Beyond Longevity explores the science, medicine, technology, business and policy shaping longer, healthier lives. Host Daphna Stern speaks with leading researchers, clinicians, founders and experts about ageing biology, healthspan, preventive medicine, longevity biomarkers, AI in healthcare, nutrition, women’s health and the societal impact of longer lives. Each episode examines the evidence, separates credible science from hype and translates complex research into clear, practical conversations.
Nearly two decades ago, Dr Gil Blander was trying to convince investors of an idea that, at the time, sounded radical: blood biomarkers should not only be used to diagnose disease, but to help healthy people understand what to change before disease develops. Some thought he was crazy. That idea became InsideTracker, the company he founded 17 years ago, which brings together blood biomarkers, genetic information and wearable data to give people personalised recommendations for improving their health. In this conversation, Dr Blander traces the scientific journey that took him from the Weizmann Institute to MIT and eventually to founding InsideTracker. He explains what he learned from some of the early breakthroughs in longevity research, why collecting more health data is not enough if people do not act on it, and why he believes behaviour change may now be one of the biggest challenges in extending healthy life. We also discuss his recent decision to step back from his operational role at InsideTracker and what he describes as his “second career”: taking personalised, preventative health beyond the longevity community and making it relevant to a much wider population. Guest Bio Dr Gil Blander is the founder of InsideTracker, a personalised health and longevity platform that combines blood biomarkers, DNA and wearable data to generate individualised health recommendations. He trained as a scientist at the Weizmann Institute, where he worked with Professor Moshe Oren on p53 and cancer biology, before moving to MIT to join Professor Leonard Guarente’s laboratory during an important period in the study of genes associated with ageing and longevity. After 17 years leading InsideTracker, Dr Blander recently stepped back from his operational role to focus on bringing personalised and preventative health to a much broader population. About Dr Gil Blander Principal: Healthspan Strategies Advisors and Founder and CEO of Stealth Health Tech startup * Instagram: Founder of @insidetracker * Instagram: Host of @beyond_healthspan_podcast * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gilblander * Company: insidetracker.com * Longevity by Design: info.insidetracker.com/longevitybydesign Episode Chapters * 00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction * 03:07 Why Data Alone Does Not Change Health * 05:02 Different People Need Different Motivation * 07:01 The Scientific Roots at Weizmann * 11:50 Inside MIT’s Early Longevity Research * 13:24 Leaving Academia for Industry * 16:04 The Idea Behind InsideTracker * 19:25 How InsideTracker Works * 20:35 Why Blood, DNA and Wearables Work Better Together * 26:14 Why Behaviour Change May Be the Real Frontier * 27:48 Taking Longevity Beyond the Longevity Bubble * 30:43 What Actually Makes Healthy Habits Stick * 34:58 What Real-World Data Can Teach Us * 40:29 Stepping Back and Starting a “Second Career” * 42:05 Longevity Hype, Science and the Limits of What We Know * 44:27 Rapid Fire * 47:20 Final Takeaways
In this episode of Beyond Longevity, Daphna speaks with Dr Peter Scriven, Co-Founder and Clinical & Scientific Director of LONGEVITY, about what longevity medicine should actually look like: moving from reactive, disease-led healthcare towards preventative, personalised medicine that tracks biomarkers, cardiovascular risk and health trajectory over time. Dr Peter describes much of conventional healthcare as ‘failure-based medicine’ — a system designed to respond once something has gone wrong. He questions the reliance on population-based ‘normal’ laboratory ranges, which can obscure meaningful changes within an individual, and makes the case for longitudinal ‘human telemetry’: following biomarkers and other health data over time rather than relying on isolated snapshots. They discuss what responsible longevity testing should look like, including a core panel of around 50–80 blood biomarkers, more targeted diagnostics according to age, sex, symptoms and individual goals, and the importance of having a clear clinical reason for every test. Dr Peter also explains why more testing is not necessarily better, and why interpretation, clinical oversight and sensible testing intervals matter. The conversation examines the realities of longevity medicine and preventative health screening, from several hundred pounds for more focused assessments to several thousand when extensive diagnostics and medical imaging are included, and where he believes people should prioritise their spending. Dr Peter explains how his father’s missed cardiovascular risk and inadequate lipid testing helped shape his approach to preventative medicine. He also discusses the largely unregulated ‘Wild West’ of longevity, including peptides and other interventions promoted ahead of strong clinical evidence, and the checks patients can make when assessing a longevity clinic or practitioner. And beneath the diagnostics, biological-age testing and emerging technologies, he returns to the foundations of healthspan: movement, nutrition, sleep and purpose. For those working with a limited budget, he identifies three areas he believes are worth considering first: a proper cardiovascular risk assessment, omega-3 to omega-6 balance, and GlycanAge testing. https://longevityclinics.life/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/drpscriven/ 00:00 Why Prevention Matters 03:12 Failure-Based Medicine 04:34 Human Telemetry Monitoring 06:28 Testing Without Overtesting 09:53 Core vs Targeted Panels 13:13 Cost and ROI of Diagnostics 17:54 Healthspan Intervention Pyramid 20:53 Normal Ranges vs Trajectories 24:36 Missed Risks Real Stories 28:46 Breaking Medical Silos 33:49 Renaissance Medic Mindset 36:05 Training Beyond Silos 36:49 Regulating Longevity Medicine 37:43 Patients or Permanent Clients 41:01 Too Much Testing Ethics 44:08 Peptides and Amateur Hype 45:42 How to Vet a Clinic 49:01 Budget Biomarkers That Matter 52:13 Foundations and Wearables 55:19 Future of Cellular Medicine 58:30 Long-Term Clinic Journey 01:00:00 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up
