Don’t Ignore These Important Biomarkers and Signals for Longevity
You’ve probably heard the term “biomarker” being bandied – especially around prevention and longevity. What does the term mean?
There’s a technical definition used by the National Institutes of Health: A biomarker is “a biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process or of a condition or disease.”
But the term is also used interchangeably to cover measurements that help define health risks, like strength and weight — even sleep amounts. Among scientists, there is a great deal of debate over what we should be measuring to predict longevity and health, even though we’ve learned a lot about the people who live the longest.
Beyond the obvious chronic disease risks – heart disease, diabetes and cancer — here are seven emerging indicators or biomarkers of longevity you should keep an eye on starting in your 40s.
Surprising markers of longevity
Our bodies go through over 3,000 age-related changes, according to The Digital Ageing Atlas, a collection of some of the world’s research on longevity. That makes it challenging to prioritize. Even scientists don’t have consensus about aging biomarkers.
But there are themes in the research that point to some priorities. The Biomarkers of Aging Consortium, a group of international scientists working to develop standards that can be used clinically, launched a 5-year Longevity Study at Harvard this year. Their study will track a number of biomarkers, including many that MDVIP-affiliated physicians measure annually:
Grip strength can predict a number of health outcomes, including muscle loss (sarcopenia) and bone mineral density. It can also predict early mortality, and it’s a better predictor of lifespan than other biomarkers like blood pressure.
Balance, which is important for mobility and independence, can indicate slower interaction between the nerves and muscles, and also indicate the risk for falling.
Gait speed, usually tested by how long it takes you to walk six meters (about 20 feet), is an indicator of muscle strength and mobility. A slower gait speed is associated with a risk of disability and cognitive decline.
Other physical measurements that can suggest longevity – or shorter lifespan – include your body roundness index, or BRI. This a good indicator of phenoage, or the difference between biological and chronological age, according to a 2025 study. BRI is calculated using height, hip circumference and waist circumference. One of its advantages over body mass index (BMI) is that it takes fat distribution into account.
New technology has also emerged that can help us track other things that were previously hard to measure but are related to lifespan. Digital biomarkers are those that are tracked with technology, including common wearable devices or smartphone apps. Among the most important — and easiest to track— are circadian rhythm and sleep, which are indicators of insomnia, depression, and dementia. A disrupted circadian rhythm is associated with sleep apnea, which can be fatal if not treated.
Ongoing studies of centenarians—people who live past their 100th birthdays—also point toward two other important biomarkers for longevity, including Inflammation. Specifically, centenarians have low inflammation. Some of the tests that track inflammation include C-reactive protein, cytokine levels and white blood cell count. Sleep, exercise, managing stress, avoiding alcohol and an anti-inflammatory diet can all help your body better manage inflammation.
Glycemic (blood sugar) balance is also better in centenarians. In Catalonia, Spain, the population of people over 100 has more than quadrupled since 2000. A study published in 2025 looked specifically at blood biomarkers among these Spanish centenarians, and the authors wrote that glucose markers “play a critical role in survival to extreme old age.” Glycemic balance is measured by HbA1c and fasting glucose.
The Spanish researchers point out that blood biomarkers aren’t good indicators of longevity by themselves—but that environment, genetics, mental health and social factors play a role, too. (Just how much is yet to be determined.)
For MDVIP-affiliated physicians, looking for longevity-related biomarkers is routine. The MDVIP Wellness Program, for example, includes 18+ advanced diagnostic screeners and tests and is designed to help identify health risks earlier, so your physician can customize a plan to help you reduce those risks.
It includes measurements such as gait speed and grip strength along with inflammation testing and screenings for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other conditions that reduce lifespan.