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What is True Age

The science behind our core metric

Updated over 3 months ago

True Age is your biological age based on four biomarkers that predict all-cause mortality risk. It tells you what age your body is actually functioning at, independent of the years you've been alive.

Biological age vs chronological age

Your chronological age measures time. Your biological age measures health.

Two people born on the same day can have vastly different health trajectories. One might have the cardiovascular fitness of someone 10 years younger, while the other shows markers of accelerated aging. True Age captures this difference by measuring the biomarkers that matter most for longevity.

What True Age tells you

True Age < Chronological age

Your biomarkers are better than average for your age. Your body is aging more slowly than the population average.

True Age = Chronological age

Your biomarkers match the average for your age and sex.

True Age > Chronological age

Your biomarkers show accelerated aging relative to your peers. This is an opportunity to take action.

What True Age measures

True Age measures the foundation of longevity: cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Think of health optimization as a pyramid:

  • Level 0: Basic health (managing chronic conditions, treating illness)

  • Level 1: Foundation of longevity (cardiovascular fitness, metabolic health)

  • Level 2+: Advanced optimization (supplements, nootropics, specialized protocols)

True Age lives at Level 1. These four biomarkers are the base on which everything else is built:

  • VO2max - cardiovascular fitness

  • Resting heart rate - cardiovascular efficiency

  • Heart rate variability - stress resilience and autonomic health

  • Lean body mass index - muscle mass and metabolic health

Without a strong foundation at Level 1, advanced optimizations at Level 2+ won't stick. You can take every supplement in the world, but if your cardiovascular system is weak and your muscle mass is declining, those interventions won't move the needle on longevity.

What True Age is not

True Age is not a diagnostic tool (Level 0)

If you're managing a chronic condition or have specific health concerns, work with your healthcare provider first. True Age is designed for people who are already fundamentally healthy and ready to optimize.

True Age is not advanced biohacking (Level 2+)

True Age doesn't track supplements, nootropics, cold exposure, fasting protocols, or other specialized interventions. Those tools can be valuable, but they're built on top of a strong foundation.

True Age is the foundation (Level 1)

True Age focuses on the four biomarkers that form the base of longevity. Get these right first. Without strong cardiovascular fitness, healthy resting heart rate, good HRV, and adequate muscle mass, advanced optimization strategies won't deliver lasting results.

Think of it like building a house. You can have the fanciest interior design (Level 2+), but if the foundation is cracked (Level 1) or the land is unstable (Level 0), the house won't stand.

How True Age works

True Age translates your biomarker profile into a single, understandable number: the age at which your health profile would be considered average.

Here's the concept:

  1. We compare each of your biomarkers to population averages for your chronological age and sex

  2. We calculate your composite mortality risk profile based on how your biomarkers differ from those averages

  3. We use the Gompertz Law of Mortality to determine what age would normally carry this level of risk

The result is your True Age: the biological age that matches your current health profile.

Why it matters

Understanding your True Age gives you:

  • A baseline to measure improvement against

  • Motivation to make positive changes

  • Clarity on which health factors matter most

  • Feedback on whether your habits are working

True Age updates every Monday using data from the previous 4 complete weeks (Monday to Sunday), so you can track your progress over time. Each update reflects your most recent biomarker trends.

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