Biological Age Tests: Are They Worth the Hype?

The allure of knowing your body’s true age is strong. Simple blood or saliva tests promise to reveal your “biological age,” potentially offering insights into your health. But do these tests deliver on their promises, or are they just clever marketing?

Unveiling the Tests

These tests aim to gauge your body’s true age, unlike chronological age, which measures time lived. They strive to measure wear and tear at a cellular level. This can be appealing for health-conscious people.

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(Via @cristiano/@WHOOP) pic.twitter.com/PwKqc77031

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How the Tests Function

Metabolic activity causes cellular decline over time. Biological age tests try to capture these changes, offering insight into cellular aging. The DNA also gets affected. Chemical tags, called methyl groups, attach to DNA, impacting gene expression.

Researchers utilize “epigenetic clocks” to gauge biological age. These clocks measure gene methylation. By analyzing methylation in samples, researchers estimate wear and tear on the body.

Research Findings

Research supports using epigenetic clocks to measure biological aging in studies. These tests can predict death risk and age-related diseases better than chronological age. They correlate with lifestyle factors, like smoking and diet.

The tests can predict cardiovascular disease risk. The data indicates that epigenetic clocks measure aging at the population level. They also link strongly to disease and mortality.

Individual Test Limitations

Individual testing requires scrutiny. The “signal-to-noise ratio” is crucial; a single sample might yield varying results. A 2022 study showed deviations of up to nine years. A 40-year-old’s sample could suggest an age as low as 35 or as high as 44.

Variability exists among commercial providers. Methods are not standardized. Providers don’t disclose their methods, making it hard to compare them. These clocks offer a general indication of cellular aging; they are not diagnostic tools.

“They may provide a general indication of ageing at a cellular level. But they don’t offer any specific insights about what the issue may be if someone is found to be ageing faster than they would like, or what they’re doing right if they are ageing well,” the study explained.

—Unspecified Source

The Verdict

These tests are expensive, costing around A$500. The goal is to sell tests and make money. The technology is still evolving. We aren’t there yet, according to reports.

There are more reliable methods to improve your health. This includes diet improvement, exercise, sufficient sleep, quitting smoking, stress reduction, and social connections. The CDC reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, highlighting the need to focus on preventative measures (CDC 2024).

We don’t need a biological age to improve our health. One-off tests offer limited real value. We already know how to improve our health.