Measuring and reducing biological age

For thousands of years, people have been pursuing the desire for eternal youth. not only strange but also sometimes life-threatening methods have been tried over the yearsWhether it was mercury treatment, electron therapy or the implantation of monkey glands – there were no limits to creativity in the past. X-ray facial treatments were also fashionable for a while. Fortunately, we know a lot more today thanks to modern research. While in the past aging was only determined by visual characteristics or one's own feelings, There are now scientific methods such as the Horvath clock that can objectively determine biological age.

But not only that, science has shown that our biological age is reversibleSome even dream that in the future we will be able to turn back our biological clock completely and thus (theoretically) live forever. Even though we are still a long way from this today, research in this field is developing rapidly.

Here we give you an overview of this exciting topic. We explain to you what the biological of the chronological age what the Horvath watch is, and why research into human cloning has sparked a potentially revolutionary future therapy.

Measuring Biological Age Thanks to Steve Horvath

Especially in connection with the aging process, there are several indicators that can be used to assess biological age. These include the Determination of telomere length or evaluation of certain biomarkers in the blood. The currently best known method for determining biological age is a so-called “epigenetic test”. The idea for the Horvarth Clock, introduced in 2011, goes back to the relatively new research field of epigenetics.

Epigenetic changes do not affect the genetic code itself. This is what the ancient Greek syllable “epi” means, which  um  or  on – beyond our DNA. In the epigenetics We are therefore not concerned with mutations, but with modifications that influence the activity of certain genes. These modifications include, for example, methylation, which leads to the shutdown of cellular processesIn this case, a chemical group (CH3) is transferred to certain parts of the genetic code, which then means that proteins, for example, are no longer produced.

As we age, not only random but also typical epigenetic changesSince these changes (methylation) can be measured, it is possible to draw conclusions about a person's biological age. From this information, Steve Horvath and his colleagues were able to develop a special algorithm that can be used to determine biological age.

Do you know your biological age? The epiAge test has the answer.

epiAge test from MoleQlar

A team led by Professor Moshe Szyf at McGill University in Montreal refined Horvath’s methodology.Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, the information obtained can be analyzed more quickly and placed in a larger context in order to recognize underlying patterns and changes and derive important insights from them. MoleQlar epiAge Test is based on exactly this method. By analyzing a certain number of markers, the most accurate and, above all, reproducible results possible.

Comparison tests often analyze hundreds or even thousands of markers - but it is now known that this is not an advantage. Although the tests promise multiple data points, the complexity creates large differences when a test is performed twice.

Biological age – is there a more understandable way?

Admittedly, the whole thing was expressed quite scientifically. Here is an analogy that may help you better understand an epigenetic age testImagine that your DNA is the text in a book. However, you never read the entire book because it is much too big, but only sections of it. And so that you can remember which sections you want to read, you have stuck little Post-It notes to the beginning and end of the text passage. These Post-It notes are your epigenetic markers, methylated areas on your DNA. They do not change your DNA itself, but determine which sections are read or found and which are not. If this explanation does not help you, then you can read our article on epigenetics There we compare the markers with the volume controls for better understanding.

Through researchers such as Dr. Steve Horvath we found out that some of these “Post-it notes” are suitable for measuring a person’s biological age.

Epigenetic tests are usually simple saliva tests - including MoleQlar's own epiAge test

Why should I lower my biological age?

A high biological age is associated with many diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Researchers have developed algorithms that allow them to statistically evaluate the influence of biological age.

In addition to the epigenetic clock, telomere length has also become the focus of longevity research. One study showed that telomere length is inversely associated with cardiovascular disease. This means: The longer the telomeres, the lower the likelihood of suffering from cardiovascular diseaseA similar connection has been found between telomere length and Alzheimer's disease. It therefore makes sense to keep your biological age as low as possible.

Did you know? In a clinical study by Prof. Sekhar, older subjects, with a regular intake of GlyNAC, an improvement in various Hallmarks of Aging was observed.These include less inflammation, fewer senescent cells, reduced genomic instability and improved insulin sensitivity. This is one of the few studies where direct results have been examined in humans and not just in animals.

GlyNAC is a promising molecule when it comes to cellular energy and biological age.

How can I lower my biological age?

There are a variety of methods and strategies to reduce biological age. Some of them are based on giving up certain habits or changing your lifestyle. Oliver Zolman has also compiled scientific figures on this.

According to experts, the non-smoker's life compared to smoking, can extend life by up to 12 years.  sports and exercise  would potentially extend life by 8 years. Further measures include a low-calorie diet (e.g. the Fast), a healthy BMI between 18.5 and 22.5 and, paradoxically, according to a study, also the consumption of half a glass of wine due to the polyphenols it contains.

One of the potentially interesting ingredients in (red) wine is the so-called resveratrolIt should be noted, however, that the correlation between longevity and moderate wine consumption was not always reproducible in follow-up studies.

For powder fans and capsule lovers - Trans-Resveratrol from MoleQlar is there for everyone.

Rejuvenation à la Bryan Johnson

Bryan Johnson, the biotech entrepreneur and longevity hacker mentioned above, also relies on a sophisticated longevity plan to reduce his biological age. He eats 3 vegan meals and fasts for between 16 and 18 hours a day. We have also written about the benefits of a plant-based diet and intermittent fasting in a previous article.

