Does calcium-AKG lower your biological age?
Reliable evidence that calcium AKG lowers biological age in humans is lacking. The well-known claim of 8 years comes from a small study without a placebo group, conducted by researchers with a commercial interest. Wait for the results of the ongoing independent study before drawing any conclusions.
No, there is no reliable evidence that calcium AKG lowers biological age in humans. The only human study examined 42 people taking a commercial supplement, with no placebo group. The lead authors had financial ties to the manufacturer of that supplement. The researchers themselves acknowledge that a placebo-controlled study is needed. The widely cited claim of an average 8-year reduction in biological age therefore comes from a study that cannot be used as evidence.
Animal and cell research does show interesting signals. In roundworms, AKG, the active compound in calcium AKG, extends lifespan. In elderly mice it slows the ageing of stem cells, improves cognitive function, and reduces bone loss and skin ageing. In mouse models of fatty liver disease it also has anti-inflammatory effects. But what works in animals and cells does not automatically work in humans.
A review study concluded that up to 2022 no published clinical trials existed demonstrating an effect of AKG on ageing or age-related diseases in humans. A trial is now underway with 120 participants receiving either 1 gram of calcium AKG or a placebo for six months, with reduction in DNA methylation age as the outcome. Results are not yet available.
If you still want to try calcium AKG, pay attention to the label: look for 'calcium alpha-ketoglutarate' or 'Ca-AKG', with the amount of AKG per capsule clearly stated. Which specific salt is used does not matter based on current evidence, because human studies are altogether lacking. At this point, calcium AKG is not worth your money if you are buying it to become biologically younger: the dose and duration studied in humans are still unknown, and no independently confirmed effect exists.
Evidence derived from animal and cell studies (PMID 24828042, 40570373, 39266660, 38642501, 31173576), one small non-placebo-controlled human study with a commercial interest (PMID 34847066), one review article (PMID 34952764), and one published RCT protocol without results (PMID 37119488).
Can you really lower your biological age, and does the research support this?
There are promising indications that biological age is measurable and perhaps controllable, but clinical evidence that you can truly and lastingly lower that age is still lacking. Wait for larger studies before basing major decisions on this.
What does alcohol do to your biological age?
Alcohol accelerates multiple biological ageing processes, including gut damage, inflammation, and brain deterioration. The older you are, the more vulnerable your body is to that damage, so drinking less is worthwhile at every stage of life.
What does smoking do to your biological age?
Smoking measurably accelerates the biological ageing of lung cells, the immune system and the reproductive system. Quitting smoking reverses part of that damage, in some cases even completely after ten years.
Does your biological age change differently at night than during the day?
The night is biologically not a pause but an active recovery phase, and that phase deteriorates noticeably with age. Those who protect their sleep rhythm, with fixed times, limited screen use before bedtime and a longer nightly eating break, preserve that recovery function for longer.
How can I measure my biological age?
Epigenetic clocks, in particular GrimAge and PhenoAge, currently offer the best estimate of your biological age, but they are not yet ready for straightforward home use and require expert interpretation.
How quickly can you change your biological age with exercise?
Regular moderate to vigorous exercise is associated with a biological age that comes out 1 to 3 years lower, and molecular changes in muscles are measurable after just a few weeks. Whether a lower score on an epigenetic clock truly means living healthier or longer has not yet been proven: treat it as an encouraging signal, not a guarantee.