(+1) 647 931 2711The diseases of old age
How long we live and how healthy we are in our older years depends very much on:
- Our genes and genetic make up
- Our diet, especially earlier in life
- Our exercise module
- Exposure to pollution, drugs and cigarettes
Managing our diet and lifestyle in general could be the key to a longer, healthier life.
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is one of the few diseases that is not in any way dependent on diet or health. No lifestyle factors are known to impact whether or not you develop dementia however, conditions such as high blood pressure, smoking and exposure to nicotine, high cholesterol and diabetes are believed to be possible triggers.
The condition also has a hereditary component. This means that if you have a blood relative who has suffered from Alzheimer’s dementia, you might be at a higher risk of developing the disease when compared to any other person in the population who does not have any blood relatives afflicted with the illness. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s include memory loss, confusion, forgetting names, faces and events. Eventually, cognitive impairment becomes so intense that they will need full-time care and assistance. If you do have a relative who has suffered from Alzheimer’s dementia, a genetic health test can help you determine whether or not you have inherited the gene.
Genes implicated in Alzheimer’s
The gene implicated in late-onset Alzheimer’s is the APOE gene (APOE stand for Apolipoprotein E), located on chromosome 19. Specifically, a gene mutation called the APOE 4 gene is linked with an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s.
Macular degeneration is a condition that affects the eyes resulting in deterioration in one’s field of vision, especially towards the center. The terms is derived from the word “macula”, a group of thousands of light sensing cells that form part of our retina. There are two types of macular degeneration:
- Wet macular degeneration: Vision is more adversely affected with wet macular degeneration than with dry macular degeneration. This said, only around 10% of all cases of macular degeneration are of the wet form.
- Dry macular degeneration: symptoms of this condition include blurred vision which makes it difficult to distinguish similar objects or faces. Sometimes only a single eye is affected whilst in other cases the condition might affect both of the eyes.
Smokers are at a higher risk of macular degeneration when compared to non smokers. The condition moreover, affects Caucasians more than other ethnic groups. Further to this, the condition has a genetic hereditary component, which means that people who have genetic relatives who have suffered from this condition are at a higher risk. Certain dietary factors, such as consuming dark leaf vegetable and undertaking regular exercise can help mitigate your chances of the disease.
Some of the genes involved in Macular degeneration include:
- CFH gene (this is one of the genes that is known to contribute to the development of macular degeneration)
- ARMS2 (this gene as well as the HTRA1 are believed to be implicated but studies are still underway to see just how they bring about the disease)
- HTRA1
- Genes involved in transporting High density Lipids or HDL lipids, what is referred to as healthy cholesterol (compared to Low density lipids, or LDLs, which are referred to as “bad” or “unhealthy” cholesterol.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a condition that affects the joints. Of all forms of arthritis, it is considered to be the most common. With age, it is only natural for the cartilage that lubricates and cushions our joints and bones to wear down. The disease also affects the tendons and the ligaments. The movements our bones undergo throughout our lives cause this degeneration of cartilage. However, biochemical processes are also known to be implicated.
The disease can affect any part of the body but it is most common in the joints of the knees, hips, hands and back.
Old age is the main risk factor but so is obesity and being overweight. Extra weight means added pressured and stresses on our joints and ligaments which can worsen or precipitate osteoarthritis.
The genetic aspect of osteoarthritis and the genes involved
Like many autoimmune diseases, osteoarthritis is genetic in some cases. People with relatives who have suffered from the disease may have a higher than average chance of developing it. Scientists have identified 8 genes which are associated with osteoarthritis, one of the main culprits being located on the GNL3 gene.
If our DNA test result does show you have a high genetic predisposition to osteoarthritis, you can take certain preventive measures which can be advised to you by your doctor, nutritionist or genetic counselor. These could include keeping a healthy body weight, avoiding stress and much more.
Our genetic health test for diseases of ageing
Our genetic disease analysis will determine your genetic susceptibility to 26 diseases, of which 4 are considered old age diseases:
