Elysium Health sells Index, a DNA methylation test that returns an estimated biological age from a sample you collect at home. The company is better known for its supplement line, and the test sits alongside it as a separate product with its own pricing.
Index is the most approachable product in a technical category. The report gives you one number and explains it in plain language, without asking you to understand CpG sites or clock generations. That design choice is the product's main strength and the source of its main limitation, because the questions a careful buyer wants answered — which clock, trained on what, with how much measurement noise — are exactly the ones a simplified report leaves out. This review covers cost, the methodology and its limits, the collection experience, what the output supports, and where a different purchase fits better.
The Verdict
Scorecard
| Category | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Methodology | 7/10 | DNA methylation measured from an at-home sample, reported as a single biological age figure |
| Method transparency | 5/10 | The algorithm and marker set are proprietary; the underlying clock is not identified by published name |
| Reproducibility handling | 5/10 | The category-wide noise problem is not addressed by reporting cell composition or a replicate |
| Sample collection | 8/10 | At-home collection with no clinic visit; straightforward to complete correctly |
| Turnaround | 7/10 | Roughly 3–6 weeks from posting to results, depending on the product |
| Report clarity | 8/10 | A single, readable number with plain-language framing — the strongest part of the product |
| Actionability | 4/10 | The result names no specific problem and points to no specific treatment |
| Value at price | 5/10 | Roughly $200–$500 depending on one-off versus subscription, as of 2026 |
Cost and what is included
Pricing moves with promotions and plan structure, so treat these as ranges to confirm rather than fixed figures.
| What you are buying | Typical 2026 price | What it includes | Who it is aimed at |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-off test | Roughly $300–$500 as of 2026 | A single biological age reading plus report access | Someone curious about the category once |
| Subscription plan | Roughly $200–$300 per test on a recurring plan | Repeat testing at set intervals, which is how the product is designed to be used | Someone committed to tracking change over years |
| Supplement products (separate) | Roughly $40–$60 per month | Basis and related formulations, sold independently of the test | Optional; not required to use the test |
The budgeting point worth internalizing: a single biological age reading carries very little information for an individual. The number only becomes meaningful with a comparison point, and a comparison point requires at least a second test under matched conditions. That makes the realistic entry cost two tests, not one — and a genuine tracking commitment several tests across several years. Anyone weighing a one-off purchase against a full blood panel is comparing the weakest version of this product against a stronger alternative.
The methodology, and where its accuracy stops
Index measures DNA methylation, the pattern of methyl groups attached to cytosine bases at CpG sites across the genome. That pattern changes with age regularly enough that a model trained on many samples can estimate age from a selected subset of sites. Elysium runs its own marker set and algorithm rather than reporting a published clock by name.
That opacity is the central review finding, and it is worth being precise about why it matters rather than treating it as a general complaint. Methylation clocks come in generations trained on different targets. A first-generation clock was trained to predict calendar age, which makes it accurate at guessing your birthday and correspondingly insensitive to the health differences a buyer wants detected. A second-generation clock was trained against clinical biomarkers or mortality and responds to health status. A pace measure reports a rate rather than a state. These behave differently enough that a result means little without knowing which family it belongs to. Index does not disclose that, so the buyer cannot answer the question.
| Limitation | What it means for you | Workaround |
|---|---|---|
| Single reading, no replicate | You cannot tell a real change from measurement noise | Buy two baselines 4–6 weeks apart and average them |
| No immune cell deconvolution reported | A shift in blood cell proportions moves the number on its own | Do not test within 2–4 weeks of illness or vaccination |
| Proprietary marker set | You cannot tell which published clock the result approximates | Treat the number as internally comparable only |
| Not comparable across vendors | Different platforms and pipelines produce different numbers on the same sample | Pick one vendor and stay with it for years |
| No raw data export advertised | You cannot re-analyse your own methylation data with another clock later | Ask before buying if data portability matters to you |
| Not a diagnostic device | A favorable number carries no clinical reassurance | Never let a result delay a workup for a symptom |
Collection experience and turnaround
The process is short and hard to get wrong, which is a real advantage over multi-step testing protocols.
- Kit arrives. It contains the collection materials, instructions, and a prepaid return mailer.
