The longevity field is home to some of the most exciting developments happening today that will shape our lives for years to come. Yet, it often doesn’t get the mainstream attention it deserves. That’s why it’s always a treat when longevity has its viral moment every once in a while, and the latest one might have been its most significant yet — thanks to the Kardashians.
In case you missed it, the Season 5 finale of The Kardashians centered around sisters Kim and Khloe and their mother Kris Jenner taking TruDiagnostic’s TruAge epigenetic age test. All three discovered they had a biological age younger than their chronological age, with Khloe coming out on top. Her biological age was revealed to be 29 years old compared to her chronological 40. She even found out she ranked number seven in the Rejuvenation Olympics, calling the whole experience “the coolest thing we’ve ever done” on the show.
While it’s great to see the Kardashians’ enthusiasm for longevity science, the real win is the enormous boost in public awareness. Combined, the three stars have nearly 800 million followers on Instagram. So, it’s remarkable to find this type of discourse now on their posts:
Indeed, a whole new audience is now aware of the distinction between chronological age — the number of birthdays you’ve had — and biological age — how old your body truly is. A simple Google Trends search also shows us this awareness has translated into curiosity. Look at the sharp peak for the search term “biological age” on the day the episode was released worldwide:
This newfound interest in longevity science is incredibly welcome, and massive props go to TruDiagnostic for helping to bring it into the spotlight. But now it’s up to all of us longevity companies to keep the momentum going and educate the public.
As shown by the comments, many users are eager to understand what this epigenetic age test is and what its results mean. So in this article, we’ll explore the science behind these tests, how they work, and whether they’re worth considering for your own health journey.
Understanding Epigenetics
To understand epigenetics, we first need a quick biology primer, starting with DNA. DNA is the code cells use to store the information that guides the development of all living organisms. Our DNA is organized into tightly coiled structures called chromosomes. Within these chromosomes are our genes, and in human cells, we have about 20,000 genes [1].
Certain enzymes in our cells bind to these genes to produce another nucleic material called messenger RNA (mRNA). Cellular machinery then works on this mRNA to produce proteins. And when you have proteins, you have function. Proteins are the workhorses of our cells; they carry out all of the cell’s needs, from building cellular structures to catalyzing metabolic reactions [2].
But then an interesting question arises: since the DNA in all of our cells is virtually the same, how do we have such different types of cells in our bodies? Classically, over 200 different cell types have been recorded, from nerve cells to muscle cells to skin cells and so on [3].
The answer lies in the epigenome.
Yes, all our cells have the same set of 20,000 genes, but not all of these genes are active in every cell — otherwise, chaos would ensue. Only a selection of genes are expressed in a given cell, and these active genes are what give each cell its specific identity. The rest are turned off by the epigenome. The epigenome consists of various chemical modifications that either turn genes on or off by making the DNA more or less accessible to the enzymes responsible for transcribing DNA to mRNA [4].
As Dr. Morgan Levine, Assistant Professor at Yale University School of Medicine, eloquently puts it:
“Think of the epigenome as the operating system of the cell.”
The science that investigates this operating system or the regulatory mechanisms that switch genes on and off is called epigenetics.
Epigenetic Alterations: A Hallmark of Aging
The epigenome is not only highly individualized but also changes over time within the same person. These epigenetic modifications represent the “nurture” side of the “nature vs. nurture” equation, as they are triggered by environmental and lifestyle factors [5].
Typically, these changes don’t alter the fundamental identity of a cell — except in extraordinary cases like those involving Yamanaka factors, which can revert cells to a stem cell state [6] — but they do regulate the activation of genes responsible for various cellular functions.
Certain lifestyle choices lead to specific epigenetic changes. For instance, smoking can increase the expression of genes linked to tumor development and inflammation [7], while regular exercise can enhance the expression of tumor-suppressing genes [8]. Most pertinent to our topic today, some epigenetic changes are associated with aging itself [9].
As we age, certain epigenetic modifications become linked with the onset and progression of age-related diseases like cancer, neurodegeneration, metabolic syndrome, and bone disorders. These changes are so significant that epigenetic alterations have been recognized as a Hallmark of Aging [10].
The Hallmarks of Aging are the molecular mechanisms driving the aging process. When the original nine Hallmarks were identified in 2013, it marked one of the biggest breakthroughs in modern longevity research. Another one of these breakthroughs? The development of epigenetic clocks.
The Rise of Epigenetic Clocks
The old saying goes: “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” But in longevity science, that can be easier said than done. Because how do you quantify something as multi-faceted, dynamic, and latent as aging?
