What is your real age?
The concept of age is something we all know, since we track it every year on our birthday. This is chronological age, meaning the amount of time that has passed since our birth. However, there is another, deeper and more revealing form of age: our biological age. Biological age reflects the true condition of our cells’ health and how “worn out” our body is, regardless of how many years we have lived.
Why is it important to know our biological age? Because it is a powerful predictive indicator for health, longevity, and the risk of developing chronic diseases. Science now gives us the ability to measure this real age through a specialized test, called telomere analysis.
What is the relationship between telomeres and real age?
Telomeres are protective “caps” located at the ends of our chromosomes, just like the plastic tips on shoelaces. Their role is to protect DNA from damage and degradation. Every time a cell divides, telomeres become shorter.
The shorter they become, the more the cell’s ability to function properly decreases, and eventually it is led to aging and cell death (apoptosis). The length of our telomeres is essentially a measure of accumulated cellular damage and our biological “clock.” Therefore, if someone has longer telomeres than average for their chronological age, it means they have a younger real age—and vice versa.
How can we measure real age through telomere analysis?
The measurement of biological age is done through a simple blood test. The most widespread and reliable method is telomere analysis in white blood cells. This process uses advanced molecular biology techniques to calculate the average length of telomeres and compare it with databases containing thousands of measurements from individuals of different chronological ages. The result provides an accurate picture of how quickly or slowly our body is “aging.”
What can we learn about our health from our real age?
Knowing biological age is a powerful tool for prevention. If our real age is greater than our chronological age, this may indicate:
- Increased oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.
- A need for changes in lifestyle (diet, exercise, stress management).
- A higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, and certain forms of cancer.
On the other hand, a biological age lower than the chronological one indicates that our lifestyle choices are working effectively. In any case, this examination gives us the ability to make targeted interventions (e.g., taking specific supplements, adjusting diet) to slow biological aging and improve our quality of life.