Telomere test

Is my chronological age the same as my actual biological age?

The telomere test provides a concrete answer to this question. This self-test measures telomere length, a specific blood biomarker that can provide information on the ability of the body's cells to divide and therefore on biological age.

Caution! Please note that this test requires a blood sample to be taken by a doctor or therapist. They will settle the cost of the blood sample directly with us using a prepared invoice in the test kit.

When is the telomere test worthwhile for me?

A telomere test is useful for anyone who wants to find out their biological age. It is determined by a variety of factors, of which genetic aspects are only involved to about 20 %. The stability of our DNA, which is organised into chromosomes together with proteins in our cells, is also of crucial importance. At their ends, they have certain protective structures that contribute to the stability of the DNA - the telomeres.

Telomere length can serve as a measure of biological age and is influenced by individual lifestyle. In particular, unhealthy everyday habits and lifestyles, such as high nicotine and alcohol consumption, lack of exercise and an unbalanced diet, are crucial. These aspects can lead to telomere degradation in our cells and thus to cell ageing. A healthy lifestyle, on the other hand, can have a positive influence on the ageing process. Knowing your biological age can therefore serve as motivation for a healthier lifestyle.

How does the medivere telomere test work?

Taking a sample

Your personalised results will be sent to you after about 5-7 days by post or online via the results query. The telomere length results allow you to assess your personal biological age.

What values are analysed in the telomere test?

The telomere test determines the relative mean telomere length (LTL) in white blood cells (leucocytes). To do this, the lengths of the telomeres and a specific DNA segment are determined, the length of which is constant in all people (the single-copy gene). The T/S ratio (telomere length/single-copy gene length ratio) is then determined. The result is defined as the relative mean telomere length (LTL).

Finally, the results of the tests are compared with data from people of a similar age. Your results are categorised according to the average values, which provides you with information about your telomere length and therefore also about your biological age.

These are the risk factors that favour accelerated ageing.

Approximately 80 % of your biological age can be influenced by yourself. Only a small proportion of this is genetically determined. Sufficient sport and exercise, stress reduction and a healthy and balanced diet have a positive influence on telomere length, which is associated with the ageing process and individual life expectancy. If you lead a healthy life, you can also age healthily. The results of the telomere test provide information on whether you are making progress in this respect.

Telomeres have a decisive effect on the ageing process.

Telomeres are the end sections of DNA. They are made up of around 7,000 to 12,000 recurring TTAGGG sequences, which shorten with each cell division. Therefore, the number of possible cell divisions is limited to approximately 50 to 60. When the telomeres reach a critical length, their ability to divide ends and the cell either goes into a dormant state or dies. This reduces the general regenerative capacity of the tissue and promotes the development of age-related diseases. Telomere length therefore has a significant influence on human life expectancy.

The enzyme telomerase can be seen as a kind of repair mechanism for telomeres. It counteracts the loss of telomere caps by actively lengthening them and thus contributes to the stability of chromosomes and the preservation of cells. Our own lifestyle and environmental factors can influence the activity of telomerase. Changes towards a healthy lifestyle can increase the activity of telomerase and help to reduce the risk of certain diseases.

What are the consequences if telomeres continue to shorten?

The age-related reduction in cell division capacity and the shortening of telomeres have a direct impact on the ageing process, organ function and immune performance. In addition to damage to the immune system, progressive telomere shortening increases the risk of developing various age-related diseases such as

• Diabetes mellitus
• hypertension
• Arteriosclerotic disease
• Myocardial infarction
• Apoplexy

How to favourably influence biological age

Telomeres can be affected by various types of damage and changes, and an unhealthy lifestyle is largely responsible for this. Insufficient exercise, smoking and other unhealthy living conditions can accelerate cell division and thus accelerate the shortening of telomeres. These factors can also reduce telomerase activity and thus actively lengthen telomeres. This means that every person can influence their own ageing to a certain extent.
Results of the telomere test and recommendations for action

A diagnostic evaluation of the test results informs you whether the telomere lengths of your leucocytes are within the normal range and therefore correspond to the average values for your age group. If there are serious deviations, especially negative ones, we advise you to discuss the results with your doctor or therapist. The test results can therefore serve as a preventive measure and as an incentive for a healthy lifestyle in order to prevent age-related diseases.
Monitoring telomere length after lifestyle modification

The extent to which you can stop the process of biological ageing depends primarily on your own performance and how well you lead a healthy life. If you use the telomere test to reduce risk factors for telomere shortening in your life, we advise you to repeat the test after about 6 to 12 months.

The test kit contains

• 1 sample collection guide
• 1 sample receipt
• 1 guarantee certificate
• 1 medical liquidation
• 1 serum tube
• 1 Butterfly blood collection system
• 1 Blood collection adapter
• 1 Shipping container
• 1 dispatch bag

How does the ordering process work?

Once you have placed your order, the desired test pack will be sent to you with detailed instructions. You place your sample in a sample container, send it in a prepared envelope to Medivere's partner laboratory GANZIMMUN Diagnostics GmbH and receive a report with the evaluation of your profile after 5-7 days.

Only for Germany and Austria

We would like to point out that these tests and the shipping procedures are optimised and pre-paid for Germany and Austria. Orders from further afield are problematic because the perishable biological samples may only be in transit for a limited time (maximum 4 days). Customers from Switzerland or other EU countries can of course try it at their own risk, but if the test fails, we decline any responsibility or reimbursement. You can find more information on this from the manufacturer!

Only for Germany and Austria

• We would like to point out that these tests and the shipping processes are optimized for Germany and Austria and are prepaid.
• Samples must be delivered to the German laboratory within 4 days. This cannot be guaranteed for samples shipped from other countries!
• Orders from countries other than Germany and Austria are therefore at your own risk. In this case, we only accept the payment method "Prepayment (directly to us)", as customers cannot then cancel the purchase, e.g., because the sample arrived at the laboratory unusable through their own fault. Purchases made with any other payment methods that customers could unlawfully reverse will be immediately canceled and refunded.
• You can find more information about this from the manufacturer!