New Zealand’s First ‘at home’ Biological Age Test Reveals How Quickly Your Cells Are Aging

[SRW PRESS RELEASE : 1st November 2021] The first ‘at-home’ DNA test kit to reveal one’s real ‘biological age’ is launched today by local biotech company SRW (Science Research Wellness) Laboratories. The DNA^age test returns a result, revealing the acting age of the body’s cells, and if they are ageing faster or slower than expected, based on our chronological age - the number of years we have lived.

An epigenetic age test, DNA^age uses DNA methylation to determine our true age. Recent research has shown that factors such as sleep, pollution, alcohol consumption, stress, exercise, obesity, and diet can speed up the process of biological ageing, while lifestyle adjustments in the right direction can have the opposite effect.

The DNA^age test is a painless saliva-based DNA test which can be carried out in the comfort of your own home. It is intended to be used alongside lifestyle adjustments.

Comparing our biological age against our chronological age is what SRW Founder, Greg Macpherson strongly believes will become a key test to motivate people towards a healthier ageing trajectory, by taking the test every 12 months.

“This advance means people can test at home to see if the healthy ageing activities they are doing are making a positive impact and if not, then using that information annually to adapt to activities that are working while they still have the time to make the change.”

Scientists are increasingly determining that we can make actual lifestyle changes to influence our biological age and help increase our chances of living a long healthy life, both physically and mentally. By following specific advice people have been able to achieve a biological age up to three decades younger than their actual age, a strong indicator that they will continue to age with good health.

Explaining the science, Macpherson says, “As we get older, we accrue methylation on our DNA. Certain people accumulate this faster due to their lifestyle or environmental factors. In the lab, the methyl grouped along the DNA is measured and correlated to age.“

Normally older individuals have a larger number of methyl groups on their DNA, so a young person with a large number of methyl groups may be ageing faster than expected.

The use of DNA methylation to determine our epigenetic age is based on the work of Dr Moshe Szyf who has over 40 years industry experience, specialising in epigenetics to promote health and prevent disease. An SRW Advisory Board Scientist, Dr Szyf has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers and is the founding co-director of the Sackler Institute for Epigenetics and Psychobiology at McGill University.

Speaking on the impact of his work, Dr Szyf says, “We now know that movement and a mindful diet don't just make you feel good - they can also reverse your biological age. By making simple lifestyle alterations to improve our well-being, we also target epigenetic processes that can increase our healthspan and longevity. Ageing is what causes chronic disease, so by slowing down the process and reversing its impact, we can live better for longer.

“This test measures your biological clock at a certain point, it's not a final clock, it can change. So, the test by itself doesn't improve your life, it’s what you then do about it. My interactions with SRW convinced me that they are keenly interested in improving human well-being and human health, and slowing down the process of ageing through educated, science-based interventions.”

SRW is offering a product and service package that delivers lifestyle advice, together with the leading-edge test, to help people monitor their progress and make positive changes to their health over time. DNA^age is available to purchase here