What Is an Epigenetic Clock?

Your DNA isn't your destiny. Discover how epigenetic clocks read the 'notes' on your genes to predict your biological age with incredible accuracy. For decades, the central dogma of genetics was that our DNA sequence was the primary determinant of our health and aging. However, the field of epigenetics has revolutionized this understanding. If your DNA is the hardware, the epigenome is the software that tells it how to run. It consists of chemical modifications to your DNA that can turn genes on or off without changing the underlying sequence. The most studied of these modifications is DNA methylation. An "epigenetic clock" is a groundbreaking biochemical test that analyzes the patterns of DNA methylation across your genome to provide a highly accurate estimate of your biological age.