Consistent patterns of age-based alterations in DNA methylation can be harnessed to estimate age, serving as a sort of "clock," the premise of which is truly remarkable: Predict a person's age (or even lifespan), based on chemical modifications to their DNA that reflect the biological life history of the organism. Dr. Steve Horvath has analyzed large data sets of DNA methylation profiles to derive an algorithm that accurately predicts a person's chronological age across multiple cells, tissues, and organs, and even mammalian species. He built on this algorithm to develop second-generation clocks that could predict time-to-death among people of the same chronological age, as well as lifespan and healthspan.

In this episode, Dr. Steven Horvath describes epigenetic clocks and their role in predicting – and possibly slowing – aging.

Get this show's notes, timeline, and transcript: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/steve-horvath

Dr. Horvath's faculty bio page: https://ph.ucla.edu/faculty/horvath

Dr. Horvath's Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Horvath

Dr. Rhonda Patrick's 3-minute video crash course in epigenetics: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/epigenetic-clock

The FoundMyFitness overview article of epigenetic clocks: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/topics/epigenetic-clocks