With “latent” being a key term here and the elusiveness of measuring aging directly, scientists turned to mathematical models to attempt to quantify aging. This led to the development of one of the first successful methods: epigenetic clocks.
The journey began in 2011, with a study showing that a specific type of epigenetic change, DNA methylation — where methyl groups are added to DNA to regulate gene expression — could predict age [11]. The consistency and significance of this finding were so striking that Dr. Steve Horvath, pioneer of the Horvath Clock and one of the authors of the study, described it as:
“We can track chemical modifications of the DNA to measure aging…basically look for rust on the DNA.”
Identifying this ‘rust’ on the DNA marked the emergence of the first generation of epigenetic clocks, which were designed to predict chronological age. This was a remarkable milestone, but the real paradigm shift came with the second generation of epigenetic clocks. These advanced models moved beyond simple age prediction to examine DNA methylation patterns in relation to mortality and morbidity, offering the first true estimation of biological age [12].
The field continues to advance with third-generation epigenetic clocks, which are now being used to compare biological age across different species using the same predictors. These clocks employ various machine learning algorithms, from neural networks to deep learning, to forecast aging-related outcomes [13].
Since the advent of epigenetic clocks, other types of aging clocks have also emerged, leveraging different markers like proteomics [14], lipidomics [15], and even facial scans [16]. However, epigenetic-based clocks remain the gold standard for estimating biological age so far.
Why Would You Want to Know Your Epigenetic Age?
Beyond research settings, several companies now offer direct-to-consumer epigenetic age testing kits, similar to the ones the Kardashians have tried. But what are the potential benefits of knowing your biological age through an epigenetic test?
As we’ve learned, your biological age likely offers a better reflection of your physical health and mortality risk than your chronological age. For example, you might be in your mid-60s, considering retirement because that’s what society expects. However, if you’ve been maintaining a healthy lifestyle, your biological age could be several years younger, indicating that you still have much more to offer in your career.
On the other hand, if you’re in your mid-30s but neglecting your health, thinking that illness is a concern for older individuals, your biological age could be older than your chronological age — serving as a serious wake-up call.
In short, epigenetic age testing provides valuable insights into your overall health, offering predictions about what your future might hold. Most importantly, knowing your biological age isn’t about passively accepting what lies ahead; it’s about actively taking steps to age better and healthier. Indeed, the true value of an epigenetic age test lies in what happens after getting your results.
What’s After Taking Epigenetic Age Test?
Unlike your chronological age, your epigenetic age is highly malleable since your epigenome responds to changes in your environment and lifestyle.
That’s why most epigenetic age testing companies offer personalized lifestyle reports after the test, providing guidance on how to decrease your biological age or maintain it if it’s already optimal. The next step is to follow these recommendations and then retest to observe any changes in your biological age.
Some individuals even use these results to fuel a bit of healthy competition. Remember the Rejuvenation Olympics? This leaderboard showcases the world’s top biological age scorers. The competition fosters a community focused on anti-aging strategies, where leaders inspire others to optimize their longevity — whether through advanced biohacking techniques or simply following basic healthy lifestyle guidelines.
So Should You Take an Epigenetic Age Test?
When considering an epigenetic age test, it’s important to recognize its role within the wider landscape of health testing. As Dr. Horvath says:
“Epigenetic clocks will never replace clinical markers, but the clocks add value to them.”
So while your GP is more likely to prescribe a lipid panel than an epigenetic age test, the latter can still provide a more comprehensive view of your health and guide your long-term wellness strategy.
When selecting a test kit, opt for those that offer the most accurate and detailed insights. TruDiagnostic’s TruAge COMPLETE test goes beyond simply revealing your biological age. It measures the pace of your aging, much like a speedometer, and estimates the age of 11 key organs, including the heart, brain, and lungs, by analyzing over 75 biomarkers.
As proud partners of TruDiagnostic, we at Rejuve.AI celebrate their fantastic scientific achievements over the past few years. We invite Rejuve.AI community members to take advantage of this elite-level technology to gain deeper insights into their health.
Championing our community members’ health enthusiasm, TruDiagnostic is offering an exclusive 10% discount on their test kits for the Rejuve.AI community. Use promo code REJUVE10 and use this link to claim the discount now.
References:
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[9] Zhang, W., Qu, J., Liu, G.-H., & Belmonte, J. C. I. (2020). The ageing epigenome and its rejuvenation. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 21(3), 137–150. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-019-0204-5
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