What is biological age and why does it matter?
Defining biological age
The answer to someone asking “How old are you?” is usually pretty straightforward. Most people know the actual date they were born and that leaves us with a simple calculation. The answer is unambiguous (although we should not forget to mentally update the response every year!).
People that are more familiar with the science of longevity might jokingly reply, “Well… according to my passport I’m 37, but my real age is 33!”. This is the answer that I - Jeff, CEO of For Youth and the writer of this article - am giving to people since I have done a biological age test. Being quite a few years younger than my real age has somewhat boosted my ego and I’m happily sharing this thought-provoking piece of information with anyone that wants to hear.
But what am I actually saying? One’s body’s “real” age refers to the concept of biological age. It reflects the physiological state of your body as opposed to the number of years since you were born.
Why does it matter?
As the science of longevity advances, biological age has become the more important age to pay attention to. Chronological age can’t be changed, but your biological age is for a large part under your control through daily habits.
Know where you stand
You are reading this article because you care about your rate of ageing. You might have started to notice the first signs of ageing such as feeling less energetic, your sleep is getting worse or you are seeing more wrinkles than you’d like. You now are or are contemplating taking action to reverse the ageing process. You can obviously follow the advice of experts, backed by the stronger scientific articles, to start lowering your age, but you would ideally like to know your personal rate of ageing and adapt accordingly. You might want to take even more action if your biological age is higher than your chronological age.
Track the impact
Biological age is also increasingly used in scientific research to track the impact of longevity interventions on us humans. In an ideal world you would want to compare two groups of people with one group getting the magic treatment and the other group a placebo, following them throughout their entire lifetime. But with the long lifespan we have as humans, that just isn’t very practical. Biological age can be used to measure the effects of longevity therapies and present results much faster. This tool isn’t just available for scientists, you can do this too! You could take a baseline measurement of your biological age right now and start exercising, eating more healthy and/or taking NMM. Fast forward to three months later: you measure your bio age again and you’ll learn whether you’re on the right track.
How biological age is measured
Measuring your biological age is getting more accessible and affordable than ever before. It can be accurately measured with certain biomarkers. At For Youth we look at DNA methylation levels from saliva samples to determine biological age as this is the most reliable and less-invasive way.
Your epigenetics is a layer on top of your DNA that switches certain genes on and off by tagging them. The tagging is called DNA methylation. As you age, your methylation levels may go up in certain DNA regions or go down in others. This results in certain genes being (unwantedly) turned on - or off, eventually leading to the well-known age-related issues and diseases.
Biological age is then determined by analysing DNA methylation levels for the regions that are most susceptible to the effects of ageing and comparing these levels to averages to determine how old one’s body really is.
What to do when I know my biological age
My biological age is 33, which is 4 year younger than my chronological age. That’s great! I can safely assume that my current lifestyle is not detrimental to my rate of ageing. I have been taking my standard dose of NMN for the past 9 months, exercise regularly, relax after stress and don’t drink a lot of alcohol. That seems to work. I will continue this regimen for the next few months, do another test and see whether the regimen is improving my rate of ageing. If so, I’ll continue, if not, I might increase my efforts.
If your biological age is higher than your chronological age, there is no need to despair. At least you know there’s a sense of urgency. Start taking action and follow up three months later. You will be very motivated to bring the number down even more as you can actually measure the effects.
Ageing is an individual process that requires a personalised approach. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Science is moving towards treatments that cater to everyone’s individual needs, but we’re not there yet. In the meantime, measuring your biological age is an easy, non-invasive and affordable way to truly understand what your body needs to live healthier longer.
You can start measuring your biological age now with The Clock, our biological age test.
-FY
FAQ:
What is Biological Age?
Biological age refers to how old a person seems based on the condition of their bodily systems compared to their actual chronological age, which is measured in years since birth. While chronological age is straightforward, biological age is more complex, incorporating various biological and physiological markers to assess an individual’s health and longevity. These markers can include telomere length, DNA methylation levels, hormone levels, and more, providing a more nuanced picture of an individual's aging process.
Why Does Biological Age Matter?
Biological age is significant for several reasons:
1. Health Assessment and Prediction:
Biological age offers a more accurate representation of an individual's health status than chronological age. It helps in identifying premature aging or resilience against aging, which is not apparent through chronological age alone. By understanding someone's biological age, healthcare providers can better predict the risk of age-related diseases, like cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes.
2. Personalized Healthcare:
Knowing an individual’s biological age allows for more personalized healthcare strategies. It aids in tailoring lifestyle recommendations, medical interventions, and monitoring plans to slow down the aging process and prevent age-associated diseases. This approach can lead to better health outcomes and potentially extend an individual’s health span.
3. Lifestyle and Environmental Impact:
Biological age underscores the significance of lifestyle and environmental factors on aging. Unlike chronological age, which advances at a constant rate, biological age can be influenced by diet, physical activity, stress, sleep quality, and pollution exposure. This highlights the importance of healthy living habits in maintaining youthful biological metrics.
4. Scientific Research and Anti-Aging Interventions:
Studying biological aging is crucial for the development of anti-aging interventions. By understanding the mechanisms that contribute to the discrepancy between biological and chronological age, researchers can design interventions to target these pathways. This research holds the potential for groundbreaking therapies that could improve lifespan and healthspan.
