You’ve heard it by now: your biological age matters more than how many candles you blew out on your last birthday cake. Knowing your body’s real age isn’t just curiosity, it’s powerful data to guide your health. Three tests currently dominate this field: TruAge vs GlycanAge vs DoNotAge.
But which one really gives you the best insights into your personal aging process? Here, we put these three tests head-to-head, breaking down the science, accuracy, and practical differences to help you pick what’s right for your health goals.
What Exactly Do These Tests Measure?
TruAge (TruDiagnostic)
TruAge measures biological age using DNA methylation. Developed alongside top research institutions like Harvard, Yale, Duke, and Columbia, it leverages industry-leading algorithms: OMICmAge, DunedinPACE, and SYMPHONYAge.
These give insights not just into your biological age but also how fast you’re aging, organ-specific aging, and even telomere length.
- Sample type: Blood (finger-prick)
- Turnaround: 3–4 weeks
- Accuracy: Validated in multiple peer-reviewed studies; predictive accuracy around 98–99%
GlycanAge
GlycanAge approaches biological age differently, it measures glycans attached to immunoglobulin G (IgG), reflecting your immune health and inflammation levels. Glycans reveal how lifestyle and inflammation impact your aging process, making it sensitive to lifestyle shifts.
- Sample type: Blood (finger-prick)
- Turnaround: 3–5 weeks
- Accuracy: Validated by decades of glycoscience research, widely used in clinical studies (Harvard)
DoNotAge
DoNotAge relies on DNA methylation through saliva samples and adds metrics like inflammation, memory, hearing, and eye health. It’s designed as a broader wellness test rather than purely a biological age clock.
- Sample type: Saliva
- Turnaround: Up to 12 weeks
- Accuracy: Proprietary machine-learning algorithms; less academically validated compared to TruAge or GlycanAge, but provides a holistic wellness snapshot (NIH | DNA methylation)
Head-to-Head Comparison: TruAge vs GlycanAge vs DoNotAge
| Feature | TruAge | GlycanAge | DoNotAge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Measurement Method | DNA Methylation (Blood) | IgG Glycan Profile (Blood) | DNA Methylation (Saliva) |
| Accuracy & Validation | Very High (98–99%) | High (Clinically Validated) | Medium (Proprietary) |
| Test Duration | 3–4 Weeks | 3–5 Weeks | Up to 12 Weeks |
| Extra Insights | Organ aging, Pace of aging, Telomeres | Immune & Inflammation Response | Memory, Hearing, Vision, Inflammation |
| Cost | $499 ($249 Subscription) | ~$299 | $275 |
| Order Now | Order Now | Order Now |
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Which Test Should You Choose?
- TruAge: If you’re a biohacker or longevity enthusiast looking for precise organ-level insights and comprehensive aging metrics, TruAge is your gold standard (Harvard on biological clocks).
- GlycanAge: Ideal if you’re particularly interested in inflammation, immune system aging, or hormonal impacts like menopause or stress.
- DoNotAge: Good if you want a broader wellness snapshot beyond just biological age, measuring additional lifestyle markers like memory and sensory aging.
How to Use Your Test Results in Real Life
You’ve done the test, received the fancy report, but now what? One of the biggest mistakes people make is getting their biological age score and then doing nothing with it. Here’s exactly how you can apply these insights into everyday life:
TruAge: Precision Lifestyle Changes
TruAge gives you a detailed breakdown of how each organ system is aging. Let’s say your report flags your cardiovascular system as aging faster than the rest of your body. You’d want to prioritize lifestyle adjustments like introducing more cardio exercise, heart-healthy foods, and stress management techniques. Harvard researchers confirm that targeted lifestyle interventions can measurably reverse signs of biological aging (Harvard Study on Aging Reversal, 2023).
Similarly, if your immune system or inflammation scores are concerning, that could mean you might benefit from anti-inflammatory supplements (like omega-3 or curcumin), more consistent sleep schedules, or even fasting protocols proven to reduce inflammation markers. The goal isn’t perfection: it’s actionable, incremental improvements tailored exactly to what your biology says you need.
GlycanAge: Adjust Your Habits, Track Progress
With GlycanAge, your insights focus specifically on inflammation and immune health. Imagine your GlycanAge results reveal you’re biologically older due to chronic stress. Science consistently links stress to accelerated immune aging (NIH Study on Stress and Immune Aging, 2022). A practical response would be incorporating a structured stress-relief routine like meditation, yoga, or even daily nature walks. Retesting 6 months later helps you quantify exactly how these new habits impacted your inflammatory biomarkers and immune health.
GlycanAge’s clear-cut sensitivity to lifestyle shifts means it’s especially powerful for anyone actively experimenting with dietary changes or stress-management strategies. Each follow-up test tells you exactly how your choices are moving the needle, giving you constant motivation to stay consistent.
DoNotAge: Wellness Snapshot for Broad Changes
DoNotAge takes a broader approach, offering additional insights into memory, vision, hearing, and overall inflammation. Say your results indicate your memory age is significantly older than your chronological age. This doesn’t mean you’re losing your mind, but it does suggest a proactive approach. Studies show lifestyle factors significantly influence cognitive aging (NIH on Lifestyle and Cognitive Aging, 2024).
You could start by incorporating brain-boosting foods like blueberries and walnuts, or simple daily brain-training exercises. Additionally, your inflammation scores might prompt you to adopt dietary strategies, such as a Mediterranean diet, known to reduce systemic inflammation and support cognitive health. Re-testing annually helps you track if your memory and inflammation metrics improve, making this test ideal for those wanting regular, broad-spectrum health checks rather than laser-focused precision.
Why Choosing the Right Test Matters
Consider two scenarios that show clearly how picking the right test can drastically change your outcome:
Scenario A: John (age 45, fitness-focused)
John chose TruAge because he’s been optimizing fitness and health. His TruAge test showed his biological age as slightly younger, but his cardiovascular age lagged behind due to genetic predispositions. This data prompted John to fine-tune his fitness regime, incorporating more cardio-intensive workouts and nutritional tweaks focused on heart health. After a year, his follow-up showed marked improvements in his cardiovascular scores, proving the targeted approach genuinely worked.
Scenario B: Sarah (age 53, high-stress job)
Sarah opted for GlycanAge, suspecting stress was prematurely aging her. Sure enough, her biological age came back significantly older, flagged by elevated inflammatory markers. Sarah used these results as motivation to adjust her lifestyle radically. She started daily mindfulness sessions and introduced anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric and olive oil. Retesting nine months later, her GlycanAge scores dropped by 5 years biologically, a tangible result directly connected to her actionable lifestyle changes.
These real-life cases underline why your choice between TruAge, GlycanAge, and DoNotAge matters. Your biological age isn’t just a number, it’s a roadmap for real, meaningful change.
