Beyond Longevity

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 introGlycanAge 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 & OriginsProfessor 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 ZagrebHonorary Professor, King’s College LondonJohns Hopkins Scholar800+ publications • 20,000+ citations • H-index 77A New Class of Biological ClockGlycanAge is the first inflammaging clock, measuring chronic low-grade inflammation through IgG glycosylation, independent of acute events. First published in The Journal of Gerontology 2013Validated in 350+ peer-reviewed papers across >300,000 human samplesHighest precision in the field: <1% analytical variationIndependently confirmed by Stanford (GeroScience 2024)Prediction of Morbidity & MortalityGlycan 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 diseaseHarvard-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 ValidationBeyond 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...

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/0008708878https://www.instagram.com/drdavidcoxhealthhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-david-cox-6b21966600:00 Welcome and Guest Intro02:00 From PhD to Journalism03:17 Science Scepticism and Nuance05:22 Trust Crisis in Health06:44 Protein Hype vs Fibre07:40 Micronutrients Matter09:07 Inside The Age Code10:50 Early Onset Cancer Clues12:38 Gut Ageing Explained14:49 Ten Nutritional Stressors17:55 Ultra Processed Food Reality19:32 Personal Choice vs Policy23:33 Longevity Focus Misplaced25:00 Ageing Tests and Omega 327:39 Advice for Any Budget29:48 Sauna Protocols31:04 Metabolomics Health Snapshots33:16 Testing Anxiety and Rule of Three35:41 His Own Biomarker Wake Up37:41 Best and Overrated Biomarkers41:25 Exercise Mimetic Drugs Debate48:05 Government and Ageing Strategy50:23 Kitchen Takeaways and Seaweed53:18 Rapid Fire Round56:08 Final Reflections and Outro

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.omnisci00:00 Show Intro and Guest02:41 Dr Herna’s Unusual Path04:29 What She Does Today06:13 Five Point Science Audit11:17 Investor Red Flags15:31 IP Beyond Patents20:12 Open Science vs Profit24:35 Founder IP Strategy32:54 Global Longevity Hotspots33:42 South Africa Opportunity36:33 Access and Inequality43:12 Regulation and Innovation46:20 How to Work With Dr Herna50:02 Rapid Fire Questions52:20 Final Takeaways Outro

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 NationROAR forwardLinkedIn00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro02:19 Early Life and First Memory03:17 Ambition and Upbringing05:12 Finding His Career Path06:29 Hearst Lessons on Identity09:22 ROAR Framework Explained13:29 Longevity Economy for Business16:19 Language and Pro Age Messaging18:43 Brands and Countries Adapting21:55 Fear and Reinvention Mindset22:59 Purposeful Second Act23:38 Reimagineer Stories24:37 Why Longevity Nation27:33 Inequality and Access30:13 America and 100 Year Life33:18 Policy Gaps to Fix35:53 Hope Worries Takeaway40:16 Rapid Fire Round42:42 Longevity Habits and Myths45:05 Closing Reflections

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-9520447100:00 Welcome to Beyond Longevity02:11 Meet Bio Arrow at ViVE02:23 All in One Longevity Platform05:02 Genomics Explained Simply07:03 Privacy and Data Security09:13 Genes as Prevention Tools11:23 Methylation and Telomeres12:08 Who It’s For and Pricing16:13 Key Longevity Biomarker17:40 Telomeres and Supplements22:13 Future of Personalized Medicine24:10 Gut Microbiome Testing28:43 Founder Story and Integration32:38 Research vs Consent37:06 Vatra Decentralized Storage38:58 Rapid Fire Longevity Tips41:06 Closing Takeaways

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/harrieslabhttps://experts.exeter.ac.uk/1873-lorna-harriesInnovate UK ICURe Programmehttps://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/programme/icure/ 00:00 Podcast Intro Guest Setup01:50 Meet Professor Harris Basics02:16 DNA RNA Explained03:38 RNA Splicing And Ageing05:48 What Senescent Cells Do07:38 Reversing Senescence Window09:01 Fat Tissue And Faster Ageing11:01 Splicing As Central Hallmark12:11 Rejuvenation Discovery Story13:52 From Lab To Spinout Company16:41 Translating Science To Products19:17 Therapy Targets IPF And Beyond21:45 Why Translation Often Fails23:19 Defining Real Rejuvenation25:14 Avoiding Hype In Longevity27:17 Who Is Lagging Behind27:37 Regulatory Mindset Shift28:47 Trials Built for Ageing29:28 Scepticism and Overhype31:25 Is Ageing a Disease32:49 Policy and Demographic Timebomb33:48 Advocacy and Communication35:24 Personal Ageing Habits36:24 Key Unasked Questions39:15 Longevity for the Rich41:43 Access via NHS and Patents45:06 Rapid Fire and Myths49:05 Closing Reflections

