Do People With Lots of Moles Age Better?

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Do People With Lots of Moles Age Better?

Posted by: Dr. Mercola
July 13 2007 | 96,919 views

Having lots of moles may be a free ticket to aging gracefully. In study performed by King’s College in London, scientists found that the more moles a person had, the more likely their DNA was to have properties that fight off aging.

The researchers looked at the telomere length in cells of 1,800 twins. Telomeres are bundles of DNA found in all cells that protect chromosome ends, similar to the plastic tips on shoelaces that keep them from unraveling. Since telomeres get shorter as we age, they are also good indicators of how the heart, muscle, bones and arteries are aging.

Telomere length was found to be longer among people with a lot of moles (more than 100) than those with only a few (less than 25). In all, the extra telomere length amounted to the equivalent of six to seven years of aging!

Conventionally, having a lot of moles has been considered a risk factor for skin cancer, but this study points to a positive effect of moles on telomeres.

On average, people with white skin tend to have about 30 moles, though some may have up to 400. The function of moles, along with why some people have more than others, is currently unknown.

Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention July 1, 2007, 16, 1499-1502

BBC News July 11, 2007

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The rate you age is a complex equation indeed. Telomeres do seem to be one indicator, and they are affected by a variety of factors. Stress, obesity and smoking, for instance, all accelerate the shortening of your telomeres -- and the rate at which you age.

While moles may be one aspect of aging that you have no control over, there is good news. There are many secrets to triggering your own fountain of youth so that you don’t get "prematurely old” just because you age.

I don't do many lectures, but when I do, I nearly always ask the audience what the most important cause of aging is and very few people ever get it right. They don't understand that first and foremost, you must optimize your insulin levels, as insulin is, hands-down, the major accelerant of aging. Fortunately, you can go a long way toward keeping your insulin levels where they should be by eliminating, or at least reducing, grains and sugars in your diet.

Along this line I plan on featuring Dr. Ron Rosedale as an expert on this site very soon, as he is one of the leaders in the understanding of insulin and how it can increase your life span.

If you want to fine-tune your diet further, you can expect even more anti-aging benefits. Eating the right foods for your nutritional type, and including plenty of high-antioxidant foods like fresh blueberries and vegetables, will protect your body and give it the nutrients it needs to stay energetic and vital no matter what your age.

Exercise is another anti-aging trick that anyone can master, and it’s a double-edged sword. Not only does exercise lower insulin levels, it also improves insulin receptor sensitivity.

Finally, remember the importance of getting a good night’s sleep, and try to view the world with a “glass-half-full” mentality; keeping a positive attitude is essential to slowing down the aging process.