In this special solo episode of the Optispan Podcast, Matt Kaeberlein presents his featured article from Scientific American’s Healthspan: The Science of Aging Well issue. He introduces the concept of Healthspan Medicine, a proactive and personalized approach to healthcare that focuses on extending the number of years people live in good health. Matt draws a powerful analogy between car maintenance and health, highlighting the unsustainability of the current reactive medical model and advocating for a shift to preventative, systems-based care.

Matt outlines the foundational elements of healthspan medicine, anchored in four pillars: Eat, Move, Sleep, and Connect. He explains how Optispan’s gateway evaluation day, biomarker tracking, and ongoing health coaching support a lifelong journey of health optimization. The episode emphasizes the importance of early diagnostics, personalized interventions, and a team-based approach that includes medical professionals and trained HealthSpan Coaches.

The discussion moves into the realm of geroscience, covering biological hallmarks of aging and the role of molecular aging clocks. Matt notes that while tools like biological age tests can offer insight, they must be used cautiously due to a lack of validation. Instead, traditional biomarkers and lifestyle changes remain the most reliable ways to slow aging and extend healthspan.

Matt also addresses the rising use of gerotherapeutics like rapamycin, metformin, GLP-1s, and hormone therapy, offering a measured take on their promise and limitations. He stresses that any pharmacological approach should be embedded within a holistic framework, warning of risks like muscle loss from standalone GLP-1 use and misinformation spread by underqualified providers.

The episode concludes with a call to action: for stakeholders to align on values and standards, and for the public to demand evidence-based care. With collaborative effort, Matt believes Healthspan Medicine can become a cornerstone of modern healthcare, adding not just years to life, but life to years.