Want to age slower, look younger, and stay healthy for life? Take control of this hormone.
How old are you? You probably answered in years, but that’s not very accurate. We call that your chronological age. But your biological age tells the real story.
For over a decade, we’ve been able to measure our true biological ages with DNA methylation clocks, but now we have something new: a blood test combined with artificial intelligence. It’s brand new, but it’s already giving us some surprising insights.
Quick Review: Chronological vs. Biological Age
Some 40-year-olds look and feel 30. Others look and feel 50. Accelerated biological aging manifests through various outward and internal signs, from wrinkles and fatigue to hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and telomere shortening.
You look older and your organs behave like it. Your body is declining faster than your chronological years reflect. You’ll have “old person” health problems sooner, and, in all likelihood, you’ll die younger. Luckily, you can biologically age in the other direction, too.
The New A.I. Model
In a new Japanese study, researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze blood samples and determine actual biological age.
They took blood from 148 people, ages 20 to 73, measuring 22 different steroid hormones. Then they developed a deep neural network (DNN) model incorporating steroid metabolism pathways. This makes it the first A.I. model to account for the interactions between different steroid molecules.
Let’s jump to the main finding. The strongest predictor of biological age? Cortisol. When cortisol levels doubled, predicted biological age jumped by 1.5 times. In a nutshell, chronic stress ages you fast. In the words of the researchers, cortisol/stress causes “cumulative physiological wear and tear.”
What to Do About It
As discussed here, biological aging slows when we work out, get good sleep, don’t smoke, and stay lean. But chronic stress and excess cortisol are a little trickier. Life gets stressful, and meditating for an hour a day isn’t possible (or desirable) for most people. But we can take care of some foundational things that help our bodies handle stress.
Several supplements help control and limit excess cortisol levels, often by supporting the body's stress response or regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The two standouts? Omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium.
Fish Oil
Omega-3s (EPA and DHA) are anti-inflammatory and reduce cortisol levels. One study in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity showed that omega-3 supplementation lowered cortisol responses in adults exposed to psychological stress. Researchers took already stressed-out medical students and gave them a public speaking challenge. Those who took 2500 mg of fish oil first showed a 14% decrease in cortisol. More recent research on omega-3s and anxiety tells us that, while these results were good, a higher dose would’ve worked better.
To prevent deficiency and slow biological aging, take 4200 mg of fish oil daily, preferably with more DHA than EPA. Use a formula containing caprylocaproyl polyoxyl-8 glyceride, a solubilizer used by pharmaceutical companies to increase bioavailability. That’s three softgels of Flameout DHA-Rich Fish Oil (Buy at Amazon).
Magnesium
A magnesium deficiency or insufficiency (which most people today have) is strongly linked to anxiety and excess cortisol. Magnesium supports nervous system regulation and helps lower cortisol by improving sleep and reducing stress. A 2017 review in Nutrients also highlighted its role in HPA axis regulation.
To prevent deficiency and control biological aging, take 400 mg of Albion-chelated magnesium daily, preferably at night. That’s the dosage and type used in Elitepro Vital Minerals (Buy at Amazon).
Reference
- Wang, et al. Biological age prediction using a DNN model based on pathways of steroidogenesis, Science Advances, 14 Mar 2025, Vol 11, Issue 11.