InnerAge 2.0 doesn't just calculate your biological age—it also guides you through an action plan to biohack your overall health and longevity. This action plan combines peer-reviewed science with your blood data to deliver ultra-personalized nutrition and lifestyle recommendations. These recommendations target (1) general factors that significantly impact longevity, and (2) specific biomarkers (e.g., glucose, cholesterol) most strongly correlated with aging. Learn how we’re redefining aging by understanding the research and impact behind some of our recommendations.
What exactly is biohacking? Biohacking is the process of implementing scientifically-driven lifestyle interventions to achieve optimal health throughout your lifespan.
If you choose to prioritize InnerAge in your action plan, you can select our new InnerAge goal. This advanced feature leads you through a science-backed action plan that incorporates recommendations targeting overall health and longevity. To determine these recommendations, we continuously scour the literature for a few key types of studies. We primarily look at large cohort studies that examine health outcomes longitudinally, or overtime. These studies provide insights into factors that contribute to mortality and/or reduce the risk of developing age-related diseases (e.g., cognitive decline, CVD, diabetes). Below are three recommendations you may encounter after selecting the InnerAge goal.
As we age, certain cognitive abilities decline and we become more susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Research also indicates that cognition has an inverse association with mortality—meaning, as cognition declines, our risk of death increases.[1] Fortunately, regularly engaging in activities that challenge memory and cognitive awareness may decrease the risk of age-related cognitive diseases and improve cognitive processing speed as we age. In one randomized control trial, researchers compared the cognitive effects of a brain game, Brain Age, to a non-brain game, Tetris. Young, healthy adults played either game for 15 minutes per day, five times per week. After four weeks, the Brain Age group displayed significant improvements in executive functions, working memory, and processing speed. The researchers conducted the same study design in elderly adults who also showed improved executive functions and processing speed.[2] To keep your cognition sharp as you age, try activities that challenge your brain, such as Sudoku puzzles, crossword puzzles, or games like Brain Age.
A plethora of research shows a strong relationship between nutrition and healthy aging, and this includes the intake of red and processed meat. One study
examined the relationship between dietary protein, their sources (animal vs. plant-based), and the risk of mortality. After investigating the diets and death rates of over 2,000 participants, the researchers concluded that (1) a higher ratio of animal to plant protein and (2) an overall higher meat intake were both associated with an increased risk of mortality.Another 2019 study analyzed mortality rates in Seventh-Day Adventists, a population that eats low to moderate amounts of meat. The results indicated that Adventists with the highest intakes of red and processed meat had a greater risk of all-cause mortality and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to participants who ate no meat at all.[3] Furthermore, processed meat intake is also associated with an increased risk of CVD, the number one cause of death in the United States.[4] Reducing meat intake and replacing it with more plant-based proteins has been shown to reduce CVD risk and many biomarkers related to it, including cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose.[5-6].
Your morning ritual may be contributing to longevity already! Both coffee and green tea are associated with a longer lifespan and a reduced risk of age-related diseases. Drinking three cups of coffee each day is associated with a 12-17% lower risk of death from all causes when compared to people who don’t regularly drink coffee.[7-8] Coffee contains many phenolic compounds (e.g. chlorogenic acids, diterpenes, and kahweol) best known for their antioxidant-like properties. These phenols protect your cells by slowing and preventing oxidative-damage of healthy cells—a possible explanation for coffee’s longevity effects.
If you prefer a morning tea, consider drinking green tea.[9] Research shows that drinking three to four cups of green tea per day is associated with a 5% reduction in all-cause mortality compared to non-tea drinkers.[10-11] More recently, this study found that green tea reduced the risk of cognitive decline in older adults; as tea intake increased among participants, the likelihood of showing signs of cognitive decline decreased. Like coffee, green tea also contains antioxidants, specifically the catechin epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG can reduce cellular damage and plays a fundamental role in glucose and lipid metabolism. Of note, decaffeinated coffee and green tea still elicit antioxidant-like properties sans the jitters that caffeine may provide.
Compared to InnerAge 1.0, we increased the number of biomarkers in InnerAge 2.0 by over three times, providing more personalized and accurate estimates of biological age. After establishing these updated biomarkers, our research team conducted comprehensive literature reviews covering topics on nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, and dietary supplements. And by carefully scrutinizing each study, we learned how different interventions impact each biomarker (i.e. increases, decreases, or non-significant). Combining this knowledge with your blood data, we can deliver personalized recommendations to improve any out-of-range biomarkers. Here’s a glimpse of three examples you may encounter and the research behind each one.
Scientists have proposed various theories for the reason we age, inferring that it starts in our cells and results in a gradual functional decline of the body’s larger systems. Because research on cellular aging is still in its infancy, there is insufficient evidence to formulate strong recommendations for InnerAge 2.0 at this time. However, we are continually analyzing emerging research to ensure our recommendations represent the absolute best and newest science available. Below, you’ll find some examples of cutting-edge research we’ve been following.
9. Glutathione may reduce oxidative stress and damage from free radicals
Cellular oxidative stress is another proposed theory for why we age. Oxidative stress stems from an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body. Free radicals can damage cells, proteins, and DNA, while antioxidants help neutralize and negate their detrimental effects. Glutathione, often referred to as the ‘master antioxidant’ in humans, works by protecting cells from damage and stress; a deficiency in the antioxidant has been associated with an increased risk for cellular oxidative damage.[29] Moreover, adequate glutathione levels may also help ward off many aging-related diseases, as low levels are often linked to a higher incidence of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. In a recent study, centenarians (those who live to be over 100 years old) presented significantly higher glutathione reductase activities than elderly controls. As we continue to examine the research, in the meantime, include mushrooms and asparagus in your diet, as both are good sources of the antioxidant.
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26803665/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22253758/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6470727/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20479151/
[5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26853923/
[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29618018/
[7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23934579/
[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29167102/
[9] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32635492/
[10] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16968850/
[11] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19628408/
[12] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25138371/
[13] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24695890/
[14] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31475415/
[15] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29914666/
[16] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31065943/
[17] https://europepmc.org/article/med/31486447
[18] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24073011/
[19] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27045039/
[20] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30202677/
[21] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24739093/
[22] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26374764/
[23] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32365676/
[24] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25618800/
[25] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-14520-8
[26] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3370421/
[27] https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/139/7/1273/4670470
[28] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955286311000052