- Collection. A few minutes of effort at home, with no clinic visit and no appointment. Follow the handling instructions exactly; sample quality affects the assay.
- Registration. Register the kit identifier before posting, or the laboratory cannot match your sample to your account.
- Return. Post promptly rather than letting the kit sit. Early in the week is better than a Friday.
- Results. Roughly three to six weeks later, delivered through the company's online report.
Timing matters more than the mechanics. Do not collect within two to four weeks of an illness, a vaccination, an unusually hard training block, or a stretch of badly disrupted sleep. Each of those moves inflammatory markers or blood cell proportions, and both feed into a methylation readout.
What the output actually tells you
You receive an estimated biological age and a comparison against your chronological age, framed in plain language. That is genuinely useful for one purpose and not for others.
- What it supports. A rough summary of whether your methylation pattern resembles that of older or younger people in the model's reference data, and — with repeat testing under matched conditions — a directional sense of whether that is changing.
- What it does not support. A diagnosis, an identified cause, or a specific next step. A result older than your calendar age does not tell you whether the driver is metabolic, inflammatory, cardiovascular, or an artifact of the week you tested.
- What it cannot rule out. Anything clinical. A favorable number offers no reassurance about a symptom, and no methylation test screens for cancer or cardiovascular disease.
- Where the actionable information lives. One layer down, in individual markers — fasting insulin, HbA1c, ApoB, hs-CRP, blood pressure, VO2 max — each of which names a problem with a known treatment.
Who it fits, and who should buy something else
| Your situation | Verdict | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| You want one readable number and clear framing | Good fit | The report is among the most approachable in the category |
| You will subscribe and test on a fixed cadence for years | Good fit | The product is built around repeat measurement, and single readings say little |
| You already run a full blood panel annually | Reasonable fit | The score becomes one input among several rather than the whole picture |
| You want to know which specific clock produced your result | Poor fit | The marker set and algorithm are not published by name |
| You want raw methylation data to re-analyse | Poor fit | Look for a provider that advertises raw data access |
| You want a pace-of-aging measure to track an intervention | Poor fit | A rate measure such as DunedinPACE answers that question better than an age figure |
| You have never run a comprehensive blood panel | Poor fit | That panel costs less and names specific treatable problems |
| You want a clinician interpreting the result with you | Poor fit | This is a consumer product, not a clinical service |
Trade-offs to weigh
- Simplicity versus interrogability. One clear number is easy to absorb and impossible to check. A technical report is harder to read and lets you see what produced the result.
- Consumer product versus clinical service. No clinician interprets the result with you, which keeps the price down and leaves an unexpected result without a next step.
- Single figure versus noise. Without a replicate or an uncertainty band, a change of a few years is indistinguishable from ordinary test-to-test variation.
- Vendor lock-in for tracking. Because cross-vendor comparison is invalid, choosing a provider is a multi-year commitment whether or not you intend it as one.
- Supplement adjacency. The test and the supplements are separate purchases, and the company sells both. That is disclosed rather than hidden, and worth weighing as you would any vendor's recommendation for its own product.
How it compares to the direct alternatives
Listed alphabetically.
| Option | Method | Typical cost | Primary output | Fits someone who |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elysium | DNA methylation from an at-home sample | Roughly $200–$500 depending on plan | A single biological age figure in a plain-language report | Wants one readable number without technical detail |
| Standard blood panel through a clinician | Routine chemistry, lipids, HbA1c, fasting insulin, hs-CRP | $0–$300, frequently insurance-covered when indicated | Specific, treatable findings | Wants information that changes what a doctor does next |
| TruDiagnostic | DNA methylation, reported across multiple published clocks | Roughly $229–$499 depending on panel and plan | Multiple clock outputs including a pace measure and cell deconvolution | Wants named clocks and more technical detail |
Against TruDiagnostic, the difference is depth of reporting rather than underlying chemistry. Both measure DNA methylation. TruDiagnostic reports across multiple named clocks including a pace-of-aging measure, and includes immune cell deconvolution, which lets a reader see when a shift in cell proportions explains a change. Index reports a single figure in plainer language. Which is better depends entirely on whether you want to interrogate the result or simply read it — and on whether the extra detail would change anything you do.
