Whether or not you’re a health buff or a Kardashian fan, there’s a chance you’ve heard of biological age tests before. As showcased by reality TV’s most famous family, the tests are increasingly popular, and it’s easy to see why.
Your biological age measures how well you’re ageing, while your chronological age tells you how many birthdays you’ve had. When it comes to longevity and staying healthy, it’s clearly advantageous to know what’s really going on inside your body.
Perhaps most importantly, research suggests you can improve your biological age factors. How wonderful would it be to discover that all your efforts to lead a healthy lifestyle are paying off? Equally, if you need to improve your lifestyle, that’s important information you’d likely want to know.
But what’s it like to find out your biological age is much higher than it ought to be? In my experience, it’s pretty frightening. Earlier this year, I set out to investigate my biological age by taking two different tests, and I could never have expected what happened next.
I was 24 at the time. I had no known health conditions and considered my lifestyle somewhat healthy. I knew my diet was poor because it was high in ultra-processed food, and my sleep and stress levels needed improvement, but other than that, I wasn’t aware of any issues.
I don’t smoke, I rarely drink, and I exercise regularly. In fact, the first biological age test I took returned positive results. I was offered the opportunity to try a PNOE metabolic breath test, which involved running on a treadmill wearing a mask to track my aerobic capacity, cardiovascular fitness, and fat-burning efficiency. On completion, the expert who put me through my paces said most of my results were around or above average, and my biological age came back as 22.
But it was the GlycanAge blood test I took just a few days later that I was most interested in, and that returned the worrying result. Named for the glycans, or tiny sugar molecules, that the test examines, GlycanAge ‘looks through the lens of the immune system’. It uses an at-home finger prick test to measure chronic inflammation. A few weeks after the lab analyses your sample, your results are revealed during a virtual consultation with one of the team’s specialists.
Paula Franceković, the specialist I spoke with, had the unenviable task of telling me my biological age was 53, a staggering 29 years higher than my chronological age at the time. For reference, GlycanAge told me that 68 per cent of their clients get a result that varies by plus or minus nine years, 95 per cent of clients get a result that varies by plus or minus 18 years, and less than than 5 per cent of clients get a result that much higher or lower compared to their chronological age.
Needless to say, it’s not the news I wanted to hear. I felt as if stars were whirling around my head, like in cartoons when a dazed character recovers after a shock, even as Paula told me not to panic. ‘What’s wrong with me?’ I wondered as she talked me through my results and my next steps.
Paula suggested I speak to my GP, specifically recommending a comprehensive metabolic panel, lipid profile, thyroid function tests, and vitamin and mineral level checks. She also advised me on improving my diet, like increasing protein intake and incorporating healthy fats, and she set out the key areas I could focus on to improve my lifestyle.
It’s advice I was keen to follow. While I was impressed by my thorough results, it’s important to know the test is not a diagnostic tool. Instead, it provides insights into potential health risks and areas for intervention.
When my GP sent me for a blood test after listening to my concerns, I found out I was low in vitamin B12. However, my doctor didn’t find anything else to suggest I could have any underlying health conditions; it felt like good news and bad news at the same time.
In the months since my test, I’ve been trying to make healthy lifestyle changes, in the hope I’ll return a lower age when I retake the test. Paula suggested retesting within six to nine months, with data from GlycanAge suggesting positive improvements are not only possible but common for clients.
GlycanAge said 67 per cent of repeat clients see improvement in their biological age, which means they have managed to lower it, with statistics from May 2023 suggesting 80 per cent of them have reduced between one and five years, and 20 per cent have reduced by five plus years – numbers they believe will have risen since. I’m hoping I’ll see similar results.
At the same time, I’m fearful there’s something seriously wrong with me and I’ve yet to display symptoms. 24 to 53 is quite the age jump. In a way, it would have been a relief if my GP found something more. I’m thankful I discovered my low B12 levels. If left untreated, Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia can cause irreversible problems. But I’ve been left wondering if there’s another cause behind my extra 30 years, which goes beyond my stress, sleep, and diet. The only way to know is to test again, but if my score stays high, what then?
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All of which is to say I’m glad I took the test —it serves as motivation to make the lifestyle changes I suspected I needed to make — and it’s got me on the lookout for any future symptoms I may or may not develop. My experience feels something like opening Pandora’s Box. Have I just unleashed something terrible that can’t go away?
Well, yes, it was a frightening discovery, but it’s one I can hopefully learn from and use to implement positive change. I’ve opened the box now, there’s no going back, and even if I could, I wouldn’t want to.
Amber was offered a complimentary GlycanAge test as part of her review. GlycanAge costs £289 for one test and one consultation, or there’s a package option. It usually costs £578 for two tests and two consultations, but it’s currently on offer for £492. If you have any concerns about your health, speak to your GP.
