Latest news with #healthspan
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Billion-Dollar Breakthroughs: Inside The Global Race To Extend Human Healthspan
Hevolution CEO Dr. Mehmood Khan in conversation with GSK Chair Sir Jonathan Symonds In a luxurious conference center buzzing with Nobel laureates, biotech executives and Saudi royalty, one number kept surfacing during presentations: eight billion. Not dollars—though investment figures approached that scale—but people. The potential market for healthspan technologies encompasses every human on earth, creating what might be the ultimate investment opportunity of the 21st century. At the Hevolution Global Healthspan Summit 2025, the world's largest gathering for healthspan science, the discussion wasn't if humans could live longer, healthier lives, but how quickly we could make it happen. "I'm a firm believer, when you put several hundred scientists collectively working in a connected manner in the world, not in any one country, but in the world, from the west to the east, to solve a common challenge, that is how you put a man on the moon," declared Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of Hevolution. "That is your moonshot." Hevolution is a first of its kind global non-profit organization incentivizing independent research and entrepreneurship in the emerging field of healthspan science. The urgency behind this global mobilization is clear. Dr. Anshu Banerjee, Director at the World Health Organization, presented sobering statistics: "The number of older people above 60 is going to double by 2050, from 1.1 billion to 2.1 billion, and soon we'll have more people above 60 than under 10." Even more concerning: "Life expectancy is increasing, but healthspan is actually worsening. The increase in healthy life expectancy is not following the same pace as life expectancy overall." Global Lifespan versus Global Healthspan Women face particular challenges in this equation. While they "live longer than men," Banerjee noted they "spend more years in poor health," with the healthspan gap between genders widening since 2002. While American researchers navigate the FDA's complex pathway, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as the global accelerator for healthspan innovations. His Excellency, addressing attendees, detailed the kingdom's "Innovation Pathways" designed for rapid approval of promising medicines, AI systems, and medical devices. This regulatory agility represents a strategic advantage in what has become a geopolitical race to commercialize healthspan technologies. With "maturity level four" recognition from the WHO and pending "world listed Authority" status, Saudi Arabia is creating an ecosystem where longevity science can flourish without traditional regulatory bottlenecks. The summit's scientific presentations ventured far beyond traditional human-centered research. Comparative biology—studying extraordinarily long-lived species like bowhead whales that can live over 200 years—emerged as a frontier with untapped potential. "These are models of disease resistance, healthspan, and lifespan," explained Dr. Vera Gorbunova, whose work on naked mole rats has revealed remarkable cancer resistance mechanisms. Pedro Magalhães, developer of a comprehensive database tracking lifespans across species, argued that understanding "why we live as long as we live" requires examining the evolutionary innovations that allow certain animals to far outlive humans. This approach faces funding challenges, however. Despite promising discoveries, researchers called for "more consortia" and a "big effort in comparative biology of aging" to translate animal longevity secrets into human applications. The unexpected star of the summit wasn't a new compound but an existing class of medications: GLP-1 agonists, originally developed for diabetes and now famous for weight loss. Dr. Christoph Westphal, co-founder of Longwood Fund, made a stunning prediction: "If all of us in this room, within three or four or five years, can prove that with GLP-1s you can extend healthy lifespan, it will actually be the first healthy lifespan increasing drug available. It's going to totally change the world." Westphal's enthusiasm reflects a paradigm shift in longevity research. "If you had told me that you would take something that has an effect in the brain and all over the body, and it's perfectly safe and it actually makes you live longer, I would have said, no way. But that's exactly what a GLP-1 is." The lesson for investors is clear, according to Dr. Srinivas Akkaraju of Samsara BioCapital: "A drug that shows measurable effects in a modest time with a modest number of patients can lead to longer studies for confirmation." The challenge is finding "near- to medium-term measurements that de-risk the investment." Perhaps the summit's most ambitious initiative is already underway in the UK. Professor Rahid Ali's "Our Future Health" program has collected data from over 1.5 million participants, with 1.3 million providing blood samples, making it the "world's largest health research study of its type." By deploying collection points in everyday locations like supermarkets and pharmacies, the program has democratized participation across socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. The goal: five million participants creating an unprecedented dataset that could reveal the early signals of disease and the effectiveness of preventative interventions. Notably, Ali reported that "about 80% of the general population, once they understand the importance of working with industry, are willing to participate" despite growing privacy concerns around health data. "We're investing across the entire value chain, from idea all the way into clinical trials and beyond," explained a senior Hevolution executive. The foundation isn't just writing checks—it's creating an "action shop and a money shop" designed to shepherd promising longevity science from laboratory concepts to market-ready interventions. Dr. William Greene, Chief Investment Officer at Hevolution Foundation, emphasized the need to "invest in translation, since there's a valley of death between interesting laboratory observation and something that seems to actually impact health." The goal is finding "the outcome that we're looking for that will actually make humans into big mice"—transitioning laboratory findings into human benefits. This fundamental challenge was echoed by Dr. Jarod Rutledge: "If you're trying to do genomic management, or something that's purely preventative, commercial models are very challenging, but if you can start from a state of disease and walk all the way back to state of youthful health, then I think that is really promising." In an industry where early adopters could pay millions for unproven therapies, Hevolution's emphasis on global equity stood out. Arthur Caplan, head of medical ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, emphasized that proposals undergo rigorous ethical review centered on one question: "Is the science good, but can it help fulfill the commitment to benefit all?" This principle—extending healthspan advancements to "all of human humanity" rather than creating a longevity gap between wealthy and developing nations—appears foundational to Hevolution's approach. HRH Dr. Haya Al Saud, SVP of Research at Hevolution, outlined the broader societal benefits: "First, we'll be able to reduce healthcare costs. Healthcare spending is skyrocketing worldwide, so this is a crucial and immediate impact. Second, we can tackle the workforce challenge we're seeing today... If we're able to extend healthspan, people can live—and work—longer, in good health." Dr. Haya at Global Healthspan Summit 2025. She also highlighted a surprising social benefit: "Many women leave the workforce because they are the primary caregivers for sick family members. By extending healthspan, we can support and encourage women to remain in the workforce." The summit highlighted how philanthropic organizations are evolving from passive funders to active ecosystem builders. Her Royal Highness Princess Dr. Haya bint Khaled Al Saud described philanthropy as a "catalyst for change" in the healthspan field. Yet Dr. Khan insists that true global access requires commercial involvement: "I do not believe there is an example, other than maybe mass polio vaccine campaigns, where the public sector can, on its own, democratize something. Every example I can think of in democratization has happened because the private sector figured out how to get something into the hands of as many people as possible." He added a historical perspective: "Government invented the internet, the private sector scaled it, and then leveraged it for core commerce." As Dr. Khan concluded the summit, he emphasized that it's not heroic individuals but collective wisdom that will transform aging: "It is not heroes that we are developing. It is the future of this collective wisdom that we're actually investing behind, because it's going to take the village, not a hero." The fundamental question remains: Can we translate scientific breakthroughs into practical interventions that meaningfully extend the healthy human lifespan? The convergence of unprecedented funding, regulatory innovation, massive datasets, and ethical frameworks suggests we're entering a new phase in longevity science—one where theory meets application. Whether the first beneficiaries emerge from clinical trials in Riyadh, research labs in Boston, or digital health platforms in London remains to be seen. What's clear is that the race for extended healthspan has evolved from fringe science to mainstream pursuit. With eight billion potential customers waiting, the winners stand to transform not just healthcare, but the fundamental human experience of aging itself.
