Telomeres are the “caps” on the ends of your chromosomes that, like caps on the end of shoestrings, protect your DNA from unraveling.

When you’re young, your telomeres are nice and long. But as you age, they begin to gradually shorten, leading to cellular aging and age-related disease. But genetics as well as some factors within our control can cause this process to ramp up prematurely.

Some diseases linked to shorter telomeres include osteoporosis, diabetes and heart disease. Now, research indicates a trio of age-related brain conditions could be added to this list — and demonstrates how short telomeres may not be the cause but instead a signal to heed…

A biomarker that signals brain risks

The length of telomeres within leukocytes, or white blood cells, is a known marker of biological aging. Researchers analyzed data from more than 356,000 participants in the UK Biobank to explore links between telomere shortening and the onset of stroke, dementia or late-life depression — all conditions linked to cerebral small vessel disease, a condition associated with aging and accumulation of vascular risk factors.

The participants also had a Brain Care Score assessment to measure the impact of modifiable risk factors, such as lifestyle choices and social interactions. They were monitored for an average of 12 years, and the results were clear…

Compared to participants with longer leukocyte telomeres, people with the shortest leukocyte telomeres had:

• An 8% higher risk of stroke;
• A 19% greater risk of dementia;
• A 14% increase in late-life depression risk.

Overall, people with the shortest leukocyte telomere length had an 11% higher risk of developing at least one of these conditions than those with longer telomeres.

“Our findings suggest that, while leukocyte telomere length may be a well-known indicator of biological aging, it does not directly cause these age-related diseases,” says Dr. Tamara N. Kimball, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

“Instead, leukocyte telomere length may act more as a reflective marker of underlying biological processes and cellular stress that precede these age-related diseases.”

Heeding the signal

Dr. Kimball added “In a clinical setting, leukocyte telomere length could help identify people who may need more intensive monitoring or preventive measures. It could also guide personalized interventions, including lifestyle adjustments and therapeutic approaches, to enhance overall health.”

During the study, they saw how this could work…

The analysis found that in people with a low Brain Care Score, an indicator of unfavorable lifestyle choices, shorter leukocyte telomeres were associated with an 11% increased risk for stroke, dementia and late-life depression.

However, in people with a high Brain Care Score — an indicator of favorable lifestyle choices — shorter leukocyte telomeres were not linked with a higher risk of these age-related brain diseases.

“This suggests that adopting healthier lifestyles and improving modifiable risk factor profile may lower the negative effects of shorter leukocyte telomeres,” Kimball says. “In short, it is never too late to start taking better care of your brain.”

Lifestyle choices that can accelerate telomere shortening include smoking, lack of exercise, ultra-processed foods, stress and exposure to pollutants. So, if you want to protect your telomeres and your brain — avoid these behaviors.

Exercise, even just brisk walking is associated with longer telomeres. In one study, researchers doung it could translate to the equivalent of turning biological age back 16 years.

You can also add the following foods and nutrients to your diet, all of which help preserve the length of telomeres:

• Flaxseed, an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Spinach, a source of folate.
• Vitamin D.
• Berries, which contain resveratrol and plenty of antioxidants such as vitamin C.
• Oats, loaded with fiber to prevent telomere-damaging insulin resistance.
• Magnesium, found in a wide range of plant-based foods, as well as fish, poultry and beef.

Sources:

Biomarker tied to premature cell aging may signal stroke, dementia, late-life depression — EurekAlert!

Five foods that protect your telomeres and extend your life — Ornish Living

 Magnesium — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health