Everything Epigenetics - A Deeper Dive into DunedinPACE with Dr. Daniel Belsky

A Deeper Dive into DunedinPACE with Dr. Daniel Belsky

07/19/23 • 52 min

Everything Epigenetics

According to Dr. Daniel Belsky at Columbia University, there are three limitations of epigenetic biological age clocks:

1. Mortality selection

Essentially, biological age measures may underestimate true aging because older participants represent slower agers.
2. Cohort Effects

Biological age measures may overestimate true aging because older participants carry an excess burden of early-life exposure to environmental toxicants, pathogens, poor nutrition, smoking, etc.
3. Uncertain Timing
Biological age measures summarize total aging over the lifespan and cannot distinguish differences established early in development from ongoing processes of aging. As a result, biological clocks may have lower sensitivity to effects of intervention.

So, you’re probably wondering, how do we account for these limitations?
Dr. Belsky and his team have created a tool that enhances the precision of measuring the rate of biological aging. Their work involved observing the health outcomes of 954 participants across four different age groups spanning from the mid-20s to the mid-40s. The researchers examined biomarkers believed to indicate how well various organs are functioning, as well as others linked to general health. Using this data, they devised an epigenetic "speedometer" to forecast how these values would change over time.
This tool is called the DunedinPACE.
As you may already know, the DunedinPACE measures how fast you are aging biologically for every one chronological year. If you need an introduction to DunedinPACE, check out my episode with Dr. Terrie Moffitt HERE.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dan Belsky and I take a deeper dive into why Biological Age is limited and how DunedinPACE overcomes these limitations. Dr. Belsky speaks with me about a geroscience model of aging-related burden of disease, DunedinPACE test-retest reliability, and why the DunedinPACE indicates a faster pace of aging in individuals with an older chronological age.
We also discuss the effect of long-term caloric restriction on DNA methylation measures of biological aging in healthy adults from the CALERIE trial.
The DunedinPACE is a new tool for geoscience to investigate etiology in epidemiological studies and to evaluate the treatment effects of randomized controlled trials.
Dr. Belsky continues to validate the DunedinPACE in other populations around the world.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Dan Belsky’s unusual journey into aging science
How to measure aging in younger people
A geroscience model of aging-related burden of disease
Why it’s important to have such model
Clinical trials which

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

According to Dr. Daniel Belsky at Columbia University, there are three limitations of epigenetic biological age clocks:

1. Mortality selection

Essentially, biological age measures may underestimate true aging because older participants represent slower agers.
2. Cohort Effects

Dan Belsky’s unusual journey into aging science
How to measure aging in younger people
A geroscience model of aging-related burden of disease
Why it’s important to have such model
Clinical trials which

Support the show

Where to Find Us:
Instagram

Visit our website for more information and resources: everythingepigenetics.com

Previous Episode

How Fit Are You According to Your DNA? With Kristen McGreevy

As we age, physical fitness tends to decline. This decline can be attributed to various factors such as changes in body composition, reduced muscle mass and strength, decreased flexibility, and diminished cardiovascular endurance. Additionally, the body's ability to recover from physical exertion also tends to slow down with age.
It has been well validated that the rate at which this decline occurs varies among individuals. However, those who maintain their physical fitness as they age experience a lower risk of various diseases and tend to enjoy longer lives.
At the molecular level, changes in fitness and related indicators of functional capacity coincide with molecular markers of decline, which are believed to reflect underlying biological aging processes. Therefore, measurements of fitness offer a novel perspective on biological aging.
Nevertheless, the measurement of fitness parameters presents challenges due to the need for in-person data collection by skilled experts utilizing specialized equipment. Moreover, remote data collection or studies involving stored biospecimens do not facilitate direct assessments of fitness.
To overcome this limitation and facilitate the evaluation of fitness in such scenarios, Kristen Mcgreevy has developed blood-based DNAm biomarkers that encompass various aspects of fitness, including mobility (gait speed), strength (grip strength), lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second), and cardiovascular fitness (VO2 max). These biomarkers form the basis of a groundbreaking indicator known as DNAmFitAge, which quantifies biological age based on fitness levels. This research also highlights the influence lifestyle has on the aging methylome.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Kristen and I chat about the importance of physical fitness as we age, how she developed blood DNAm biomarkers for four fitness parameters, and how she created DNAmFitAge. We also focus on FitAgeAcceleration in age-related conditions and DNAmFitAge relationship to physical activity and body builders.
Kristen is in the final year of her PhD, studying biostatistics at UCLA.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Kristen McGreevy’s interest in biostatistics and epigenetics
Why Kristen made the decision to get her PhD
The definition of strength training
Why physical fitness is important for aging
Which aspect of physical activity is the most important for longevity and health
What prompted Kristen to create DNAm estimators of fitness parameters
Gait speed (walking speed)
Handgrip strength
Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1; an index of lung function)
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max; a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness
Why Kristen chose gait speed, grip strength, FEV1, and VO2max for h

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Next Episode

Reduce Your Biological Age in Just 8-Weeks with Dr. Kara Fitzgerald

Dr. Kara Fitzgerald's work in epigenetics revolves around the concept of "nutrigenomics" and "nutrigenetics," which are areas that investigate how nutrients and dietary factors can influence gene expression and how an individual's genetic makeup may affect their response to different nutrients.
She has been at the forefront of applying epigenetic principles in the context of functional medicine to help patients optimize their health. By understanding an individual's unique genetic makeup and epigenetic influences, she aims to tailor personalized therapeutic strategies that can positively impact gene expression and improve health outcomes.
Through her clinical practice, research, and educational efforts, Dr. Fitzgerald has contributed to advancing the understanding and application of epigenetics in functional medicine. She emphasizes the importance of lifestyle factors, diet, and other environmental influences in modulating gene expression to promote better health and prevent disease.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Fitzgerald speaks with me about the growing popularity of biological age, healthspan, lifespan, and longevity, and why you should care about these important concepts. We also discuss how to know if you’re methylating correctly, if aging should be considered a disease, and the impact of epigenetics on longevity.
Furthermore, we dive into her Younger You program and how it has proven to reverse biological age. Dr. Kara and I then chat about why she continues to stay focused on this space, why this new research is important, how we should think about this in the context of other anti-aging interventions that are being studied, and more.
Dr. Fitzgerald is on the faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner and lectures globally on functional medicine. She runs a Functional Nutrition Residency program, and maintains a podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website, www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice is in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s unique approach of translating what’s happening in the science into actionable information
The methylation cycle
DNA methylation
Why biological aging, healthspan, lifespan, and longevity are so important
How lifestyle affects epigenetics
The impact of epigenetics on longevity
The Younger You program
Aging as a disease
Dr. Fitzgerald’s flagship study titled “Reversal of Epigenetic Age with Diet and Lifestyle in a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial”
How exercise, meditation, and sleep can affect DNA methylation and biological age
Dr. Fitzgerald’s future research

Where to find Dr. Kara Fitzgerald:

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Visit our website for more information and resources: everythingepigenetics.com