Telomere Health and Testing

Telomere length is an indicator of how healthy you are as you get older. Telomeres are sections of genetic material at the end of each chromosome whose primary function is to prevent chromosomal “fraying” when a cell replicates. As a cell ages, its telomeres become shorter. This is related to loss of the telomerase enzyme which helps to extend the telomeres. Eventually, the telomeres become too short to allow cell replication, the cell stops dividing and will ultimately die - a normal biological process.

The Telomere Test can determine the length of a patient’s telomeres in relation to the patient’s age.