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Tracking your longevity progress goes way beyond counting the years on a calendar. Instead, it requires taking a deeper look at how your body is functioning at a cellular, metabolic, and physical level, all of which are insights that can't be captured by age alone. Tracking longevity biomarkers can help reveal your real rate of aging, giving you a better idea of your long-term health. With the right tools and expert guidance, these metrics can help you make smarter, more personalized decisions about your health.
In this longevity biomarkers monitoring guide, we'll take an in-depth look at some science-backed markers of aging and how you can use them to track your progress and personalize your anti-aging protocol.
Understanding Biological Age vs. Chronological Age
Your chronological age is simple and straightforward, defined as the number of years that you've been alive, starting from birth. On the other hand, your biological age looks at how well your body is functioning at a cellular level. While your chronological age keeps ticking at the same rate with each passing day, your body's rate of aging depends on a long list of factors, like your genes, lifestyle, and environment. For this reason, two people born the same year might actually have very different biological ages on the inside. (1)
That's where biological age markers come into the picture. These are biological clues that help determine how fast your body is actually aging by looking at DNA changes, inflammation, mitochondrial function, or other functional biomarkers. This helps give you a clear snapshot of your health so you can take steps to stay healthy and live better, not just longer.
Keeping tabs on your biological age is crucial, especially because your chronological age doesn't give much information about your health or potential health span (the number of years you're in generally good health). If you're just focused on the number of candles on your birthday cake, you're most likely missing out on what's really happening inside your body.
Epigenetic Clocks: The Gold Standard for Biological Age
By analyzing chemical changes in your DNA, epigenetic clocks provide a reliable insight into how fast you're really aging. Here's a closer look at how they work.
DNA Methylation and Aging Assessment
One of the most advanced ways to measure your biological age is through epigenetic clocks, which analyze patterns of DNA methylation, or chemical tags that turn genes on or off without actually changing the DNA itself. As you get older, these patterns tend to shift, and scientists have developed clocks that can estimate your rate of aging based on these changes. Epigenetic clocks go beyond traditional aging biomarkers by reflecting the long-term effects of your lifestyle, environment, and internal stressors over time. (2)
There are several different types of epigenetic clocks, including:
- Horvath Clock: This was one of the first developed epigenetic clocks, which measures methylation across many tissues to give a general estimate of your biological age. (3)
- DunedinPoAm: This clock stands out because it is used to estimate your pace of aging, or how quickly or slowly your body is accumulating damage. (4)
- PhenoAge: This clock incorporates clinical biomarkers like blood cell counts and inflammation markers to estimate your biological age and predict disease risk. (5)
- GrimAge: This clock was designed to estimate your risk of early mortality by analyzing DNA methylation patterns tied to smoking and aging-related proteins in the blood. (6)
Clinical Applications and Limitations
Epigenetic age testing offers a clear view of how quickly your body is actually aging, making it a great tool for longevity tracking. Some clocks, like GrimAge, have shown impressive accuracy in predicting disease risk and even estimating how long you might live. (6) But while the science is exciting, these tests aren't yet widely available and are still mostly limited to research labs or pricey wellness programs, with costs ranging from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand. Plus, understanding exactly what your results mean for long-term health often requires an expert — another reason why these tests haven't gone mainstream quite yet.
Emerging Developments in Epigenetic Clocks
Researchers are now pushing epigenetic clocks beyond whole-body estimates to develop cell-type and organ-specific aging measures, offering even more precise insights into how different parts of the body age. For example, new clocks are being designed to estimate the biological age of the brain, liver, immune system, and even skin, demonstrating that aging might not happen uniformly across your body. These clocks could help detect early signs of organ decline and tailor interventions more effectively to support healthy aging. (7, 8, 9)
Functional Biomarkers: Measuring What Matters
Biological age testing and tracking isn't just about lab work. In fact, functional biomarkers like strength, balance, and endurance also offer real-world insight into how well your body is aging. Below, we take a look at how these simple tools can support longevity progress tracking and help identify early signs of biological age acceleration.
Grip Strength as a Longevity Predictor
Grip strength — a measure of how firmly you can hold onto things — can be a surprising predictor of overall health and longevity. (10) Grip strength assessments are often performed using a tool called a hand dynamometer and results are compared using standardized, age-adjusted benchmarks. (11)
Interestingly, many studies have shown that lower grip strength may be linked to a higher risk of mortality, heart disease, and even cognitive decline. (12, 13, 14) Not only that, but grip strength is also closely linked to DNA methylation, making it a meaningful marker of how quickly your body is aging beneath the surface. (15, 16)
Muscle Mass and Sarcopenia Prevention
Beyond helping you stay strong, maintaining muscle moss as you get older is one of the most important factors for living longer and staying independent. Muscle loss (aka sarcopenia) has been linked to a higher risk of chronic disease, falls, disability, and even early death. (17, 18, 19). Preventing sarcopenia is key to preserving mobility and quality of life as you age.
Muscle mass can be measured in a few different ways. For instance, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans provide a detailed breakdown of your body composition, including how much lean muscle you have. (20) But in real-world settings, simple tests like grip strength, chair stands, and gait speed can be just as valuable. In addition to measuring how much muscle you have, these tests also evaluate how your muscles actually function. Together, aging biomarkers and functional testing can give you a more complete picture, both of your overall muscle mass and how well your body is aging over time.
Balance and Mobility Testing
Balance and mobility tests are simple yet powerful tools that can help measure your biological age. For example, the single-leg balance test, which measures your ability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds, has been linked to lower risk of mortality in middle-aged and older adults. (21) Other measures of functional capacity, such as gait speed, chair stands, and timed up-and-go tests, offer insights into strength, coordination, mobility, and neuromuscular health. (22, 23, 24) These evaluations can act as early warning signs of age-related decline, making them a smart addition to any aging or longevity assessment.
