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Scientists have developed a simple new test that might be able to tell you how long you’ll live. Lifestyle factors like stress, smoking, alcohol, sleep and diet can all affect your lifespan and get “imprinted” in our genes. The new “CheekAge” swab test reads this imprinted data from cells found in the mouth to estimate when your time will come. In older patients, this data can give a pretty good indication of their risk of dying.
Dr. Maxim Shokhirev, lead author of a study on the test, says that the CheekAge test analyzes tens of thousands of specific spots on your DNA where chemical markers attach to determine health and lifestyle factors that contribute to physical aging. His team used data from over 15-hundred individuals across their lifetimes, and found a strong link between these spots and mortality.
Researchers say the CheekAge test actually works better than previous blood sample-based longevity tests. Further research into other genes associated with mortality may give them even more insight and down the road, CheekAge could potentially help track not only lifespan, but also age-related diseases as well as “healthspan” or the length a person can expect to live a healthy, disease-free life.
Source: Talker News
What about for your dog???