Sci/Tech Can a blood test really tell you when you'll die?

tom_mai78101

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As a taxi takes me across Madrid to the laboratories of Spain's National Cancer Research Centre, I am fretting about the future. I am one of the first people in the world to provide a blood sample for a new test, which has been variously described as a predictor of how long I will live, a waste of time or a handy indicator of how well (or badly) my body is ageing. Today I get the results.

Some newspapers, to the dismay of the scientists involved, have gleefully announced that the test – which measures the telomeres (the protective caps on the ends of my chromosomes) – can predict when I will die. Am I about to find out that, at least statistically, my days are numbered? And, if so, might new telomere research suggesting we can turn back the hands of the body's clock and make ourselves "biologically younger" come to my rescue?

The test is based on the idea that biological ageing grinds at your telomeres. And, although time ticks by uniformly, our bodies age at different rates. Genes, environment and our own personal habits all play a part in that process. A peek at your telomeres is an indicator of how you are doing. Essentially, they tell you whether you have become biologically younger or older than other people born at around the same time.

The key measure, explains María Blasco, a 45-year-old molecular biologist, head of Spain's cancer research centre and one of the world's leading telomere researchers, is the number of short telomeres. Blasco, who is also one of the co-founders of the Life Length company which is offering the tests, says that short telomeres do not just provide evidence of ageing. They also cause it. Often compared to the plastic caps on a shoelace, there is a critical level at which the fraying becomes irreversible and triggers cell death. "Short telomeres are causal of disease because when they are below a [certain] length they are damaging for the cells. The stem cells of our tissues do not regenerate and then we have ageing of the tissues," she explains. That, in a cellular nutshell, is how ageing works. Eventually, so many of our telomeres are short that some key part of our body may stop working.

 
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UndeadDragon

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Does it say how I will die too. eh?

What a bunch of bullcrap! 'Nuff Said!

Did you read the article, or just the title?
 

FireCat

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Did you read the article, or just the title?
And? Seriously, the test is ridiculous. stupid, it makes no sense and are morally wrong!
[del]hmm 2012[/del] When our time comes, it comes.. Isn't that so?
 

Siretu

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The only reason I opened this thread was because I had a strong feeling Firecat would respond with something like this.

Firecat, you never answered UndeadDragon's question. Did you read the article or not?

Do you dislike the article because you don't believe it or because it is morally wrong?
 

FireCat

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Do you dislike the article because you don't believe it or because it is morally wrong?
Let me say, first off, it's nonsense You can't predict/tell someone
when you will die. It's Just a bullshit test.

And there's no way, someone be able to fully enjoy the rest of your life to hear such a thing. Right?
 

pr0-assasin

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Let me say, first off, it's nonsense You can't predict/tell someone
when you will die. It's Just a bullshit test.

And there's no way, someone be able to fully enjoy the rest of your life to hear such a thing. Right?

I know that you make dumb replies all the time, but this thread really makes you look idiotic.
 

FireCat

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^ Nah
Well, go test yourself! @ pr0-assasin The test only costs about $700.
 

tooltiperror

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> The test only costs about $700.
Does the cost have anything to do with the test? Surely you can charge any amount for the test, it has nothing to do with how valid it is nor how accurate.

> You can't predict/tell someone when you will die
You obviously did not read the article. The test tells you when you will die based on aging, not based on if you will get struck by lightning or get cancer.

> it makes no sense
What about it makes no sense, exactly?
 

camelCase

The Case of the Mysterious Camel.
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I think it's more than appropriate to post this:
facepalm_implied.jpg


Seems to be an early-science but I'm pretty hopeful.
(Please complete this research before my time is up)

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for example, refuses to approve drugs that are simply designed to prevent ageing.
Wat.
 

Weegee

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Why all the hate for Firecat :/?

Do not hate! Only love our fellow helpers! ;)

And back on topic, something like this would seem depressing to me IMHO. Even though it only shows death from ageing, I still could never be happy knowing i'd die at lets say 85 from ageing. Sure, that'll be a while from now but you can't help but remember in the back of your head that you WILL DIE at that age, unless I misread the article about how they determine your death-age :p
 

neo34rd

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^ agrees with weegee, I would never take that kind of test. Just the hint of knowing when I would die just makes living so much more.. erm.. fragile, unexpected, disappointing.. cant find the right words but it would just suck big time knowing when you would die.
 

WildTurkey

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Fire Cat still did not answer if he/she read the article or not :p Just pointing out.
 

FireCat

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still did not answer
Oh crap, i forgot the answer! whered it go eh?

Well, let's say this is true and a blood test could tell you when you were going to die
and it was hmm saturday? But really. Would you really want to know?
 

Rhydian

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Oh crap, i forgot the answer! whered it go eh?

Well, let's say this is true and a blood test could tell you when you were going to die
and it was hmm saturday? But really. Would you really want to know?

it's not a case of "would you really want to know" some people do, some people don't. i for one like knowing that there is a choice for knowing an estimated mortality. it's not a case of should you or shouldn't you with a choice already made. did you actually read the article?
 

FireCat

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Once upon a time, there was a question! named Bloody ????
Oh crap, I'm sorry but my story being stuck. I can't continue

for one like knowing that there is a choice for knowing an estimated mortality.

1. Get telomeres measured.
2. Get hit by a bus on the way out
 
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