There are several ways to measure your body’s biological age. By quantifying your biological age, you can determine whether your wellness routine is helping or harming your health.
There are several technologies that can be used to calculate your biological age, including:
IgG Glycome: This test measures glycans3 that sit on the IgG antibody. Glycans are complex sugars that are needed for cells to communicate. These levels change in response to lifestyle choices, disease processes, and aging.
IC NAD+: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is associated with the aging process4 and differs significantly in men and women. NAD helps regulate DNA transcription, program cell death, and cell signaling. With age, NAD declines. This can be measured in a blood test.
DNA Methylation: It is important to know that, while the DNA in your body does not change, how that DNA is expressed changes based on exposure to environmental factors—many of which are within your control. Researchers use DNA methylation based clocks as biomarkers of early disease5 and predictors of life expectancy.
Blood transcriptome and gut microbiome: The gut microbiome6 is unique to an individual and changes with age. Your blood transcriptome includes clinical biomarkers that are associated with biological age and gene expression7.
Some at-home biological age tests utilize measurements from the gut microbiome and blood transcriptome to achieve an accurate assessment.
“A biological age test uses biomarkers to assess biological age. There are many ways to estimate biological age – such as by tracking movement or measuring clinical markers in blood,” Cuellar explains.
However, Cuellar adds that “tests based on DNA methylation (epigenetic age tests) are thought to represent the gold standard.”