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How To Stay Alive: Longevity medicine 101- NAD, stem cells, peptides, what you need to know

  • Writer: Dr Natalie Hutchins
    Dr Natalie Hutchins
  • 1 day ago
  • 4 min read

Episode Introduction

 

Longevity medicine has an image problem.


For many people, longevity has become synonymous with social-media trends, expensive supplement stacks, IV drips, and unregulated interventions; much of which is poorly evidenced and driven more by hype than science. That perception isn’t wrong. But it is also not the full picture.


Behind the noise is geroscience and precision geromedicine: an evidence-based medical discipline focused on understanding the biology of ageing and translating that knowledge into ethical, clinically grounded care aimed at optimising healthspan, not chasing youth.


In this episode of The Woman’s Handbook Podcast: How to Be a Woman, I’m joined by Professor Andrea Maier, a world-leading geriatrician and authority in healthy longevity medicine, to distinguish real science from marketing. We explore what longevity medicine actually is, how it differs from what dominates social media, and why standards and evidence matter as this field evolves.


The purpose of this conversation is not to convince you to pursue longevity interventions, but for those women interested, it’s to help give you the knowledge to recognise evidence-based practice, and understand what is, and is not, supported by science


Guest Bio


Professor Andrea Maier is an internationally recognised geriatrician and longevity scientist at the forefront of precision ageing medicine. Her work focuses on translating geroscience, the biology of ageing, into ethical, evidence-based clinical practice.


She is a leading advocate for precision gero-medicine, integrating genomics, lifestyle medicine, digital biomarkers, and emerging therapeutics to optimise healthspan while actively antagonising the ageing process. She also plays a key role in shaping global standards for evidence-based longevity clinics and clinical practice.


What We Will Cover
 

00:00 – What longevity medicine really is (and isn’t)• Why longevity is not about IV drips or supplement stacks• Healthspan vs lifespan explained• Why hype obscures real medicine


03:15 – Defining healthy longevity & precision gero-medicine• Geroscience and the biology of ageing• How this differs from functional or integrative medicine• Why ageing itself is a treatable process


05:40 – Why women have been left out of ageing research• The historic reproductive lens of women’s health• Why sex and gender matter in longevity science• The shift toward female-specific ageing research


08:40 – From organ systems to cellular mechanisms• Why treating heart disease alone misses the bigger picture• Targeting root causes instead of symptoms• Preventing disease decades earlier


12:40 – The hallmarks of ageing explained• Cellular senescence (“zombie cells”)• Mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damage & telomeres• Why these mechanisms link ageing and chronic disease


17:45 – Biological age vs chronological age• What wearables and consumer tests can (and can’t) tell you• Why interpretation matters more than numbers• The danger of data without clinical context


22:30 – How much can lifestyle medicine really change ageing?• Why “eat less, move more” isn’t enough• Precision lifestyle medicine explained• Using trends, not snapshots, to guide care


30:50 – When should longevity medicine start?• Why waiting until 40 is already late• Intergenerational health and pregnancy• Why it’s never too late to benefit


33:35 – NAD, peptides & stem cells: separating evidence from hype• NAD as an outcome, not a treatment• Why IV NAD makes little physiological sense• The risks of unregulated peptides and stem cell therapies


42:35 – How to find an evidence-based longevity clinic• Red flags to watch for• Global registries and standards• Why ethics and transparency matter



What You Will Learn

  • What is healthy longevity medicine, and how is it different from biohacking?

  • Why is ageing now considered a modifiable biological process?

  • How does women’s ageing differ biologically from men’s?

  • What are the hallmarks of ageing and why do they matter clinically?

  • Are consumer biological age tests reliable or actionable?

  • How much impact can lifestyle medicine have on healthspan?

  • When should women start thinking about longevity medicine?

  • Is NAD supplementation actually useful and for whom?

  • Are peptides and stem cells safe or evidence-based for longevity?

  • How can you tell if a longevity clinic is practising responsibly?



Key Takeaways

  • Longevity medicine isn’t about living forever, it’s about living better for longer. The goal is preserving function, independence, and quality of life, not chasing youth.

  • Ageing itself is now recognised as a biological process we can influence. By targeting root mechanisms like cellular senescence and mitochondrial health, we shift medicine from reactive to preventative.

  • If an intervention isn’t evidence-based, regulated, and measurable; pause. More is not better in longevity medicine; precision and context matter far more than novelty.



Further Resources
 

The content of this episode is for educational purposes only and does not replace personalised medical advice. If you are affected by any of the topics discussed, please speak to your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional.


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