Scientists are now warning people not to pay for controversial tests that claim to accurately predict how many years you have left to live.
Dana White, president of the UFC Mixed Martial Arts League, made headlines last week when he said he had just ten years left.
He’s among a growing number of wealthy Americans paying for genetic testing, which can cost hundreds.
They claim they measure telomeres, structures at the ends of chromosomes that get shorter with age.
Studies suggest that people with shorter telomeres in their white blood cells are more likely to develop diseases like cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
The tests are performed using only blood tests and a swab from the inside of a person’s cheek.
Mr White, whose net worth is estimated at $500 million, claimed he told him he had 10.4 years left and put him on a life-changing diet and exercise regimen.
dr Arthur Caplan, a bioethicist at NYU Langone Health, says that giving a time as precise as 10.4 years is irresponsible because nobody can predict the future that accurately.
While these types of results can produce a morbid itch in some, they are not reliable for people who are not older or have a serious chronic condition.
dr Hank Greely, an expert in genetics and neuroethics at Stanford University, compared these tests to palmistry reading – and said they were “almost certainly” inaccurate.
Dana White (pictured) said he had a genetic test offered by 10x Health System which said he had 10.4 years to live in his current health
On the 10x Health System website, Mr. White is now prominently featured in the marketing of his genetic tests
10x Health System is charging $600 for its genetic test
Mr White, 53, shared his story on the Action Junkeez Podcast, which aired on September 20.
He said he’s “damn obsessed” with figuring out the exact month he’s going to die.
What is genetic testing… and how does it work?
Many genetic tests purport to give a person an accurate estimate of how long they have to live.
They work by analyzing a person’s genetic code, looking for specific mutations that put them at risk for disease and disease.
Telemores, structures at the top of a person’s chromosomes, are analyzed to determine risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
These structures usually shorten with age – indicating an increased risk of some chronic diseases.
Genetic testing can give someone an accurate risk assessment of their future chance or development of a disease, but it cannot give a 100 percent definite answer
Over-the-counter testing can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars
The test found he had significantly high triglyceride levels, putting him at high risk of having a heart attack, stroke or pancreas problems later in life.
These are fats that get stored in the blood when someone eats too many calories.
After the results came back, White entered a program to extend his life – and lost 30 pounds as a result.
The 10x Health System website now features Mr. White prominently at the top of the website home page, alongside text that reads “GET THE SAME GENETIC TEST DANA WHITE DOES”.
It labels its genetic testing as: “Revolutionary genetic testing allows you to discover exactly how to optimize your body, so you can develop customized solutions based on your DNA.”
Both Dr. Caplan and Dr. Greely cast doubt on predictions as specific as Mr White’s.
“For me, the biggest ethical issue with the DNA test is the same as the ethical issue with palmistry or other fortune-telling: it almost certainly doesn’t work,” said Dr. Greely to .
“At least not very well. The DNA tests can work in some rare cases, such as when someone is at high genetic risk for a deadly disease like Huntington’s disease, which usually occurs at a certain age. But these conditions are rare.’
He says tests can potentially give a probability of how likely a person is to reach a certain milestone — like what chance they have of living to 70 — but not much beyond that.
Such tests should continue to be reserved primarily for older people, he says.
“In short, unless very convincing evidence to the contrary is presented, I strongly suspect that the DNA test is worthless,” continued Dr. Greely gone.
In particular, he doubts the 10x health system.
After checking the company’s website, he wrote to : “I see NO reason to believe this. [On the other hand]as long as people don’t take it seriously, it’s no more unethical than a lot of stupid things we make people do.
“But that’s a big caveat – ‘as long as people don’t take it seriously.'”
dr Hank Greely (left), an expert in genetics and neuroethics at Stanford University, said there was no reason to believe what 10x Health System’s genetic test could find. dr Arthur Caplan (right) notes that insurance companies spend a lot of money predicting how long their customers will live when setting premiums and other rates
10x Health System did not respond to a request for comment from .
dr Caplan agrees that any test that tries to predict how long a person has to live should provide probable rather than definite answers.
He notes that insurance companies are already doing some form of this with the regular tests they do on enrollers.
They use eight, family history, and whether a person has chronic conditions like high cholesterol or high blood pressure — rather than using swabs to make accurate guesses about how long a person has to live.
For a healthy young person not suffering from a chronic illness, Dr. Caplan doesn’t understand how these tests can indicate specific lifespans.
He also says those offering the test must also be willing to help people after they get their results – which Mr White received from the 10x Health System.
Whether it’s making lifestyle changes to extend lifespan or to support a person’s mental health, which can be a harrowing revelation.