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.comhttps://elderberries.substack.com/podcasthttps://www.ted.com/search?q=Avivah+Wittenberg+Coxhttps://20-first.com/https://www.forbes.com/sites/avivahwittenbergcox/#61c5a38ebf1900:00 Longevity Meets Work02:06 Longevity Mega Trend03:09 Institutions Lag Behind05:37 From Gender To Age07:39 Women And Longer Lives10:08 Multi Stage Careers11:26 Rethinking Education Midlife15:29 Rebranding Old Age17:54 Opportunity And Ageism21:24 Fear Of Ageing And Happiness25:37 Goldman Sachs And AI27:17 Company First Mover Advantage28:43 Who Is Leading The Way29:52 Brands Embrace Pro Ageing30:21 Longevity In Hospitality31:12 Retirees As Consultants31:56 Why Leaders Miss Demographics35:29 Government Levers And Limits38:34 The Square Society Shift40:43 Measuring Longevity Readiness43:25 Advice Four Quarter Lives47:54 Designing A Four Quarter Life53:22 Ageing Better Than Expected54:46 Rapid Fire And Wrap Up

What does it take to turn longevity science into real-world policy? In this episode, Daphna speaks with Dr Ilia Stambler, historian of longevity, published author, Chair of the International Longevity Alliance (ILA), and Chief Science Officer and Chairman of Vetek (Seniority) Association, about why advocacy and ecosystem-building may be just as important as the science itself.Dr Stambler shares how the ILA has grown into a global network connecting 76 nonprofits across 66 countries, organising international conferences, and running the annual Longevity Day (1st October) and Longevity Month (October) campaigns. He points to concrete wins, including efforts to support the inclusion of ageing-related conditions in the ICD and the WHO's work programme.The conversation gets honest about the real barriers to progress. Dr Stambler argues the problem isn't convincing governments that ageing matters, it's getting them to treat it with urgency. Despite ageing representing one of the largest disease burdens globally, it remains chronically underfunded and deprioritised, in part because the research timelines required don't fit neatly into political cycles.He also reflects on the deeper intellectual questions underpinning the field: how to balance holism and reductionism, why historical perspective is essential for longevity researchers, and how the same patterns of enthusiasm, scepticism, and neglect have repeated across centuries of rejuvenation science.Looking ahead to 2030, Dr Stambler highlights the need for better public education, evidence-based criteria for evaluating interventions, and growing grassroots motivation, because ultimately, he believes, a longer and healthier life begins with wanting one.In This Episode:How the ILA operates across 66 countries and what it's achievedWhy governments acknowledge ageing but still fail to act on itThe long funding timelines longevity research demands — and why that's a political problemWhich countries are currently leading on longevity policyWhy solo science isn't enough and advocacy changes outcomesThe "Death Valley of ideas" and how to get research across itBalancing holism and reductionism in longevity scienceWhy the history of rejuvenation science keeps repeating itselfWhat meaningful success in this field actually looks like.Ilia Stambler, PhDChairman and CSO. Vetek (Seniority) Association – The Movement for Longevity and Quality of Life, Israel http://www.longevityisrael.org/Chairman. International Longevity Alliance (ILA) http://www.longevityalliance.org/Fellow. Department of Science, Technology and Society, Bar-Ilan University, Israel https://sts.biu.ac.il/Author. A History of Life-Extensionism in the Twentieth Century; Longevity Promotion: Multidisciplinary Perspectives; Healthy Longevity: Policies and Practices http://longevityhistory.comhttps://www.longevityhistory.com/about-the-author/00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:28 Staler Background and Mission03:18 What the ILA Does04:04 Key Wins and Campaigns05:25 Public Misconceptions07:27 Getting Governments to Act09:14 Funding Research Long Term10:49 Education and Conferences12:05 Which Countries Lead15:22 Why Advocacy Beats Solo Science17:38 Advocacy Success Stories20:48 Breaking Longevity Silos21:23 Holism vs Reductionism22:28 Why History Matters24:17 Death Valley of Ideas25:49 Rejuvenation Patterns Repeat27:42 Misunderstood Longevity History29:22 Balance and Modesty31:23 Measuring Real Success34:59 Making Longevity Policy36:09 Rapid Fire Takeaways38:58 Final Wrap Up

