David Sinclair’s TallyAge: A Brief Review and User Impressions

TallyAge™ is a product of Tally Health, a company that’s leveraging advances in longevity and aging research to help people live healthier, fuller lives. One of the co-founders and scientific advisors of Tally Health is Dr. David Sinclair, a globally recognized expert in aging biology and a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School. His contributions to the field are substantial and his involvement lends credibility to the enterprise.

TallyAge is an innovative, at-home testing kit that analyzes DNA methylation – a process by which small chemical groups are added to DNA molecules affecting how genes are expressed – to estimate an individual’s biological age. Biological age differs from chronological age (the actual number of years someone has lived) in that it reflects how the body is aging internally, influenced by genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Two people of the same chronological age can have significantly different biological ages due to these factors.

The science behind TallyAge is rooted in epigenetics, the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself. TallyAge uses a test built on the MethylationEPIC array technology, which measures around 850,000 DNA sites. This technology, alongside an extensive dataset of over 8,000 people aged 18-100 years from diverse demographic groups, provides the foundation for a robust and reproducible analysis of an individual’s biological age.

The accuracy of TallyAge is supported by its large sample size and advanced DNA methylation technology, which outperforms many existing tests that use smaller samples and older arrays capturing fewer DNA sites. However, like any biological test, it may not be 100% accurate due to various biological and technical factors.

Performing the TallyAge test is straightforward. After subscribing to Tally Health, a test kit is mailed to your home. All you need to do is swab your cheek and return the kit. The company’s lab team will analyze the sample and provide insights into your biological health and aging. Based on this, a personalized action plan is developed to help you make lifestyle and daily habit changes aimed at slowing the aging process.

Tally Health offers several subscription plans, each providing a specific number of TallyAge tests, personalized action plans, and daily longevity supplements. A monthly subscription (with a 3-month commitment) costs $199 per month. A 6-month subscription costs $159 per month, while a 12-month subscription costs $129 per month. Each of these subscriptions offers the TallyAge test as part of the package. However, if you wish to take the TallyAge test without subscribing, it can be purchased individually for $229 per test.

User reviews

Axe DeKruif’s interest was piqued by Dr. Sinclair’s podcast on biological age, which led him to purchase Sinclair’s biological age test. Despite DeKruif’s currently healthy lifestyle, he was aware of his past unhealthy habits.

He followed the instructions provided with the test kit, collected a sample from his cheek, secured it in a vial, and sent it back. Once the sample was shipped via USPS, DeKruif awaited his results.

Upon receiving the results, they indicated his biological age as 48 years and two months, which is a year and a month younger than his chronological age of 49 years and three months. This outcome suggested that DeKruif’s current healthy habits might be balancing out the negative impact of his past habits, reinforcing that it’s never too late to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Renée Onque ventured into the intriguing world of aging science. Despite Onque’s generally healthy lifestyle, apprehension filled her as she awaited her results. Much to her relief, her biological ‘TallyAge’ was merely a month older than her actual age.

Tally Health emphasizes that over 90% of our aging is influenced by lifestyle choices and environment. They suggest aiming for a lower ‘TallyAge’ and provide an action plan based on personal lifestyle data. Onque’s experience highlights the potential of such tests in understanding and managing our biological age: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/05/i-took-a-test-to-determine-my-biological-ageheres-what-i-learned.html

Some Reddit users at https://www.reddit.com/r/Biohackers/ appreciate the concept of a biological age score, they express dissatisfaction with the lack of substantial actionable insights and perceived high costs of Tally’s program. There’s also a clear desire for more transparency in the company’s offerings.

Mixed feelings prevail as users like ‘TY-Miss-Granger’ find TallyAge uninformative compared to Inside Tracker. They note a lack of detailed advice alongside the biological age score. This user also raises concerns about cost, calling the Tally plans “expensive.”

On a brighter note, ‘Middle_Reality7102’, a beta program participant, shared their positive experience. Their lifestyle rooted in basic health principles, including regular exercise and a balanced diet, was reflected in a TallyAge seven years younger than their chronological age.

A user named ‘jamescgames’, however, criticized Tally’s opaque approach, implying the lack of clear information on the website. He seeks more insight into what the program offers beyond a simple biological health marker.

On the Rapamycin Longevity News forum, users shared varied experiences with TallyAge. One user signed up for Tally Health but didn’t provide further details about their experience. Another user received their results but didn’t provide any specific feedback. A user encountered an issue where they received an email saying their results were ready, but the system did not recognize their email. Skepticism was expressed about the science behind the DNAm clock and its accuracy, and concerns were raised about the cost of the subscription model, especially given the vague endpoints (“longevity”) and the means to get there (a pill and a phone app). A user shared their father’s Tally Results, which they found confusing as their father is very healthy. They felt that the epigenetic age seemed wrong based on his lifestyle and health. Another user mentioned that their Tally Age came back as 45 while they are 41 and they couldn’t find any real information on how Tally Health generates their age. A beta tester for Tally Health shared that their results showed they were nearly 10 years younger than their chronological age. Lastly, there was disappointment expressed about the cost of the tests, which were said to be about the same price as other epigenetic tests, and it was also mentioned that Tally Health was pushing people into a subscription that includes a “longevity supplement”. These experiences and opinions are individual and may not represent the experience of all users.

What about David Sinclair himself? According to TallyAge, his biological age is a decade younger than his chronological age.

TallyAge seems to be stirring up quite a mix of views. Some people love it, others – not so much. What about you? Have you taken the TallyAge test? I’m all ears! Unfortunately, since TallyAge currently ships only to the United States, Alaska, and Hawaii, I am unable to order it to Europe, where I am. So please drop a comment below, and let me know your thoughts and experiences.