Against a standard blood panel, the comparison is uncomfortable for the whole category. A panel covering fasting insulin, HbA1c, ApoB, hs-CRP, liver enzymes and a lipid profile frequently costs less, is often covered by insurance when clinically indicated, and produces findings a physician can act on immediately. If you have not run one, that is the higher-value purchase, and a biological age score is best added afterwards as a summary rather than used as a substitute.
Related
- TruDiagnostic review
- What is biological age — and why tests disagree
- How to lower biological age
- Biological age hub
- Supplement guides — what the NAD+ evidence supports
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Elysium Index and what does it measure?
Index is Elysium Health’s biological age product. You collect a sample at home, post it back, and the company measures DNA methylation and reports an estimated biological age. The result is presented as a single figure alongside plain-language explanation rather than as a technical readout. It is a consumer wellness product and is not regulated as a diagnostic device. Elysium also sells supplements, most prominently a nicotinamide riboside and pterostilbene formulation, but those are separate purchases and are not required to use the test.
How much does Elysium Index cost?
As of 2026 a one-off test typically lands in the region of $300 to $500, while subscription plans that include repeat testing bring the per-test price down toward $200 to $300. Pricing changes with promotions and plan structure, so confirm current figures on the company site before buying. The subscription framing reflects how the product is meant to be used: a single reading with nothing to compare it against carries very little information for an individual, so budget on a multi-year basis rather than per kit.
How accurate is the result?
The accuracy question splits in two. The laboratory measurement of methylation is reliable in the sense that the assay does what it says. The estimate built on top of it inherits the category-wide problem: on a single person, test–retest variation of a few years is common, which is roughly the size of the change a year of serious effort might produce. Index reports a single figure without a replicate or an uncertainty band, so you cannot distinguish a real shift from noise on one reading. Two baselines averaged is the practical workaround.
Which epigenetic clock does Elysium use?
Elysium describes Index as a methylation-based measure built on its own marker set and algorithm rather than identifying it as one of the published clocks by name. That has a specific consequence for a buyer: you cannot tell whether the underlying model was trained to predict chronological age, clinical biomarkers, or mortality, and those three targets behave very differently. A first-generation clock trained on calendar age is designed to be insensitive to health differences, which is exactly the variation most buyers want detected. Without the training target disclosed, that question stays open.
Does Elysium selling supplements affect the test?
The test and the supplements are separate products, and buying one does not require the other. The adjacency is still worth naming plainly: a company that measures a biological age also sells products positioned around aging. On the supplement science specifically, human trials show that nicotinamide riboside reliably raises blood NAD+ levels and is generally well tolerated at studied doses. What has not been established is that raising NAD+ slows aging, extends healthspan, or lowers a methylation reading in humans. The mechanism is plausible; the outcome evidence is not there.
How long does it take to get results?
Roughly three to six weeks from posting the sample, depending on the product and current laboratory volumes. The collection itself takes a few minutes and needs no clinic visit. Two timing rules improve what you get back. Avoid collecting within two to four weeks of an illness or a vaccination, because acute immune activation shifts both blood cell proportions and inflammatory markers, and both influence a methylation readout. And post the sample promptly rather than letting it sit, following the kit instructions on handling exactly.
Can I compare an Elysium result to a result from another company?
No, and this catches people out. Different providers use different platforms, different normalization pipelines, different marker sets, and different reference populations. Two labs can process the same sample and return numbers that differ by several years without either making an error. That means a result from one vendor cannot form a baseline for a retest at another. If you intend to track change over years, choose one provider and stay with it. Switching resets your baseline completely, and the apparent jump will be a methodology artifact.
Who should buy something else?
Anyone who has never run a comprehensive blood panel, because fasting insulin, HbA1c, ApoB, hs-CRP and blood pressure cost less and name specific, treatable problems that a composite score cannot. Anyone who wants to know which published clock produced their number, or who wants raw methylation data to re-analyse later, since neither is a feature here. Anyone tracking an intervention, who is better served by a pace-of-aging measure that reports a rate rather than a state. And anyone who will test only once, because a single reading with no comparison point is close to uninformative.