What is an AGE Reader scan?
A painless, one-minute light scan that shows how your metabolism has been ageing your body.
5.0 from 24 Google reviewsThe AGE Reader is one of six tests in our Health Autonomy longevity assessment in Chudleigh. It takes less than a minute, it’s completely painless, and it gives you a simple measure of how your metabolism has been treating your body over the years.
What are AGEs?
AGEs, or advanced glycation end-products, form when sugars react with proteins and fats in the body. They build up slowly over many years, particularly in long-lasting tissues such as the collagen in your skin.
How quickly they build up is shaped by your blood sugar, your diet and your lifestyle. That’s why the AGE level in your tissues can act as a window on your long-term metabolic health, rather than just how you’ve eaten this week.
How the scan works
You rest your forearm on the AGE Reader, which shines a harmless light onto your skin and measures how the skin glows back. This glow is called autofluorescence, and it rises as AGEs build up.
- No needles and no blood tests.
- Nothing to feel: you simply rest your arm for a few moments.
- Results are available straight away.
What your results mean
You get two numbers:
- Your skin AGE level, compared with the average for people your age.
- A BodyAge estimate: the age at which an average person has the same level as you.
A lower score generally reflects healthier ageing. This is a health and fitness measure, not a medical diagnosis. If anything needs further checking, we’ll explain it and advise you of the next step.
Can you change your score?
AGEs change slowly, but the things that keep them down are the same habits that support long-term health: eating mostly whole foods, exercising regularly and keeping your blood sugar steady. In our 60-Day Programme we use your results to build a plan around these, then retest on the same equipment at 8 weeks.
Preparing for your scan
On the day, keep your forearms free of creams, sunscreen and fake tan, as these can affect the reading.
Part of a bigger picture
On its own, one number only tells you so much. In the full Health Autonomy assessment the AGE Reader sits alongside segmental body composition, a 12-lead ECG, heart rate variability, spirometry and force plate testing, plus a calculated VO2 max. Together they give you a clear, colour-coded report on the same day. See all six tests.