Trudiagnostic Vs Glycanage

Last updated: February 2026

If you are researching biological age tests in the UK, two names keep appearing: TruDiagnostic's TruAge and GlycanAge. Both promise to tell you how fast your body is actually ageing — but they use fundamentally different science, measure different things, and deliver very different levels of insight.

This head-to-head comparison breaks down everything you need to know about TruDiagnostic vs GlycanAge: the science behind each test, what you actually get in your reports, pricing, collection methods, and which test gives you the most actionable data for your money.

TruDiagnostic vs GlycanAge: Quick Overview

TruDiagnostic TruAge COMPLETE is an epigenetic test that analyses DNA methylation patterns across more than 900,000 sites in your genome. It produces multiple biological age scores, 11 organ-specific ages, pace of ageing metrics, telomere length estimates, immune cell breakdowns, and disease risk predictions. It has been validated in over 30 clinical trials and is used by high-profile longevity figures including Bryan Johnson and participants in the Rejuvenation Olympics.

GlycanAge measures the sugar molecules (glycans) attached to your IgG antibodies. These glycan patterns reflect your immune and inflammatory status, producing a single biological age score based on how your immune system is ageing. It does not measure DNA methylation, organ-specific ages, or pace of ageing.

Both are legitimate scientific tests — but the depth, breadth, and actionability of the data they provide are dramatically different.

At-a-Glance Comparison Table

1. Science and Methodology: DNA Methylation vs Glycan Analysis

The most important difference between TruAge and GlycanAge is what they actually measure at the molecular level.

TruAge: Epigenetic DNA Methylation

TruDiagnostic's TruAge COMPLETE uses DNA methylation analysis — the gold standard in biological age testing. DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism where methyl groups attach to specific positions (CpG sites) on your DNA, effectively switching genes on or off. These methylation patterns change predictably with age, and crucially, they change in response to lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, sleep, stress, and environmental exposures.

TruAge analyses over 900,000 CpG sites using Illumina methylation array technology. This is not a narrow snapshot — it is a comprehensive scan of your epigenome, capturing ageing signals across virtually every tissue and organ system in your body.

The science behind epigenetic clocks has been validated extensively. Steve Horvath's original epigenetic clock (2013) demonstrated that DNA methylation patterns could predict chronological age with remarkable accuracy. Since then, second-generation clocks like GrimAge and third-generation pace-of-ageing measures like DunedinPACE have refined the approach to predict not just age, but mortality risk and the speed at which you are ageing.

GlycanAge: IgG Glycan Profiling

GlycanAge takes a different approach entirely. It measures glycans — sugar molecules that attach to your immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. The specific patterns of these glycans change with age and reflect your immune and inflammatory status.

When IgG antibodies carry more pro-inflammatory glycan patterns, it suggests your immune system is ageing faster. When they carry more anti-inflammatory patterns, it suggests better immune health. GlycanAge uses liquid chromatography to analyse these glycan structures and produces a biological age estimate based on your immune glycan profile.

This is legitimate science — glycan biology is a real and growing field. However, it measures one specific dimension of ageing: how your immune system's antibody glycosylation is changing. It does not capture ageing in your cardiovascular system, brain, liver, kidneys, metabolic organs, or any other tissue outside the immune glycan pathway.

The Key Difference

Think of it this way: TruAge reads the master control layer of your biology (the epigenome) across 900,000+ data points, capturing ageing signals from multiple organ systems simultaneously. GlycanAge reads one specific output (antibody glycans) from one system (the immune system). Both are valid — but the scope of information is not comparable.

2. What Reports Do You Get?

This is where the gap between TruAge and GlycanAge becomes most apparent.

TruAge COMPLETE Reports

The TruAge COMPLETE report includes:

• Overall biological age — Your epigenetic age compared to your chronological age
• DunedinPACE (pace of ageing) — How fast you are currently ageing, measured in years of biological ageing per calendar year. A score of 1.0 means you are ageing at a normal rate; below 1.0 means you are ageing slower than average
• SYMPHONYAge (11 organ-specific ages) — Individual biological ages for your heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, brain, immune system, inflammatory status, hormone system, metabolic system, blood system, and musculoskeletal system
• OMICmAge — A Harvard-developed algorithm that integrates multi-omic data for mortality-associated age prediction
• Telomere length estimation — Inferred telomere length from methylation data
• Immune cell deconvolution — Estimated proportions of different immune cell types (CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells, NK cells, monocytes, granulocytes)
• Disease risk predictions — Epigenetic risk scores for various age-related conditions

That is a staggering amount of data from a single finger-prick blood sample. The 11 organ-specific ages alone are incredibly powerful — they tell you exactly where in your body ageing is happening fastest, allowing you to target your interventions precisely.