Dr Bradley Elliott — physiologist, university lecturer, and a trustee and Communications Lead at the British Society for Research on Ageing — joins host Daphna for a refreshingly honest conversation about what longevity science actually knows and what we still cannot explain.This episode cuts through the certainty. We talk about biomarkers and biological age, why many measurements may be tracking effects rather than causes, we discuss extracellular vesicles and the surprising limit of science. Dr Bradley discusses some of his papers and related research, and our conversation challenges much of the conventional wisdom in the longevity space.What we cover:-Why we still do not know what fundamentally causes ageing — and why every “root cause” often leads to something deeper-What biomarkers really measure, what they can and cannot tell you, and which markers are most worth tracking right now-Biological age vs chronological age: where the concept is useful, and where it gets overclaimed-Why muscle is one of the most underrated “health organs” in ageing — and what it supports beyond strength-Exercise for longevity: the evidence-based basics, plus what matters most for consistency and adherence-“It is not too late”: what studies in very old adults suggest about strength gains later in life-Extracellular vesicles: the hidden communication system between cells, and why it is getting so much attention-Wearables: why they can still be useful even when the numbers are not perfectly accurateThis is a fascinating episode with someone who knows how to communicate science and make it relatableLinks to Dr Bradley Elliot:- https://www.westminster.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/directory/elliott-bradley- https://bsra.org.uk/bradley-elliott-2/- https://www.bradelliott.online/Papers & Research Referenced• Perri et al. (2025) — Delphi review identifying 14 biomarkers of ageing for use in human research (co-authored by Dr Elliott)' https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39708300/• Lady V Barrios-Silva et al. — Activin subfamily peptides and prediction of age and physical function (undergraduate-led research, University of Westminster)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30178598/• Dr Yvoni Kyriakidou (PhD) — Exercise-induced muscle damage in young and old men; extracellular vesicle characterisation post-exercisehttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34650440/• Dr Niharika Duggal (University of Birmingham) — Masters athletes and immune function; older athletes vs. age-matched non-athleteshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29517845/• Stephen Harridge (King's College London) — Resistance training in 90+ year olds; gains in muscle strength and mass in the oldest oldhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10398199/• Science paper on genetic contribution to longevity — updated estimate shifting genetic contribution to ~50% (noted with editorial by Dr Elliott)https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz1187https://theconversation.com/what-new-twins-study-reveals-about-genes-environment-and-longevity-274763https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love it if you took 60 seconds to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people find the show and means we can keep bringing you honest, science-backed conversations like this one. Thank youhttps://beyond-longevity.co.uk/Chapters:00:00 Why We Age01:52 Meet Bradley Elliot03:07 From Sports Science05:32 Defining Ageing07:03 Mechanisms And Theories09:29 Biomarkers Explained13:02 Delphi Biomarker List16:59 Myostatin Study Story21:25 Actionable Biomarkers26:07 Wearables And Accuracy27:38 Endocrine Fingerprints30:11 Muscle And Healthy Ageing33:21 Athletes And Immunity34:26 Muscle Mass And Healthspan36:36 Exercise Dose Guidelines39:42 Resistance Training Plateau40:42 Lifestyle Versus Genetics42:42 Muscle Damage Study44:44 Extracellular Vesicles Explained46:49 Young Blood Controversy50:08 Dream Research With Omics56:55 What People Misjudge58:43 It’s Never Too Late01:02:41 Rapid Fire And Wrap01:04:31 Final Takeaways

