Monday 3 October 2022 10:39 PM UFC president Dana White is given 10 YEARS to live after controversial DNA test trends now
Scientists today warned people against paying for controversial tests which claim to predict exactly 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 been given just ten years left.
He is one of a growing number of wealthy Americans paying for genetic tests that can cost hundreds.
They claim to work by measuring telomeres, structures on the tips of chromosomes that shorten as people age.
Studies suggest people with shorter telomeres in their white blood cells are more likely to develop illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.
The tests are done solely using blood work and a a swab of the inside of a person's cheek.
Mr White, who is estimated to have a net worth of $500 million, claimed his told him he had 10.4 years left, setting him on a life-changing diet and exercise program.
Dr Arthur Caplan, a bioethicist at NYU Langone Health, says that providing a time as specific as 10.4 years is irresponsible as no one can tell the future that accurately.
While these types of results may scratch a morbid itch some have, they are not reliable for people that are not elderly or suffering from a severe chronic condition.
Dr Hank Greely, a genetics and neuroethics expert at Stanford University, compared these tests to palm reading - and say they 'almost certainly' are inaccurate.
Dana White (pictured) said that he took a genetic test offered by 10x Health System that said he had 10.4 years of life left at his current health
The 10x Health System website now prominently features Mr White it its marketing of its gene testing
Mr White, 53, shared his story on The Action Junkeez Podcast published on September 20.
He said that he is 'f***ing obsessed' with finding out the exact month he is on pace to die in.
The test found that he
