Science behind the Biological Age
The
Biological Age test allows for measuring one’s true biological age. Many would agree that it is hard to guess the age of a person. One person looks like 40 years old but in reality the age is 50. The other one may look like 50 and it turns out that the age is only 40. Calendar age reflects only the number of years that have passed since one’s birth. While biological age takes into account the quality and circumstances of an individual’s life as well as his or her health.
The Biological Age test is not a unique procedure from the scientific point of view. It is just one of the ways to present already known scientific knowledge. It is based on a simple method of evaluation of the baroreflex sensitivity, which can be assessed using a simple HRV analysis procedure. There are many data published in scientific journals showing that baroreflex sensitivity naturally degrades with age.
The baroreflex is a physiological mechanism responsible for changing heart rate in response to changes in systemic blood pressure. Rapid and dramatic drops in blood pressure may cause dangerous drops in blood supply to the vital organs such as brain and thus lead to dizziness or even fainting. So the baroreflex swiftly increases heart rate when blood pressure drops to compensate possible decrease in blood supply.
To measure sensitivity of the baroreflex a deep paced breathing maneuver is used. During deep inhalation the chest is expanding and its internal pressure drops leading to slight drop in blood pressure because large blood vessels inside the chest are stretched when chest is expanded. The baroreflex causes a quick increase in heart rate as described above. When deeply exhaling the chest contracts so its internal pressure rises causing blood pressure to rise as well due to shrinking large blood vessels in the chest. The baroreflex causes a quick decrease in heart rate as described above. This phenomenon is also known as respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA).
It was empirically found that the highest changes in heart rate induced by deep breathing happen when breathing at rate of about 6 breaths per minute.
Thus measuring heart rate fluctuations caused by deep breathing at a rate of 6 breaths per minute is a simple yet effective way to measure baroreflex sensitivity. The less sensitive baroreflex is the lesser heart rate fluctuations happen.
Our scientists have conducted a special research study and selected specific HRV parameters, which appear to be the most significant in assessing baroreflex sensitivity. Analyzing data of a large population of healthy individuals of different ages they created a mathematical model, which defines relationship between these parameters and calendar age. Based on this model a unique algorithm of assessment of deviation of the biological age from calendar age was created.
Scientific Publications