In this episode of Beyond Longevity, Daphna speaks with Jody Tropeano Greene, Head of Content at HLTH, and Alexa Mikhail, Senior Content Lead at HLTH US, about how HLTH identifies the healthcare topics that matter most, balances emerging trends with scientific evidence, and reflects the growing importance of longevity within modern healthcare. They explore the difference between healthy ageing—grounded in well-established principles such as sleep, nutrition, exercise, stress management and social connection—and the consumer longevity movement, where interventions are often expensive, and the supporting evidence is still evolving. The conversation examines the gap between health insights and meaningful behaviour change, asking why biomarker data alone rarely translates into better health outcomes. They also discuss whether healthcare systems and insurers are likely to invest more in preventative healthcare beyond wearables and lifestyle programmes. Other topics include the importance of social health and loneliness, the evidence gap in women’s health, why strength should take priority over the pursuit of being “small”, the opportunities and limitations of GLP-1 medicines, longevity’s communication challenge, and how artificial intelligence could reshape primary care and expand access to preventative healthcare. HLTH and Longevity: Healthy Ageing, Evidence and Women’s Health Beyond Longevity examines how longevity has moved from a niche topic into mainstream healthcare, using HLTH’s major US and Europe conferences as a bellwether. Host Daphna speaks with HLTH head of content, Jody Tropeano Greene and HLTH US content lead, Alexa Mikhail, about how they build agenda programming that surfaces trending issues while insisting on credible evidence, and why they are dedicating a full day to longevity. They distinguish healthy ageing (population-level, researched basics such as sleep, nutrition, movement, stress and relationships) from consumer longevity biohacking (often expensive and sometimes unproven), discuss the “insight–action gap” from biomarker data, and debate whether insurers will fund prevention beyond wearables and lifestyle supports. HLTH USA is the premier event taking place November 15-18 in Las Vegas, where leaders from across the healthcare ecosystem come together to share insights, spark inspiration, and shape the global health agenda. Attendees gain a comprehensive view of healthcare advancements, from policy and market dynamics to cutting-edge consumer health technologies - all aimed at improving the well-being of individuals worldwide. Register and save $1,000+ by Friday, July 31 https://hlth.com/ Jody Tropeano Greene Head of Content, HLTH https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodytropeano/ Alexa Mikhail Content Lead, HLTH US Senior health and longevity writer , SHE Media, Flow Space https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexamikhail/ 00:00 Welcome to Beyond Longevity 00:25 Why HLTH Matters 01:26 Meet Jody and Alexa 03:02 How HLTH Picks Topics 04:41 Healthy Ageing vs Longevity 07:51 Credibility Over Hype 09:05 When Trends Go Mainstream 11:49 Prevention and Insurance 15:58 Loneliness as Longevity 17:05 What Makes Startups Break Through 19:19 Women Left Out of Data 23:44 Strength Over Smallness 26:41 Practical Healthspan Habits 27:45 Elevating Women's Health 29:19 Building Consumer Wellness 31:24 Longevity Goes Mainstream 32:21 Making Basics Profitable 34:17 Longevity Language Problem 35:24 Preparedness And Community 38:45 GLP1 Promise And Risks 42:13 Healthcare In Ten Years 45:17 Assumptions To Challenge 47:22 Rapid Fire And Wrap
On Beyond Longevity, host Daphna speaks with Dr Sundeep Dugar, PhD, co-founder of BlueOakNx and the scientists behind the blockbuster cholesterol medicines Zetia (ezetimibe) and Vytorin. He explains how Zetia transformed cholesterol treatment by blocking cholesterol absorption in the intestine, and reflects on what it really takes to discover a breakthrough medicine: collaboration, perseverance, intellectual honesty, and the willingness to follow the data despite constant uncertainty. Dr Sundeep discusses why artificial intelligence is set to transform drug discovery by accelerating analysis and identifying patterns that humans might miss, while arguing that it cannot replace scientific judgment or the need to validate therapies in complex biological systems. He also critiques modern drug development for being overly reductionist, focusing heavily on efficacy while too often overlooking whole-body biology and long-term safety. The conversation explores his decision to leave traditional pharmaceutical drug development and focus instead on extending healthspan through BlueOakNx. He explains the science behind mitochondrial health and epicatechin, a naturally occurring compound that promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and energy production, while emphasising that it is designed to complement—not replace—the foundations of good health, including exercise, sleep and nutrition. Dr Sundeep also explains why BlueOakNx chose the nutraceutical route, believing it offered the fastest way to make scientifically grounded interventions more accessible, more affordable and available to more people than the conventional pharmaceutical pathway. He discusses the company’s collaboration with the New York Academy of Sciences on a symposium series focused on energy metabolism, and BlueOakNx’s selection as one of just 40 teams chosen from more than 600 applicants to compete in the $101 million XPRIZE Healthspan competition. Resources * BlueOakNx website * Dr Sundeep’s LinkedIn * New York Academy of Sciences – Energy Symposium Series 00:00 Podcast Intro Guest 02:32 Blockbuster Drugs Legacy 05:37 How Zetia Was Found 07:29 Breakthroughs Doubt Lab 11:46 AI Limits Drug Discovery 17:47 Why Drug Candidates Fail 20:52 From Pharma to Ageing 21:54 Mitochondria Energy Quest 27:23 Blue Oak Mission Epicatechin 31:57 Key Terms Next Steps 32:13 Not a Muscle Pill 32:59 Mitochondria and Real Exercise 34:26 Ageing and Energy Decline 35:26 Supplement Not a Substitute 37:19 Why Go Nutraceutical 41:01 Science and Access Model 43:50 Affordability and Outreach 46:41 XPRIZE Healthspan Entry 49:39 Safety First Philosophy 54:14 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up 58:06 Host Closing Message
