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They’re all 55. But a revolutionary new test reveals how differently they’re ageing. So...
HoW old are you? It may seem a facile question, but research suggests the number of candles on your birthday cake might not reflect how your body’s aged — with implications for your quality of life and longevity.
Just how differently our bodies age can be seen from a pioneering, but simple, new blood test developed by an international team of scientists. the test is said to be the most accurate method yet of determining our biological age — that is, how our body’s cells have aged.
the Glycanage test analyses levels of tiny sugar molecules (called glycans). It is designed to enable ordinary people to test their real biological age — and just as importantly, help them track how lifestyle changes improve it.
Previously, the most sophisticated method scientists had to test ageing was to look at the length of the telomeres, which are a bit like the plastic caps that protect the end of shoelaces and sit on the ends of our strands of Dna — shorter telomeres mean your cells are ageing.
But the international team launching the new test says that Glycanage is a far more accurate measurement.
Glycans attach to proteins in the immune system and it’s now known that they form distinctive patterns on the protein molecules, and that these patterns change as we age
as tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s college London, who is part of the team behind the test, explains: ‘Large studies have found that these changes closely track our chronological age’.
In other words, different patterns occur at different ages — so how much your pattern varies from the norm for your age is a sign you’re ageing at a slower — or faster — rate than most of your contemporaries. the new test analyses the individual’s glycan patterns, identifying the age to which they correspond.
Glycan changes show the effect of genes and lifestyle on your body. Lifestyle factors linked to glycan ageing include smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, poor diet, raised cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and chronic stress. Glycan patterns also change with the menopause because of the drop in oestrogen, which protects against ageing. ‘So while men tend to age at a steady rate from their 30s, women often age 50 per cent faster for five years after the menopause,’ says Professor Spector. Poor sleep might also be a factor. ‘People vary a lot — there can be as much as 25 years of difference between your chronological and biological age,’ he says.
a ‘bad result’ may be a warning sign you’re at greater risk of diseases such as diabetes — but could motivate you to change your habits and prevent future illness.
‘the good news for those who have an older biological age is that animal tests indicate that you can restore a younger pattern of glycans simply by overhauling your lifestyle,’ says Professor Spector.
at 58, he has a glycan age of 42, which he puts down to recent improvements in his lifestyle — taking more exercise and swapping meat and processed food for lots of vegetables and dairy.
So how old are you really is a question worth asking. and to find out just what this means, we asked six brave volunteers, all aged 55, to take this new test, with some very surprising results.
I STARTED GOING GREY IN MY TWENTIES Biological age: 34
Karen La Borde, who runs a business training ski instructors with her husband, lives near Penzance, Cornwall; they have three adult children. Height, 5ft 4in, weight, 11st 7lb, Body Mass Index (BMI), 27.6 (overweight). I can’t believe my results — just 34! It must be my genes: both my grandparents died in their late 90s, and my sister took up athletics at 63 and at 70 is a world-class race walker.
I’d always thought myself averagely healthy — most of my food is homecooked with lots of fish, meat and vegetables, and I’ve always been sporty: I was a competitive netball player, playing four or five times a week until I was 46. I swim for 30-40 minutes most days. I used to smoke, but gave up 15 years ago.
But stopping playing sport has made the weight pile on — I’m a size 14, but can easily drift up to a 16 thanks to a weakness for chocolate and cheese and onion crisps.
I don’t feel particularly young or old. While I haven’t gone through the menopause, I have wrinkles and I started to go grey in my late 20s.
Given all this, I’d expected my biological result to match my age, I’m absolutely delighted to find I’m the same age as my son and will now definitely eat fewer crisps!
Professor Spector says: ‘a very impressive result and in fact this result is lower than I would have predicted, as Karen is slightly overweight.
‘However, she sounds fit and healthy and has a long history of exercise.
‘Her biological age might reflect the high levels of oestrogen caused by her late menopause, and importantly her good genes.