Johnson's diet consists of large amounts of high-fiber fruits and vegetables and plant-based protein. In addition, he takes an incredible 111 nutritional supplements every day! His daily supplement routine includes: vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, NAD precursors, Calcium Alphaketoglutarate or glucosamine.

Did you know? Blood for rejuvenation – this questionable method was tested on mice by scientists at Harvard and Duke University. The bloodstreams of young mice were connected to those of older mice – in technical jargon, parabiosis For the first time, it was shown that in addition to a improved stem cell function, increased cognitive performance, and the epigenetic age of the old mice could also be reducedThis led to the old mice living longer and being in better health. The task of the research is now to find out which factors in the blood of the young mice are responsible for the decline in biological age.

NAD boosters, SIRT1 activators and spermidine – how longevity molecules affect aging

In a very extensive paper the well-known aging researcher Dr. David Sinclair described the molecular processes behind aging and gave a summary of the studies on epigenetic age reversal. He describes four stages in the life of a cell:

• A0: The embryonic cell. At this age the cell is young and healthy
• A1: The young cell: The first age changes occur in the otherwise healthy cell
• A2: Aged cell: The cell is aged and no longer functional
• A3: Senescent cell: The cell has reached the end of its life and can no longer divide

In his paper, Dr. Sinclair describes possible approaches to reversing biological age. This mainly concerns A2 cells, because these can be rejuvenated in various ways. It all has to do with the fasting process. We have summarized the most important findings for you below. If you want to know the exact biochemical background, you can find it in our Fast Article.

sirtuins

Among the sirtuins refers to a group of proteins that have the potential to prolong life. SIRT1, which requires NAD as a cofactor, plays a particularly important role. High NAD levels, for example through the supplementation of precursors, together with the activation of SIRT1 (for example through Fast, or molecules like resveratrol or glucosamine) lead to a measurable reduction in biological age.

spermidine

In addition, the molecule also seems spermidine To be effective. Firstly, spermidine is closely related to improved Autophagy. If our in-house garbage disposal is strengthened, old, broken cells (A2) are disposed of more effectively. At the same time, spermidine acts on the histones. You can imagine histones like the wrapping string of a present. They are located around your DNA. Spermidine can, similar to SIRT1, loosen histones so that the DNA underneath can be read. The crucial thing here is that the loosened histones are located at places on the DNA that are associated with a longer life.

Did you know? As we age, our NAD levels decrease. We now know that high NAD levels have a positive effect on our healthThey can also help reduce our biological age by supporting the activity of SIRT1.

How can we counteract the decline in NAD levels with age? There are three possible approaches: Firstly, you can precursors of NAD supplement. Secondly, the support NAD-producing enzymes. And thirdly, the slow down the breakdown of NAD.You can find all three options combined in the regeNAD complex by MoleQlar. If you want to determine your NAD level, then our NAD dry blood test an easy way to do this.

With the NAD test from MoleQlar you can find out where you stand in terms of your NAD levels.

Reprogramming old cells? A possible approach for the future

Strengthening old cells through exercise, supplementation and diet is a promising approach in aging research. However, if you want to turn back the biological clock even further, this approach will not be enough. Here we have to delve into the research area of ​​stem cells:

What are stem cells anyway?

Each of us has an entire arsenal of stem cells. For example, stem cells in our bone marrow ensure that we can constantly produce new red blood cells, immune cells and platelets. Put simply, a stem cell is able to develop into different cellsTheir “potency” depends on the type of stem cell.

Let's go back to our example: A "hematopoietic" stem cell in the bone marrow can, when it divides, transform into a red blood cell, an erythrocyte, but also into a lymphocyte or monocyte. Both are members of our immune system. However, the hematopoietic stem cell cannot transform into a kidney, liver or heart muscle cell. As we age, our stem cells become less efficient, meaning we have fewer immune cells and are more susceptible to infections.

So is this perhaps the secret of biological rejuvenation hidden here? Could we use healthy, new stem cells to renew our organs, strengthen our immune systems and stop aging? This is still a vision of the future, but it could well become reality.

Stem cells and the Yamanaka factors

The foundation for this was laid by the Japanese Nobel Prize winner Shinya Yamanaka from Kyoto University. He discovered the Yamanaka factors in 2006/2007. By introducing 4 genes, Yamanaka was able to convert skin cells back into embryonic stem cellsThese are also known as induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS for short. These cells are capable of transforming into all types of tissue, similar to a human clone.

However, the discovery was followed by disillusionment, because the introduced genes caused cancer. So we are not yet ready to renew our organs with stem cellsHowever, research is being carried out in this area with great enthusiasm and groundbreaking new therapeutic approaches could possibly emerge.

Summary

Biological age is a crucial factor when it comes to longevity. Therefore, you should try to keep it as low as possible. According to the motto “Healthy Ageing”, which means nothing other than that one ages healthily or that one’s chronological age is higher than one’s biological ageIn the future, it will be exciting to see if and when there will be rejuvenation therapies that can drastically reset biological age.In the MoleQlar Magazine we keep you up to date!