The hunt for the fountain of youth is, as ever, ongoing. Nobody wants to get old.
Despite the audacious claims made by hundreds of so-called “anti-aging” products, there's nothing modern science can do to truly stop the aging process. That said, armed with the right tools, we can come to understand the aging process, which can enable us to take steps that help us age better.
That’s why a team of world-renowned scientists at Elysium Health created the groundbreaking Index Biological Age Test—to help people understand how they're aging on a cellular level.
Elysium Health was founded by Dr. Leo Guarente, director of the Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at MIT, in order to explore compelling scientific advancements and landmark discoveries that could lead to proactive health solutions that improve lives. Elysium has partnerships with some of the world’s top universities, including Harvard, Oxford, and MIT, and its scientific advisory board includes not one, not two, not even three, but eight Nobel Laureates. In other words, this isn't a company selling health gimmicks. Rigorous science is at the core of everything they do.
The Index Biological Age Test is the result of a major advancement in the field of epigenetics, the study of changes in organisms caused by the modification of gene expression.
DNA Methylation
As we age, certain chemical compounds get attached to our genes, and affect how our genes get expressed. When epigenetic compounds attach to DNA, they're said to have "marked" the genome. These marks don't change the sequence of the DNA, but they do change the way cells read the DNA's instructions.
One of the most common epigenetic marks is called DNA methylation. In 2018, Dr. Morgan Levine, a professor at Yale School of Medicine and Elysium’s Bioinformatics Advisor, developed a revolutionary epigenetic biomarker analysis that calculates biological age by looking at specific sites along the genome to see what proportion of cells are marked by DNA methylation.
Using this analysis, Elysium created a product that regular everyday people use this scientific breakthrough to their advantage.
Index Biological Age Test
The Index Biological Age test analyzes over 100,000 sites of DNA methylation to help people understand how they are aging. When you place your order, Elysium sends you an easy-to-use saliva collection kit.
Once you send your sample back, Elysium extracts your DNA, loads it onto a specially designed DNA sequencing chip, and analyzes it using next-generation technology called Algorithmic Platform for Epigenetic Examination, or APEX. This sophisticated system scans your epigenome for DNA methylation biomarkers.
Once the analysis process is complete, Elysium sends you a complete report. This includes:
- Your biological age, which is a measure of the average age at which your body is typically functioning;
- Your cumulative rate of aging, which is the pace at which your body has aged for every year you have been alive;
- And science-backed health, diet, and lifestyle recommendations intended to help you age better.
So if you’re looking for a way to be proactive about your health, click here to read more about the Index Biological Age Test, and take control of how you age on a cellular level.
Futurism fans: To create this content, a non-editorial team worked with an affiliate partner. We may collect a small commission on items purchased through this page. This post does not necessarily reflect the views or the endorsement of the Futurism.com editorial staff.
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