Daphna sat down with Robert Gielow, founder of Mentry Pharma, to discuss what it really takes for foreign supplement and longevity companies to enter the pharmacy markets of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He explains why many brands misunderstand the German-speaking market: distribution and pharmacy listings alone do not create demand, pharmacies are not straightforward sales channels, and sceptical consumers require multiple trust-building touchpoints before making a purchase. The conversation explores the practical realities of regulation, market access and enforcement, the differences between brick-and-mortar and online pharmacies, and why many market entries fail when companies focus on sales projections rather than customer acquisition and long-term retention. Gielow also discusses the challenges of consumer education, the influence of misinformation on social media, and the widening gap between rigorous scientific evidence and the content that attracts the greatest online attention. Finally, he argues that prevention remains undervalued across healthcare systems and that longevity does not have to depend on expensive interventions. Instead, he makes the case for focusing on the fundamentals: regular movement, good nutrition, quality sleep, strong relationships, and learning to listen to the body’s signals. https://www.mentry-pharma.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertgielow/ 00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup 02:16 Meet Robert and Mentory Pharma 04:18 How Mentory Pharma Started 08:31 Why Distribution Alone Fails 11:04 Pharmacies Aren't Salespeople 13:59 Why Brands Fail in Germany 19:12 Regulation Reality Check 25:39 Influencers vs Real Science 28:17 What Even Is Longevity 28:42 Vitamin D Rules Clash 31:09 Enforcement Reality Check 32:49 Why Prevention Lags 35:39 Pharma Shifts to Prevention 38:07 Markets Ahead of Europe 43:25 Longevity for the Rich 46:08 Back to Simple Habits 50:34 Building Credible Brands 55:26 Rapid Fire Takeaways 57:55 Closing Reflections
Biology is undergoing one of the biggest transformations in its history. AI is helping researchers analyse enormous datasets, predict protein structures, identify drug targets, and accelerate scientific discovery in ways that would have been difficult to imagine just a few years ago. But AI is not replacing scientists. If anything, it is making human expertise, judgement, and scientific rigour more important than ever. In this conversation, we explore how the way science is done is changing. We discuss why so many promising discoveries never reach patients, why stronger collaboration between academia and industry matters, how breakthroughs such as AlphaFold are transforming biological research, and where AI is already delivering real-world results. We also ask some bigger questions: what can AI genuinely tell us about the human body, where are its limits, and are we sometimes confusing faster answers with deeper understanding? Dr Filippo Dall'Armellina is a biochemist with a PhD from the University of Liverpool, where his research combined wet lab science with computational methods, focusing on protein modelling and the application of artificial intelligence and deep learning to protein–lipid interactions for drug target discovery. Today, he advises pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and longevity companies on scientific and technical due diligence, clinical development strategy, and competitive landscape analysis, helping investors, founders, and leadership teams evaluate new technologies, therapeutic programmes, and emerging opportunities. His career spans academia, healthcare operations, and science communication. He has authored peer-reviewed publications, with his work featured in Science and discussed on the Science Podcast . He has contributed to studies on the physiological effects of suborbital spaceflight in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), managed NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme operations across North West England, and produced Neuro Podcases, a clinical neuroscience podcast ranked among the world's top 5%, featuring researchers and clinicians discussing neuroscience, clinical trials, and translational medicine. Alongside his advisory work, Dr Dall'Armellina continues to collaborate with the University of Liverpool while supporting organisations working across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, longevity, and human health. Connect with Dr. Dall'Armellina on LinkedIn 🔗 Latest Publication 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:08 Filippo Background Journey 05:03 Skipping Masters to PhD 08:33 Embracing Research Chaos 12:39 Academia Industry Bridge 19:46 Why Discoveries Fail 23:44 AI in Structural Biology 32:15 AlphaFold Explained 36:58 Prediction vs Understanding 41:42 AI Meets Longevity 47:04 Next Five Years for AI 49:28 AI Hype and Missteps 53:07 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up 56:21 Final Takeaways Outro
Beyond Longevity interviews Kyle Holbert, COO and co-founder of Longevity Centres of America, about how unexplained fatigue, brain fog, depression, anxiety, joint pain and gut issues derailed his health despite a healthy lifestyle and years of searching for answers. After seeing multiple GPs and therapists who either dismissed his symptoms or could not identify a cause, Kyle discovered he had severely low testosterone. Treatment with HCG led to a rapid improvement in his mental health and highlighted some of the limitations of time-constrained, symptom-focused healthcare. When other symptoms persisted, he turned to biohacking and concierge medicine. A heavy metals provocation test later suggested chronic mercury toxicity, and a year of intensive chelation and IV-based treatment became a turning point in his recovery, ultimately leading him to leave the family construction business and move into longevity medicine. The episode explores potential sources of mercury exposure, why individuals can respond very differently to similar toxic burdens, scepticism around many at-home detox products, and the importance of testing and clinician-guided treatment plans. Daphna and Kyle also discuss affordability, access to care, and the foundational role of movement, clean water, whole foods and targeted supplementation. Website: https://www.thelcoa.com/longevity-unlocked-podcast/ Podcast: @longevityunlockedpod ( https://www.instagram.com/longevityunlockedpod/ ) Greenville, SC: @thelcgreenville ( https://www.instagram.com/thelcgreenville/ ) West Palm Beach, FL: @thelcfl ( https://www.instagram.com/thelcfl/ ) Dr K on Instagram: @theosteodoc 00:00 Podcast Setup 01:50 Kyle’s Early Life 04:26 Health Decline Begins 07:13 Dismissed by Doctors 12:20 Biohacking Breakthrough 15:40 Conference and Deeper Testing 17:38 Mercury Diagnosis and Chelation 19:38 Building Longevity Centres 20:30 Detox Timeline and Protocols 23:27 Sources of Heavy Metals 26:50 Generational Toxic Buildup 27:33 How Common Are Metals 28:12 Why Symptoms Vary 29:27 Detox Even If Fine 31:14 Detox Hype vs Reality 34:30 Making Care Affordable 40:52 How to Vet Clinics 43:40 Start With Basics 45:15 Avoid Longevity Traps 49:34 Supplements and Telehealth 53:09 Rapid Fire and Wrap 55:50 Final Takeaways
