One cannot judge a person's overall health based on chronological age, as much depends on a complicated combination of lifestyle, genes and, of course, luck. What can give a clearer picture is the pattern of chemicals in blood, according to the authors of a recent study published in the journal Aging Cell.
Using a type of algorithm, the researchers identified 26 biomarker signatures among study participants that are predictive of certain physical and cognitive functioning, indicating health risks.
A "disease-free aging" Signature 2, associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and a lower risk of death over the 8-year study period was found in about one quarter of the participants.
Lead study author Paola Sebastiani, a professor of biostatistics at the Boston University School of Public Health, said in a statement that she hopes the biomarker signatures can be used "to detect the effects, or absence of effects" of drugs much earlier than current trials do.
Potentially, with more research, this type of testing could be all you need to guarantee yourself a long and healthy life.