Cardiovascular Fitness Markers
Cardiovascular fitness can be one of the best biomarkers for measuring aging. In fact, higher levels of VO2 max (which measures how efficiently your body uses oxygen during exercise) has been linked to a lower risk of chronic disease and mortality, making it a key predictor of longevity. (25, 26) But while testing your VO2 max often requires special equipment, there are many more accessible alternatives that can also provide valuable insights into your heart health and endurance as you get older, including resting heart rate and walking tests. (27, 28)
Metabolic and Molecular Biomarkers
Metabolic and molecular biomarkers offer a closer look into the processes that drive aging, revealing how subtle shifts in inflammation, hormone levels, and cell function can impact longevity. Here are a few biomarkers that may help provide insight into your biological age.
Inflammation Markers and Aging
Chronic inflammation plays a major role in aging and disease, and certain blood markers can reveal exactly how much it's impacting your body. Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are two inflammatory biomarkers linked to biological aging acceleration, an increased risk of chronic disease, and even a shorter lifespan. (29, 30, 31) Often known as "inflammaging," this low-grade, long-term inflammation can quietly contribute to cellular stress and age-related decline. (32) Understanding how chronic inflammation accelerates aging provides crucial context for why monitoring these markers is essential for any comprehensive longevity protocol. Tracking these metabolic markers can help identify hidden risks early and guide strategies aimed at reducing inflammation and slowing aging.
Metabolomics and Longevity
Emerging research in metabolomics (the study of small molecules in the body) has unearthed key patterns linked to aging and longevity. (33) Certain metabolites, like omega-3 fatty acids and short-chain fatty acids produced by the gut, are often found in people with a longer lifespan and lower disease risk. (34) What's more, specific amino acid profiles have also been associated with better metabolic health, improved muscle maintenance, and reduced inflammation as you age. (35)
Hormonal Markers of Aging
Hormone levels start to shift as you get older, and tracking these changes can offer important insights into aging and overall health. Declines in testosterone, estrogen, and growth hormone levels are linked to reduced muscle mass, energy, and resilience, whereas thyroid function plays a central role in regulating metabolism and cognitive function. (36, 37, 38, 39, 40) These hormonal shifts can be useful longevity biomarkers for tracking metabolic health and identifying any imbalances that could accelerate aging.
Digital Biomarkers and Wearable Technology
Wearable technology has evolved far beyond simple step counters. Now, these devices can track a wide range of physiological signals that reflect aging and overall health, from heart rate variability to sleep quality, respiration, and even skin temperature. Studies show that these digital biomarkers can provide insights into biological aging and detect early signs of stress or decline. (41, 42, 43)
One big advantage of wearable devices is their ability to complement traditional lab tests. While most lab-based biomarkers provide a detailed snapshot of your biological age at a specific moment in time, wearables can give you an ongoing stream of data to track long-term trends in your health, giving you a more complete overview of your biological age.
There are a variety of consumer-grade wearables on the market (like the Apple Watch, Oura Ring, or Fitbit), most of which are widely accessible, practical, and useful for keeping tabs on general trends in your health. While these devices don't provide the same level of precision as the clinical-grade monitors used in research labs or hospitals, they can be an easy way to track how your daily habits impact overall health.
Creating a Personalized Biomarker Tracking Protocol
Building a biomarker tracking plan starts with identifying your personal goals. Whether you're aiming to improve metabolic health, slow signs of aging, or keep an eye on your cardiovascular fitness levels, selecting the right set of biomarkers is important. For example, if you have a family history of heart disease, you might want to measure and track your VO2max, lipid profiles, or inflammatory markers like CRP. On the other hand, if maintaining muscle is your focus, functional biomarkers like grip strength or mobility tests might be your best bet.
Once you've decided which biomarkers you want to zero in on, it's important to establish a baseline before monitoring for meaningful changes over time. Regular tracking can help identify trends, plateaus, or early warning signs to guide personalized anti-aging interventions.
As this technology continues to advance, new tools are making this process even easier and more accurate. From organ-specific epigenetic clocks to microbiome and metabolomic profiles, scientists are pushing the limits of what's possible in longevity monitoring, empowering you to make more informed, personalized decisions about your health.
Interpreting Results and Making Adjustments
After you've established your tracking routine, figuring out how to interpret the results is the next step. Start by comparing any new data you collect to your baseline to determine whether biomarkers are trending in a healthier direction, holding steady, or showing signs of decline. If, for example, your VO2 max has improved after consistent cardio training or your CRP levels drop after you switch up your diet, it might be a signal that your interventions are actually effective. On the other hand, unexpected shifts (like a decline in grip strength or an increase in inflammatory markers) could point to stress, illness, or sleep disruptions.
Keep in mind that not all fluctuations are a cause for concern. Many biomarkers can vary based on factors like the time of day, your hydration status, or acute stress. Instead of looking for isolated spikes or dips, focus on finding consistent patterns over time. And if you experience any unexplained changes in biomarkers, it's a good idea to check in with a healthcare professional, who can help you interpret the data, rule out any underlying causes, and adjust your protocol based on your long-term goals.
Conclusion
Aging biomarkers beyond NAD+, such as epigenetic clocks, functional tests, and molecular biomarkers, can give a more accurate overview of how your body is aging. But while these tools can provide powerful insights into longevity and health, it's important to remember that the science is still evolving. Research on maintaining lean mass has demonstrated that functional capacity metrics like muscle strength and mobility are among the most actionable biomarkers for extending healthspan. Additionally, while tracking these changes consistently can help guide smarter choices, interpreting your results can get tricky. For the most effective and personalized approach, consider consulting with a healthcare provider, who can help you navigate the data and adjust your protocol as new technology emerges.
