The AccurAge Aging Speed Analyzer is based on utilizing an aging speed test.

What is aging speed test?

The aging speed test measures a reliable physiological marker of biological age. The larger the positive difference between the biological age and calendar age is the more pronounced is the speed of aging.

What does this test measure?

This test quantitatively measures the baroreflex regulatory power (ability to perform body regulation and adaptation), which is found to be one of the most prominent physiological markers of age and aging. There are multiple research studies showing that there is strong correlation between baroreflex performance and age.

What is the baroreflex?

The baroreflex is one of the most important physiological mechanisms of the human body. It allows for the ability for the body to adapt to the sudden changes in blood supply needs of the vital organs like the brain and heart. The variatons are caused by the bodies changing physical activity or emotions. This mechanism quickly adjusts the heart rate in response to rapid changes in blood pressure. When blood pressure drops, it causes the heart rate to quickly rise and vice versa. This ensures sufficient and steady blood supply to all the major organs.

What happens to baroreflex with age?

Baroreflex is a very dynamic mechanism and remains very efficient at younger ages. It gradually degrades with age. The direct effect of aging causes older people to have less baroreflex sensitivity and a lower tolerance to the physical and emotional challenges life brings us. Research indicates that it is fairly common that baroreflex degradation is accelerated due to various health conditions and lifestyle choices. Many well-known factors like lack of exercise, poor diet, chronic stress, etc., all continue to cause a wear and tear and prematurely age our body.

Can we improve baroreflex performance?

In contrast, positive changes in lifestyle, diet, managing stress, and using various health promoting remedies such as vitamins, nutrition supplements, anti-oxidants, breathing biofeedback and other wellness options all help to restore the normal rate of aging. Continued positive lifestyle choices can  even slow down the body aging.

How do we measure baroreflex regulatory power?

Our test utilizes a well-known testing maneuver called deep paced breathing. When we breathe deeply at about six breaths per minute, the deep breathing causes significant fluctuations of the blood pressure in the major blood vessels. This provocative maneuver challenges the baroreflex causing it to promptly adjust the heart rate. Therefore the heart rate begins to fluctuate synchronously with the paced breathing – when we inhale, the heart rate goes up, when we exhale, it goes down.

Science validates that for most people breathing at six breaths per minute causes the highest fluctuations in heart rate. This occurs due to the intrinsic properties of the baroreflex mechanism to generate cardiac resonance.

The ability of the baroreflex to cause these resonant fluctuations of heart rate due to paced breathing degrades with age. Therefore measuring the heart rate fluctuations at six breaths per minute breathing gives us a quantitative measure of baroreflex regulatory power.

How to perform this test?

The aging speed test takes only one minute. During the test, a subject must breathe deeply and synchronously with a visual metronome (pacer). The AccurAge software provides this pacer in the form of a blue circle expanding (inhalation) and shrinking (exhalation) accordingly.

During the test, the heart rate is being continuously measured with an ear-clip pulse wave sensor placed on an earlobe.

The software records all of the heartbeat intervals occurring during the test and checks if there were heart rate fluctuations coherent with the breath pacer (test compliance issues).

After the test the software measures the magnitude of the heart rate fluctuations. The AccurAge software uses a special algorithm for this measurement and compares it with a specially designed proprietary normative database of most ages and gender to finally calculate the aging speed.

How is this test reflective of various aspects of health?

The following chart demonstrates visually the heart rate changes caused by deep paced breathing. The results reflect the typical associations of health issues with the test results:

Younger
Aging
  • Healthy
  • Energetic
  • Normal blood pressure
  • Emotionally balanced
  • Stronger immune system
  • Physically active
  • Slower aging
  • Needs attention
  • Fatigued
  • High blood pressure
  • Stressed
  • Weaker immune system
  • Sedentary
  • Accelerated aging

Here are a few references to research publications on the subject of relationship between baroreflex performance and age:

  1. Age-related decline in autonomic control of blood pressure: implications for the pharmacological management of hypertension in the elderly. Cleophas TJ, van Marum R. Drugs Aging. 2003;20(5):313-9.
  2. Baroreflex buffering is reduced with age in healthy men. Jones PP, Christou DD, Jordan J, Seals DR. Circulation. 2003 Apr 8;107(13):1770-4. Epub 2003 Mar 17.
  3. Effect of aging on responses to autonomic cardiovascular tests. Raimondi G, Legramante JM, Iellamo F, Micozzi F, Sacco S, Balocchi R, Chillemi S, Peruzzi G. J Gravit Physiol. 1999 Jul;6(1):P141-2.
  4. Parasympathetic function during deep breathing in the general population: relation to coronary risk factors and normal range. May O, Arildsen H, Moller M. J Intern Med. 1999 Mar;245(3):287-94.
  5. Effect of age and gender on sudomotor and cardiovagal function and blood pressure response to tilt in normal subjects. Low PA, Denq JC, Opfer-Gehrking TL, Dyck PJ, O'Brien PC, Slezak JM. Muscle Nerve. 1997 Dec;20(12):1561-8.
  6. Determinants of heart rate variability during deep breathing: basic findings and clinical applications. Diehl RR, Linden D, Berlit P. Clin Auton Res. 1997 Jun;7(3):131-5.
  7. Cardiovascular autonomic nervous system tests: determination of normative values and effect of confounding variables. Gelber DA, Pfeifer M, Dawson B, Schumer M. J Auton Nerv Syst. 1997 Jan 12;62(1-2):40-4.
  8. Age-related changes in baroreflex control of heart rate and sympathetic nerve activity in healthy humans. Matsukawa T, Sugiyama Y, Mano T. J Auton Nerv Syst. 1996 Sep 12;60(3):209-12.
  9. Baroreflex sensitivity in the elderly: influence of age, breathing and spectral methods. J. Gerritsen, B.J. TenVoorde, J.M. Dekker, P.J. Kostense, L.M. Bouter, R.M. Heethaar.Clinical Science. 2000; 99: 371-81.
  10. Evaluation of the aging change in cardiac autonomic nervous system by automated clinical measurement Siche JP, de Gaudemaris R, Chevallier M, Riachi M, Longere P, Comparat V, Mallion JM.Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss. 1993 Aug;86(8):1187-91.
  11. Assessment of cardiovascular autonomic function: age-related normal ranges and reproducibility of spectral analysis, vector analysis, and standard tests of heart rate variation and blood pressure responses. Ziegler D, Laux G, Dannehl K, Spuler M, Muhlen H, Mayer P, Gries FA. Diabet Med. 1992 Mar;9(2):166-75.
  12. Autonomic nervous system tests depend on resting heart rate and blood pressure. van Dijk JG, Koenderink M, Zwinderman AH, Haan J, Kramer CG, den Heijer JC. J Auton Nerv Syst. 1991 Jul;35(1):15-24.
  13. Cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests: normal responses and age-related reference values. Piha SJ. Clin Physiol. 1991 May;11(3):277-90.
  14. Age-related alterations in cardiac parasympathetic responsiveness: a preliminary report. Ferrari AU, Daffonchio A, Gerosa S, Mancia G. J Hypertens Suppl. 1989 Dec;7(6):S16-7.
  15. Autonomic function tests as related to age and gender in normal man. Gautschy B, Weidmann P, Gnadinger MP. Klin Wochenschr. 1986 Jun 2;64(11):499-505.
  16. Heart rate variability in healthy subjects: effect of age and the derivation of normal ranges for tests of autonomic function. O'Brien IA, O'Hare P, Corrall RJ. Br Heart J. 1986 Apr;55(4):348-54.
  17. Cardiovascular reflex tests. Assessment of age-adjusted normal range. Vita G, Princi P, Calabro R, Toscano A, Manna L, Messina C. J Neurol Sci. 1986 Oct;75(3):263-74.
  18. Differential changes of autonomic nervous system function with age in man. Pfeifer MA, Weinberg CR, Cook D, Best JD, Reenan A, Halter JB. Am J Med. 1983 Aug;75(2):249-58.
  19. Standardized tests of heart rate variability: normal ranges obtained from 309 healthy humans, and effects of age, gender, and heart rate. Agelink MW, Malessa R, and other. Clin. Auton Res. 2001Apr;11(2):99-108.