• Intrinsic capacity is the sum of a person’s mental and physical capacities, and is a measure of aging.
• Maintaining physical and mental function is a cornerstone of healthy aging.
• Formerly, assessing intrinsic capacity has been a costly and time-consuming process.
• Now, researchers have developed a method for assessing intrinsic capacity and age-related decline from a single drop of blood or saliva.
• They suggest that their test could be used to track aging and guide targeted interventions to maintain mental and physical function as people age.

Written by Katharine Lang on June 12, 2025 — Fact checked by Jill Seladi-Schulman, Ph.D.

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