A recent news article includes some guidance and insight from Dr. Michael Kobor – the Edwin S.H. Leong Chair in Healthy Aging, A UBC President’s Excellence Chair – on estimating biological age using epigenetic clocks.
A recent article published in the National Post and written by Sharon Kirkey highlights recent advances in measuring a person’s biological, or “true” age, using epigenetic clocks. As highlighted in the article, a growing number of start-up companies are offering these tests to consumer’s with claims that they can assess a person’s biological age by collecting cells swabbed from the inside of their cheek or with a few drops of blood. Further, these companies also claim they can make consumers biologically younger by providing supplements or life style recommendations that may slow, or even reverse, one’s biological age.
Several biological clocks are rooted in epigenetics, which refers to modifications to DNA that can change the activity and expression of genes. Most are based on an epigenetic modification called DNA methylation, which refers to chemical tags on DNA called methyl groups that alter gene activity. Research suggests that as we age, lifestyle habits like smoking, how much alcohol we consume, obesity, waist size, being stressed, exposure to pollutants and other factors can affect DNA methylation. Estimates of biological age based on epigenetic clocks estimates a person’s biological age by measuring patterns of DNA methylation at different sites in the genome.
In addition to highlighting different epigenetic clocks and companies that offer them, the article features quotes from Dr. Michael Kobor, the Edwin S.H. Leong Chair in Healthy Aging – A UBC President’s Excellence Chair offering his expertise about how to interpret measures of epigenetic age. The article also highlights some of Dr. Kobor’s previous work on epigenetic age. For example, a few years ago, Dr. Kobor participated in a study with Dr. Steven Horvath, in which 10 healthy aging men, aged 51 to 65, were administered a drug cocktail aimed at rejuvenating the thymus, an organ that tends to lose some of its function during aging. After two years of treatment, the men’s biological age estimates were reduced by an average two and a half years.
Dr. Kobor was also recently involved in a study with Columbia University researchers, this one a randomized controlled trial that looked at the effects of caloric restriction on DNA methylation. In all, 220 adults were randomized to a calorie-reduced diet or an unrestricted diet, for two years. While the calorie intervention slowed the pace of aging, it didn’t lead to significant changes in biological age as measured by various clocks.
The article also points out Dr. Kobor’s concerns about “measurement noise” with epigenetic clocks. Dr. Kobor also mentions that while epigenetic clocks may be very useful for looking at differences between populations or groups of individuals, to really make very strong statements about what they might mean for an individual may be a little premature.
To read the full article please see here: How biological age tests like TallyAge aim to make people younger | National Post