The Science

How We Measure the Pace of Aging

PaceSovereign synthesizes three decades of biological aging research into a single, actionable KPI. From the Horvath Clock to DunedinPACE, from blood biomarkers to wearable data — here is the science behind your PACE Score.

Medical Disclaimer

The information provided on this page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Data suggests correlations, not diagnoses. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions based on biomarker data.

DunedinPACE: The Gold Standard

DunedinPACE (Pace of Aging Calculated from the Epigenome) is a third-generation epigenetic clock developed by researchers at Duke University, published by Belsky et al. in eLife (2022). Unlike earlier clocks that estimate a static biological age, DunedinPACE measures the rate of biological aging — how fast you are aging right now.

A DunedinPACE score of 1.0 means aging at the normal population rate. Below 1.0 means slower aging. Above 1.0 means faster. The typical range in population studies is 0.6 to 1.4, with the algorithm trained on 173 CpG sites correlated with 19 biomarkers tracked over 20 years.
— Belsky et al., eLife, 2022

Evolution of Epigenetic Clocks

ClockGenMeasuresYear
Horvath Clock1stStatic biological age2013
Hannum Clock1stStatic biological age (blood)2013
PhenoAge2ndHealth-adjusted biological age2018
GrimAge2ndMortality-adjusted age2019
DunedinPACE3rdRate of aging (dynamic)2022

The 19 Biomarkers Behind DunedinPACE

DunedinPACE was trained on longitudinal change in 19 biomarkers measured at ages 26, 32, 38, and 45 in the Dunedin Study cohort, spanning cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, pulmonary, immune, and oral health systems.

#BiomarkerCategoryUnit
1BMIMetabolickg/m²
2Waist-Hip RatioMetabolicratio
3HbA1cMetabolic%
4Blood Urea NitrogenRenalmg/dL
5CreatinineRenalmg/dL
6Uric AcidMetabolicmg/dL
7Total CholesterolCardiovascularmg/dL
8TriglyceridesCardiovascularmg/dL
9HDL CholesterolCardiovascularmg/dL
10LDL / Non-HDL CholesterolCardiovascularmg/dL
11Apolipoprotein BCardiovascularmg/dL
12Lipoprotein(a)Cardiovascularnmol/L
13hs-CRPInflammatorymg/L
14White Blood Cell CountHematologic10³/µL
15Mean Arterial PressureCardiovascularmmHg
16Forced Vital CapacityPulmonaryL
17FEV1/FVC RatioPulmonaryratio
18VO2maxFitnessmL/kg/min
19Gingival RecessionOralmm

Our Proxy PACE Method

Most users will not have DunedinPACE epigenetic data when they first join. PaceSovereign computes a Proxy PACE Score using the Klemera-Doubal Method (KDM), enhanced with wearable data from 200+ devices.

The Klemera-Doubal Method computes biological age from standard blood biomarkers using regression-based weights trained on the relationship between biomarker values and chronological age across large population cohorts. PaceSovereign enhances KDM with wearable-derived metrics including resting heart rate, HRV, VO2max, and sleep architecture.
— Klemera & Doubal, Mech Ageing Dev, 2006

When users obtain real DunedinPACE testing (via TruDiagnostic, Elysium, or compatible providers), that becomes their gold-standard score. The proxy remains as a continuous between-test tracker.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is biological age vs. chronological age?+
Chronological age is how many years since you were born. Biological age is a measure of how old your body actually functions — based on biomarkers, epigenetics, and organ system performance. Two 50-year-olds can have biological ages of 42 and 58, depending on lifestyle, genetics, and environmental factors.
What is the Pace of Aging?+
Pace of Aging measures how fast you are currently aging — expressed as years of biological aging per calendar year. A pace of 0.85 means you age 0.85 biological years for every calendar year (aging slower). A pace of 1.2 means you age 1.2 biological years per calendar year (aging faster). DunedinPACE, developed by Duke University researchers, is the gold-standard measurement.
What is DunedinPACE?+
DunedinPACE (Pace of Aging Calculated from the Epigenome) is a third-generation epigenetic clock developed by Belsky et al. at Duke University, published in eLife (2022). It analyzes 173 CpG sites in your DNA methylation patterns to determine your rate of biological aging. It was trained on 20 years of longitudinal data tracking 19 biomarkers across cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, pulmonary, and immune systems.
How does PaceSovereign calculate my PACE Score?+
PaceSovereign uses a validated proxy method based on the Klemera-Doubal Method (KDM), enhanced with wearable data. Your blood biomarkers (up to 120+) are analyzed alongside data from 200+ wearable devices to estimate your biological age and aging rate. If you have real DunedinPACE epigenetic data, that becomes your gold-standard score.
What are the 19 biomarkers behind DunedinPACE?+
DunedinPACE was trained on longitudinal changes in: BMI, waist-hip ratio, HbA1c, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL/non-HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein(a), hs-CRP, white blood cell count, mean arterial pressure, forced vital capacity, FEV1/FVC ratio, VO2max, and gingival recession. These span cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, pulmonary, immune, and oral health systems.
How often should I measure my Pace of Aging?+
Blood biomarker panels every 3-6 months provide the most actionable data for tracking your proxy PACE Score. Wearable data is integrated continuously. For the gold-standard DunedinPACE epigenetic measurement, every 6-12 months is typically recommended, as epigenetic changes occur gradually.
Can you actually slow down biological aging?+
Research suggests yes. The CALERIE trial showed that caloric restriction slowed DunedinPACE by 2-3%. Exercise, sleep optimization, stress reduction, and targeted supplementation have all shown measurable effects on biological aging markers. PaceSovereign tracks these interventions against your PACE Score to identify what works for your specific biology.
What makes PaceSovereign different from other longevity platforms?+
PaceSovereign is the first platform to treat biology as an asset class with a single KPI: your Pace of Aging. We synthesize 120+ biomarkers from lab reports, 200+ wearable devices, and epigenetic data into one score — with AI-driven coaching and a wealth-management approach to health optimization. Designed exclusively for UHNWI who manage everything except their biology.

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References

  1. [1] Belsky DW, Caspi A, Corcoran DL, et al.. “DunedinPACE, a DNA methylation biomarker of the pace of aging.” eLife. 2022. doi:10.7554/eLife.73420
  2. [2] Klemera P, Doubal S. “A new approach to the concept and computation of biological age.” Mech Ageing Dev. 2006. doi:10.1016/j.mad.2005.10.004
  3. [3] Horvath S. “DNA methylation age of human tissues and cell types.” Genome Biol. 2013. doi:10.1186/gb-2013-14-10-r115
  4. [4] Levine ME. “Modeling the rate of senescence.” J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2013. doi:10.1093/gerona/gls233
  5. [5] Lu AT, Quach A, Wilson JG, et al.. “DNA methylation GrimAge strongly predicts lifespan and healthspan.” Aging. 2019. doi:10.18632/aging.101684