‘Grey hair is not a sign your body is ageing prematurely. But wrinkled skin can reflect you’re ageing faster.’
I’M TOLD I LOOK YOUNG FOR MY AGE Biological age: 59
JoHan VystaVeL, a semi-retired investment adviser, lives in London with his wife. they have two adult children. Height, 6ft 2in, weight, 15st, BMI, 27 (overweight). In tHe first half of my life, I used to be very active, playing tennis, waterskiing and skiing.
these days I try to exercise every day for at least 30 minutes, including on a rowing machine at home.
I tend to also have a daily walk or cycle in the fresh air. I haven’t worked full-time for ten years, but even when I did I never felt stressed, possibly because I worked for myself.
I’ve been happily married for 24 years. I’ve eaten a healthy Mediterranean diet most of my life and don’t smoke, but drink up to half a bottle of wine a day. I know it’s more than is recommended, but I believe red wine is good for you.
I get out of breath much earlier than I did 20 years ago, so I know I’m not as fit as I was.
But people say I look younger than my age, and I feel younger.
I thought the test would say I am slightly younger than 55 so I was surprised and a little disappointed by the result — I’m now going to work on my fitness.
Professor Spector says: ‘this may be older than Johan would like, but it is an average result.
‘the small difference between his chronological and biological age is considered normal given the margin of error in any blood test. I would suggest losing a little weight and doing more serious exercise.’
I KNOW I’M BIG, BUT I’M FULL OF ENERGY Biological age: 51
HeLen dee, a plus-size model and tV and film extra, is divorced and lives in epsom, surrey. she has an adult daughter. Height, 5ft 5in, weight, 16st, BMI, 37.2 (obese) I’M a life-long yo-yo dieter with a weakness for cheese and chocolate and carbs. But I try to go to the gym two or three times a week and do zumba (though back pain restricts me from doing this regularly).
I usually go clubbing once a week and I’m always first on the dance floor and the last off. I survive on about four to five hours of sleep a night — a lot of my friends say they’re tired just thinking about my life.
Despite my weight and a few health issues — tingling in my fingers, acid reflux, and ankle pain (doctors have previously tried to blame this on my weight) — I feel young and healthy and I’ve got loads of energy. I was recently rejected for a modelling job for 50-year-olds as they thought I was too young.
But I have just started to go through the menopause and my hair is going grey, too.
I have to say I’m completely chuffed by my results: I know I’m overweight (dress size 22-24), but this shows you can’t always judge someone’s health by the way they look. now I would like to reduce my biological age even more, so am going to the gym twice a week and eating more healthily.
Professor Spector says: ‘Helen is lucky — we know obesity is linked to increased glycan ageing, but balancing this is the fact she hasn’t yet had any weight-related health issues such as high blood pressure.
‘Her late menopause may also have helped. It’s interesting that people think she’s younger, but this can be deceptive in overweight people as plumpness smooths out wrinkles.
‘My hunch is that her genes have helped. She could maintain or improve this result if she ate better and lost weight, otherwise I’d expect to see her biological age increasing fast.’
HAS A STRESSFUL JOB AGED ME? Biological age: 34
daVe Watts is a retired civil servant who lives in romford, essex, with his wife. Height, 6ft, weight, 14st 9lb, BMI, 27.8 (overweight). For 30 years I worked for the tax office, which I found very stressful. During this time I piled on the weight, reaching 16st, and developed sleep apnoea, which means I woke frequently in the night and was very tired during the day.
I took early retirement in December 2014 and have since walked everywhere; I also swim or go to the gym five days a week, run once a week and have lost a stone and a half; my sleep apnoea has vastly improved and I’m much less stressed.
I avoid sugary drinks and food and too much salt. I probably drink a little more than I should, with the odd beer and a couple of glasses of wine with my dinner, and have around 30 units of alcohol a week.
