A slap in the face, a kick in the butt or a stab in the heart?
Whether the shock takes your breath away or your stomach freezes, the bad news really hits home. The test result unmistakably states: 25 years older!
The biological age test that your colleagues gave you for your 40th birthday last summer was meant as a bit of a joke. And you took it just as light-heartedly a few weeks ago.
You thought it was bound to prove that you had your health under control, just like your job. Of course, things weren’t always perfect these last few years. There was too little time for freshly cooked meals or going to the gym. And, on most days, the after-work pint tended to miraculously multiply. But stress has to be managed somehow, doesn’t it?
But now the jokey present has just turned sour, and you wonder if your body is already in retirement mode.
So, it’s time to TAKE A DEEP BREATH before we plunge into the “why?”, “how come?” and “it cannot be…”.
First of all: a stark biological age acceleration is thankfully not the norm at epiAge, but it does occasionally happen.
Now think: have you had Covid-19 or influenza in the last few weeks or months? Because these are our “usual suspects” when biological age skyrockets: They cause severe systemic inflammation, which puts a strain on the body (see, for example, Gaetano, 2025; Teulière, 2023; Proal, 2025). Even double-digit accelerations are occasionally observed and, as a rule, it can take two to three months to return to one’s baseline.
So, can you rule that out?
Then think again. Purely physiological or metabolic factors may be the cause, but psychological factors also play an important role. An existential shock or prolonged stress over months, or even years, can also trigger a significant acceleration (see, e.g., Poganik, 2023).
But if that doesn't really apply either, it's important to take a two-pronged approach.
First, try to meticulously screen your lifestyle: What is your diet like? When was the last time you cooked a fresh and balanced meal for yourself? Is your physical activity radius limited to shuffling between the car park, the coffee machine and your desk? And how do you sleep: are 5 agitated hours your norm? And then there's how you deal with subtle or not so subtle stress... What is your drug of choice? Crisps, sweets, a glass of wine or something stronger?
In parallel, your GP should take up the detective work. How long has it been since you had a comprehensive blood count? Are there any serious deficiencies? What about that mammogram or colonoscopy you keep putting off? Perhaps you are suffering from symptoms that you cannot explain yourself? The prospect of a medical check-up may appear unnerving at first, but hopefully it should provide clarity and trigger appropriate support.
The next step is to address what has been discovered and optimise your lifestyle step by step. Use this wake-up call to become a more active author of your longevity!
Finally, a small but important reminder: have your biological age tested again in 2–3 months! Even though you can significantly influence your epigenetic age through lifestyle and medical interventions, some connections in this area unfortunately still remain hidden. It may well be that the shocking discrepancy was only temporary, as you may not have noticed certain aspects or changes at the time.
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Sources
Gaetano, C., Atlante, S., Gottardi Zamperla, M. et al. The COVID-19 legacy: consequences for the human DNA methylome and therapeutic perspectives. GeroScience 47, 483–501 (2025). doi:10.1007/s11357-024-01406-7. Online: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11357-024-01406-7
Jérôme Teulière, Charles Bernard, Hugo Bonnefous, Johannes Martens, Philippe Lopez, Eric Bapteste, Interactomics: Dozens of Viruses, Co-evolving With Humans, Including the Influenza A Virus, may Actively Distort Human Aging, Molecular Biology and Evolution, Volume 40, Issue 2, February 2023, msad012, doi:10.1093/molbev/msad012. Online: https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/40/2/msad012/6989791
Amy D. Proal, Michael B. VanElzakker, Pathogens accelerate features of human aging: A review of molecular mechanisms, Ageing Research Reviews, Volume 112, 2025, doi:10.1016/j.arr.2025.102865. Online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568163725002119
Jesse R. Poganik, Bohan Zhang, Gurpreet S. Baht, Alexander Tyshkovskiy, Amy Deik, Csaba Kerepesi, Sun Hee Yim, Ake T. Lu, Amin Haghani, Tong Gong, Anna M. Hedman, Ellika Andolf, Göran Pershagen, Catarina Almqvist, Clary B. Clish, Steve Horvath, James P. White, Vadim N. Gladyshev, „Biological age is increased by stress and restored upon recovery“, Cell Metabolism, Volume 35, Issue 5,2023, 807-820.e5, doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2023.03.015. Online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1550413123000931
Illustration
Ketut Subiyanto / pexels
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