Six longevity biomarkers you need to know
We’re all getting older – that’s a biological fact. However, today we can influence the way our bodies age much more significantly than previous generations. Medical findings in the field of modern longevity research show that if you have a clearer understanding of certain bodily indicators — the longevity biomarkers — you can take targeted steps to extend your healthy lifespan.
Here we’ll show you which biomarkers are most important for longevity – and how you can optimise them.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- What are biomarkers? — A clear definition and why they’re crucial for your health and longevity.
- The six key longevity biomarkers — which values matter, how to test them and how to influence them positively.
- Biomarker analysis with wearables — how modern devices enable continuous monitoring of your key health data.
- FAQ on longevity biomarkers — answers to frequently asked questions about measurement, interpretation and practical application.
What are biomarkers?
Biomarkers are measurable biological parameters that give you objective information about the state of your body. Unlike subjective symptoms such as ‘I feel tired’ or ‘My back hurts’, biomarkers are concrete measurements. They include certain blood values or epigenetic markers, but also values you can easily measure at home, such as grip strength or balance.
These markers are particularly valuable for your longevity because they don’t just reflect your current state of health – they also allow conclusions about your long-term physical performance. A 50-year-old with optimal biomarker values can be biologically younger than a 40-year-old with poor values.
The six most important longevity biomarkers you should know are:
- Heart rate variability (HRV)
- VO2max
- Grip strength
- Single-leg stance time
- Resting heart rate
- Mobility
These markers give you a comprehensive picture of your cardiovascular fitness, strength, balance and neurological health – all of which are crucial for a long, independent life.
Longevity in everyday life
Extend your healthspan
The six key longevity biomarkers: with a test and tips
1. Heart rate variability (HRV)
A healthy heart doesn’t beat at exactly the same pace like clockwork, but constantly adapts to the demands on your body. The tiny irregularities in your heartbeats can be measured and are known as heart rate variability (HRV).
Your heart rate variability can show how well your autonomic nervous system is functioning and how resilient you are to stress. Studies have shown that good HRV values play an important role in longevity.
A high HRV value points to a well-recovered nervous system, while low values can be signs of overload, poor sleep or chronic stress. Modern wearables can measure your HRV continuously and help you understand the effects of your lifestyle on your body, particularly where recovery is concerned.
How to optimise your HRV:
- Regular breathing exercises (the 4-7-8 technique or box breathing)
- Enough sleep (7 to 9 hours per night)
- Stress management through meditation or relaxation techniques
- Moderate exercise without overtraining
- Cold showers or ice baths to build stress resilience
2. VO2max
Maximal oxygen uptake is considered the best measure for all-cause mortality. VO2max shows how efficiently your cardiovascular system works and how much oxygen your muscles can use at maximum effort. People with high VO2max values statistically live longer and have a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Test: Cooper test (12-minute run) Run as far as you can in 12 minutes and measure the distance covered. The formula: VO2max = (distance in metres – 504.9) ÷ 44.73. A 40-year-old man should manage at least 2,500 metres, a 40-year-old woman at least 2,200 metres. This test isn’t as accurate as laboratory conditions, but it can provide useful guide values. To interpret your result, you can use various online calculators.
How to optimise your VO2max:
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT) once or twice a week
- Longer endurance sessions at moderate intensity
- Strength training to build muscle mass
- Vary between different endurance sports
- Consistency matters more than perfection – regular training brings more than sporadic peak efforts
- Always take a rest day after interval days – because you improve during the break
3. Grip strength
Grip strength correlates with frailty, risk of falls and independence in later life. It is a reliable indicator of your overall muscle strength and physical reserves. Studies show that people with weak grip strength have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a shorter life expectancy.
Test: Dead hang (hanging from a bar) Hang from a pull-up bar and time how long you can hold on. Target values: men should manage at least 30–60 seconds, women 15–30 seconds. Under the age of 30, 60+ seconds (men) or 30+ seconds (women) is a good sign.
How to optimise your grip strength:
- Regular dead hangs as part of your training
- Pull-ups and rowing exercises
- Farmer’s walks with heavy weights
- Grip-specific exercises with a gripper or stress balls
- Climbing or bouldering as functional training
4. Single-leg stance time
Your balance and neurological fitness are crucial for your independence in later life. The single-leg stance tests your proprioceptive system, meaning your body’s ability to sense its position in space and react accordingly. Poor balance dramatically increases the risk of falls.
