An enzyme called telomerase can slow, stop or perhaps even reverse the telomere shortening that happens as we age. The amount of telomerase in our bodies declines as we age.

Can telomerase stop aging?

Counteracting the telomere shrinking process is the enzyme, telomerase, that uniquely holds the key to delaying or even reversing the cellular aging process. ... However, the activity of the telomerase enzyme is insufficient to completely restore the lost telomeric DNA repeats, nor to stop cellular aging.

Can telomerase make us immortal?

Telomerase is thus able to extend the life-span a cell, and has been dubbed the “immortality” enzyme. ... In fact, we now know that 90% of all malignant tumors have found a way to turn on telomerase, and use it to essentially become immortal.