Ben Greenfield

The ones that you used to get like 10 years ago were just based on the rate of telomere shortening.

And they've got some pretty robust large population studies and big data showing that the biological age that a methylation clock like this tells you can be pretty close to what your actual biological age is.

Those weren't super accurate because it was just all they looked at was the telomeres on your white blood cells from a blood spot or a blood sample that you gave, which aren't indicative of telomere length on the rest of the body.

And they were known to be kind of wildly inaccurate.

and the more you take care of yourself typically the lower it is so there's something to this test they're more accurate the ones that you used to get like 10 years ago were just based on the rate of telomere shortening those weren't super accurate because it was just all they looked at was the telomeres on your white blood cells from a blood spot or a blood sample that you gave which aren't indicative of telomere length on the rest of the body and they were known to be kind of wildly inaccurate the true age methylation tests are a little bit better

The true age methylation tests are a little bit better.

at predicting how slowly you're aging.

At the same time, I raise an eyebrows.

For example, if somebody who's 80 shows a biological age of let's say 50, does that actually mean they're gonna live another three years until they're 110, which is pretty rare these days.

I mean, the longest living human on record I think is 117.

Not necessarily.

So I think it still needs to be taken with a grain of salt, but it can give you a decent idea of biological age.

at predicting how slowly you're aging.

At the same time, I raise an eyebrows.

For example, if somebody who's 80 shows a biological age of let's say 50, does that actually mean they're gonna live another three years until they're 110, which is pretty rare these days.

I've been paying a lot more attention to tests that are looking at mitochondrial health and mitochondrial efficiency, because I think that's a better acute proxy for cellular health.

I recently did a podcast with Versailles Health, and they have a screening called a Me Screen.

I mean, the longest living human on record I think is 117.

Not necessarily.

So I think it still needs to be taken with a grain of salt, but it can give you a decent idea of biological age.