To make your children live longer, do not rush to start them
The secret of this phenomenon lies in the length of the end sections of chromosomes – telomeres – shortening with each cell division and limiting its ability to proliferate (In the picture – 23 pairs of human chromosomes are colored blue, and their telomeres look like white dots at the ends.)
A number of earlier studies have shown that longer telomeres are associated with better health and longer life expectancy. When analyzing the general population, this relationship has not been unequivocally confirmed, however, many experts believe that it is in telomeres that the solution to many secrets related to longevity, cell malignancy and other phenomena lies.
As a person ages, the telomeres of his chromosomes shorten, but earlier studies have shown that at the same time there is an inversely proportional increase in the length of telomeres in male sperm cells. Accordingly, the older the father, the longer telomeres his newborn child inherits. The results of a new study conducted by scientists at Northwestern University, working under the leadership of Dan T.A. Eisenberg, confirmed the existence of this pattern and, moreover, showed that the observed effect extends to the next generation.
As part of the study, the authors analyzed DNA samples of 1,779 young Filipinos (aged 21-23 years) and their mothers (aged 36-69 years), and also established the age at which their fathers and grandfathers had children (15-43 years).
The results of the analysis of the obtained data showed that every year for which a man postponed plans to procreate, he increased the length of his children's telomeres. Moreover, an analysis conducted with the participation of 234 representatives of the third generation showed that this effect accumulated from generation to generation. This pattern persisted even when the researchers adjusted the results to take into account factors that could affect the length of telomeres, such as the sequence of birth of children, body mass index, family income and the age at which blood samples were taken. A separate analysis did not reveal a relationship between the length of children's telomeres and the age of the mother at the time of their birth.
However, experts note that the venerable age of fathers increases the risk of transmitting potentially dangerous genetic mutations to offspring and the advantages of such paternity are not at all obvious.
Several early studies have revealed the adverse effect of late fatherhood on the health of children. For example, in 2010, at least two major studies confirmed the existence of a relationship between the advanced age of fathers and the frequency of autism in their children, which was highest in families with a young mother. In 2008, a large Swedish study also confirmed the existence of a relationship between the risk of developing bipolar disorder and the more mature age of fathers. However, the authors of the work came to the conclusion that this risk is so small that older men dreaming of children should not attach importance to it.
However, it is too early to draw final conclusions, since the influence of late fatherhood on the health of the next generations is still subject to detailed study, which the authors plan to do.
Article by Eisenberg et al. Delayed paternal age of reproduction in humans is associated with longer telomeres across two generations of descendants published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on materials from Northwestern University: Older dads linked to grandkid health, study hints.
13.06.2012