The Telomere Miracle

Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szoshow shared the 2009 Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology for their discovery that chromosomes are protected by telomeres and by the enzyme telomerase - this forms the basis of this popular book, the basic thesis of which is that the decreasing length of telomeres at each end of chromosome is the basic mechanism of ageing and disease. The implication is that our body has the necessary tools to reverse this process, and here the author focuses on six critical functions: breathing, mindset, sleep, exercise, diet and supplements, which he calls TeloMirror Tools. The book begins with a clear explanation of the role of telomere shortening in stem cells as illustrated in a number of scientific studies. He then introduces the basics of genetics and cell biology advancing his telomere stem cell theory of ageing - that the health of your stem cells equals the health of your cells and organs - which he thinks will eventually be accepted by the medical profession at large.

The practical chapters contain both clear theoretical explanations and guidelines. Most of what he says is well-known from their respective fields, and only the chapter on the mind is not strictly physiological. Here he recommends the practice of gratitude and stresses the importance of a positive mindset. He recommends six complete cycles of sleep. I was somewhat sceptical of his view that obesity is the result of the ageing of cells, especially when applied to primary school children, although most of the chapter seemed to to me based on sound principles, including the importance of glycaemic index and the recommendation of the Mediterranean diet. However, he warns of confounding variables in this area, as it is hard to identify any straight cause-and-effect relationship. The only supplement he recommends is TA-65 as an extract from a Chinese herb, but a brief Google on his site indicates that this costs $600 for 250 units (!) – it is the only supplement that he himself has been taking since 2007, apparently with very beneficial results. However, it is always possible to follow the rest of the advice without expensive supplements. The last part contains a recapitulation of the roadmap. Website: www.rechargebiomedical.com.