Test: Single-leg stance with eyes closed Stand on one leg, close your eyes and time how long it takes until you lose your balance or put the other foot down. Target values: 15+ seconds. Below 11 seconds the risk of injury and mortality rises, and below 6 seconds the risk of falls increases by 400%
How to optimise your balance:
- Daily balance exercises on one leg (e.g. brushing your teeth on one leg)
- Training on unstable surfaces (wobble cushion, balance board)
- Yoga or Pilates for body awareness
- Single-leg variations of familiar exercises (single-leg squats)
- Proprioceptive training after injuries
5. Resting heart rate
Your resting heart rate is a simple, meaningful indicator of cardiovascular fitness. A low resting heart rate points to an efficient heart that can pump more blood with fewer beats. Endurance-trained athletes often have a resting heart rate of 40 to 50 beats per minute.
Guide values for resting heart rate:
- Excellent: under 60 bpm
- Good: 60–70 bpm
- Average: 70–80 bpm
- Room for improvement: over 80 bpm
It’s best to measure your pulse in the morning, straight after waking up and before getting out of bed.
How to optimise your resting heart rate:
- Regular endurance training (at least 150 minutes per week)
- Stress reduction and enough sleep
- Avoiding nicotine and reducing alcohol consumption
- Weight management if you are overweight
- Consistent training matters more than occasional peak efforts
6. Mobility tests
Sit-to-stand and balance tests are important for the prediction of falls and can say a good deal about independence and quality of life. Your mobility and your ability to get up under your own power are fundamental markers of your functional fitness. These tests show how well your fascia, joints and neuromuscular coordination are working.
Test: Sit-to-stand test (getting up from the floor) Sit cross-legged on the floor and try to stand up without using your hands. Every touch with a hand, knee or the side of a leg costs one point from the maximum score of 10. People over 50 with fewer than 8 points have a 2 to 5 times higher risk of death.
How to optimise your mobility:
- Daily mobilisation exercises for all major joints
- Fascia training to improve tissue quality
- Yoga or dynamic stretching
- Functional movement patterns in training (squats, lunges)
- Regular movement breaks during the working day
Biomarker analysis: how effective are wearables for continuous monitoring?
Modern wearables let you measure several key longevity biomarkers on your own. Markers such as HRV, VO2max and resting heart rate can be tracked continuously with little effort. While these devices aren't a substitute for medical diagnostics and aren't as accurate as laboratory results or tests supervised by specialists, they do give you useful trends and insights into your health status.
Devices such as those from Apple, Garmin, Whoop or Oura Ring measure heart rate and activity, estimate your VO2max and offer insights into your recovery.
Remember, these devices are indicators and motivational tools, not medical instruments. Use them to identify trends and adjust your behaviour, but if you have any health concerns, always consult a doctor for final reviews.
Biomarkers: the best indicators for your longevity
Your biomarkers are useful indicators of a long, healthy life. With the six markers we present here, you have specific, science-based, measurable parameters you can influence yourself.
You don’t need expensive laboratory tests or complicated equipment. For measures such as VO₂max, balance or grip strength, all you need is a stopwatch and a pull-up bar. Fitness wearables and smartwatches are useful tools for regular monitoring and an extra boost of motivation.
FAQ – Longevity biomarkers
They’re objective, measurable parameters that accurately reflect your state of health — in contrast to subjective sensations such as tiredness or pain. They range from simple fitness tests to laboratory results or digital vital signs. They’re particularly valuable for longevity because they not only reflect your current state of health but also allow conclusions to be drawn about your long-term physical performance.
We measure them through laboratory blood tests for cholesterol or inflammation levels, fitness tests such as the Cooper test for VO2max, simple self-tests — such as standing on one leg — to assess balance and modern wearables for HRV and resting heart rate. You can measure many important longevity markers yourself without relying on expensive laboratory analyses.
The key longevity biomarkers include VO₂max as a strong predictor of all-cause mortality; HRV for stress resilience; grip strength as an indicator of muscle strength and frailty; single-leg stance time for neurological fitness; resting heart rate for cardiovascular efficiency and mobility tests for functional independence. Together they give you a clear picture of your biological fitness and rate of ageing.
Test your resting heart rate first thing in the morning, your one-leg stand time with eyes closed, your mobility with the sit-to-stand test and your grip strength with a dead hang on a pull-up bar. The Cooper test measures your VO₂max over a 12-min run. These tests need only a stopwatch and cost nothing yet provide clear data on your fitness.
Regular endurance and strength training improves VO2max, resting heart rate and grip strength. Balance exercises and proprioceptive training optimise the time spent standing on one leg. Adequate sleep, stress management and breathing exercises strengthen your HRV. Daily mobilisation and fascia training increase mobility. Remember — consistency beats intensity so regular moderate activity delivers the best long-term results for all your biomarkers and your longevity.
Further items
Sources and studies
HRV: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7527628/
VO2max: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29293447/
Grip strength: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28549705/
Single-leg balance: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/17/975
Resting heart rate: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0285272
Mobility tests: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5396921/