Half a year older, but biologically much older? The story behind two epigenetic tests

Can stress and sleep deprivation cause your biological age to increase more rapidly? A real-world example from TruDiagnostic shows how two epigenetic tests, conducted six months apart, yielded strikingly different results. Using AI, stress and insufficient sleep emerged as possible explanations, although a causal link has not been proven. Discover how DNA methylation, lifestyle, and recovery are related to biological age and why personalized interpretation of a TruAge and TruHealth test is important.

Two tests, six months apart. The second report showed a striking deterioration: the estimated biological age had increased much more than the six months that had passed on the calendar. What had happened in the meantime?

During TruDiagnostic’s online meeting, a real-life example was discussed that really stuck with us. It involved someone who had taken another epigenetic test after about half a year. Several results had clearly become less favorable. The estimated biological age had also increased significantly.

The two reports raised questions. How could the change be so significant? And what did the numbers reveal about this person’s life?

AI helped find a possible explanation

The reports were compared side by side using artificial intelligence. That comparison revealed that stress and insufficient sleep were possible explanations for the altered pattern.

That gave the researchers a starting point for a conversation. When they contacted the participant, it turned out that he had just gone through a very stressful period. He had a new baby and had just moved. As a result, he had been sleeping very poorly for quite some time.

The information from that conversation aligned with the possible explanation from the analysis. That didn’t prove that sleep deprivation and stress had caused the change. However, the numbers took on meaning once we heard what was going on at home.

Behind every report is a person

What made this example special was also the researchers’ reaction. They found it valuable and enjoyable to actually speak with the person behind the data.

Researchers often work with large amounts of data: patterns, models, and statistical correlations. In a one-on-one conversation, that abstract data suddenly becomes relatable. Behind a changed score may lie a period of interrupted nights, moving boxes, and little time to recover.

That conversation added something the reports themselves couldn’t convey: the circumstances in which a person lived.

Biological age requires context

An epigenetic test estimates biological age based on patterns in DNA methylation. A higher result does not automatically mean that someone has irreversibly aged by several years in six months. The interpretation depends, among other things, on the method used, measurement variation, and the conditions under which the measurements were taken.

Research also shows that some epigenetic age estimates can change during periods of severe physical stress and can decrease again after recovery. This has been studied in the context of surgeries and severe infections, among other things. These findings do not prove what happened to this participant, but they do show that biological age is not a fixed number. Do you recognize a period in your own life marked by high stress and little sleep? If so, read more about lab tests for stress and sleep problems.

A test result as a starting point for a conversation

For us, this case illustrates why explaining the results of an epigenetic test is so important. AI can help compare reports and identify potential correlations. A conversation helps put those findings into the context of a person’s daily life.

That’s why at Bloedwaardentest, we offer the TruAge + TruHealth test along with a personalized consultation. We explain the key findings and discuss the questions they raise. The results provide additional information and do not constitute a medical diagnosis.