A sophisticated molecular diagnostic technique used to estimate an individual’s biological age, or ‘epigenetic age,’ by analyzing specific patterns of DNA methylation across the human genome. This assessment provides a quantitative, objective measure of the body’s accumulated physiological aging and is considered a more accurate predictor of healthspan and all-cause mortality risk than chronological age alone. The resulting data informs targeted longevity interventions aimed at slowing the measured rate of biological aging. It represents a paradigm shift in age-related health management from observation to molecular quantification.
Origin
The concept originated from the specialized field of epigenetics, the study of heritable changes in gene expression that occur without altering the primary DNA sequence. The “clock” metaphor was established by researchers who discovered specific cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) sites of DNA methylation whose status reliably and predictably correlates with chronological age across the lifespan. This development moved the assessment of aging from purely observational metrics to a precise, molecularly quantifiable biomarker, establishing a new frontier in personalized longevity science.
Mechanism
The assessment mechanism relies on complex, validated bioinformatic algorithms that analyze the methylation status of hundreds of specific CpG sites across the genome. DNA methylation, the covalent addition of a methyl group to DNA, alters gene expression patterns, and these patterns predictably change with age. By measuring the fraction of methylated DNA at these specific sites, the algorithm calculates the biological age, providing a quantifiable and modifiable target for lifestyle and pharmacological interventions designed to decelerate the aging process at a fundamental molecular level.
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