Fox News
8 hours ago
- Health
- Fox News
'Biohacker' reveals how life past 150 years will soon be 'inevitable' with data-driven health changes
Living 150 years could not just be possible – it could soon be inevitable, according to human biologist and biohacker Gary Brecka. "If you're alive in five years, I believe it will be your choice whether or not you want to live to 120 to 150 years old," Brecka told Sean Hannity in a new installment of Fox Nation's "Sean" podcast. "I truly believe that." Brecka – a longevity expert who helps optimize human performance – joined Hannity for a no-holds-barred, hour-long discussion on what it takes to push past human limitations. Modern bioscience, artificial intelligence and early detection are moving so quickly, he said, they're already paving the path toward massive life extension. "Big data doesn't lie," he said. "It has no agenda. Artificial intelligence can take voluminous amounts of data – 700 trillion independent variables – and create an actionable result." What's coming, he predicted, is a future where A.I. and big data "circumvent" the system and people will be able to literally control their own fate, choosing how long – or short – they would like to live. "It'll be your choice if you want to live 220, 250 [years]," he said ambitiously. Brecka has worked with elite athletes and celebrities, including UFC President Dana White, helping them extend their healthspan and reverse concerning health issues through custom, data-driven protocols. In White's case, Brecka says he multiplies his projected lifespan from just 10 years to nearly 40 by reversing metabolic syndrome – a cluster of conditions like hypertension, insulin resistance, high triglycerides, etc. that increase a person's risk for heart attack, stroke or Type 2 diabetes. The transformation included a complete lifestyle overhaul: a diet change, red light therapy, breathing exercises, tailored exercise and ice water immersion helped White get his life back on track. During the podcast, Brecka also revealed what he believes to be the most underrated key to longevity: connection. To hear more about Brecka's transformative plan and the secrets to living a long, healthy life, subscribe to Fox Nation and stream the latest episode of the "Sean" podcast today.
Entrepreneur
9 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Inside The New Era of Longevity Supplements
More and more people are investing their time and energy into longevity — it's not just living longer, but living happier, healthier and staying productive well past what has been considered "old age." McKinsey reports that up to 60 percent of consumers across health and wellness markets say that healthy aging is a "top" or "very important" priority. The movement has created a boost in the health and wellness businesses, and to get an overview of the longevity supplements space, we spoke with Dr. Luke Winegard, the Chief Operating Officer at Longevity Method. Entrepreneur: What is driving the current boom in the longevity supplement market? Dr. Luke Winegard: Growing consumer demand for health and wellness products is creating explosive growth in the longevity supplement market. Scientific advancements and increasing health consciousness are driving this trend, with consumers now focused on "healthspan" — not just how long they live, but how well they live. The pursuit of longevity has moved from being a niche interest of visionaries to becoming mainstream in 2025. What does "healthspan" mean and why is it important? Healthspan refers to the period of life spent in good health, free from chronic diseases and disabilities. Today's consumers are concerned not just about adding years to their lives, but making those years healthy, productive, and vital. This represents a cultural shift toward proactive self-optimization where maintaining energy, cognitive sharpness, and resilience is just as important as achieving physical goals. How popular has longevity become in mainstream culture? The cultural conversation around longevity has exploded online. Searches for "longevity supplements," "biohacking," and "healthspan" have seen notable growth across major platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Related hashtags such as #Longevity and #Biohacking consistently trend and reach millions of engaged viewers, indicating that living longer and better is now a major lifestyle focus driving global wellness trends. Related: My Relentless Ambition Cost Me My Health. Here's How to Avoid Making My Mistakes. What are the key longevity compounds and how do they work? Several compounds are at the forefront of longevity supplementation. They include: NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide): Helps maintain cellular energy by increasing levels of NAD+, a coenzyme necessary for mitochondrial function. Research by Dr. David Sinclair at Harvard Medical School showed that restoring NAD+ levels in aged mice could reverse aging markers, increase DNA repair, and enhance endurance. Resveratrol: A polyphenol found in red wine that activates sirtuins proteins involved in cellular repair and metabolic health, especially when taken with NAD+ boosters. Fisetin and Quercetin: Natural flavonoids that act as senolytics, clearing senescent "zombie" cells that have stopped dividing but haven't died, which can accumulate with age and cause chronic inflammation. Spermidine: A polyamine that stimulates