RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A saliva test can predict how much time we have left in life. This is suggested by a study that shows that the levels of a particular antibody are related to the time an individual is nearing the end of his or her life.
To reach this conclusion, a team of scientists at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom collected samples from 639 adults in 1995, who were monitored for over 19 years.
The scientists discovered that the levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) decreased as the person approached death, according to the British newspaper Daily Mail.
Antibodies are used by the body to fight infection and are secreted by white blood cells.
Researchers say this substance appears to be a risk marker for mortality, and that analyzing the levels of this antibody may be useful for overall health. In addition, they point out that the saliva test is much less invasive than blood sampling.