The controversial test measures vital structures on the tips of a person's chromosomes, called telomeres, which scientists believe are one of the most important and accurate indicators of the speed at which a person is ageing.

Scientists behind the €500 (£435) test said it will be possible to tell whether a person's "biological age", as measured by the length of their telomeres, is older or younger than their actual chronological age.

Continues:

http://www.independe...ve-2284639.html

LaoPo

[stoneyboy]

Imagine the horror if one undertakes the test only to be told they are going to die the following week,what a waste of money that would be.

[elliss]

Imagine the horror if one undertakes the test only to be told they are going to die the following week,what a waste of money that would be.

i would certainly have the test .

p.s. do they guarantee the resuls .?

what frking bus,, RIP.

:jap:

[IanForbes]

The guy said "DUCK!" and I turned around to see if it was a mallard, a pintail or a widgeon. I woke up an hour later with a splitting headache.

I simple test is to remember how old your parents were when they died. Or, if you are still young enough to have parents, then check on the grand parents or great grand parents.

And, there is a HUGE difference between being alive and actually living.

[johna]

The insurance companies will love this one.

[ozzieovaseas]

The guy said "DUCK!" and I turned around to see if it was a mallard, a pintail or a widgeon. I woke up an hour later with a splitting headache.

I simple test is to remember how old your parents were when they died. Or, if you are still young enough to have parents, then check on the grand parents or great grand parents.

And, there is a HUGE difference between being alive and actually living.

Amen to that..and thats some fo your best work there Ian :jap:

As far as the test goes, i doubt any of us older buggers would ever need or want to take it.

After all, how does that old saying go?...." You're only as old as the girl you are....."

If there's any truth in that, then theres sure to be quite a few of us hanging around for a LOT longer yet

[theoldgit]

If you died earlier than the test predicted, would you get your money back?

[ozzieovaseas]

If you died earlier than the test predicted, would you get your money back?

Don't laugh to early, this will be like the holy grail for bargirls..

Imagine their delight in having a gaurantee of HOW LONG they'd have to wait before the farang kicks the bucket...unhealthy guys everywhere will be the flavour of the day

As for me, i would'nt want to know when i was going to go..id only end up having to pay for the funeral and probably wouldnt have the spare time to go to it

Edited May 17, 2011 by ozzieovaseas

[a99az]

No thanks don't spoil it, I just love surprises.

[meatboy]

estimate how long i have left [heavensabove] what next ? i want to come back as a soi dog please, tow rai

[Tolley]

The thread title is misleading.

The test does not indicate how long you will live for only how fast you are ageing.

What would be interesting to see is if you changed your habits and diet, exercise etc would this test reveal a slowing down of the ageing process.

[Beetlejuice]

This test does not work.

My Uncle in the States went for this test only last week.

The results were that he would live to a grand old age of 97. Then the very next day my Uncle was knocked down into the road by a bolt of lightning and run over by a truck.

[Sheryl]

The test in now way tells you how long you will live.

It gives some information on how rapidly your cells are genetically programmed to age although the aging process can also be sped up by environmental and lifestyle factors.

It cannot predict whether the aging process will lead to a comparatively quick death or a long period of infirmity...especially given the ability of modern medicine to keep the aged alive.

And of course it tells you nothing about the likelihiood of accident, murder, or suicide.

I can't see any practical good this test can do. More likely harm, especially if it gives people a false sense of confidence, or an unnecessary sense of fatalism.

[sarahsbloke]

How many people die of old age?

Very few, as far as I can see.

Accident and disease gets the majority.

[Shotime]

Imagine the horror if one undertakes the test only to be told they are going to die the following week,what a waste of money that would be.

I would pay out the 400 over, at least, 6 months.

If the test shows I've only got a month, maybe they'll give me 7 months to live.

Isn't that 400 a lot of money? I'll stay with the street fortune tellers. They only tell you what you want to hear.

[LaoPo]

How many people die of old age?

Very few, as far as I can see.

Accident and disease gets the majority.

That's a misconception but the easiest way to find out about any given country is checking the CIA World Factbook where it shows the average ages for both men/women in all the countries of the world.

But, of course, your old age is guaranteed a lot more in the UK, US or Denmark rather than Mali/Africa (just an example: life expectancy at birth in Mali: male 51 and female 52)...

versus Denmark: male 76 - female 82 years of age.

https://www.cia.gov/...world-factbook/

LaoPo

Edited May 17, 2011 by LaoPo

[Tonto21]

What a load of DNA! "The tantalizing possibility of estimating how long you have left to live," really. To be told at the age of,say 40, 'you'll live well into your 90's' only to be hit by a bus, and killed on the way to celebrate at the pub! This make me think of the question; who has the longer life expectancy, a top flight professional athlete or a 9 to 5 'Joe Slong' down the pub every night? Truth is, they are the same, they are both up for dying at any second.

Edited May 17, 2011 by Tonto21

[travelmann]

The thread title is misleading.

The test does not indicate how long you will live for only how fast you are ageing.

What would be interesting to see is if you changed your habits and diet, exercise etc would this test reveal a slowing down of the ageing process.

Eat half your normal calories if you want to live longer

[meatboy]

can you have this test done in thailand? i am a bit worried this morning me and mrs meat went out last night she looked the same as she did 25years ago gorgeous but this morning in bed how she had aged it was definately my mrs.