What happens to your financial plan when you live to 100?Most pension systems were built around an ~80-year life expectancy. Much of today’s financial advice still follows a linear life-stage model. And many businesses have not yet reckoned with the fact that both their customers and their workforce are ageing in ways that will reshape everything. In this episode of Beyond Longevity, I am joined by Nadine Esposito, founder of Wellthspan Advisory and a senior risk management professional, to unpack why longer lifespans are not just a medical story — they are a planning and financial one, with major implications for strategy and society. Nadine’s path into longevity came not through medicine, but through risk, ESG, and a deep interest in the health–wealth connection. She introduces the concept of wealthspan planning: moving away from rigid life stages towards a model that accounts for career pivots, caregiving gaps, health shocks and the very real risk of outliving your money and any affordable care options. We coverThe health–wealth connection — why “health is wealth” works both ways and how financial stress and poor health reinforce each other over a longer life What businesses need to wake up to — ageing customer bases are changing consumption patterns across housing, travel, mobility and services The workforce challenge — flexibility, lifelong learning, the rise of the “sandwich generation,” and why simply raising retirement age misses the point Risk in longevity startups — data security, AI-driven health apps, sensitive personal data, and income regulations (including EU AI Act transparency obligations around human–AI interaction) Longevity and inequality — why longer lives may widen the gap without smarte intervention and access Key takeawaysWealthspan planning replaces linear life-stage models with something far more dynamic and realistic The two-way link between health and finances means you cannot plan one without the other Businesses should start with a longevity maturity and gap assessment — and test whether products and services actually work for older customers Investors should ask harder questions about IT security, regulatory readiness and risk management — not only financial fundamentals Health and financial literacy, prevention, and employer/insurer incentives are among the highest-leverage policy priorities LinksLinkedIn (Nadine): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadine-esposito-b1804415/ Wellthspan Advisory (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellthspan-advisory Website: https://www.wellthspanadvisory.com/ Longevity Readiness Diagnostic Tool: https://www.longevityreadinessdiagnostic.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadine.esposito_/ Beyond Longevity is hosted by Daphna. New episodes every Monday. Subscribe and listen at https://beyond-longevity.co.uk/listen Timestamps00:00 Welcome to Beyond Longevity + Why Longer Lives Change Money 01:40 Nadine’s Path: From Risk & ESG to the Longevity Space 03:45 From Biohacking Curiosity to the Pension Reality Check 06:42 Wealthspan Planning: Where Health and Wealth Collide 08:42 De-Risking Longevity: Individuals, Employers, and Startups 11:25 Health Data & Cybersecurity Risks in Longevity Tech 17:54 AI in Health: What Users Should Know Before Sharing Data 21:17 Investor Checklist: Security, Regulation, and Risk Appetite 26:08 Longevity’s Business Impact: Aging Customers, Products, and Cities 30:04 Mobility, Social Connection & the Rising Cost of Aging 30:57 New “Life Events” After Retirement: Property, Divorce & Starting Businesses 32:45 The Aging Workforce: Lifelong Learning, Flex Work & Employee Resilience 34:22 Rethinking Retirement Age: Reskilling, Career Resets & Hiring Barriers 39:25 What Policy Should Change First? Financial + Health Literacy & Prevention 45:26 Will Longevity Widen Inequality? When Wealth Becomes Health 46:50 Personal Playbook: Healthspan Over Lifespan & Building Sustainable Habits 49:03 How Any Business Can Prepare: Longevity Maturity Checks & Accessibility 51:48 Key Takeaways + Rapid-Fire Q&A (Sleep, News, Fasting Myth) 58:09 Final Wrap: Longevity Is a Planning Topic (Money, Work, Risk)

