How Often Should You Get A Telomere Test?

Telomeres tell board-certified physician Dr. Avi Ishaaya how the cells in your body are aging. Ideally, they will be healthy and strong, so they can fight off any mutations or degeneration properly. These cells are made of shelterin, proteins that work to prevent your DNA sequence from being damaged. It is normal for telomeres to shorten as you age. However, with the help of telomere testing at Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers, we can analyze any changes to your chromosomes that can lead to decreased health or a shorter lifespan. Shorter telomeres tell us when you’re more likely to develop certain disorders or diseases, such as heart disease or cancer. During a consultation in Los Angeles, CA, you can have this important testing done to determine how healthy you are. We recommend that you have telomere testing at least once a year to monitor your health.

Why do telomeres shorten?

Telomere shortening occurs because of poor lifestyle choices, such as being sedentary, smoking, being overweight or obese, and having a poor diet. When your telomeres shorten, it tells your cells to regenerate less healthy ones. This produces mutations that can lead to cancer. Some of the biggest factors for telomeres are genetics and stress. Stress can significantly shorten telomeres. When we are exposed to chronic stress, our health is impacted, especially our telomere length.

You can experience many different symptoms when telomere shortening occurs, which affects all of your organs. This is why it’s important to have telomere testing at Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers in Los Angeles, CA. Telomere length testing allows us to diagnose and treat certain diseases or disorders caused by shortened telomeres.

How telomere testing works

A telomere test is a blood draw or a cheek swab that doesn’t require fasting. Your sample is sent to a lab for evaluation. Dr. Ishaaya suggests telomere testing once a year to allow him to compare results and to re-examine any lifestyle changes you have made. This gives him a baseline to make suggestions that will help improve your health. It also gives you valuable information on if your telomeres are healthy or not.

How can I strengthen my telomeres?

Treatment options vary with each patient. However, Dr. Ishaaya’s goal is to slow down any telomere shortening. This is achieved with a healthy diet and lifestyle changes, including:

• Getting enough sleep

• Losing weight

• Exercising

• Quitting smoking

• Reducing stress

• Reducing inflammation in the body with an anti-inflammatory diet

• Having regular annual visits to the doctor

At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers, we can determine what will help you strengthen your telomeres best to combat chromosomal aging.

How telomere testing increases your lifespan

Telomere testing allows Dr. Avi Ishaaya to look at your chromosomes and learn how you are aging. At our Los Angeles, CA office, we create custom anti-aging plans that focus on maintaining your telomere length and slowing down the rate of shortening. When you want to improve your health, call Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers to schedule a consultation to learn how telomere testing can help you today.