In this episode of Beyond Longevity, Daphna speaks with Nikolina Lauc, CEO and co-founder of GlycanAge, about glycobiology, immune ageing, and the role of chronic inflammation in ageing. Nikolina explains why glycans, the complex sugar structures attached to our antibodies, may offer one of the clearest windows into the state of the immune system. The conversation explores “inflammaging”, the idea that chronic, low-grade inflammation may not simply be a consequence of ageing, but one of the forces actively driving it. They discuss why antibody glycans may capture biological risk earlier than routine markers such as CRP, including research suggesting that glycan-based changes can appear years before standard blood tests show anything is wrong. Nikolina also explains how glycan testing may help predict disease risk and mortality and why repeat testing can reveal whether lifestyle changes are having a measurable biological effect. Daphna and Nikolina also explore biological-age clocks, stress, high-performance lifestyles, exercise, pregnancy, menopause, and the strong influence of sex hormones, including HRT. The episode looks at why glycan testing is not yet part of routine clinical practice, the technical barriers involved, and the bigger question at the heart of preventive health: what should we do when we can see risk before disease appears? GlycanAge showed very high reproducibility both in the blinded sample experiment run by Jamie Haywood at Alden Scientific, and independently in collaboration with Mike Snyder’s group at Stanford [ Stanford paper reference ]. Epigenetic clocks showed significant day-to-day oscillations in epigenetic age measurements [ daily oscillation paper reference ], which becomes important when trying to measure relatively small intervention effects over time. We recently completed a UK Biobank study showing that the glycan markers we measure were more predictive of all-cause mortality than routine blood biochemistry alone; combining both further improved prediction performance (sharing the pre-print here ). We also published a large study across 42 cohorts and ~20,000 individuals showing that GlycanAge predicts all-cause mortality independently of traditional risk factors including BMI, CRP, hypertension, smoking, LDL, diabetes, cardiovascular disease history, and kidney markers. Across cohorts, every additional GlycanAge year was associated with roughly a 5-10% increase in all-cause mortality risk (sharing the pre-print here ). Another recent preprint evaluating epigenetic age clocks showed they do not substantially improve prediction of morbidity and mortality beyond information already captured through routine clinical blood biomarkers and standard risk factors [ epigenetic clock preprint reference ]. Background and key references are below: GlycanAge intro GlycanAge is a clinically validated biomarker platform originating from the work of Professor Gordan Lauc. Over the past five years, we've translated his research into a scalable clinical biomarker. Today, GlycanAge is used in more than 2,000 private clinics worldwide and collaborates with leading academic and clinical partners including Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical School, Northwestern Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Clinique La Prairie and many others, supporting both immune age tracking and disease-focused applications, particularly in cardiovascular and metabolic health. Key references below: Scientific Founder & Origins Professor Gordan Lauc is one of the pioneers of human glycomics and co-founded the Human Glycome Project (with Harvard’s Richard Cummings). He discovered GlycanAge as one of the first systemic measures of biological aging based on immune glycosylation. Founder, Genos Research Institute Professor of Biochemistry, University of Zagreb Honorary Professor, King’s College London Johns Hopkins Scholar 800+ publications • 20,000+ citations • H-index 77 A New Class of Biological Clock GlycanAge is the first inflammaging clock, measuring chronic low-grade inflammation through IgG glycosylation, independent of acute events. First published in The Journal of Gerontology 2013 Validated in 350+ peer-reviewed papers across >300,000 human samples Highest precision in the field: <1% analytical variation Independently confirmed by Stanford ( GeroScience 2024 ) Prediction of Morbidity & Mortality Glycan signatures predict multiple future clinical outcomes; I'm sharing a review ( Biotechnology Advances 2023 ) linking IgG glycans to 72+ disease indications , where we see specific glycan shifts up to 10 years before symptoms onset or clinical diagnosis. Cardiovascular disease Harvard-led studies showed up to 2× increased ASCVD risk, independent of LDL, CRP, BMI ( Circulation Research 2024 , Journal of Clinical Lipidology 2025 ) In a Middle Eastern replication cohort, IgG N-glycans predicted a ~2× higher risk of premature myocardial infarction , independent of traditional risk factors ( European Heart Journal 2025 ). First biomarker demonstrating female-specific cardiovascular risk patterns ( Diabetes Care 2022 ) Diabetes Glycan changes predict transition from normoglycemia → pre-diabetes → T2D years in advance with AUC 0.895 ( Cardiovascular Diabetology 2025 ) In children with new-onset Type 1 diabetes, distinct IgG and plasma N-glycan changes enabled strong discrimination between cases and controls AUC ≈ 0.915 ( Diabetologia 2022 ). Cross-Population Validation Beyond European cohorts: in a study of 27 populations across 14 countries, IgG glycosylation patterns tracked with age/sex and correlated with life expectancy and national health indices (HDI, SDG, MDG), demonstrating validity across genetically and environmentally diverse populations ( Aging 2020 ). Interventions GlycanAge Responds To: Caloric restriction & fasting ( Nature Aging 2025 , Frontiers 2022 + pre-publication on fasting ) Exercise ( Glycoconjugate journal 2024 ) Menopausal HRT & testosterone therapy ( Aging 2020 , GeroScience 2025 , JCI Insight 2017 ) Weight loss & GLP-1 therapy ( Journal of Obesity 2021 + pre-publication on GLP-1 ) Therapeutic plasma exchange ( Aging Cell 2025 ) 00:00 Welcome to Beyond Longevity 00:41 Meet Nicolina Loud 02:33 Glycans Explained Simply 05:02 Glycans Everywhere in Biology 06:46 Inflammaging and Ageing Theory 08:37 Why Glycans Beat Standard Markers 12:10 From Lab Discovery to Company 15:51 What Glycan Age...
