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Short woman live longer, says study
A recent study found that shorter women have it in their gene with extra long lives, in a study done by Prof Nir Barzilai, Director of Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York divulged that the same gene is responsible for postponing the physiological ageing process.
Earlier, Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) levels have been linked with both body size and ageing, decreased level of which was complimented by short stature and increased longevity in animals.
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Prof Barzilai, Dr Yousin Suh and colleagues studied a group of Ashkenazi Jewish centenarians and their children to find variation in the gene and compared with control group of Ashkenazi individuals with no history of familial longevity matched for age and sex.
During studies it was found that centenarians and their offspring were more likely to have variety of mutations in the IGF-1 receptor and IGF-1 pathway had bigger effects on women than men which results in shorter stature.
The research put forth important aspects of IGF-1 pathway which not only play role in human longevity but also provides new evidence as to how to boost lifespan by negating the action of IGF-1 which has a role in metabolic machinery.
Prof Barzilai “Practically, this discovery supports the notion that growth hormone, which is injected as anti-ageing medicine in the US (and other countries) maybe dangerous, because it is the people who have low growth hormone levels that are living longer.”
“So avoiding growth hormone may increase ones longevity,” he added.
But since the research is at experimental stage hence the researcher can not assured that low growth hormone can help achieve longer life span than others. Also the other CETP and APOC3 genes which can increase longevity are under study to see its potential to develop anti ageing drugs.