Biomarkers of aging can determine how well your chronological and biological age is progressing. Biomarkers are increasingly used to understand physiological changes as each year passes in human longevity. These changes include but are not limited to the development of diseases and illnesses.

Some of the biomarkers are the cardiovascular system, metabolic processes, inflammation, activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and organ functioning (including-kidney, lung and heart). Many of these biomarkers can be improved upon by taking time to learn how to improve upon each area. In addition, researchers note that markers of functioning of the central nervous system and genetic factors are now becoming part of the relationships between high-risk levels of each marker.

According to the article on HHS Public Access titled BIOMARKERS RELATED TO AGING IN HUMAN POPULATIONS, it says “There is no agreed upon set of biomarkers of aging; however, there is a significant body of literature discussing what a “biomarker” is and what constitutes aging.”

The MacArthur Study of Successful Aging was the first large-scale project to collect information on a significant number of biomarkers in the home rather than in a medical setting. This survey was of people aged 70-79 in three communities and biomarkers were collected at multiple time points. A phlebotomist collected blood samples and interviewers collected overnight urine. Many of the measures available from this study have been documented in the study article. Some were from assays done at the time of collection and other from stored samples (e.g. antioxidants, homocysteine, folic acid, CRP, fibrinogen, IL-6, and extraction of DNA). there are additional performance tests for balance, walking, ability, strength and cognitive functioning. Read more about this study through HHS Public Access. See title in previous paragraph. Eileen Crimmins, Sarinnapha Vasunilashorn, Jung Ki Kim, and Dawn Alley, authors.