Daphna sat down with Alan Graves, founder of DoNotAge, for an in-depth conversation about what it takes to make longevity science more credible, more collaborative and more accessible. After a serious health decline in his late twenties, Alan entered the longevity field after learning that ageing may be more malleable than he had once thought. He went on to build DoNotAge as a self-funded health research organisation, using consumer supplements to help fund ageing research, support external labs and emerging researchers, provide high-purity ingredients for independent studies, and translate complex science into language people can actually understand. The conversation covers why longevity science is still difficult to access, why the supplement industry has a credibility problem, and how marketing, underdosing and weak “science-backed” claims have made it hard for consumers to know what to trust. Alan also discusses the realities of clinical trials, why they are slow and expensive, and the studies DoNotAge is currently supporting or planning, including work around spermidine, NAD, Crohn’s disease, berberine and biological age clocks. In striving to make longevity easier and more practical, Alan has also introduced a one-a-day sachet designed to simplify adherence. They also explore his focus on sirtuin 6 activation, DoNotAge’s free London conference, and the wider aim of making longevity more affordable, practical and collaborative. DoNotAge.org is a health research organisation. You can learn more at https://routine.donotage.org 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:52 Alan’s Unlikely Origin Story 04:34 From Self-Experiment to Do Not Age 06:45 Funding Gap and New Model 08:12 Democratising Longevity Science 09:48 Research Company Not Supplements 11:09 Why Clinical Trials Take Years 12:50 How Do Not Age Is Structured 15:09 Supporting Labs Worldwide 18:01 Supplement Industry Credibility Crisis 21:01 How Consumers Verify Claims 22:42 Stepping Down as CEO 25:11 Choosing Which Research to Fund 26:45 Upcoming Trials and What’s Next 28:10 Basics Before Supplements 31:43 Testing and Biological Age 33:24 The One-a-Day Sachet Idea 36:03 Clinical Trials Pipeline 36:55 Making Longevity Affordable 39:58 Pricing Ethics and Dosage 41:33 Hype vs Evidence in Longevity 44:51 Who Needs Supplements When 46:55 Free Unbiased Science Conference 53:02 What Excites Him Next 54:08 SIRT6 Activator Deep Dive 58:30 Why Healthcare Won’t Adopt It 01:01:44 Boxing, Balance, and Ageing Goals 01:04:41 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up 01:07:15 Host Takeaways and Conclusion
In this episode of Beyond Longevity, Daphna speaks with Dr David Cox, a health journalist (BBC, The Guardian, The Telegraph, NBC News and others), who holds a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Cambridge and is the author of The Age Code , about how diet, ultra-processed foods and the modern food environment shape biological ageing. Dr David argues that the longevity conversation often focuses too heavily on future drug breakthroughs, supplements and biohacking, while overlooking lower-hanging fruit that could already have a meaningful impact on long-term health. He explains why reducing ultra-processed foods, increasing fibre intake and paying closer attention to micronutrients such as vitamin K may matter far more than many people realise. The conversation explores gut ageing and its relationship with immune ageing, possible drivers behind the rise in early-onset cancers, and practical lifestyle strategies that may support healthier ageing. These include slow cooking, eating more protein and calories earlier in the day, lowering dietary acid load through fruits, vegetables and herbs, and the role omega-3s may play in long-term health. Daphna and Dr David also discuss biological ageing tests, visceral fat, kidney health markers, the limitations of CGMs for the average person, exercise mimetics, affordability within longevity medicine, and whether governments should take a far more active role in tackling the everyday drivers of chronic disease and accelerated ageing. The Age Code : https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008708878 https://www.instagram.com/drdavidcoxhealth https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-david-cox-6b219666 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:00 From PhD to Journalism 03:17 Science Scepticism and Nuance 05:22 Trust Crisis in Health 06:44 Protein Hype vs Fibre 07:40 Micronutrients Matter 09:07 Inside The Age Code 10:50 Early Onset Cancer Clues 12:38 Gut Ageing Explained 14:49 Ten Nutritional Stressors 17:55 Ultra Processed Food Reality 19:32 Personal Choice vs Policy 23:33 Longevity Focus Misplaced 25:00 Ageing Tests and Omega 3 27:39 Advice for Any Budget 29:48 Sauna Protocols 31:04 Metabolomics Health Snapshots 33:16 Testing Anxiety and Rule of Three 35:41 His Own Biomarker Wake Up 37:41 Best and Overrated Biomarkers 41:25 Exercise Mimetic Drugs Debate 48:05 Government and Ageing Strategy 50:23 Kitchen Takeaways and Seaweed 53:18 Rapid Fire Round 56:08 Final Reflections and Outro
Supplements promise a lot: mitochondrial support, better brain health, healthier gut function, anti-ageing benefits and more. But how much of that is real science, and how much is simply clever wording on a label? In this episode of Beyond Longevity, Dr Luke Bucci, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Juvenon, brings both a scientist’s eye and decades of experience in the supplement industry to one of the most confusing areas of longevity. Dr Luke explains the difference between a product being described as “science-backed” and one that is supported by meaningful human clinical evidence. He also discusses why the dose, form and standardisation of an ingredient matter, and why “fairy-dusting” fashionable ingredients into a formula can make a product sound far more proven than it really is. We talk about bioavailability, absorption, the gut microbiome, and why feeling stimulated is not the same as supporting mitochondrial health. Dr Luke also explains why creatine has moved beyond the gym, why blood flow and nitric oxide matter as we age, and how nutrients such as magnesium, vitamin D3, omega-3s, polyphenols and CoQ10 fit into a more thoughtful approach to supplementation. This is a practical and refreshingly honest conversation about how to read beyond the label, ask better questions, and think more clearly about what supplements can, and cannot, do. Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juvenonwellness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Juvenon/ Website: https://juvenon.com/ 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:53 Dr Bucci Origin Story 03:26 Science vs Marketing Today 04:44 Science Backed vs Clinical 09:14 Fairy Dusting Exposed 11:05 Bioavailability Reality Check 14:15 Standardisation and Sourcing 22:03 Gut Microbiome Benefits 24:30 Testing and Trial Periods 27:33 Longevity Trend Explained 30:35 Mitochondria 101 34:14 Stimulants vs Real Energy 40:47 Stimulant Band Aid Trap 41:51 Creatine Beyond The Gym 45:08 Creatine Dosing And Safety 47:11 Creatine For Brain Ageing 50:53 Why Blood Flow Declines 53:42 Nitric Oxide Basics 57:44 Arginine Silicate Explained 01:04:45 Polyphenols And Nitrates 01:06:53 My Essential Supplements 01:11:36 Rapid Fire Wisdom 01:13:49 Episode Takeaways