autophagy — the body's internal "self-clean-up" process of damaged proteins and cellular debris. What evidence supports the effectiveness of these compounds? Research has demonstrated promising results for several compounds. Harvard Medical School studies on NMN showed reversal of aging markers in mice. A recent randomized controlled trial published in Nature Communications found that spermidine supplementation improved cardiovascular markers and cognitive function in older adults, suggesting its usefulness in integrated longevity strategies. What approach are leading brands taking to longevity supplementation? Forward-thinking brands are taking a whole-system approach to supplement design, recognizing that aging is a complex biological process. Companies like Longevity Method offer formulations that go beyond single-compound solutions, combining clinically validated ingredients that support mitochondrial health, cellular renewal, cognitive function, sleep quality, and hormonal balance. This philosophy treats lifespan and healthspan as interdependent goals requiring precision, synergy, and deep understanding of aging science. We use the best ingredients, at maximum potency and in the right (clinically tested) dosages, while manufacturing according to the highest standards of safety and quality (FSSC 22000 and GMP) in both the US for the North American market, and the Netherlands, from where we serve our European clients. Related: Even the Strongest Leaders Burn Out — Here's the Best Way to Shake the Fatigue What does the market outlook look like for longevity supplements? The market trajectory shows longevity science becoming one of the most dynamic frontiers in the $1.8 trillion wellness industry. McKinsey's 2024 report identifies longevity, personalized nutrition, and preventive health as key areas of consumer-driven growth. There are significant commercial opportunities in product development, personalized health technologies, diagnostics, and beyond. What are consumers expecting from longevity products today? Consumer attitudes and behaviors are changing significantly. People want greater control over their health and expect companies to provide effective, science-backed solutions. Clinically proven products are now prioritized over those with purely natural or "clean" claims. Consumers also demand more transparency regarding sourcing, formulation, and efficacy, and they want to start their wellness journeys immediately rather than waiting. Related: How to Set Boundaries and Protect Your Peace When You're Overwhelmed What areas beyond traditional supplementation are becoming important for longevity? Sleep support, gut health, metabolic optimization, and cognitive resilience are no longer niche topics — they're cornerstones of a modern, longevity-focused lifestyle. The focus has expanded beyond just extending lifespan to encompass energy, cognition, vitality, emotional resilience, and metabolic health as essential components of healthspan. What's the key message for entrepreneurs and investors interested in this space? The message is clear and simple: stay focused. Longevity is a rapidly expanding market, not an abstract scientific pursuit. Brands that understand healthspan and see supplements as tools for human optimization are setting new industry standards. The era of living longer and living better isn't coming in the future — it's already here, presenting immediate opportunities for those ready to embrace this revolution.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Working Until 70 Isn't So Bad Provided You Feel 55
Denmark's recent move to increase the statutory retirement age to 70 for those born after 1970 — the highest in Europe — highlights an obvious and potentially troubling reality: Most of us are facing longer working lives, but that also means we need to remain healthier for longer. While linking the pensionable threshold to improving longevity is fair, up to a point, doing so risks exacerbating health inequalities because the poor become sick and die sooner than the rich. So the focus must be on extending healthy life expectancy for everyone. Closing the gap between lifespans and so-called healthspans can help build public support for later retirement, because fewer years are spent with serious illness or disability, leaving more quality time with grandchildren or on the golf course or at the bingo hall. It can also benefit government finances by reducing pension expenses and costs associated with chronic disease and elderly care, while ensuring workers are able to keep working.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Gadget review: The Whoop MG packs a solid, feature-heavy punch
