Research

Mixed

Higher biological age, specifically as measured by DNA methylation estimators (GrimAge, Horvath) and Frailty Index, is independently associated with increased all-cause mortality risk, even after adjusting for chronological age and other biological age measures.

Your chronological age is not your health destiny. Biomarkers like DNA methylation (GrimAge) and Frailty Index provide a more accurate picture of your mortality risk. While you cannot change your birth date, these biological ages reflect your body's current state. High biological age signals elevated risk, but it is modifiable. Focus on interventions that improve physiological function and reduce frailty, as these metrics are strong predictors of longevity. Regular health assessments that go beyond simple age tracking can help identify risks early.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
In joint models, two methylation age estimators (Horvath and GrimAge) and FI remained predictive, suggesting they are complementary in predicting mortality.
Xia Li et al. · eLife · 2020

Why this rating

Longitudinal cohort study (20 years) with large sample size (845 individuals) and repeated measures, though observational.

Source

Longitudinal trajectories, correlations and mortality associations of nine biological ages across 20-years follow-up

Xia Li et al. · eLife · 2020

DOI 10.7554/elife.51507

cohort · n=845Cited 416×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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