01 / WHAT THE TEST MEASURES
Beyond your DNA sequence.
DNA methylation is one part of the epigenome: chemical marks that help regulate how cells use DNA, without changing its underlying sequence. Some methylation patterns vary with age, exposures, and biological processes.
An epigenetic aging test measures selected methylation patterns in a sample. An algorithm compares those patterns with relationships learned from research populations to produce an estimate. Different models are built to answer different questions.
- Whole-Genome Sequencing
- Examines DNA sequence variation for inherited risk, medication response, and other selected genetic findings.
- DNA Methylation Testing
- Examines chemical patterns on DNA to estimate aspects of biological aging. It adds a different perspective to your assessment.
The Science of Epigenomics · NHGRI ↗ Explore Whole-Genome Sequencing →
02 / THREE AGING MODELS
Age. Systems. Pace.
OmniWell’s current assessment listing includes TruAge by TruDiagnostic. Its report brings together OMICmAge, SYMPHONYAge, and DunedinPACE. These are three complementary models within the report, not three separate test orders.
BIOLOGICAL AGE
OMICmAge
Estimates biological age using DNA methylation and a model informed by clinical, protein, and metabolite data. It provides an age estimate that can be considered alongside your chronological age.
The protein and metabolite signals used by this model are inferred from DNA methylation, rather than directly measured with protein or metabolite assays. Routine laboratory testing still provides its own distinct information.
SYSTEM-SPECIFIC ESTIMATES
SYMPHONYAge
Uses blood DNA methylation to estimate aging patterns associated with 11 physiological systems. This offers a more detailed view than a single overall number.
- Brain
- Immune System
- Lungs
- Blood
- Inflammation
- Metabolic
- Heart
- Musculoskeletal
- Kidneys
- Hormone
- Liver
These are modeled estimates from blood, not direct examinations of each organ. A higher heart or brain age estimate does not diagnose heart or brain disease, and it does not replace imaging or a functional assessment.
PACE OF AGING
DunedinPACE
Estimates a rate of aging rather than an age in years. Researchers developed it from 19 physiological measures followed over 20 years, then translated those patterns into a blood DNA methylation model using 173 CpG sites, specific positions on DNA where methylation is measured.
A single sample produces a pace estimate. The laboratory does not need 20 years of your own test results to calculate it.
03 / UNDERSTANDING YOUR NUMBERS
Start with the scale.
An age estimate and a pace estimate use different units. Keeping them separate makes the report easier to interpret.
- Chronological Age
- Your age based on your date of birth.
- Estimated Biological Age
- A model’s age estimate. For example, an estimate of 47 in someone aged 50 is a three-year difference on that model. It does not mean three extra years of life.
- Pace of Aging
- A rate relative to the model’s reference pace. For DunedinPACE, 1.00 is the reference; a lower or higher value indicates a slower or faster estimated pace.
Slower than
the reference pace
The model’s
reference pace
Faster than
the reference pace
Illustrative values, not a patient result, treatment target, or prediction of lifespan.
We review the actual model, report version, and comparison group before interpreting a difference. Scores from different clocks should not be treated as interchangeable.
04 / OMNIWELL CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE
Connect the result
to the person.
The most useful conversation is about what the result adds to your care. We bring it together with your history, laboratory results, physical performance, nutrition assessment, and personal goals.
Understand the pattern.
Review which estimates stand out, how the models differ, and whether the findings fit the broader assessment. A surprising result is a reason for a thoughtful review, not an automatic diagnosis.
Set meaningful priorities.
Build your plan around clinically relevant findings and goals: cardiovascular and metabolic health, strength, aerobic fitness, nutrition, sleep, and daily function. An epigenetic score should not be the sole reason to start a medication or supplement.
Follow what matters.
Track the outcomes connected to your plan, including measured health, performance, and how you feel. When methylation testing is repeated, review it alongside that progress.
05 / TRACKING CHANGE
A trend deserves context.
Results can vary because of both laboratory measurement and biological variation between collections. Repeating the same sample reliably is different from getting an identical result from a person on another day.
- Keep comparisons consistent. Record the laboratory, model, report version, and collection instructions. A change in methods may make two results less comparable.
- Consider the size and consistency of a change. A small movement in a score may reflect variation. There is no single threshold that makes a change meaningful across every epigenetic clock.
- Review the broader pattern. Consider changes in health, treatment, and collection conditions alongside the result. A before-and-after score alone cannot establish what caused the difference.
Research on Biological & Technical Reliability · Aging Cell ↗
What Intervention Research Can Tell Us
In the randomized CALERIE trial, a two-year calorie-restriction intervention produced a modest change in DunedinPACE. The study did not establish that the clock change itself translated into fewer diseases or longer life. That distinction matters when interpreting any claim of “reversing aging.”
A favorable score change is not, by itself, proof that an intervention has extended lifespan or prevented disease.
Read the CALERIE Findings · Nature Aging ↗06 / WHAT TO EXPECT
A clear process.
A personal interpretation.
Before Testing
We discuss what you hope to learn, how the result might fit your care, and the current report scope. Bring any previous biological-age reports so we can identify the models and methods used.
Sample Collection
Current TruAge materials describe a small finger-stick blood sample. We confirm the collection arrangements, preparation instructions, and expected reporting timeframe when ordering. Follow the current kit and clinician instructions.
Results Review
Your physician reviews the three models with you, explains important differences, and connects the findings to your other assessments and care goals. Any repeat assessment should have a defined purpose.
Testing Within OmniWell
Our current assessment listing includes annual TruAge testing with physician interpretation in Pinnacle. In Foundation and Signature, testing is optional and separately purchased when elected.
View the Full Assessment Listing →07 / COMMON QUESTIONS
What these insights
can and cannot tell you.
Does this reveal my “true” biological age?
It provides estimates from specific models. There is no single number that captures every aspect of aging, and different clocks may give different answers because they were designed around different data and outcomes.
Is it a test for cancer or another disease?
This aging assessment is not a cancer screen or a diagnostic test for a specific disease. It does not replace appropriate screening, evaluation of symptoms, imaging, or routine clinical care.
Does a lower score mean I am healthy?
A reassuring estimate does not cancel out a high blood pressure, an abnormal laboratory result, or a symptom that needs attention. Your care plan reflects the complete clinical picture.
Is this the same as an MTHFR test?
No. An MTHFR genetic test looks for selected sequence variants in one gene. An epigenetic aging test examines methylation patterns across many DNA locations and applies an aging model.
About MTHFR Testing · MedlinePlus ↗Do I need frequent repeat testing?
OmniWell currently plans annual testing in Pinnacle. More frequent testing is not automatically more informative; the timing should reflect the purpose of testing, the method’s variability, and your clinical plan.
08 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Explore the science.
This guide provides general educational information. Test selection and interpretation are individualized. Research publications support the explanations in this guide; current laboratory materials describe the commercial report and collection process.
- NHGRI · Epigenomics Fact Sheet ↗
- Chen et al. · OMICmAge · Nature Aging, 2026 ↗
- Systems Aging Research · Nature Aging, 2025 ↗
- Belsky et al. · DunedinPACE · eLife, 2022 ↗
- Waziry et al. · CALERIE Trial · Nature Aging, 2023 ↗
- Sehgal et al. · Epigenetic Clock Reliability · Aging Cell, 2026 ↗
- TruDiagnostic · Current TruAge Report & Collection Information ↗
- TruDiagnostic · SYMPHONYAge & the 11 Physiological Systems ↗
- MedlinePlus · MTHFR Testing ↗