GlycanAge Reports

GlycanAge provides:

• A single biological age score based on your IgG glycan patterns
• Comparison to your chronological age — whether you are ageing faster or slower than average based on immune glycans
• General guidance on factors that influence glycan ageing (diet, exercise, stress management)

There is no organ-specific breakdown, no pace-of-ageing measurement, no immune cell composition data, and no disease risk predictions. You receive a single number representing your immune glycan age.

3. Number of Biomarkers

TruAge COMPLETE analyses over 900,000 CpG sites across your genome. Each of these sites provides a methylation value that feeds into the various ageing algorithms. The sheer volume of data points is what enables the test to produce organ-specific ages, pace-of-ageing metrics, immune cell estimates, and disease risk scores simultaneously.

GlycanAge analyses IgG glycan patterns — a set of glycan structures attached to one class of antibody. While the exact number of individual glycan peaks measured is not directly comparable to CpG sites (they are different types of molecular measurements), the information content is fundamentally narrower. You are measuring variations in sugar molecules on one protein, versus methylation states across nearly a million genomic positions.

4. Actionability: Which Test Tells You What to Change?

Both tests can show whether your biological age is improving or worsening over time when you retest. However, the level of specificity in guiding your interventions differs substantially.

TruAge Actionability

Because TruAge breaks down ageing into 11 organ-specific ages, you can see exactly which systems need attention. If your liver age is significantly higher than your chronological age but your heart age is younger, you know to focus on hepatic health — perhaps examining alcohol intake, metabolic markers, or liver-supportive nutrients. If your immune age is elevated, you might prioritise sleep, stress reduction, and immune-supportive interventions.

The DunedinPACE score adds another layer: it tells you whether your current rate of ageing is accelerating or decelerating, independent of the biological age you have already accumulated. This is crucial for tracking whether a new supplement, diet, or exercise programme is actively slowing your ageing right now.

GlycanAge Actionability

GlycanAge can tell you whether your immune glycan age is improving or worsening between tests. If your glycan age decreases after implementing lifestyle changes, it suggests your immune inflammatory status has improved. However, it cannot tell you which specific organ systems are benefiting, whether your pace of ageing has changed, or whether the improvement extends beyond immune glycans to other biological systems.

For someone focused specifically on immune and inflammatory health, GlycanAge provides targeted feedback. For someone wanting a comprehensive picture of how their entire body is ageing, TruAge provides incomparably more guidance.

5. Price Comparison (UK)

At first glance, GlycanAge appears cheaper at roughly £285 for a single test versus £380 for TruAge COMPLETE. However, the value calculation shifts dramatically when you consider what each pound buys you.

TruAge COMPLETE at £380 delivers biological age, pace of ageing, 11 organ-specific ages, telomere length, immune cell composition, and disease risk predictions — all from a single test. GlycanAge at £285 delivers a single biological age number based on immune glycans.

For anyone serious about understanding their biological age comprehensively, TruAge COMPLETE offers significantly more data per pound. The £95 difference buys you an enormous leap in the depth and actionability of your results.

It is also worth noting that GlycanAge's multi-test packs (£490 for two tests, £980 for four) quickly exceed the cost of TruAge COMPLETE. Two GlycanAge tests cost more than one TruAge COMPLETE, yet still only measure immune glycan age.

6. Collection Method

Both TruAge and GlycanAge use at-home finger-prick collection. A kit is posted to your home, you collect a small blood sample using the provided lancet and collection device, and post it back to the laboratory in the prepaid packaging.

Neither test requires a venous blood draw or a visit to a clinic. The process is straightforward for both, and most people complete the collection in under 10 minutes.

When you order TruAge COMPLETE through Lola Health, the kit is shipped directly to your UK address with clear instructions and all materials included.

7. Results Timeline

TruAge COMPLETE results are typically delivered within 2 to 3 weeks of the laboratory receiving your sample. Given the complexity of analysing over 900,000 CpG sites and running multiple ageing algorithms, this is a remarkably fast turnaround.

GlycanAge results take approximately 3 to 5 weeks. The longer processing time is partly due to the liquid chromatography method used for glycan analysis.

TruAge delivers results faster despite analysing vastly more data points — a point worth considering if you are eager to see your results.

