Key points from article :
Blood iron levels could play a role in influencing how long you live.
Genetic data from 1M people with 3 key measures of ageing: lifespan, health span & longevity was studied.
10 regions of the genome were related to these measures of long life - including genes involved in iron metabolism.
"Strongly suggest that high levels of iron in the blood reduces our healthy years of life," Paul Timmers, lead author.
"Might explain why very high levels of iron-rich red meat in the diet has been linked to age-related conditions such as heart disease."
Blood iron is linked to a number of age-related diseases, including Parkinson's and liver disease.
It also affects our body's ability to fight off infection as we get older.
Drugs designed to lower the levels of iron in the blood - could potentially add extra years to our lives.
Research by University of Edinburgh published in Nature Communications.
