Recent research highlights that short-term fluctuations in methylation clocks are more likely due to changes in immune cell composition rather than actual aging, underscoring the need for standardized measurement timing.

A study involving elite German Bundesliga soccer players revealed significant immune system changes after matches, including a 50% drop in CRP, a 684% rise in IL-6, and a 68% decrease in CD4 T-cells, indicating transient immunological shifts.

Interestingly, a new study found that professional soccer players experience a temporary decrease in biological age immediately after a match, as measured by advanced methylation clocks like DNAmGrimAge2 and DNAmFitAge, with levels returning to baseline after rest.

This suggests that routine vigorous exercise causes short-lived changes in epigenetic age indicators, but these fluctuations do not diminish the clocks' overall utility in risk prediction and clinical research, much like managing blood pressure variability.

Despite their sensitivity to transient factors, methylation clocks remain valuable tools in clinical and longevity studies because they incorporate stable biological signals and are validated predictors of mortality.

To enhance measurement accuracy, researchers should standardize sampling times, avoid post-exercise measurements, and adjust for cell composition when analyzing methylation data.