Longevity doesn’t run in my family: my mother died of breast cancer at 51, and her three siblings died between the ages of 50 and 85.
People often think I’m younger than 55, but I was worried that all the stress in the past aged me, so my results were a pleasant shock.
Professor Spector says: ‘this is an amazingly good result, probably due to the good genes which also make Dave look young.
‘His family history is not that great, which highlights that biological ageing and family longevity are not irreversibly bound. Before he tackled his obesity and stress, I guess his glycan age would have been ten years older.’
MY WEAKNESS IS SWEET THINGS Biological age: 76
Joanna Lamiri, from West London, works as a web business administrator, cook and food writer. She’s divorced with two adult children. Height, 5ft 2in, weight, 14st, Bmi, 36.5 (obese). I’m extremely shocked by my biological age — I am generally told I look and seem ten years younger than I am. Although I’ve recently been through the menopause I feel young and have lots of energy — I’ve had no serious illnesses, and hardly ever pick up bugs.
I eat well, trying to avoid processed foods or junk food, and am increasingly adopting a vegetarian diet. I’ve never smoked and come from a reasonably long-lived family — my grandmother lived to 96, and a great grandmother also lived into her 90s.
But these results have made me take a serious look at my health.
my major weakness is sweet things: I adore cakes and puddings, and working from home means I’m never more than six metres from a biscuit tin. I loathe gyms, but walk a lot, although I can get very out of breath on exertion, so exercising is difficult. I don’t sleep very well, averaging about five hours.
Because of my glycan result I’ve been to my GP and am being tested for undiagnosed asthma for my breathlessness — getting this treated could help me exercise more easily. I will also make a real effort to lose weight. I’m having another GlycanAge test in six months, which I hope will show improvements. Professor Spector says: ‘Jo’s main ageing factors are long-term lack of fitness and being overweight — the menopause will also contribute. A minority of overweight people can get away with it if they are fit, but most — either because of genetics or because they aren’t active — will experience health problems because they store fat around their organs, which accelerates ageing.
‘We also believe that stress and how you deal with it plays a role in glycan ageing.’
I FEEL 29, BUT I HAVE HAD CANCER Biological age: 54
Sonia ScrimSHire runs a consultancy and training business with her husband: they live near Leamington Spa in Warwickshire and have two grown-up children. Height, 5ft 6in, weight, 8st 7lb, Bmi, 19.2 (healthy). I’m GenerAlly very healthy, with low blood pressure and excellent cholesterol. But in 2007 I was diagnosed with a rare type of colorectal cancer, which was very stressful.
Since then I’ve had 32 sessions of radiotherapy and 250 hours of chemo which was gruelling, but thankfully I am cured.
ever since then I’ve taken great care of my health, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and exercising regularly, walking my two dogs for three miles every day. I go to the gym five times per week, too.
A side-effect of my treatment was that I went into menopause at 46 and I don’t sleep well.
However, I have hardly any grey hairs and most people think I’m in my late 40s, I feel 29 and won’t acknowledge I am middle-aged!
So at first I was disappointed that my glycan age wasn’t even younger, but thinking about it my result is pretty good considering all I’ve been through. I’m very encouraged to think that my healthy lifestyle has helped reverse any damage. Professor Spector says: ‘Sonia has a normal result for her age. I think it’s likely her healthy lifestyle has counteracted the stress to her body caused by her cancer.
‘the side-effects of chemotherapy may well have increased her biological age but if she maintains her current lifestyle, I predict her scores will improve.
‘We don’t yet know definitely if good sleep helps reduce glycan age, but I would think it does. Also, it’s worth pointing out that people who stay fit and slim will age slower.’ tHe researchers are looking for 1,000 volunteers to take two to three GlycanAge tests over three to six months, in conjunction with lifestyle and diet advice, at a reduced rate of £50 each to examine how lifestyle changes affect a person’s GlycanAge. to find out more go to glycanage.com