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I haven’t touched seafood or meat in more than a decade, and aside from a daily multivitamin, I’m hardly what you’d call supplement-savvy.
I feel healthy overall — but I had to wonder: Is my vegetarian lifestyle helping me age gracefully, or quietly wearing me down?
To find out, I turned to Function Health’s biological age test, a new service that promises to reveal how your body is aging on the inside and and empower you to take charge of your health.
Dr. Mark Hyman, the company’s founder, walked me through my results — including one major red flag I probably wouldn’t have caught until it was already causing serious trouble.
But first: What is biological age?
You’ve got two ages.
Your chronological age is how many years you’ve lived. Your biological age reflects how your body is aging at the cellular level.
A growing number of companies now offer tests that promise to reveal your biological age by analyzing factors like gut bacteria, blood proteins and DNA.
Function Health launched its biological age test in 2023, backed by investors like Matt Damon and Pedro Pascal.
For $499 a year, you get two rounds of testing: an initial assessment with 105 lab tests, then a follow-up three to six months later with 60-plus retests to track changes after you’ve had a chance to modify your diet, exercise and supplement intake.
The process requires over two dozen vials of blood and a urine sample over two visits.
My results came back in about a week, along with personalized insights from Function’s clinicians.
I scored 20.8 — 4.2 years younger than my actual age.
“It means you’re doing better than average,” Hyman told me, “but the calculation is based on a largely sick population.”
In the US, 6 in 10 adults have at least one chronic disease, while 4 in 10 have two or more, according to the CDC.
Deficiencies detected
Function’s biological age test screens your blood for 102 biomarkers, and of them, 11 of mine were out of range.
“With low vitamin D, low iron and low anti-inflammatory omega 3’s, I could immediately tell that you’re a vegan or vegetarian,” Hyman said.
While these nutrients exist in plant-based foods, they’re typically found in higher quantities in animal products like fatty fish and liver.
My low vitamin D levels could also be due to a lack of sunlight — since, like many Americans, I spend most of my time indoors.
Vitamin D isn’t just for bones. It also supports immune function, mood and muscle strength — and a deficiency can lead to fatigue, depression and chronic illness.
I also had low ferritin, the protein that stores iron.
Low ferritin can zap your energy, weaken your immune system, and even trigger hair loss. Left untreated, it can contribute to heart issues and cognitive decline.
Then came the omega-3s. My blood showed low levels of EPA, DHA and DPA — all key fatty acids critical for brain, heart, and cellular health.
This kind of imbalance has been linked to everything from depression and anxiety to cardiovascular disease and dementia.
Not-so-sweet news
Beyond vitamin gaps, my insulin levels also raised a red flag.
While still in the “acceptable” range, they were above optimal — which Hyman explained is a sign my body is working harder than it should to keep my blood sugar stable.
“This is also common in people who are vegan or vegetarian because they tend to have a higher carbohydrate intake,” he said.
Reduced insulin sensitivity — a k a insulin resistance — can make it harder to manage weight or build muscle. Left unchecked, it can lead to prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
The red flag hiding in my blood
But one number made Hyman hit the brakes: my “extremely high” homocysteine levels.
The normal range is up to 10.4 micromoles per liter. Mine was 27.8.
“That’s just way, way out of range,” Hyman told me. “That’s usually a consequence of a genetic variation called MTHFR.”
The MTHFR gene helps the body process key B vitamins and break down homocysteine. If it’s not functioning properly, homocysteine builds up — and that can cause problems.
Elevated levels have been linked to heart disease, stroke, cognitive decline, osteoporosis and even pregnancy complications.
“You’ve really got to take this seriously,” Hyman warned. “But it’s super simple to fix.”
No meat, no problem — with a few tweaks
Every single issue flagged in my Function test can be improved — no steak required.
“Usually, if you’re vegan or vegetarian, you’ll be fine for a few years and then your health starts to degrade,” Hyman said. “You don’t have to start eating meat, but you do have to be on lifelong supplements.”
Function provided me with a full action plan.
Top 5 foods I need to eat more of:
- Pasture-raised eggs
- Adzuki beans
- Black beans
- Black-eyed peas
- Chickpeas
Foods to avoid:
- Peanut oil
- Sunflower oil
- Corn oil
- Safflower oil
- Shortening
Recommended supplements:
- Berberine
- Fiber
- Red yeast rice
- Vitamin D
- Iron bisglycinate + vitamin C
- Folate
- B6 and B12
Hyman also recommended genetic testing to confirm if I have the MTHFR mutation.
“It’s really great that we found this because you could have had it for years and not find out until you’re 50 or 60 when something goes wrong,” he said.
Despite the 11 flagged biomarkers, I told Hyman I felt great.
His reply? A reality check.
“You don’t notice there’s an elephant standing on your foot until it gets off,” Hyman said. “All of this stuff is going to make a significant impact on your health — maybe in the short term, but definitely in the long term.”
Function recommends members get their blood tested at least once a year to track shifts in their biomarkers. With the suggested changes, Hyman said my biological age will drop even further in the coming months.
In the meantime, you’ll find me in the supplement aisle.
English (US)