This week on Beyond Longevity, I am joined by Dr Herna de Wit, CEO and Founder of Omnisci Consulting, with a PhD in Biochemistry and an LLB in Law. Dr Herna brings a very unusual and valuable combination to the longevity conversation: deep scientific training, legal expertise and hands-on experience advising companies in the health, biotech and longevity space. Longevity is full of exciting science, but it is also a field where marketing can move faster than evidence. In this episode, we ask a simple but important question: how do we separate what is genuinely credible from what merely sounds convincing? Dr Herna shares her five-point “scientific sanity check” for evaluating longevity products, supplements and protocols. We discuss why human RCT data matters more than animal or cell studies, why dosage and bioavailability are often overlooked, what biological age clocks can and cannot tell us, and why safety, third-party testing, and regulatory discipline are essential in a fast-moving market. We also look at longevity from the perspective of investors and company builders. What are the red flags? What makes a claim scientifically weak? And why does defensible intellectual property matter far beyond simply having a patent? Dr Herna explains how companies can think more intelligently about protectability, including through delivery systems, synergistic formulations, data, know-how and clearer scientific positioning. The conversation then turns to South Africa, a market that many listeners may not immediately associate with longevity, but one that raises fascinating questions. We discuss medical tourism, scientific talent, regulatory realities, affordability and whether South Africa could carve out a distinctive role in the global healthspan conversation. Finally, we speak about one of the most important tensions in longevity: if the science advances, who actually gets access? Is longevity already becoming another layer of privilege, or can the field develop in a way that is more credible, more inclusive and more useful? This is a conversation about evidence, accountability and the future of a field that urgently needs both excitement and discipline. Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herna-de-wit-phd-llb/ https://linktr.ee/drherna.omnisci 00:00 Show Intro and Guest 02:41 Dr Herna’s Unusual Path 04:29 What She Does Today 06:13 Five Point Science Audit 11:17 Investor Red Flags 15:31 IP Beyond Patents 20:12 Open Science vs Profit 24:35 Founder IP Strategy 32:54 Global Longevity Hotspots 33:42 South Africa Opportunity 36:33 Access and Inequality 43:12 Regulation and Innovation 46:20 How to Work With Dr Herna 50:02 Rapid Fire Questions 52:20 Final Takeaways Outro
On Beyond Longevity, Dr Filippo Ongaro, medical doctor, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor, shares how nearly eight years working with astronauts at the European Space Agency shaped the way he thinks about ageing. In space, the body can lose muscle, bone and resilience at a frightening speed. Stress, sleep disruption, nutrition, movement and circadian misalignment are not lifestyle details. They become central medical issues. For Dr Filippo, space became a kind of accelerated ageing model, showing in fast-forward what happens when the systems that keep us strong begin to break down, and why exercise and nutrition are such powerful countermeasures. After leaving ESA, Dr Filippo opened one of Italy’s early anti-ageing and functional medicine centres. But over time, he came to believe that the biggest obstacle in longevity is not simply knowledge, testing, or more biomarkers. It is the behaviour gap. People often know what they should be doing. The harder question is why they do not follow through. Together with his wife Sonya, he shifted from one-to-one clinical work into education, coaching, professional training and strategic advisory, with a focus on making longevity more accessible, affordable and practical, including through pharmacy-based pathways. In this conversation, he argues that longevity should focus on healthspan, avoid overpromising, build trust, start earlier with younger people, and move beyond fear of death towards purpose, identity and the joy of life links: www.metodo-ongaro.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-filippo-ongaro/ Dr. Filippo Ongaro 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:53 From ESA to Longevity 05:07 Space as Accelerated Ageing 07:40 Countermeasures and Behaviour Gap 09:53 Mindset Over Biohacking 14:24 Mission Drives Discipline 17:22 Delayed Gratification Science 20:37 Building Anti-Ageing Practice 22:11 Why People Don't Follow Through 24:31 Who Wanted Anti-Ageing Help 28:16 Pivot to Education at Scale 31:53 Training Health Professionals 32:24 Scaling Impact Through Partners 33:27 Broadening the Audience 34:36 Affordable Longevity Access 37:11 Institutions and Mass Market 40:14 Business Advice for Clinicians 43:26 Hype, Trust, and PR 45:07 Fear Versus Joy of Life 47:16 Identity Driven Change 53:24 Future of Longevity Market 56:00 Healthspan Over Lifespan 57:58 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up 01:00:18 Final Episode Takeaways
Michael A. Clinton, former President of Hearst Magazines. Michael spent four decades at the top of the publishing world, including as President and Publishing Director of Hearst Magazines, before turning his attention to one of the biggest questions of our time. If many of us are likely to live longer than previous generations, how do we make the second half of life not just longer, but more intentional, productive and meaningful? In this episode of Beyond Longevity, Michael discusses the ideas behind his book ROAR and his framework for rethinking later life. ROAR stands for Reimagine, Own your numbers, Action plan and Relationships, and it became the foundation for Roar Forward, his B2B platform advising organisations on the fast-changing 50-plus consumer. The conversation explores why Michael believes we need to shift the language from “ageing” to “longevity”, how culture and business are slowly beginning to respond, and why institutions, employers and policymakers still have a long way to go. Michael also previews ideas from his new book, Longevity Nation, which looks at the people, companies and innovations reshaping what longer lives could mean. He raises important concerns about inequality, access and the growing number of products making claims that are not always backed by evidence. This is also a very personal conversation. Michael reflects on his working-class roots in Pittsburgh, the moment that changed how he thought about identity and reinvention, and why the longest chapter of life may be the one most people have planned for the least. The episode also touches on the economic power of the $8.3 trillion 50-plus consumer, why this market is still widely misunderstood, and the one longevity habit Michael believes anyone can begin with, regardless of income. Links: Longevity Nation ROAR forward LinkedIn 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:19 Early Life and First Memory 03:17 Ambition and Upbringing 05:12 Finding His Career Path 06:29 Hearst Lessons on Identity 09:22 ROAR Framework Explained 13:29 Longevity Economy for Business 16:19 Language and Pro Age Messaging 18:43 Brands and Countries Adapting 21:55 Fear and Reinvention Mindset 22:59 Purposeful Second Act 23:38 Reimagineer Stories 24:37 Why Longevity Nation 27:33 Inequality and Access 30:13 America and 100 Year Life 33:18 Policy Gaps to Fix 35:53 Hope Worries Takeaway 40:16 Rapid Fire Round 42:42 Longevity Habits and Myths 45:05 Closing Reflections
