2 replies to this topic

[vhitnah]

Hi there, apologies for my limited understanding of human biology, and thank you for the opportunity to ask a question here.

 

I have hundreds of moles, and new moles occasionally forming. I'm 27 but people think I'm 17. For vanity reasons I would like to continue looking like a teenager, and I've been trying to research telomere enhancing products.

 

But I am wondering if my vanity in taking these products will backfire, and result in me being absolutely covered in moles?

Thank you very much :-) 

[luv2increase]

Where do you find that increasing telomeres increase your number of moles?

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[niner]

This is probably the connection:
 

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007 Jul;16(7):1499-502.
Nevus size and number are associated with telomere length and represent potential markers of a decreased senescence in vivo.
Bataille V, Kato BS, Falchi M, Gardner J, Kimura M, Lens M, Perks U, Valdes AM, Bennett DC, Aviv A, Spector TD.

Nevus counts represent one of the strongest risk factors for melanoma. They appear in childhood and adolescence and involute from middle age onwards. Recent evidence has shown that nevus cells undergo oncogene-induced senescence involving the p16/retinoblastoma pathway. However, telomere length also influences senescence in proliferative somatic cells and varies between individuals. This study explores whether telomere length measured in white cells is associated with nevus count and size in 1,897 Caucasian women ages 18 to 79 years. Total body nevus counts were positively correlated with white cell telomere length (mean, 7.09 kbp; range, 5.09-9.37) after adjustment for age (P = 0.0001). Age-adjusted telomere length was also associated with nevus count for nevi above 5 mm in diameter (P = 0.04). Subjects in the top category for nevus count had an average age-adjusted telomere length 150 bp longer than those in the lowest category. The positive correlation between white cell telomere length and nevi number and size may reflect an increased replicative potential (reduced senescence) in individuals with longer telomeres, which may not be melanocyte specific. Understanding mechanisms influencing the induction and involution of nevi will not only help in understanding the pathophysiology of melanoma but should also shed light on the complex relationship between aging and cancer.

PMID: 17627017   Free full text

 

I don't think there's anything to worry about.  We don't know if longer telomeres cause more moles, or if they just happen to correlate.  Also, this is based on white cell telomere length, not skin cell.  That makes the connection even more dubious, as it's dependent on white cell turnover which is likely to be unrelated to melanocytes.   Also, this is average length, but telomerase doesn't extend average length as much as it extends the length of the shortest telomeres.  Finally, you're assuming the stuff you're taking will actually do something.  That may or may not be the case, and given your young age, it's not likely you have enough short telomeres to worry about, so even if you got some telomerase induction, there still might not be a significant effect.