By The GlycanAge Team
Buying a biological age test is one of the best investments you can make for your future self, but the good tests don’t come cheap. Understandably, some people feel a bit sceptical about the accuracy of at-home test kits – the concept is still relatively new to the average consumer who might be unsure what the true benefits of knowing their biological age might be.
We are going to bust through some of the biological age test myths so you better understand just how accurate age test calculations can be.
There's no simple way to calculate biological age, and research shows that some methods are more accurate than others. For example, the free websites that claim to be able to calculate your biological age through a questionnaire are not the most trustworthy. The results won't be scientifically valid without access to medical tests (like blood and saliva samples).
Some websites, including Longevity Advantage and Ageless Rx, offer a free online calculator that allows you to enter your own blood test results to determine your biological age. The downside to online age calculators is the need for up-to-date blood tests, which carries an additional cost. Plus, unfortunately, many of these online age calculators are inaccurate and thus not worth wasting your time on.
Your best bet is to purchase a home test kit from a reputable brand that can analyse your sample, accurately determine your biological age, and develop a personalised plan to improve your biological age and overall health. Our GlycanAge test is a simple finger prick test that uses a scientifically proven method to accurately determine your biological age by examining your glycans from dry blood spots.
Glycans are sugar-based polymers that coat cells and decorate most proteins as well as lipids and even RNA. They are vital for your biological processes and are influenced by your genes, environment, and lifestyle choices. Glycans change as our bodies age and are involved in many major diseases – so getting an insight into the state of glycans is a great way to accurately track your biological age and general health.
Every GlycanAge test is followed by a complimentary video consultation with one of our care team specialists. The 1-to-1 consultation provides you with the opportunity to discuss your result with your specialist, ask any questions you may have, and form a lifestyle improvement plan (if indicated) so that when you retest, the efficacy of lifestyle changes on your biological age may be assessed.
All established biological age testing companies will all have their own unique offering. After all, you cannot do much with just a number. Some brands, such as DoNotAge and Jinfiniti, offer supplements that they claim improve your biological age and overall health.
Some people like the idea of being able to routinely test their biological age to monitor whether the accompanying supplements have the intended impact. On the other hand, these tests can be seen as a ploy.
Some companies will provide you with a biological age calculation and a comprehensive report full of all of their findings. Although the results can be interesting to read through, they are not always all that useful in determining what needs to be done to help improve your biological age and protect your health.
If you want to calculate your body age to get valuable insight into how your body is currently ageing and be advised on ways you can adjust your habits to help safeguard your future health – GlycanAge is the best option for you. We have the most accurate biological age test available on the market, and unlike epigenetic tests, for instance, GlycanAge responds to lifestyle and/or pharmacological interventions, meaning you can see what works for and what does not in a relatively short period of time (a few months). In addition, GlycanAge offers follow-on health programmes to help support you on your healthy wellness journey.
Although biological age testing is a young field of study, there is an increasing number of biological age tests on the market. Among them, it is only the GlycanAge test, backed up by more than 20 years of research, that has been proven to respond to lifestyle changes.
The concept of biological age is important as it provides additional information on how our body ages. It takes into account biomarkers (such as glycans) that change before clinically noticeable signs, be those the signs associated with ageing or disease development.
If your biological age comes back higher than your chronological age, that indicates that you have more inflammation in your body than what would be expected for your age. Accumulation of chronic inflammation happens for many reasons and is under the influence of genetics, environment and the natural passage of time.
Although not much can be done about the genetic factors that affect your biological age, you have some power over the non-genetic influences. Diet, exercise, stress management, sleep and mental health all have an influence on your biological age.
It is estimated that around 68% of people will have a biological age estimate within five years of their chronological age. However, some individuals might have a biological age that is a decade or two higher or lower than their chronological age.
By The GlycanAge Team
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