What does good prevention actually look like, and is the longevity industry helping people live better, or simply making health feel more complicated? In this episode of Beyond Longevity, Daphna speaks with Niko Hems, Operations Lead at YEARS, a longevity clinic in Berlin, Germany. Niko brings a rare perspective to the conversation. He works inside the longevity field, but he is not afraid to challenge it. He believes deeply in prevention, yet he is sharply aware of where the industry can go wrong, from over-testing and over-promising to fringe science and the uncomfortable gap between those who can afford cutting-edge healthcare and those who are still struggling to access the basics. His own story makes this especially interesting. At 13, Niko became fascinated by nutrition and fitness while trying to gain weight and feel better in his body. Years later, after completing a Master’s in Longevity Sciences and working inside one of Germany’s leading longevity clinics, he put himself through the kinds of tests many people now associate with the future of health, including genome sequencing, microbiome analysis and more than 200 biomarkers. The result was not quite what he expected. Instead of clarity, much of it created anxiety. Instead of answers, it raised a harder question: when does prevention become too much? This is a refreshingly honest conversation about the promises and problems of modern longevity, the tests that help versus the ones that confuse, the basics that still matter most, and what a more credible, useful and accessible version of prevention could look like. Niko Hems Head of Growth at YEARS. Host of Return on Health podcast. Links: https://nikohems.de https://www.linkedin.com/in/niko-hems/ https://returnonhealth.de/ 00:00 Podcast intro and themes 01:52 Nico’s path into longevity 03:37 Defining longevity and healthspan 04:47 Peakspan explained 06:26 Basics that move the needle 08:32 When testing becomes anxiety 10:07 Inside the Years clinic model 14:26 Cost access and inequality 15:58 Who buys high-end programs 17:55 What 16K actually includes 20:43 Why behaviour change is hard 24:07 Are we really getting healthier 26:04 Lifespan hype vs healthspan focus 28:25 Prevention Over Testing 29:23 Affordable Core Diagnostics 30:50 Why Healthcare Lags 32:58 Fixing Incentives 37:37 Longevity Branding Problem 41:09 Basics That Move Needle 43:28 Free High Impact Habits 46:22 AI And Longevity Future 52:04 Rapid Fire Wrap Up 53:42 Final Takeaways
In this ViVE conference bonus episode of Beyond Longevity, recorded live at the ViVE event in Los Angeles, the conversation explores how BioAro is seeking to bring different strands of personalised health data together within a single longevity platform. Brock Hay explains BioAro’s approach to integrating genomics, microbiome testing, biomarker analysis, AI-driven interpretation, and personalized supplementation. The central idea is that health and longevity cannot be understood through any single test alone, but require a broader and more connected picture of the individual. The conversation also examines one of the most important questions in modern health technology, namely data privacy. As more companies collect deeply personal biological information, the focus turns to who owns that data, how it is stored, and whether individuals truly remain in control of how it is used. The episode also explores how tools such as telomere testing, methylation analysis, gut microbiome testing, and athlete-focused genomics are being positioned within the wider move towards preventive health. It also considers how far today’s longevity interventions can genuinely take us, and where the limits of current science and commercial promise still remain. Links: https://bioaro.com/ linkedin.com/in/brock-hay-95204471 00:00 Welcome to Beyond Longevity 02:11 Meet Bio Arrow at ViVE 02:23 All in One Longevity Platform 05:02 Genomics Explained Simply 07:03 Privacy and Data Security 09:13 Genes as Prevention Tools 11:23 Methylation and Telomeres 12:08 Who It’s For and Pricing 16:13 Key Longevity Biomarker 17:40 Telomeres and Supplements 22:13 Future of Personalized Medicine 24:10 Gut Microbiome Testing 28:43 Founder Story and Integration 32:38 Research vs Consent 37:06 Vatra Decentralized Storage 38:58 Rapid Fire Longevity Tips 41:06 Closing Takeaways
On Beyond Longevity, Corinne Briaud Manon discusses women’s healthspan through the lenses of science, consumer trust and commercial execution, drawing on her experience in major corporates and her work across Green Marlin, which advises health and longevity startups, and LongHER, a women’s healthspan community platform. She explains how the two initiatives connect, including how startups can test their propositions with real consumers, and outlines common early-stage pitfalls such as focusing too much on technical detail and not enough on real consumer need, lacking competitive awareness and structure, and letting passion override business discipline. The conversation explores what “science-backed” should really mean, why longevity is currently a kind of wild west with real credibility risks, and why women’s health needs to become a serious business if it is to address historic underinvestment. Corinne emphasises the importance of getting the basics right first for women, including basic health assessments, body composition, sleep, movement, strength and social connection, rather than spending blindly on superficial solutions. She also points out that access remains skewed towards the privileged and that prevention will need to be properly incentivised if it is to reach the masses. Instagram: @longher_collective https://www.linkedin.com/in/corinne-briaud-manon/ 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:38 Two Ventures Overview 02:43 Ecosystem Linking Both 04:17 How Longher Helps Startups 06:20 Green Marlin Origin Story 07:39 Startup Gaps and Fixes 11:48 Passion Versus Business 13:00 Spotting Real Innovation 14:44 Authenticity in Longevity Clinics 16:53 From Lab to Market 18:53 What Science Backed Means 20:56 Longevity Wild West 24:09 Why Womens Health Must Scale 28:01 Workplace Healthspan Shift 28:30 Workplace Health Costs 29:19 Menopause Support Programs 30:57 Women Led Health Startups 32:09 Beauty Versus Longevity Hype 33:54 Muscle Health Foundations 35:29 Where To Begin Basics 39:17 Stop Wasting On Superficial 41:14 Longevity Access Inequality 45:19 Prevention Model Shift 50:02 Future Of Longevity Trust 51:49 Rapid Fire Takeaways 55:32 Closing Reflections