8. Who Is Each Test Best For?

Choose TruAge COMPLETE If You:

• Want the most comprehensive biological age assessment available
• Want to know which specific organs are ageing fastest
• Are tracking the effects of longevity interventions (supplements, diet, exercise, fasting)
• Want to know your pace of ageing, not just your current biological age
• Follow the longevity science community (Bryan Johnson, Rejuvenation Olympics, Peter Attia)
• Want disease risk predictions based on your epigenetic profile
• Want the best data-per-pound value from a biological age test
• Are taking a first biological age test and want the most complete picture

Choose GlycanAge If You:

• Are specifically interested in immune and inflammatory ageing
• Want a lower upfront cost for a single biological age number
• Are already tracking epigenetic age and want an additional complementary data point
• Have a specific focus on autoimmune or inflammatory conditions and want glycan-specific data

Our Verdict: TruAge COMPLETE Is the Better Choice for Most People

For anyone taking their first biological age test, or anyone who wants the most actionable data from a single test, TruAge COMPLETE is the clear winner.

The difference is not marginal. TruAge analyses over 900,000 epigenetic sites and produces biological age, pace of ageing (DunedinPACE), 11 organ-specific ages (SYMPHONYAge), a Harvard-developed mortality algorithm (OMICmAge), telomere length, immune cell composition, and disease risk predictions. GlycanAge measures glycan patterns on one type of antibody and produces a single age score.

GlycanAge is a legitimate test that measures something real and meaningful. But it measures one dimension of ageing. TruAge measures the epigenome — the master regulatory layer that controls gene expression across your entire body. The breadth of insight is incomparable.

At £380 through Lola Health versus approximately £285 for GlycanAge, TruAge COMPLETE costs only £95 more but delivers exponentially more data. For anyone investing in understanding their biological age, that £95 difference represents extraordinary value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GlycanAge or TruAge more accurate?

Both tests are scientifically validated, but they measure fundamentally different things. TruAge analyses over 900,000 DNA methylation sites across your entire epigenome, providing a comprehensive picture of biological ageing validated in 30+ clinical trials. GlycanAge measures IgG glycan patterns, which reflect immune and inflammatory status — a narrower but still meaningful dimension of ageing. For overall biological age accuracy, TruAge's multi-algorithm approach (DunedinPACE, OMICmAge, SYMPHONYAge) provides a more complete and reproducible assessment.

Can I do both TruDiagnostic and GlycanAge tests?

Yes. The two tests measure completely different biological systems — TruAge analyses DNA methylation (epigenetic changes), while GlycanAge measures glycan structures on your antibodies. Running both gives you complementary data. However, if budget is a concern, TruAge COMPLETE provides far more data points and actionable insights per pound, making it the better first choice.

Which test is better for tracking longevity interventions?

TruAge is generally better for tracking interventions because it provides multiple independent ageing algorithms. DunedinPACE measures your current pace of ageing, SYMPHONYAge breaks down ageing across 11 organ systems, and OMICmAge tracks mortality-associated methylation patterns. This means you can see exactly which organs or systems are responding to your interventions. GlycanAge can show whether your immune inflammatory status has improved, but it cannot tell you which specific biological systems are changing.

How often should I retest with TruAge or GlycanAge?

For meaningful changes in epigenetic or glycan markers, retesting every 6 to 12 months is recommended. DNA methylation patterns and glycan profiles shift gradually in response to lifestyle changes, so testing more frequently than every 6 months is unlikely to show statistically significant differences. Many longevity enthusiasts test annually with TruAge to track year-over-year progress on their pace of ageing and organ-specific ages.

Does GlycanAge measure DNA methylation?

No. GlycanAge does not measure DNA methylation. It analyses IgG glycans — sugar molecules attached to your immunoglobulin G antibodies — using liquid chromatography. This is an entirely different biological measurement from the epigenetic DNA methylation analysis used by TruDiagnostic's TruAge test. The two technologies assess different dimensions of biological ageing.

Why is TruAge more expensive than GlycanAge?

TruAge COMPLETE analyses over 900,000 CpG sites using Illumina methylation arrays, runs multiple validated ageing algorithms (DunedinPACE, OMICmAge, SYMPHONYAge), and generates reports on 11 organ-specific ages, telomere length, immune cell composition, and disease risk predictions. This breadth of analysis requires more complex laboratory processing than GlycanAge's IgG glycan profiling. At £380 through Lola Health, TruAge COMPLETE actually offers significantly more data per pound than GlycanAge's single-test price of approximately £285.

Lola Health is an authorised UK retailer for TruDiagnostic TruAge testing. All TruAge kits are shipped directly to your home with free UK delivery. View the TruAge COMPLETE test.