Advanced & Emerging Markers
The 2025 longevity frontier
Beyond blood panels, a set of newer tests give views unavailable five years ago: epigenetic bio-age clocks, multi-cancer early detection, circulating tumour DNA, continuous glucose monitoring. Most are expensive. Some are worth it.
Epigenetic clocks — DunedinPACE + GrimAge
Methylation clocks measure the "speed" of biological aging from a blood sample. DunedinPACE gives a rate (1.0 = normal aging), GrimAge predicts mortality risk. $250–$500 typical cost. Useful for tracking response to big interventions (weight loss, fasting, new exercise protocol) — not for single-point diagnosis.
Galleri — multi-cancer early detection
Grail's Galleri test looks for cancer signals in circulating DNA fragments in the blood. In trials it detected >50 cancer types at early stages with low false-positive rates (~0.5%). $950 out of pocket. Best use: high-risk individuals (family history, BRCA carriers) or anyone willing to fund proactive screening.
CGM for non-diabetics — insight vs noise
Continuous glucose monitors (Stelo, Dexcom G7, Libre) give minute-by-minute glucose data for 2 weeks. For metabolically healthy adults most of what you learn is already knowable from fasting glucose + HbA1c + a decent food log. For pre-diabetic or insulin-resistant patients it's genuinely actionable.
What not to bother with yet
Genetic screens for every longevity SNP, "toxin panels" for heavy metals (outside specific exposure), "food sensitivity" IgG panels, hair mineral analysis. These either have no outcome data or actively mislead. Spend the advanced-test budget on methylation clocks, Galleri, or a proper lipid fractionation instead.
Key Takeaway
Epigenetic clocks give you a longitudinal tracking number for major interventions. Galleri is a cancer-early-warning worth the price for high-risk individuals. CGM is insightful for the metabolically-at-risk. Skip the rest. Spend advanced budget on the tests with outcome data.