Professor Lorna Harries has spent more than two decades studying why cells age and what might be done about it. In this episode, she explains one of the most overlooked mechanisms in ageing biology, RNA splicing. When cells lose control of this process, they become stressed, dysfunctional and can tip into senescence, a state that contributes to ageing across almost every organ system. She explains what senescent cells actually do, how the signals they release can spread damage from one tissue to another, and why calling them “zombie cells” does not come close to telling the full story. We talk about the possibility of intervening before cells reach an irreversible state, why targeting the biology of ageing itself may matter more than tackling diseases one at a time, and what meaningful rejuvenation should really look like. Prof Lorna also discusses the challenge of turning lab science into therapies through her spin-out SENISCA, her work with L’Oréal, and why conditions such as IPF are an important place to begin. Along the way, she addresses the tougher questions too, including how longevity science moves from promise to treatment, where the field risks drifting into hype, and whether these advances will be available to the many or only the few. Links: http://www.senisca/ http://www.iscarna.com/ https://teamrna.wixsite.com/harrieslab https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/1873-lorna-harries Innovate UK ICURe Programme https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/programme/icure/ 00:00 Podcast Intro Guest Setup 01:50 Meet Professor Harris Basics 02:16 DNA RNA Explained 03:38 RNA Splicing And Ageing 05:48 What Senescent Cells Do 07:38 Reversing Senescence Window 09:01 Fat Tissue And Faster Ageing 11:01 Splicing As Central Hallmark 12:11 Rejuvenation Discovery Story 13:52 From Lab To Spinout Company 16:41 Translating Science To Products 19:17 Therapy Targets IPF And Beyond 21:45 Why Translation Often Fails 23:19 Defining Real Rejuvenation 25:14 Avoiding Hype In Longevity 27:17 Who Is Lagging Behind 27:37 Regulatory Mindset Shift 28:47 Trials Built for Ageing 29:28 Scepticism and Overhype 31:25 Is Ageing a Disease 32:49 Policy and Demographic Timebomb 33:48 Advocacy and Communication 35:24 Personal Ageing Habits 36:24 Key Unasked Questions 39:15 Longevity for the Rich 41:43 Access via NHS and Patents 45:06 Rapid Fire and Myths 49:05 Closing Reflections
Recorded at the 2026 VIVE conference in Los Angeles, this Beyond Longevity mini-series episode features Mark Zemel, co-founder and CEO of Retia Medical, discussing the company’s hemodynamic monitoring technology that turns continuous bedside physiological signals into real-time clinical insights for high-risk surgery and critical care. Marc explains Retia’s aim to detect early deterioration, guide diagnosis and therapy, and avoid the unreliability, invasiveness and complexity of older tools, noting deployment in 75 US hospitals and distribution via Medtronic, plus presence in 18 countries. He highlights FDA clearance for Argos Infinity enterprise software, which extends insights across the hospital and to clinicians’ phones and laptops, and shares a case where rapid detection of falling stroke volume revealed bleeding during AAA repair. The conversation covers workflow-first design, interoperability, cybersecurity, regulatory strategy, and a future path from ICU to broader wards and ultimately wearables for earlier intervention and preventative care. 00:00 Beyond Longevity Intro 00:44 Meet Mark Zeel 01:40 Rata Medical Mission 02:54 Argos Infinity Launch 03:58 Clinicians Want Real Time 05:19 Surgery Near Miss Story 07:20 Why Accuracy Matters 08:42 Why Algorithms Are Hard 10:08 From ICU To Wearables 12:20 Scaling Distribution Globally 13:22 Plug And Play Integration 15:22 Wearables And Data Overload 18:31 Alerts And Clinical Judgment 20:16 AI As Decision Support 21:56 US Versus Europe Markets 23:09 Wearables Beyond EMRs 23:57 Regulation And Cybersecurity 25:07 FDA And AI Pathways 26:50 Clinician Workflow Design 29:39 Bad Data From Friction 31:58 Open Ecosystems Future 33:25 Prevention And Longevity 35:46 Personal Why Wearables Matter 39:24 From ICU To Early Detection 41:44 Rapid Fire And Wrap
This week’s guest is Avivah Wittenberg-Cox. Avivah advises leaders on gender and generational balance, the future of work, and the longevity economy. She hosts the podcast 4-Quarter Lives, publishes the Substack Elderberries, and writes regularly for Forbes and Harvard Business Review. She is Visiting Faculty at Oxford’s Saïd Business School, co-directs the Longevity Leadership Programme at Católica Lisbon, and has given three TED Talks. In this episode, Avivah and Daphna explore how longer lives are reshaping work, business, and society. Avivah argues that longevity is not just a health story but a structural shift that is forcing organisations to rethink how they are built, how careers unfold, and how different generations work together. She explains why the old pyramid model of the workforce is giving way to a more square demographic reality, with far more balance between younger and older generations than most institutions were designed for. That shift brings real pressure, from pensions to healthcare, but also major opportunities for businesses willing to adapt. The conversation looks at why older workers are still too often overlooked, what businesses lose when they fail to value experience, and why age-inclusive thinking is becoming a strategic advantage rather than a social add-on. More broadly, the episode challenges outdated assumptions about ageing and asks what it would mean to build a society that treats longer lives as a source of possibility, not decline. This episode is a reminder that longevity is not only changing how long we live, but how we work, lead, learn, and contribute across the course of our lives. https://www.avivahwittenbergcox.com/ https://elderberries.substack.com https://elderberries.substack.com/podcast https://www.ted.com/search?q=Avivah+Wittenberg+Cox https://20-first.com/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/avivahwittenbergcox/#61c5a38ebf19 00:00 Longevity Meets Work 02:06 Longevity Mega Trend 03:09 Institutions Lag Behind 05:37 From Gender To Age 07:39 Women And Longer Lives 10:08 Multi Stage Careers 11:26 Rethinking Education Midlife 15:29 Rebranding Old Age 17:54 Opportunity And Ageism 21:24 Fear Of Ageing And Happiness 25:37 Goldman Sachs And AI 27:17 Company First Mover Advantage 28:43 Who Is Leading The Way 29:52 Brands Embrace Pro Ageing 30:21 Longevity In Hospitality 31:12 Retirees As Consultants 31:56 Why Leaders Miss Demographics 35:29 Government Levers And Limits 38:34 The Square Society Shift 40:43 Measuring Longevity Readiness 43:25 Advice Four Quarter Lives 47:54 Designing A Four Quarter Life 53:22 Ageing Better Than Expected 54:46 Rapid Fire And Wrap Up
