Simple urine test could measure how much our body has aged
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180227090733.htm
A promising new marker of aging could help predict the risk of developing age-related disease and even death
Date:
February 27, 2018
Source:
Frontiers
Summary:
New research shows that a substance indicating oxidative damage increases in urine as people get older, and describes an easy method to measure the level of this biomarker in human urine samples. This potentially provides a method to measure how much our body has aged, which could help predict our risk of developing age-related disease, and even the likely time-frame for our death.

While everyone born in the same year has the same chronological age, the bodies of different people age at different rates. This means that, although the risk of many diseases increases with age, the link between our age in years and our health and lifespan is relatively loose. Many people enjoy long lives, relatively free of disease, while others suffer chronic illness and premature death.

So, if our age in years isn't the most reliable indicator of aging in our bodies, what is?

Some researchers consider normal aging to be a disease, where our cells accumulate damage over time. The rate of this cellular damage can vary from person to person, and may be dictated by genetics, lifestyle and the environment we live in. This cellular damage may be a more accurate indication of our biological age than the number of years since we were born.

One mechanism thought to underlie biological aging involves a molecule vital to our survival -- oxygen -- in what is called the free radical theory of aging.

The researchers measured 8-oxoGsn in urine samples from 1,228 Chinese residents aged 2-90 years old, using a rapid analysis technique called ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography.

"We found an age-dependent increase in urinary 8-oxoGsn in participants 21 years old and older." said Cai. "Therefore, urinary 8-oxoGsn is promising as a new marker of aging."

The team's rapid analysis technique could be useful for large-scale aging studies, as it can process urine samples from up to 10 participants per hour.

"Urinary 8-oxoGsn may reflect the real condition of our bodies better than our chronological age, and may help us to predict the risk of age-related diseases," concludes Cai.

I'm 56 years old but I feel 90. Now there's a reason to be pissy about it.