Do Genetics Really Determine Life Expectancy?

By Patrick Banks

Posted 2 years agoHEALTH

You might have certain concerns about your life span or human life span in general. There are many researchers and experts who have suggested that human life span is dependent upon genes. Scientists have stated that the unique genetic aspects of a person tell a lot about their long and healthy life aspects. Moving on, scientists are also putting up a lot of research to enhance the understanding of some particular genes that have the potential to offer protection from certain diseases, such as dementia, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and others.

The collection of such data and research intend to help scientists promote the overall development of genetic tests. It will help predict whether a person can go ahead with an expectation of living into old age, as well as promote the healthy aspects to keep aside all of the age-oriented illnesses. As of the current data and records, a human life span revolves around environmental and genetic factors. Further studies have clarified that around 20% to 30% chance of an individual to survive after 85 years of age depends upon genetics. 

In this article, you will know about how heredity, genes, and environmental factors impact life expectancy. 

Genetic Code Defines that your Life Span is Predetermined

Genetics are termed to be the major determinant of the human life span. In case you are into good habits and exercises and thinking about increasing your life span, you can definitely do that all. But, your genetic code is what has already determined the life span for you, and these factors will play a role in stabilizing or deteriorating it.  

The lifestyle choices that you make do put an impact upon how long you might live. For instance, if you are on a poor diet, and have excessive smoking habits, then your life span will deteriorate negatively. But, if you adopt good habits and regular exercising, then you might even age well. As per the research conducted by professional scientists, an average lifespan of a person with healthy aging is 88. 

Healthy aging means that people should be exercising regularly, be a vegetarian, and avoid smoking & alcohol consumption. By taking a glance at the genetic history of your family tree, you can define whether there is a tendency for longevity within your family or not. The average US life span is 80 years, and that runs strongly amidst the families. Some families have genetic longevity, which gives their family members a privilege to live a decade or more than the average US life span. Therefore, it is important for people to consider their genes and heredity to create a mindset about their life span. 

How Do Genetic Factors Contribute to the Degree of Longevity?

The genetic factors have all of the important insights to contribute towards the longevity aspects in two crucial ways. The ways include:

  1. A person can experience some effective variations in their genetic behaviors that might be the sole cause of predisposing him/her. It usually happens due to a disease or health condition that acts towards degrading the longevity aspects of an individual. 
  2. A person, who is undergoing some form of disease, or health condition, can still promote long life. It is because they have certain genes or gene variants that implement resistance to particular diseases. Hence, in this process, such a variant of genes will increase your life longevity. 

For understanding all of the genetic longevity components, the scientists and researchers took DNA of certain subjects, especially of aged people. These DNAs are then compared to some of the random DNAs. As a result, it was evident that the people who lived longer, have some specific gene variations within their bodies. 

You can take your DNA test to know whether you have those special genes to promote life longevity or not. For more detailed information about such services, you can find on this site, the types of DNA tests for health in 2021. It will help you get an idea of whether you belong to the longevity group of people or not. 

Life Span Inherited from Parents

Scientists have stated that the tips of chromosomes or telomere lengths are in link with life span and disease. These are the structures that consider dividing into shorter entities every time there is a cell division. And as per the scientists’ researches, the shortening of these structures is responsible for cellular illnesses or aging concerns. As per the researchers are concerned, telomere length is known to be as the death predictor. 

For a child, mother has a strong correlation with their children in terms of telomere length. To break down this research, it is said that mothers have a strong correlation with their sons, whereas fathers have it with their daughters. Therefore, you can conclude that a son’s life span is inherited from his mother, whereas a daughter’s life span is inherited from his father. 

Women possess two X chromosomes that are preferably longer than in men. Men do possess only one X chromosome, along with the Y chromosome. Scientists have stated that the aging genes mostly lie in the X chromosome. And this is why you can conclude that the mother’s telomere length is more than the father’s. Men & smokers do have shorter telomeres, whereas women have few reactive oxygen species within them to metabolize the damage caused by certain by-products within the body.

So, this is the true reason why women live longer than men! And apart from that, it is also concluded as per the researches that the parents do play a role in inheriting the lifespan of their children. 

Hence, this is all about how heredity and genes influence the lifespan of an individual. There are a lot of biological revelations hidden underneath your DNA. Get it tested, and you will be learning about your life span with better clarity.

About the author Patrick Banks

Patrick is a Berlin-based dating advisor, motivational speaker, a huge fitness and vegan diet enthusiast and the main editor at Wingman Magazine, specialised in men's health. His ultimate goal is to share with men around the world his passion for self-development and to help them to become the greatest version of themselves. He believes a healthy body and successful social interactions are two main keys to happiness.

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