A Testing Time | Telomere Testing UK

Our aim at Wimpole Aesthetics is to always be at the forefront of medical innovation and we firmly believe the field of DNA testing is the future. We already offer DNA Fit testing for our patients and this has been incredibly successful.

Taking the concept of genetic testing one step further is Telomere Testing. We appreciate that many of these concepts seem bewildering, so here’s a short introduction to Telomere Testing and the implications for you, our patients. If you have any further questions then give us a call on 020 7224 2247.

What exactly are chromosomes and telomeres?

Chromosomes are rods of DNA, the magic material which instructs our body on how it should grow, develop and function. Chromosomes are basically the building blocks of life.

These important instructions are divided into genes and we now understand far more how our individual genetic make-up can affect our response to diet and other lifestyle factors. DNA Fit is one genetic test we offer, an analysis of key genes that provides a guide to understanding your body; revealing intolerances, possible sensitivities and showing which foods you should be eating or avoiding.

Telomeres are the end of chromosomes and they play an essential role in protecting our chromosomes. As Dr Joshua Berkowitz, Medical Director at Wimpole Aesthetics explains: “Telomeres are like the plastic cap at the end of a shoe lace that stops it from unravelling.”

Why are your telomeres so important?

Your cells stop duplicating and die when the telomeres become too short. Telomeres shorten with increasing age, but also have been found to be adversely affected by oxidative stress and free radicals. Therefore, lifestyle choices such as smoking, bad diet, drinking too much alcohol and lack of proper exercise can all impact on the length of your telomeres.

The length of your telomeres has been discovered to be an excellent indicator of your biological age.

What is a telomere test?

The telomere test is a simple blood test that measures the length of the telomeres provided by the leading commercial genetic testing laboratory in the UK. The technology used is 95% accurate and you are provided with a comprehensive report that not only tells you whether your telomeres are very long, long, normal, short or very short, but also looks at the percentage of short telomeres present and whether that’s normal to your specific age or gender. Your biological age will then by estimated.

What happens when you get your test results?

What sets Wimpole Aesthetics apart is that we have a leading nutritionist, Melissa Cohen, on our team who can take these test results and translate them into a nutritional and supplement programme that protects your telomeres and thereby has a beneficial effect on your biological health and general.

Trial experiments indicate that positive lifestyle choices can have a positive impact on the length of your telomeres.