'So, what's your Whoop age looking like this week?' has become a new way to greet my friends and fellow fitness enthusiasts. Last month, fitness tracking company Whoop launched two of their new devices- the Whoop 5.0 and the Whoop MG. The devices have many new features, including Healthspan which helps determine the pace of aging and your Whoop age using nine different metrics. Founded in 2012 by Harvard University student athlete Will Ahmed along with his classmates to track their own rest and recovery, Whoop has now exploded in popularity. Used by elite athletes like footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, swimmer Michael Phelps, basketball legend LeBron James, and cricketer Virat Kohli, Whoop has become known for its accuracy in measuring data on sleep, heart rate variablity, oxygen levels and strain-a measure of how much effort accumulated by the user during the day with exercises and daily activities. The Whoop MG, a medical-grade equipment, is one of the smartest wearables available on the market and offers several insights which they claim has never before been offered in a single tracking system. From a built in heart screener with ECG to blood pressure insights, the device promises to take wearable technology to the next level. As a loyal Whoop customer since 2021, I love the insights the device has given me so far, and these have shaped my fitness journey tremendously over the last four years. In 2022, Whoop notified me that it seemed like I had developed Covid, after which I got tested and found that I was indeed Covid positive. So, when the upgrades were launched, I was eager to get my hands on the Whoop MG. I have been wearing the device for over a month now and here is my honest review of it. The User Experience First of all, the upgrade to the new device and getting it up and running was a piece of cake. Kudos to Whoop for making it so seamless. It is about 7 per cent smaller than its predecessor and has enhanced sensors. Data is captured 26 times per second, which means better insights. My experience with it was that the strain measured was slightly lower than my Whoop 4.0 metrics. Usually, my 1.5 hours of Jiu Jitsu lessons would work up a strain in the range of 12 to 13. However, with my Whoop 5.0, it measured in the range of 10 to 11, even though the calories burnt were fairly the same. My previous experiences have taught me that the tightness of the strap and its position on the wrist can affect the accuracy. So I tightened the straps and even tested it out in my wearable Whoop clothes but the results were consistent. Despite the better performance, the battery life has not suffered at all. What I love the most about the new device is how I only have to charge it once in 14 days. This has been made possible by a redesigned processor that delivers 10 times more power efficiency. The sleep metrics measurements have also been spot on. Even though I was sleeping more, my recovery rate remained in the yellow region. I later realized that I was not unwinding well enough during the evening. Practices like journaling and putting my screen away at least an hour before bedtime helped me tremendously to improve my recovery. These are things I would have never noticed if not for a Whoop. The Medical Grade The most significant feature of the Whoop MG is the Heart Screener with ECG. A sensor helps measure the heart rate in seconds and alerts you if it detects signs of Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) or a low or high heart rate. Mine was within the normal sinus rhythm, which means the heart was beating in a normal pattern The blood pressure feature delivers estimated systolic and diastolic readings once a day based on inputs and wearable data. These features are still in the development stage so may vary. You also need an external Whoop cuff to manually measure your blood pressure and input it into the device. The Women's Hormonal Insight is probably where I've gained the most insights. It was already there in the Whoop 4.0, but the new device gives in-depth information, which helps me tailor my workouts as well as diet. Every phase on a menstrual cycle is broken down and explained. The device outlines overall mood, hormone levels, sleep needs, ideal training types, and recommended foods. There is also an update in the Sleep Coach on Whoop to incorporate the sleep cycle for increased accuracy. Studies have repeatedly proven that training according to the menstrual cycle have health benefits for women. However, very little research goes into it. When a company of the magnitude of Whoop invests time and money into it, I think it is an overall win for women's health. The Lowdown The new Whoop device comes with three membership plans. The Whoop MG Life membership costs Dh1,379 per year, which works out to approximately Dh115 per month. It is the only one that will give users the heart screener and blood pressure insights. The next tier of membership- Peak- costs Dh919 per year and gives access to the healthspan and pace of aging. The most basic membership that is called One, will cost Dh699 which comes to approximately Dh 59 per month. The question on most users' mind is: is it worth paying a premium to get medical information on your Whoop? The answer is tricky and depends on personal preferences. If you are a fitness enthusiast and want to have as many insights as possible, then the Whoop MG Life does that for you. It can help biohack your health, fitness and recovery to focus on longevity. However, if you are just a regular user who wants to make sure you are sleeping and exercising well, a basic or mid-tier membership is the best way to go. It also remains to be seen how well Whoop can preempt body changes or catch underlying issues with its new insights. In all, I'm happy with my new Whoop device, but the jury is still out on which membership to opt for. It also makes one wonder; how much data is too much data? Also, with other devices and smartwatch makers fine-tuning their technology to match the metrics of Whoop, I think the wearable sector is undergoing a rapid transformation where the ultimate winner will be the consumer.
