2024-04-24 03:00:00
On the 23rd, researcher Kim Hyun-soo from the Department of Genomic Research and Technology Development of the Department of Future Medical Research of the National Institute of Health will make a presentation at the “Science Journalists Association Science Media Academy” which was held held at the Gwanghwamun HJ Center in Seoul. Reporter Park Jeong-yeon [email protected]
Recently, Brian Johnson, an American billionaire in his forties who invests 2.7 billion won in rejuvenation every year, saying: “I will return to the body of a teenager”, became famous on the services of social networks (SNS). Johnson became a hot topic when he revealed that although his real age is 45, his biological heart age is 37 and his skin age is 28.
As Johnson’s story spread, people’s interest in “biological age”, rather than resident registration age (chronological age), increased. Biological age, or biological age, is calculated by measuring the level of aging of each part of the body. If you manage your biological age well, you can live younger than your original age.
Kim Young-jin, a researcher at the Department of Genomic Research and Technology Development of the Department of Future Medical Research of the National Institute of Health, introduced the method of measuring biological age and the actual impact of biological age on our body at “Science Journalists”. Association Science Media Academy’ held at the Gwanghwamun HJ Center in Seoul on the 23rd.
Biological age has a direct impact on health. Researcher Kim said: “Following a survey of 1,895 Koreans, the incidence of colorectal cancer increased by 12% for each year of increase in biological age, and it was also associated to the onset of various chronic diseases such as high blood pressure. »
The simplest way to measure biological age, which is a health assessment measure, is to measure “methylation”. Methylation is a phenomenon in which a methyl group (H3c), in which a hydrogen atom is removed from methane, is attached to a cytokine base. Cytokines are relatively small immune proteins found in the blood. It is an immunomodulatory protein secreted by immune cells and involved in the transmission of various biological signals within the body.
This methylation has a significant impact on changes in the human body. Indeed, actual gene expression is regulated based on methylation. This can also cause protein to be produced or not produced. Even identical twins can have significant differences in appearance and disease development depending on the level of methylation.
Methylation is also linked to aging. Researcher Kim said: “When people are young or maintain desirable lifestyle habits, genes are expressed well, but when surrounding conditions change, gene expression is not carried out properly, which can lead to to disease or senescence. » Senescence is a condition in which physical function deteriorates as aging continues, making the body very vulnerable to minor stress or bodily changes, making it vulnerable to disease.
The simplest way to measure methylation is using DNA. Researcher Kim said: “A small chip the size of a stick is enough. » The method of measuring biological age based on methylation is as follows. First, the specially processed DNA is placed in a small chip. DNA is extracted from blood and then chemically treated to prepare it for investigation. Then, the degree of methylation of each chromosome is measured by optical scanning. Biological age is estimated by analyzing the measured methylation information using statistical analysis. This is a method of expressing the accelerated rate of methylation in a graph and comparing it to the rate of change in chronological age.
Methylation changes are used in a variety of ways other than measuring biological age. According to researcher Kim, by checking the rate of methylation change, alcohol and tobacco consumption habits can be predicted with an accuracy of 74.3% and 86.5%, respectively. This is also used in scientific investigations. Suspects can be identified based on traces of tobacco and drink left during methylation.
Researcher Kim said: “Recently, the importance of living healthily while delaying aging has emerged rather than simply living longer,” adding: “Biological age is an indicator of my health status and can be easily measured, so it will be used by many people. in the future. “It will attract attention,” he said.
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