Dr. Candice Stewart, DNP, owner of Stella Capri Wellness and bioidentical wellness and hormone specialist, believes that advancements in anti-aging and longevity practices have the potential to extend the human lifespan by 10 years. By shifting the focus towards disease and disability prevention rather than reactive treatments, proactive measures are being developed to promote lifespan biohacking. Future possibilities include regenerative medicine, epigenetic clock reversal, telomere elongation, DNA repair gene activation, and cancer gene suppression.
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It’s important to note that effective longevity therapies are unlikely to become readily available to the public in the next decade. Dr. Stewart emphasizes that the FDA’s approval of peptides and medications like Metformin and Rapamycin as concrete prescriptions for longevity is a crucial step. Consequently, access to longevity doctors and medication will be limited to those who can afford it, which might beg the question: Will it be the wealthy people who live longer because they can afford it?
Achieving immortality remains an elusive goal, but throughout history, there have been myths and legends of its existence, such as the fountain of youth described by Herodotus in the 5th century BC. Stewart pursues strategies to enhance anti-aging and longevity through peptide therapy, bioidentical hormone replacement, and the use of growth factors and biologic agents – her closest approximation to a “fountain of youth.”
At Stella Capri Wellness, patients can undergo peptide therapy with Epitalon for ten days, twice a year, potentially extending both lifespan and health span. Epitalon, a natural substance, stimulates neuronal generation from stem cells, regulates the cell cycle, increases telomeres, and helps combat cellular senescence. Furthermore, medications like Rapamycin, initially approved by the FDA in 1999 to prevent graft rejection in renal transplantation, are being studied for their potential to increase longevity by acting as immunosuppressive drugs. Combining Rapamycin with metformin, a common diabetic medication, has demonstrated synergistic effects on lifespan. Looking ahead, readily available peptides like Thymosin Alpha could improve immune systems and offer protection against viral outbreaks, such as COVID-19, while also boosting the immune response of older adults, which tends to decline with age.
Semaglutide, a recently acclaimed diabetes and weight loss medication marketed as Ozempic, Rybelsus, or Wegovy, has gained FDA approval for weight loss, decreasing the risk of disease and increasing longevity. Unfortunately, Semaglutide is rarely covered by insurance for weight loss and can cost patients $1000-$1500 a month. Stewart calls it a “miracle drug” for weight loss, and as a result, we will see a significant decrease in diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s, which are substantial strains on the US healthcare system. Dr. Stewart envisions a future where Semaglutide is available over the counter, but for now, medspas like Stella Capri Wellness can source the medication from a compounding pharmacy at a more affordable price.
Stewart encourages patients to be proactive in learning about the latest research in anti-aging medicine and longevity. Listening to podcasts, reading books, and searching the web for practitioners in your area who are practicing this type of medicine can be the first step in increasing your lifespan.
Maintaining a healthy diet and engaging in regular exercise continue to be fundamental pillars of maintaining good health as we age. However, we must recognize that our genetic predispositions and environmental factors can make us vulnerable to diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, which may be beyond our control. The development of biohacking medications and peptides that regulate the cell cycle, suppressing cancer genes and activating repair genes, holds promise for extending lifespan.
