Biological age versus chronological age – is there a difference and does it matter? That's the question Today with Claire Byrne reporter Brian O’Connell set out to answer.
He started his biological age investigations by talking to Cathal McCrory, professor of Life Course Development and Ageing at Trinity College, and Co-Principal Investigator of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).
TILDA follows 7,000 people and studies how they age.
"We know that there are individual differences in the pace at which people age," he says. "We see this if 30 years later we go back to a school event or something and you might look at one of your colleagues who’s ageing quite gracefully and you might look at another and wonder, 'Wow, has something happened?’"
We’ve all been there, right? The reasons that people of similar chronological ages might look as if they’re wearing out at different rates are varied and include obvious inputs, like lifestyle and stress.
"Biological ageing is if I could go into your tissues and your cells right down there to the molecular level, I can actually date how old you are biologically."
But the sort of biological tests that Brian has found himself being offered on social media are, Prof McCrory says, not quite ready for primetime:
"These tests are not yet reliable enough for use at the individual level. For me, at the moment, and based on the science I’ve seen, they’re for the curious. So, we know, for example, I’ve seen stories before where Ronaldo says – again, another individual who’s in really good shape – and when he dates himself, biologically, he’s ageing really well on these clocks. He’s younger than the number of candles on his birthday cake."
Ronaldo dating himself surely sounds like all Ronaldo’s dreams have come true. But even if we can make these tests more accurate, what happens when they give us results we don’t like? Can we do anything to change our biological age? Prof McCrory is surprisingly upbeat on that point:
"Many of the things that influence the pace of ageing are under your control. So, being physically active is associated with slower ageing. Not smoking, not drinking, or if you do drink, consuming moderate quantities, right? Get a good night’s sleep. Eat a good diet. And if you’re lucky enough, be affluent, be wealthy."
Brian also spoke to model, mentor and health coach, Cristíona Aston, about the pressures of ageing in the modelling industry: "The pressure’s always there to maintain your looks and, you know, and some people might say that over 35 you’re kind of past it."
Despite what many might think about models and actors pretending to be younger than they actually are, Cristíona has no interest in trying to convince people that she’s younger than she is – with good reason:
"What’s the point in fighting your age or lying about your age, right? I think it’s a denial of your wisdom and your learned truths and all the work that you’ve done."
Brian asked Cristíona to tell him about some of the best ways to stay looking and feeling young and maybe slow the inevitable march of our biological ageing:
"Sleep is one of the biggest things. So it’s really difficult for shift workers, for example. And waking up within 30 minutes of the same time every morning and going to sleep within 30 minutes of the same time every evening."
Cristíona also reckons that eating as many plants and wholefoods as possible and doing regular resistance training will help keep the biological age wolf from the door. But, Brian wanted to know, what about getting some help in the age resistance struggle from the cosmetics industry?
"I do Botox, minimum Botox. It’s not something that I would hide. It’s not something that I’m raving about, but you know, it is toxic and the end of the day, but choose your poison, and I choose a little bit of Botox every six months or so. But that’s about all I get."
Simply put, a good night’s sleep and a balanced diet seem to be recurring themes in the struggle against the biological ageing clock.
