Accurately estimating biological age has tremendous value according to Adam Alonzi’s recent article entitled “Gauge Your Age: Epigenetics and the Future of Medicine.”
Smoking, drinking, stress, chronic infection, and major depression can all measurably accelerate the aging process as gauged by the epigenetic clock (Gao,2016; Gassen, 2017; Horvath, 2015; Rosen, 2018; Han; 2018).
Fear of transmitting, or acquiring, the virus that causes COVID-19 even if you or the other person is asymptomatic has been a strong driver of widespread compliance with face masks and physical distancing. However, we really don’t know how often an asymptomatic person infects a secondary individual.
According to an article by Laura A. Stokowski RN, MS, the number of asymptomatic people isn’t trivial. Recent data published in Annals of Internal Medicine indicates that 40%-50% of people with COVID-19 may be asymptomatic but have viral loads similar to those of presymptomatic individuals. Until we know how much transmission occurs from asymptomatic people, that risk hasn’t been eliminated, and that source must be considered infectious.
The question is: Can the effects of the virus that causes COVID-19 spreading around the world be causing a DNA methylation modification?
While we all age, we don’t all age in the same ways or at the same rate. Epigenetics modifications are largely responsible for this phenomenon, with DNA methylation being the most studied modification.
Adam Alonzi ask the question – Why do some people stay healthy throughout their lives and others don’t?
Methylation doesn’t rearrange DNA but it affects the expression of DNA. There is evidence that methylation traces or tags can pass to future generations – much like tendencies or habits (Epigenetics Simplified).
Epigenetics is what determines a cells specialization. Chemical and environmental modifications occur around our DNA. These modifications influence the expression of our cells. Everything we do and experience affects our cells – whether good or bad.
I look at life from a health care and writers point of view. Epigenetics is a long, well-written story line with many actors and actresses. The writer (our life experiences) adjusts the story line (methylation).
97% – 99% is the overall recovery rate for people diagnosed with COVID-19. An early scientific study shows that people who recover from the COVID-19 virus may carry it in their system for weeks (WebMD Coronavirus Recovery).
Obviously, our life experience both chemical and physical influences the methylation wrapping around our DNA.
“In geriatric medicine, we are always struck by the difference between our patients’ chronological age and how old they appear physiologically.” – Douglas, Kiel, HMS professor of medicine at Beth Israel.
Currently, we have tests for fasting blood sugar, creatinine blood levels, and biomarkers for blood clotting factors. These tests paint a bigger picture and can write a longer or shorter story.
Are we in a life cycle where there’s evidence of aging based on COVID-19 test results? If so is there intervention?