AN anti-ageing jab that could rewind the heart’s age by ten years has been discovered by scientists.
It’s hoped the new tech might prevent heart disease years before symptoms emerge and even cure heart failure in the elderly.
The jab rewound elderly mice’s heart’s age by the human equivalent of more than ten yearsGetty – Contributor
For years, experts have thought those who live beyond 100 have a special gene which protects them from heart complications – which often come with ageing.
Now, scientists from Bristol have found one mutant gene – believed to be anti-ageing – which rewound elderly mice’s heart’s age by the human equivalent of more than ten years.
The gene, given to mice in jab-form, also prevented “decay” of heart functions in middle-aged mice, the experts said.
Professor Paolo Madeddu from University of Bristol’s Bristol Heart Institute, said: “Our findings confirm the healthy mutant gene can reverse the decline of heart performance in older people.”
How well the heart functions and pumps blood around the body deteriorates naturally with age.
But certain lifestyle factors, like diet and exercise, can also impact the speed at which heart health declines.
Experts believe a naturally occurring variant of the BPIFB4 gene – common among those who live beyond 100 – helps keep hearts healthier for longer.
The new study showed this gene can be passed onto people via a jab.
Professor James Leiper, of the British Heart Foundation, which funded the research said: “This is still early-stage research, but could one day provide a revolutionary way to treat people with heart failure and even stop the debilitating condition from developing in the first place.”
The study was published in the journal Cardiovascular Research.
How to keep your heart healthy
NHS consultant cardiologist Kevin Fox reveals the seven best ways to keep our hearts in good shape.
1. Quit ‘lockdown’ bad habits
In the first year of the pandemic, sales of cigarettes rose by 7 per cent and tobacco by 36 per cent with 16 to 24-year-olds most likely to start puffing.
“The best thing you can do to keep your heart healthy is to stop smoking,” Kevin explains.
“If it is a habit you started in lockdown or one you went back to when we were all stuck at home, the best thing you can do is quit.
2. Cook from fresh
“Cooking at home using fresh ingredients is very good for you,” Kevin says.
“If you make your own spaghetti bolognese or vegetable soup, it is going to be a lot healthier than one you bought from a supermarket.
“It will contain less salt and less saturated fat.
3. Floss your teeth
“Evidence suggests good dental health can protect against heart disease,” Kevin says.
Bacteria that cause gum disease can travel to blood vessels and valves elsewhere in the body causing inflammation and damage, raising your risk of stroke and coronary heart disease.
4. Get out of breath
Regular exercise is vital for protecting the heart.
“Thirty minutes of exercise a day is still a good rule of thumb,” Kevin explains.
“There doesn’t need to be a huge heap of sweat on the floor at the end of it, but you should get a bit out of breath and feel tired at the end of it.”
5. Take desk breaks
If you struggle to fit in your 30 minutes of exercise a day, any movement no matter how small is good for the heart.
“This could simply be getting up every hour from your desk and having a walk around the office,” Kevin explains.
6. Manage stress
Stress alone won’t cause heart disease but it can be linked to unhealthy habits that increase your risk such as comfort eating.
“You have to find a way of managing stress and anxiety that works for you,” Kevin says.
“For some people that might be going out to exercise.
“For others it might be reading a book, meditation, yoga or having a bath.
7. Limit red meat
The phrase ‘you are what you eat’ is very true,” Kevin says.
“You don’t have to be vegetarian to have a healthy heart but if you are eating steak every day for lunch and dinner that is not good.
“How many times you can eat red meat will vary depending on the portion size but if you’re having a modest serving, two or three times a week, you are on the right track.”