Testing My Biological Age
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Discover what biological age is and how it can affect your health. Learn how to test your biological age and take control of your well-being.
I just turned 75 (October 2024). Yep, three-quarters of a century on this Earth. Have I done things pretty right? What can I do better? This is the rabbit hole I’m falling down!
Testing Biological Age
What is this thing call biological age?
Biological age is kind of simple. It’s a measure of how old a person’s cells appear to be based on their current condition.
It’s estimated by analyzing biomarkers, which are characteristics that can predict how an organism will function as it ages.
Chronological Age Meaning
In contrast to biological age, chronological age is how long an individual’s been on this planet and the number of trips around the sun, well, so to speak.
In contrast to chronological age, biological age is defined by the rate of age-related tissue or organ dysfunction, and whether that dysfunction is greater than what one would expect based on how long someone has been on the planet.
Test for Age
There are methods for testing our biological age.
Yes, there are online quizzes and calculators can help you gauge your biological age. Asking a series of questions, you get ‘some idea’ of your bio age.
The absolute best way to get an accurate assessment is studying your epigenetic data. That’s a big word for learning how your behaviors and environment influence your genes.
Data like this is collected using DNA derived from your saliva, blood, or other tissue.
Chronological Age vs. Biological Age
For me, using an epigenetic way of deriving my current biological age is the most accurate way to learn more about whether what I’m currently doing, my lifestyle choices, is helping ‘slow’ my internal ‘aging’ process.
That’s why I decided to take the plunge and test through GlycanAge.
Calculate Body Age
Yes, it scary and exciting at the same time. I think I’m doing things as best I can. But, can I do some things better.
I want to grow older as vibrantly and energetic as I can. I want to know what I can control and what possibly I can assuage as a result of making better choices in my daily living.
The only way to find out is through this mode of testing via Glycan Age, which is a simple blood testing.
Test Your Biological Age
Glycan Age tests your biological age using glycans.
Glycans are sugar molecules that surround and modify proteins in your body. They respond to your lifestyle choices and indicate the inflammatory state of your immune system, which in turn determines your biological age.
There are scientific studies that support using glycans as a measure of biological age testing. For instance, this study from the National Library of Medicine that states: Posttranslational modifications of circulating proteins such as immunoglobulins may prove to be important biomarkers of aging.
Calculate My Real Age
Real age or biological age is easily derived with the simple GlycanAge testing.
The kit and instructions are simple and easy to follow. I also watched their testing video a few times to ensure I was doing things correctly.
Several drops of blood from your finger prick on the provided sample collection and returning it for analysis. That’s it.
Honestly, when I did the testing, I felt like I was about to fall into a rabbit hole not knowing what to expect. And, until my results come back, I’ll not know.
One thing I do know though is I WANT to know. Just like other biomarker testings I do for my health, BHRT blood testing, general blood testing before my major surgeries, mammogram testing, A1C testing, and more, I don’t want to be in the dark. If there’s something that I can do to improve my health using this more reliable method of analysis, then I want to know.
And, Glycan Age touts this background, “GlycanAge was developed from over 30 years of research, results in 200+ supporting peer review publications and a robust baseline of 200,000 samples from some of the world’s best biobanks with comprehensive representations of different ages, genders and ethnicities.”
Biological Age Calculator
There are several ways to calculate your biological age.
However, unlike other clocks, GlycanAge integrates genetic, epigenetic and environmental aspects of ageing AND responds to lifestyle interventions.
Since lifestyle is included, that means that you have great parameters available to you to change things you could or could not be doing to maximize your bio age in a healthier direction.
Yes, growing older is a journey. And, unlike our ancestors of even 50 years ago, we have more medical availability, knowledge, information and more that can direct us towards better health.
It’s my choice. And, I’ve chosen to learn more because I have a LOT OF LIVING on my runway of life! xoxx ally
