Geriatrician Anna Chodos argues that extending lifespan is not a realistic goal; what matters is healthspan, and most anti-aging products lack evidence while the things that work are plain and cheap.
Open any social feed and someone is selling you more years: an IV drip, a $400 blood test for your 'real' age, a morning routine of cold plunges and a fistful of supplements. The trillion-dollar wellness industry is thriving, and underneath it sits the same quiet fear: am I aging too fast?
The evidence for anti-aging products doesn't hold up
Geriatrician Anna Chodos says vastly extending lifespan is not realistic right now. She names two familiar tricks: it worked in mice, so it must work in people; it helps sick people, so it must help everyone.
Rapamycin extends life in mice, not in humans. NAD+ supplements raise blood levels, but small trials lasting weeks found no improvement in physical function. Metformin has data only for people with diabetes; in one trial, older adults taking it gained less muscle from strength training than those on a placebo.
GLP-1 drugs do lower death rates for people with obesity and heart disease, but they are not anti-aging pills and carry a risk of muscle loss. Intermittent fasting is a weight-loss tool, not a longevity one.
The cheap, boring things that help a little
Creatine plus strength training may modestly improve strength in older adults. Many older people don't get enough protein, and protein with training helps preserve muscle. Fiber is linked to lower risk of early death, heart disease, diabetes and colorectal cancer; beans, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts are good sources.
Chodos tells her patients: ignore 'biological age', since different tests give different results; eat a mostly plant-based, whole-grain, healthy-fat diet and drink less alcohol; stay social, keep learning, exercise 150 minutes a week plus two days of strength training; sleep 7 to 8 hours; and get your hearing checked.
Why it matters
When 'anti-aging' is packaged as a priced regimen, what gets overlooked is the stuff that doesn't require checkout: two strength sessions a week, dinner with a friend, enough sleep. On the health ledger, the most expensive option is often not the most effective.
Curated from high-quality sources, with concise summaries and key takeaways.
