Revolutionizing Aging: The Science Behind Cheek Swab Tests
In the heart of Manhattan, a groundbreaking development in biotechnology is taking place. A company named Tally Health has introduced an innovative ‘aging’ clock that leverages information from cheek cells to predict biological age. Unlike chronological age, which is simply the number of years a person has lived, biological age reflects the condition of one’s cells and tissues. This distinction is crucial because research has consistently shown that a significant gap between biological and chronological age can elevate the risk of death from various diseases. Historically, tests designed to estimate biological age have depended on blood DNA, but Tally Health’s new technology, termed ‘cheekage,’ offers a noninvasive alternative that requires only a simple cheek swab.
The implications of this advancement are profound. Tally Health tested their cheekage technology using blood samples from a study involving 1,500 seniors in the UK. According to Max Shokhirev, the head of computational biology and data science at Tally Health, the cheekage clock demonstrated a strong association with mortality even when trained on cheek cells and validated on blood samples. It is important to clarify that cheekage does not predict the exact timing or cause of death. Instead, it shows a correlation between biological age and mortality risk, providing valuable insights into an individual’s overall health status.
The study participants had their blood tested for DNA methylation every three years. DNA methylation is a process where methyl groups are added to the DNA molecule, often altering gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. The last available data point was used to calculate cheekage because DNA methylation levels can fluctuate over time due to various factors such as diet, stress, and exposure to pollutants. Remarkably, Tally Health’s cheekage technology outperformed older methods and proved comparable to a blood-trained predictor of chronic disease and mortality risk.
This breakthrough forms the foundation of Tally Health’s at-home cheek swab test, branded as Tallyage, which is now available to consumers. The cheekage metric has been found to correlate with lifestyle factors like sleep quality, physical activity, and alcohol consumption, as well as health conditions including a history of COVID-19. Tally Health is actively conducting further research to better understand which variables and metrics are most closely associated with cheekage, including different diseases, health conditions, and lifestyle factors.
The potential applications of cheekage are vast. For individuals, it offers a window into their overall health and mortality risk, enabling them to make informed decisions about their lifestyle and healthcare. In clinical settings, cheekage could be used to monitor a person’s biological age over time, potentially aiding in the early detection and prevention of age-related diseases. The study underpinning this technology was published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, underscoring its significance in the field of aging research.
Max Shokhirev and his team at Tally Health are committed to refining and improving the accuracy and usefulness of their cheekage technology. The goal is to revolutionize how we understand and manage the aging process. With continued research and development, Tallyage could become a less invasive and more accessible option compared to traditional blood tests for predicting biological age. This technology holds promise for transforming preventive healthcare and personalized medicine, offering new ways to extend healthspan and improve quality of life.
The concept of biological age versus chronological age is not new, but the ability to measure it accurately and noninvasively through a cheek swab is a significant leap forward. External factors such as stress, poor sleep, inadequate nutrition, smoking, and alcohol consumption can accelerate the aging process. These environmental effects leave marks on our genome through epigenetic changes, specifically DNA methylation. Scientists have developed ‘epigenetic clocks’ to quantify molecular aging, traditionally using blood cells, which can be difficult to collect and analyze.
The introduction of the cheekage clock represents a major advancement in this field. By using methylation data from cells inside the cheeks, researchers have created a tool that can accurately predict mortality risk. Specific methylation sites have been identified as crucial for this correlation, linking them to potential genes and biological processes. The first author of the study, Dr. Maxim Shokhirev, played a pivotal role in training the cheekage model using data from approximately 200,000 methylation sites and incorporating scores for health and lifestyle factors.
The study involved 1,513 adults and was part of the University of Edinburgh’s Lothian Birth Cohorts program, which aims to connect aging differences to lifestyle, psychosocial factors, and biomedical and genetic data. Every three years, the volunteers had their blood tested for DNA methylation. The findings revealed that cheekage was strongly associated with increased mortality risk, suggesting that a simple cheek swab could be a powerful tool for studying the biology of aging. The researchers also identified potential genes that may impact lifespan or the risk of age-related diseases, including those involved in cancer, heart health, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome.
Future studies will explore broader associations that cheekage can capture, such as the incidence of age-related diseases and the duration of healthspan. The potential for cheekage to aid in early detection and prevention of age-related diseases is immense. By monitoring biological age over time, healthcare providers could intervene earlier and more effectively, potentially extending the healthspan and improving the quality of life for many individuals. This technology could also be used in clinical trials to assess the efficacy of anti-aging therapies and interventions.
The cheekage test, developed by Tally Health, is a testament to the power of combining cutting-edge biotechnology with practical applications. By making it easier and more accessible to measure biological age, Tallyage has the potential to democratize access to important health information. This could lead to more personalized healthcare, where interventions are tailored to an individual’s biological age rather than their chronological age. As research continues, the applications of cheekage are likely to expand, offering new insights into the aging process and how to mitigate its effects.
In conclusion, the development of the cheekage clock by Tally Health marks a significant milestone in the field of aging research. By using a simple cheek swab to measure DNA methylation, this technology provides a noninvasive, accessible, and accurate way to predict biological age and mortality risk. The potential applications of cheekage are vast, from personal health insights to clinical monitoring and early detection of age-related diseases. As Tally Health continues to refine and expand this technology, it has the potential to revolutionize how we understand and manage the aging process, ultimately leading to longer, healthier lives for many individuals.