What if the conditions we treat in our fifties and sixties which were set in motion decades earlier, would have been spotted, and shifted, far sooner? In this episode of Beyond Longevity, I sit down with Dr Mayoni Gooneratne, Founder and Medical Director of Human Health and Skin Fit Clinics, and Vice President of the British College of Functional Medicine. After years as an NHS colorectal and pelvic floor surgeon treating advanced disease, she made a decisive pivot into functional and preventative medicine with a sharp focus on women’s midlife health. Dr Mayoni is frank about what she sees as the fault lines in modern healthcare: too little time to truly listen, a default toward symptom management over root-cause thinking, and a system designed to meet patients at crisis point rather than upstream. Her own definition of “good medicine” is different: deeper connection, individualised biology, and practical tools that help patients protect their own healthspan. A major thread is perimenopause — why it is still under-recognised in conventional medicine and, surprisingly, even in the longevity conversation. She links this to the long-standing marginalisation of women in medical research, and the real-world consequences that follow. Her solution starts with “body literacy”: tracking patterns, paying attention to symptoms, using health data intelligently, and becoming an active participant in care and not simply waiting for a label. We get into the specifics of her clinical approach: detailed history-taking and questionnaires, then targeted testing to confirm or disprove a hypothesis. She explains how she uses broad blood marker panels, aiming for optimal, not just “normal” ranges, stool testing to assess gut function, and nutrigenomics to understand how someone interacts with their environment. For anyone sceptical about functional medicine’s reputation for over-testing, her line is clear: testing should have a reason and early markers (like homocysteine and methylation issues) are worth catching before they become disease. Her framework comes through in a powerful case study of a woman in her mid-forties post breast cancer treatment. The plan combined structured nutrition changes, Pilates to support bone health, and journaling to work through stored stress and anger, with measurable improvements in sleep and HRV. Practical advice runs throughout: build a simple morning routine, prioritise nourishing food, choose “joyful movement” over punishment, reduce blue light and phone use at night, and rebuild real-world community. She also shares what she believes conventional medicine needs more of: stronger grounding in biochemistry and physiology, better nutrition education, and a far more serious commitment to women’s health. Beyond the clinic, Dr Mayoni is also building infrastructure for the field. Through Human Health Professionals, she trains and mentors clinic owners to deliver longevity and wellness services responsibly. She also leads the Future Patient Congress and publishes Future Patient, quarterly, evidence-based resources magazine, designed to make current research more accessible and usable for clinicians and practitioners. In the rapid-fire round: her single most important longevity adjustment, what she wishes she had known before leaving surgery, and what it really means to extend healthspan - not just lifespan. BCFM College of Functional MedicineHuman Health™ by The Clinic | Functional Medicine in LondonThe Clinic by Dr Mayoni - Integrative Skin Care Clinic in LondonRedefine Healthgevity and Metabolic Wellness | Human Health ProfessionalsFuture-proofing patients’ health - Future Patient 00:00 Welcome to Beyond Longevity + Meet Dr. Mayoni Gooneratne00:45 From NHS Surgery to Prevention: Why Patients Reach Crisis Point06:01 What “Good Medicine” Looks Like: Time, Listening, and Healing Space10:47 Why Perimenopause Is Still Overlooked (and Why It Matters for Longevity)12:36 Body Literacy & Wearables: Turning Symptoms into Useful Data14:47 Gaslighting, Doctor Google, and Empowering Women to Self-Advocate17:39 Longevity Isn’t Just for Biohackers: Women’s Health as a Public Health Priority20:42 Testing in Functional Medicine: History First, Then Blood, Gut & Nutrigenomics24:16 “Too Much Testing?” Early Warning Markers, Methylation, and Going Upstream26:43 Clinical Framework: How to Prioritise Systems When Everything Feels Off29:22 The ‘House’ Analogy: Gut Foundations, Immune Roof, Stress Storms & Routines32:45 Case Study: Post–Breast Cancer Optimisation—Metabolic Health, Protein, and Nervous System Reset36:16 Healing Stored Anger: A Patient’s Nervous System Breakthrough38:49 Perimenopause 101: Recognising the Early Signs & Symptoms39:53 Food, Movement, Sleep: The Core Lifestyle Reset (Without Punishment)42:10 Relationships, Boundaries & Reducing Toxic Inputs45:18 Five Simple Longevity Adjustments: Morning Routine, Nutrition, Phone, Community48:47 What Conventional Medicine Could Change Now (Nutrition + Women’s Health Education)51:23 Why She Left Surgery: The Wake-Up Call on Reactive Healthcare56:09 Building New Systems: Human Health, Future Patient Congress & Magazine57:47 Training Clinicians: N=1 Medicine, Critical Appraisal & Practical Protocols01:06:22 Rapid-Fire Longevity Q&A + Final Takeaways on Healthspan

Welcome to Beyond Longevity, the podcast that decodes the future of ageing, one conversation at a time. Join host Daphna Stern as she introduces a new podcast exploring the cutting edge of longevity science. Through conversations with leading researchers, clinicians, and innovators, Beyond Longevity unpacks the evidence behind living longer and healthier lives.Beyond Longevity is a deep-dive podcast exploring the cutting edge of longevity science. Each episode features insightful discussions with leading experts who share their latest findings, innovative studies, and practical applications to enhance our approach to longevity. The show translates complex research into clear, thoughtful discussions, decoding the future of ageing one conversation at a time.Don't miss future episodes! Follow or subscribe to Beyond Longevity on your preferred podcast player:Join us in advancing the conversation around ageing. Let's redefine what it means to live longer, healthier00:00 Welcome to Beyond Longevity: A Podcast About Healthspan00:13 Beauty in Science: Why Longevity Research Matters Now00:27 Meet Your Host Daphna Stern & the Mission Behind the Show00:55 Where Biology Meets Technology: Inside the Longevity Revolution01:05 Who We Talk To: Pioneers Rewriting What It Means to Age01:20 From Sci‑Fi to Boom Times: Longevity Goes Mainstream01:46 Subscribe & Join the Movement: Redefining Longer, Healthier Lives02:00 Final Invitation: Understanding the Future, One Conversation at a Timecb448dac319f1856057ff99a3ebc0166eb850b84KiDzUEabRNT1ahgeV5Ej