Index

Biological Age Test

$299

Aging isn’t one thing. Index, a revolutionary at-home biological age test developed by Elysium Health, now measures 10 different aspects of aging using the latest generation technology in the science of epigenetics. With Index you'll receive:

  • Biological age: the age your body is expected to perform or function.
  • Cumulative rate of aging: the pace at which your body has been aging.
  • System age scores: the biological age of nine different systems, including brain, heart, metabolic, and immune, for deeper insights into how you’ve been aging.
  • Science-backed recommendations: evidence-based lifestyle recommendations you can use to adopt healthier habits.
  • Longevity research: participate directly in research with the Aging Research Center by Elysium Health.

With the superior precision of our Algorithmic Platform for Epigenetic Examination (APEX), Elysium calculates your biological age and system ages by examining sites on your DNA where methylation has taken place. DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that influences how genes are expressed and their genome-wide pattern changes predictably with age.

We employ the custom Elysium chip, developed with the help of biotechnology leader Illumina, to analyze your methylation patterns via a computational approach that significantly improves upon past biological clocks.

  • The most precise epigenetic biological age test
    Precision and reliability are significant challenges for measuring biological age at the individual level. To develop the most precise and reliable test, Elysium partnered with Morgan Levine, Ph.D., of Yale University—a leading epigenetics researcher. Index leverages a unique machine learning solution demonstrated in Nature Aging to be the most precise and reliable among published epigenetic age measures.
  • A better predictor of physical functioning status
    Index is more predictive of physical functioning status than prior leading measures. This means biological age as measured by Index corresponds closely with how your body is expected to perform and is a more accurate predictor of how quickly you’ve been aging.
  • Deeper insights into how your body has been aging
    Each of the nine system measures is based on DNA methylation signatures present in your genome that reflect a number of biomarkers relevant to that particular system. Biomarkers were chosen for how closely they are associated with aging and their ability to indicate overall long-term health and wellness. Elysium is the first to offer this level of insight.
  • Better ability to track lifestyle changes over time
    Motivated to make changes to your lifestyle and track the impact on your rate of aging? You need to eliminate noise over time. Repeatability and better prediction of physical functioning status add up to a better ability to track the impact of your lifestyle changes on your biological age and system age scores.

Approximately six weeks after receiving your saliva sample, we’ll send an email letting you know your results are ready. Before that, a lot happens behind the scenes.

  • Week 1 to 2: DNA Extraction
    We extract your DNA and use a process called bisulfite conversion to distinguish methylated from unmethylated DNA across your genome.
  • Week 3: Methylation Profiling
    The bisulfite-converted DNA gets loaded onto the Elysium chip and scanned to create your methylation profile. Quality control ensures your data is robust and complete.
  • Week 4 to 5: Calculating Biological Age and System Age Scores
    With the superior precision of APEX, we analyze methylated sites across your genome to calculate your biological age and system age scores.
  • Week 6+: Tracking Your Progress
    
Use your report results and recommendations to see if making healthy changes can impact how you age.

System Ages: The Latest Evolution of Index

Understand your body like never before with new system age scores.

System ages reflect the biological ages of nine systems: brain, heart, metabolic, immune, inflammation, kidney, liver, hormone, and blood. Track these over time to understand how each system contributes to your overall long-term health and wellness.

Do You Know How Fast You’ve Been Aging?

Unlike chronological age, which tells you the number of years you’ve been alive, biological age reflects the age your body (or system) is expected to perform or function. Using your saliva sample, Index analyzes methylation patterns across your genome. DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that influences how genes are expressed and their genome-wide pattern changes predictably with age.

See the Science
Morgan Levine, Ph.D., of Yale University

“Index shows incredible promise when it comes to monitoring how the body is capable of functioning and there is potential for even more diverse applications in the future…The more measures to capture specific processes, the more we can actually understand what's unique for an individual.”

Morgan Levine, Ph.D., of Yale University

From Epigenetic Insights to Action

It turns out that everyone ages at a different rate. Knowing your unique cumulative rate of aging gives you actionable insight you can start using today. How? Studies have found associations between lifestyle factors—diet, exercise habits, alcohol consumption, and stressors like sleepless nights—and biological age.

Index offers more than 100 science-based lifestyle recommendations drawn from this research.

Participate Directly in Longevity Research

Introducing the Aging Research Center: a digitally-native, collaborative, and longitudinal research effort developed by Elysium Health. Our first study, TIME-A, aims to advance our understanding of the connections between epigenetics, lifestyle, demographics, and health and aging. Index users are welcome to enroll for free.

Learn More

How fast have you actually been aging?

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Why Our Customers Love Index

Frequently Asked Questions

Index was developed in partnership with Morgan Levine, Ph.D., of Yale University to provide the most precise biological age test. Harnessing the latest generation technology in the science of epigenetics, Index analyzes your epigenome to accurately determine your overall biological age—a measure of the age your body is expected to perform or function—your cumulative rate of aging, and biological ages for nine systems, including brain, heart, metabolic, and immune (these are known as system ages or system age scores). With its superior precision, Index is designed to help you better understand your personal aging process.

Index is an at-home saliva test. Saliva contains a mixture of cells (immune and epithelial) and is a reliable, non-invasive source of high-quality genomic DNA that can provide insights into both your biological age and cumulative rate of aging. Elysium extracts the DNA from the cells in your saliva sample for DNA methylation profiling. Saliva collection is non-invasive, convenient, and poses minimal discomfort or risk, unlike needle-based blood collection methods.

This methodology has been examined on individuals age 0-100, but we recommend it for adults.

System ages represent the biological age of nine systems–brain, liver, metabolic, immune system, heart, hormone, kidney, inflammation, and blood–and provide a snapshot of their relative contribution to your overall long-term health and wellness. Each system measure is based on DNA methylation (epigenetic modifications) signatures present in your genome that reflect a number of biomarkers relevant to that particular system. Biomarkers were chosen for how closely they are associated with aging and their relationship to overall long-term health and wellness. Elysium is pleased to be the first company to offer this level of insight.

If you took Index before February 15, 2023, we’ve retroactively analyzed your data and added system age scores to your report(s). You can access this by logging into your account here. If you have trouble viewing your system ages in your report, please reach out to our customer experience team at care@elysiumhealth.com.

Index has not been reviewed or approved by the FDA as it is not a medical device. Index is not intended to screen, diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition or assess risk of any disease or condition. Unless advised by your healthcare professional, biological age should not be used to determine or alter any chronological age-related health or medical treatments.

Your data is protected with industry-standard encryption while being transmitted to Elysium and in storage. We have implemented strict access controls internally, including limiting access to a select group of employees and maintaining an audit trail of any access.

Yes. Please contact our customer care team at care@elysiumhealth.com.

The Aging Research Center is a digitally-native, collaborative, and longitudinal research effort developed by Elysium Health to better our collective understanding of aging by building the world’s most actionable epigenetic dataset, with an emphasis on translation, comprehensiveness, and diversity.

Basis is available in the United States and Canada. Signal, Matter, Format, and Index, are currently only available to ship and bill to addresses located in the U.S. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of updates related to the international availability of our products.

UPS Mail Innovations is our shipping partner for standard shipping, and a prepaid USPS label is included with your Index kit to return your sample when it’s ready for processing. We utilize UPS for expedited shipping, which can be purchased for an additional $25 fee.

All Elysium products can be purchased directly through our website and are not currently available in any retail stores. Basis is available for purchase to addresses that bill and ship in the United States and Canada, and Signal, Matter, Format, and Index are available for purchase in the U.S. To stay up to date on the international availability of our products, please subscribe to our newsletter.