Phenoage
Most people understand age as the chronological age, which is basically the time that's passed since one's birth. However, there's another concept called biological age. This reflects the changes that happen in our body's cells, tissues, and organs over time due to damage. Biological age can also be termed physiological or functional age. While we can't alter our chronological age or genetics, our lifestyle and diet can influence our biological age.
What is PhenoAge?
The concept of PhenoAge comes from the term "phenotype," which describes the observable traits of an individual based on their DNA (genotype) interaction with the environment. So, your genotype is the actual DNA, while phenotype showcases how these genes manifest. These manifestations can change based on lifestyle and environmental factors. PhenoAge offers a formula derived from standard blood test biomarkers and stands as one of the most precise methods to measure biological age.
Dr. Steven Horvath and Morgan Levine, Ph.D., from the University of California, Los Angeles, pioneered the PhenoAge formula. Their aim was to create a cost-effective method to ascertain biological age and the risk of mortality. Their research suggests that the PhenoAge calculator effectively correlates age across various tissues and cells and can predict diverse outcomes and give insights into aging processes1.
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