Did you know saliva could tell you about the risk of an early death?

Factors like age, illness, stress, diet, exercise, alcohol and smoking can influence how well you produces antibodies, which are essential for combating infectious diseases.

Picture courtesy: Reuters.

Researchers have now found out that lower levels of antibodies in the saliva are associated with a high risk of mortality and could also be an early indicator of risk. The study carried out by the team of University of Birmingham have found associations between secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA)--the common antibody found in saliva, and mortality rates in the general population.

The team examined Immunoglobulins, or antibodies, are proteins secreted by white blood cells and are essential for combating infectious disease.

Further analysis revealed that the all-cause association was due to an underlying association with cancer mortality and, in particular with non-lung cancers. There are a number of factors that can influence how well we produce antibodies and maintain their levels.

Also read: What happens to your body after you quit smoking?

"There are some that we have no control over, such as age, heritability or illness, but our general state of health can also affect their levels; stress, diet, exercise, alcohol and smoking can all influence those levels," explained Anna Phillips from University of Birmingham.

For the study, 639 adults, from the eldest cohort of the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study took part in the study.

Participants, aged 63-years old at the time of saliva sampling in 1995, had their IgA secretion rate measured and the mortality rate was tracked over the following 19 years.

"Quite how saliva samples could be used in check-ups remains to be seen as we need to better understand what secretion rate would be considered cause for concern--what we call the protective level," Phillips added.

We could certainly say that, if found to be extremely low, it would be a useful early indicator of risk, the authors added. The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.

With inputs from IANS.

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