WHAT IS YOUR BIOLOGICAL AGE?
TruAge™ DNA Biomarker for Biological Age in Cincinnati, OH
Chronological age is the number of candles that are on top of your cake and the birthdays you celebrate (or sometimes don’t!). However, developments in science have created another measurement of age called biologic age. This measurement of age is based on years of statistical research which can predict how healthy you are and how long you might live. TruAge in Cincinnati is an easy and convenient test that can help provide you with invaluable information.
The novel DNA biomarker uses markers on your DNA called methylation (DNA methylation means the changes in your DNA due to outside factors) to predict your age.
WHY IS YOUR BIOLOGICAL AGE SO IMPORTANT?
The cells in your eyes have the same DNA as the cells in your hair. So what makes them different? The answer is each cell chooses to turn on some genes and turn others off. For example, your eyes express different genes than your hair. This is called expression and it is controlled by the markers we measure with our TruAge testing kit.
Unfortunately, as we age, natural DNA expression can become much harder to regulate. The genes which should be expressed in your eyes aren’t regulated as well and you start to lose function.
Therefore, you see a degradation in vision as you age. In fact, aging is defined as the progressive loss of function as you age. So what does this have to do with biological age measured by TruAge™?
TruAge™ can report how old your cells and DNA look. This means that you can measure how likely you are to develop a specific disease or even how long you might live!
Often, knowing how to be the healthiest you can be is difficult. Doctors measure blood levels like cholesterol, inflammation, and blood sugar. They perform tests such as colonoscopies, vision tests, and physical function tests. Now, with this single measurement, you can link your health and longevity to a simple test which can help you and our providers know the best way to address your health concerns in the most personalized and effective way!
WHAT INFLUENCES MY BIOLOGICAL AGE TO BE YOUNGER OR OLDER COMPARED TO MY CHRONOLOGICAL AGE?
Although aging is inevitable, there are steps you can take to support healthy living. It’s important to understand how lifestyle components can impact your body and its aging process.
Several factors that can influence your biological age include toxins, stress, sleep, exercise, diet, alcohol consumption, level of education, and sexual and romantic relationships. Being aware of these factors will allow you to make the right choices to have a better quality life.
For example, assume you’re 25 years old, you smoke, and you live a sedentary lifestyle. Your biological age is certainly older than your chronological age, because it is associated with a higher risk for certain diseases brought on by living such a lifestyle.
How your DNA is methylated isn’t just a predictor of age, it is also a predictor of many other diseases and health statuses. For instance, how much a person exercises can change their biological age and the methylation of their DNA. In fact, certain methylation changes have been directly correlated to all of the following (and this is a partial list):
Parkinsons
Huntington’s disease
Coronary artery disease
Osteoarthritis
Schizophrenia
Menopause
Lifespan and healthspan
Inflammation and chronic disease
HIV and neurocognitive disorders
Blood pressure
Brain aging
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Psoriatic skin lesions
Stress and PTSD
and more!
HOW WE CAN HELP
TruAge in Cincinnati is the tool for tracking your overall health by allowing us to see what’s really happening with your DNA and cells. About 60% of methylation values in your DNA (which determine epigenetic aging) are modifiable and can be influenced by interventions you do for your health! At Amy Brenner, MD & Associates we know that hormonal balance, diet, exercise and other lifestyle strategies are the foundations of optimal health. But we also have many other tools in our toolbox to help optimize your health such as supplementation, peptide therapy, advanced lifestyle and diet changes…and more.
No matter where you are on your journey to health, the TruAge™ test can tell us where you currently are and what else you need to work on. Everyone’s healthcare journey is unique, but these are the areas that we can help improve a patient’s health and biologic age.
Lifestyle – We have heard this over and over again but lifestyle can have the biggest impact on changing your health. Some of us know exactly what to do and lack motivation or don’t have a sense of accountability and some of us have no idea where to start. Don’t worry we are here to help you. Whether you want to try calorie restriction diets programs like hCG or a ketogenic, look at intermittent fasting or the fasting mimicking diet, or even if you want to schedule appointments for accountability and counsel as you need it…we have options for all of these.
Hormone Optimization – As we age both chronologically and biologically our body slows down on producing many important hormones. Hormone optimization is typically one of the first steps our practice recommends to optimize your health. (Female programs / Male programs)
Detox – We are subjected to so many toxins on a daily basis. From the foods we eat to the products we use to clean, as well as environmental toxins from our cars, factories, etc. even the most healthy person should do a detox at least twice a year. We have kits that you can do on your own and purchase as you need or yearly packages.
Basic Supplementation – No matter who you are, there are supplements that we all could benefit from. A good multivitamin, fish oil and probiotic are just a few to start. Check out our essential five supplements that everyone should be taking.
Gut Health – It has been said that all disease starts in the gut. With years of antibiotic treatments, toxins, eating processed food and even with travel we are putting a strain on our gut without even thinking twice about it. We have programs that include testing to evaluate the health of your gut and ways to improve your gut’s health.
Adrenal Health – The world we live in faces us all with so many stresses, some that we don’t even realize. Even something that is so good for us, like exercising for example, can increase our already out of control cortisol levels. These stresses can raise our cortisol levels to the point of adrenal fatigue. We have testing available that measures these levels to make sure your levels of cortisol are rising and lowering appropriately throughout the day.
Peptide Therapy – When you feel like you have started the work to heal all the items above we should begin to look at starting or adding peptide therapy. Because peptides are so numerous and variable in structure, their effects are likewise varied and wide-ranging. One class of these peptides are known as growth hormone secretagogues, and cause the secretion of one’s own, natural human growth hormone (hGH) in the body. These peptides have been shown to be very useful in the treatment of age-related conditions, osteoporosis, obesity, and various chronic inflammatory diseases, and have several advantages over traditional hGH administration. Peptide therapy has many therapeutic uses, ranging from immune modulation and tissue repair to fat loss, muscle building, and sexual health. (CJC/Ipamorelin, Sermorelin/Glycine, Thymosin Alpha 1)
Senolytics/Mitochondrial Support – This therapy is the most cutting edge anti aging therapy in our toolbox. Schedule with one of our providers to learn more about the benefits of things like NAD+, Rapamycin, and Methylene Blue and how they may aid in improving your biological age and potentially increase your life.
Others – At this time, these therapies are not offered in our practice, however, there is the potential for improvement in overall health and we think they are options worth exploring. These therapies include; infrared sauna red light therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, and reduction of EMF exposures.
The step-by-step patient experience.
Once you receive your results you may have questions about your next best step to improve your overall health and decrease your biological age. We want to meet you where you are on your healthcare journey, so review your options and decide where you think you could start. Once you have decided on what you think is the best place for you to begin, give us a call to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions.
How does TruDiagnostic™ measure my epigenetic changes?
Why is a blood sample better than saliva?
What is epigenetics?
What influences my biological age to be younger or older compared to my chronological age?
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It's simple— identify the problem areas of your body and we will recommend the right treatment plan for you.