GlycanAge

GlycanAge is a biological-age estimate derived from the N-glycan composition of immunoglobulin G (IgG), measured in blood plasma by high-throughput capillary electrophoresis or ultra-performance liquid chromatography. IgG glycosylation shifts predictably with age—specifically, a decline in galactosylation and sialylation alongside a rise in pro-inflammatory bisecting GlcNAc—and these patterns also respond to lifestyle interventions and chronic disease. Because glycans regulate IgG effector function and inflammaging, the measure captures an immunologically relevant dimension of ageing not directly accessible to DNA-methylation clocks; however, reference populations and clinical thresholds are still under active investigation.