Welcome to The Sage Minute—bite-sized, science-informed insights on wellness, emotional balance, and longevity. Each issue offers a practical method or tool—behavioral, nutritional, or environmental—grounded in evidence and lived experience.
🧬 Chronological vs. Biological Age
Your chronological age is stamped in time. But your biological age? It reflects the silent story of your cells—how they’re performing, regenerating, and adapting to the life you lead.
You may be 55 on paper… but your mitochondria might beg to differ.
What Biological Age Really Means
Biological age measures how well your body is aging from the inside—tracking cellular wear, inflammation, metabolic performance, and immune resilience.
And thanks to emerging tools, you no longer have to guess.
🧬🥦Why I Start with Viome
Of all the platforms I’ve explored, Viome stands out—for one reason: actionability.
Using RNA sequencing from stool, saliva, and blood samples, Viome analyzes gene expression and pathway activity tied to inflammation, aging, digestion, immunity, and mitochondrial function. But it doesn’t stop at “what’s wrong.”
Viome translates the results into:
Personalized food lists tailored to your biology
Targeted supplements made for your results
A transparent library of cited research linking your test data to underlying pathways
It satisfies the science-lover in me while giving tangible next steps.
🩸 I Also Tested Generation Lab
Generation Lab’s SystemAge test applies DNA methylation analysis and proprietary modeling to measure biological noise—the instability in gene regulation that rises with age and disease risk. By quantifying changes across 460 sites spanning 19 systems, it serves as an early barometer of systemic health.
Mei, X., Blanchard, J., Luellen, C., Conboy, M. J., Conboy, I. M., et al. (2023). Fail-tests of DNA methylation clocks, and development of a noise barometer for measuring epigenetic pressure of aging and disease. Aging (Albany NY), 15(17), 8552–8575.
🔬 Other Tests Worth Knowing
GlycanAge: Measures glycans—sugar molecules linked to proteins—to assess how your immune system and body are aging.
NOVOS Age: Uses DNA methylation patterns to reflect how lifestyle and environment influence gene expression.
TruMe Labs: Combines telomere length and DNA methylation to assess cellular aging.
Tally Health: Provides cheek swab–based biological age insights tied to tissue-level performance.
Deeper Dive:
Scepanovic, P., Hysi, P. G., Agrawal, A., et al. (2024. An accurate aging clock developed from large-scale gut microbiome and human gene expression data. iScience, 27(4), 109656.
Paton, B., Suárez, M., Herrero, P., & Canela, N. (2021). Glycosylation biomarkers associated with age‑related diseases and current methods for glycan analysis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(11), 5788.
Biomarkers of Aging Consortium, Moqri, M., Herzog, C., et al. (2023). Biomarkers of aging for the identification and evaluation of longevity interventions. Cell, 186(18), 3758–3775.
Roberts, L. (2024, October 1). New cheek test that requires a simple swab could predict how long you'll live. The Sun.
Each of these tests highlights a unique aspect of our biology, but together, they underscore an important truth: our physical, emotional, and mental health are deeply interconnected.
👇 What About You?
Do you have a favorite BioAge test? Share below, and tell us about it!
🛒 Explore Viome
If you want to explore what Viome has to offer, head over to this link to learn more and buy a test kit. I’ve been a customer for ov
er a year and can share from personal experience. You can also purchase on Amazon through my Amazon Affiliate Storefront.
Disclosure: I’m an affiliate for Viome, and for Amazon. If you purchase using links, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. That support helps fuel Sage Minute content and research.
Stay Present, Thrive Daily!
Julia
Like Sage Minute? Explore more wellness tips and tools at SageCrew.co.
Follow along: Instagram | YouTube
The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not intended as or substitute for medical advice or treatment. Please consult a healthcare provider before making changes to your wellness routine or regarding the diagnosis or treatment of any disease or condition. Products that may be sold are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. For full disclosure information, see Health Claims Disclosure | Sage Crew and Affiliate Disclosure | Sage Crew.