Pheno-Age: The New Science of Aging

“If you don’t know where you are, you can’t figure how to get where you want to go”

Recent scientific research on aging has shown that there is now an accurate way to measure the difference between your chronological age and your biological age. Let’s say you are 50 years old - this is your chronological age. Your biological age could actually be older or younger than 50 depending on whether your body is aging slower or faster than your chronological age. Biological age, also referred to as physiological age, takes many lifestyle factors into consideration such as diet, exercise, and sleep habits, to name a few.

A simple blood test called the Pheno-Age test analyzes nine lab bio-markers, and is now considered the most accurate measure of your biological age. The term Pheno-Age is derived from “phenotype”, which is defined as “the set of observable characteristics of an individual that result from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.” Your genotype is your actual DNA blueprint, while your phenotype the way in which your genes are expressed in response to lifestyle and environmental influences.

The science of genetic expression is called “epigenetics”, which literally means “above the gene.” Genes are comprised of DNA sequences that code for production of proteins, the building blocks of our bodies. Science has made great strides in this field since the human genome was mapped in 2003. In fact, researchers decoding the human genome were surprised to find that only two percent of human DNA is contained in genes, and that ninety eight percent of human DNA is “noncoding”. At first, researchers thought that this noncoding DNA served no purpose and therefore called it “junk DNA”. However, it turns out that this DNA isn’t “junk” at all, but rather it plays a very important role in turning genes on and off, and therefore regulates gene expression.

Before the science of epigenetics, it was thought that your health was determined by your genes, and this meant that you were at the mercy of your genetic makeup. We now know that just isn’t true! Your gene expression is much more important to your health than your genes themselves, and your lifestyle, environment, and mental and emotional states directly affect your genetic expression.

Dr. Steve Horvath, an aging researcher at UCLA, developed the Horvath aging clock. This is a highly accurate molecular biomarker of aging, that is used for developing weighted correlation network analysis. The recipient of several research awards, he has studied genomic biomarkers of aging, the aging process, and many age related diseases and conditions. In fact, the term Pheno-Age came directly from his research! Because Pheno-Age pertains to whether you are aging faster or slower than your chronological age, it has also been shown to accurately predict your percentage chance of dying in the next ten years.

The Pheno-Age test is now considered to be the most accurate measurement of your biological age. Biological age, also referred to as physiological age, takes many lifestyle factors into consideration, including diet, exercise and sleeping habits, to name a few. Pheno-Age can now be calculated based on a simple blood test. In his research, Dr. Horvath found that there were nine markers in blood that determine your Pheno-Age, and the good news is that these 9 blood markers can give your doctor very specific information about which systems in the body need attention in order to improve your Pheno-Age. This personally tailored healthcare can thereby slow your rate of aging and extend your “healthspan”. (Healthspan refers to the length of time you live free from the symptoms commonly associated with aging such as arthritis, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, bone and muscle loss etc.)  None of us wants to live a long time if we’re suffering with debilitating age-related conditions, and it’s important to understand that these conditions are not an inevitable consequence of aging: they are reversible to a large degree, and early diagnosis increases your chance of stopping and reversing the accelerated processes of aging and disease.

Dr. Horvath’s research found that accelerated aging was also strongly correlated with Metabolic Syndrome.  Metabolic Syndrome results from disrupted fat and glucose metabolism, and is diagnosed by having three or more of the following five indicators:

1.   Visceral or belly fat as measured by waist circumference exceeding thirty-five inches for women and forty inches for men.

2.   Triglyceride levels above 150 mg/dl.

3.   Blood pressure above 130/85.

4.   Fasting glucose over 110 mg/dl.

5.   HDL cholesterol below 40 mg/dl in men and 50 mg/dl in women.

Having Metabolic Syndrome significantly increases your risk of developing several diseases including:

·      Type II diabetes (4000 % increased risk)

·      Heart disease (70% increased risk for heart attack and stroke)

·      Alzheimer’s disease

·      Kidney disease

·      Liver disease including cirrhosis and fatty liver

·      Macular degeneration

·      Neurological conditions including MS and Parkinson’s

·      Reproductive cancers (breast, ovarian and prostate)

·      Autoimmune conditions (Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sjogren’s, psoriasis and eczema, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, and others.)

A recent study by the University of North Carolina found that eighty eight percent of Americans are metabolically unfit, and the most important thing you can do right now is find out if you are one of them.  Odds are seven in eight that you are, so don’t gamble with your health by delaying this critical analysis. Your life is literally at stake. The good news, however, is that with the right guidance, it’s possible to live a metabolically healthy life!

Fidalgo Island Health Center now offers a Pheno-Age analysis for just $199. We use a lab blood draw as opposed to the finger prick test used by many others who are promoting Pheno-Age testing online. (Blood draws are much more accurate than finger prick for determining Pheno-Age.)  The analysis also includes a comprehensive report the body systems that need attention and support, and a personal consultation to discuss your results and how you can improve your blood biomarkers and health.

Metabolic Syndrome and its increased risk of disease is by far the leading cause of death worldwide. Therefore, in addition to HDL Cholesterol, fasting glucose, and triglycerides, other tests are included to evaluate your metabolic health including Hemoglobin A1c, fasting insulin, and C-reactive Protein, and Vitamin D levels. Together with your Pheno-Age calculation these blood tests will give you very accurate and specific indicators of your risk of disease and death, and will indicate how best guide you towards an improved “healthspan.”

Call Fidalgo Island Heath Center at (360) 588-9108 for information on getting your Pheno-Age test today!