In this nineteenth episode, Stephen Matlin introduces telomere biology. He details how testing services typically use Q-PCR which provides an average telomere length and why that doesn't really mean anything.

Read the transcript

Instead the percentage of critically-short, measured using Q-FISH, does. Finally he chats about supplements - telomerase inducers - for growth.
Topics we discussed in this episode

Introduction to telomere biology
Hayflick limit, senescent cells, apoptosis
Telomeres and the hallmarks of aging
Quantitative PCR derived average telomere length vs shortest telomeres
Coefficient of variation of lab samples
Role of supplements in supporting our telomeres and overall biological function
Declining nutrition in even vegetables
Telomerase inducers TA-65 and TAM-818
Telomerase enzyme
Henrietta Lacks cells, cancer and the Hayflick limit
Telomerase supplements and cancer
Telomerase inducer Telomere Benefits™
Providing biological age scores using telomere measurements
Telomere length and correlation with healthspan
Improving upon biomarker Prostate Specific Antigen with Prostate Telomere Associate Variance

Show links

LifeLength.com (Company Website)
T.A. Sciences TA-65 (UK/Europe)
T.A. Sciences TA-65 (Amazon.com)
Hayflick, His Limit, and Cellular Ageing (Paper)
The Hayflick Limit (Embryo Project Encyclopedia)
The End-Replication Problem (Paper)
Leucocyte Telomere Length And Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease: Systematic Review And Meta-analysis (Paper)
Association Between Leucocyte Telomere Length And Cardiovascular Disease In A Large General Population In The United States (Paper)
The Hallmarks of Aging (Paper)
Coefficient of Variation (Wikipedia Entry)
A Natural Product Telomerase Activator Lengthens Telomeres in Humans: A Randomized, Double Blind, and Placebo Controlled Study (Paper)
The Telomerase Activator Ta-65 Elongates Short Telomeres And Increases Health Span Of Adult/old Mice Without Increasing Cancer Incidence (Paper)
Discovery Of Potent Telomerase Activators: Unfolding New Therapeutic And Anti-aging Perspectives (Paper)
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2009 (Website)
Defy Time (Website)
Telomere Benefits™ (Product Link)
Mathematical Connection Between Short Telomere Induced Senescence Calculation And Mortality Rate Data (Paper)
Comparison Of Telomere Length Measurement Methods (Paper)
Beyond Average: Potential For Measurement Of Short Telomeres (Paper)