Longevity Medicine
Longevity Medicine Physical Tests
Longevity Medicine
Using the most up-to-date physical testing with the best clinical utility, we can get a detailed picture of your current health status by evaluating your bone, cardiovascular health, visceral fat, maximal oxygen consumption, and much more.
Physical tests are a vital part of longevity medicine, providing crucial information about your health that enables us to tailor a personalised longevity strategy just for you.
When it comes to longevity medicine, testing is the most important factor in determining your longevity strategy. Each person’s health profile is so individual that generalised advice could end up costing you valuable time and money.
We utilise preventative clinical practice, alongside state-of-the-art physical testing, to collect information about your health across multiple body systems. Our medical team interprets these results to make informed decisions about your individual health needs and determine the optimal combination of therapies (and the specifics within those recommendations) that are needed to improve your healthspan.
Your health is one of the most important investments you can make, so why not get the most out of it?
“Your physical health status isn’t always something you can feel or see beyond the obvious clues like weight and skin changes. While you may feel reasonably fit, there are almost always areas of your health that could benefit from intervention to help increase your healthspan, especially repair and regeneration so that you age well and can continue to do the things you love well into later life. Longevity medicine physical tests help us deep dive and see beneath the surface of your health. This enables us to determine your personal strategy and create accountability by tracking your physical health over the longer term.”
Dr Harpal Bains
Longevity medicine, and more specifically longevity clinical practice, is very new. Which means that it is increasingly important to keep abreast of the most recently published data. At our clinic we combine tried-and-tested methods of clinical investigation with the latest evidence-based knowledge to inform our longevity medicine practice.
Our physical tests have been handpicked by the experienced team at Harpal Clinic to allow us to assess your health on a deeper level. This is the best way to devise a longevity medicine strategy that is personal to you and your future health. A snapshot of some of the tests we do as part of the physical screen is listed below.
A DEXA scan is a widely used, low-dose X-ray scan that provides detailed information about bone density and visceral fat.
As we age, it is important to maintain a high bone density to prevent osteoporosis and injury, the latter of which is associated with increased mortality. Not only that, but strong bones allow us to exercise with ease, which in itself is a cornerstone of longevity.
In addition, a DEXA scan measures visceral fat, which is fat that surrounds and affects the organs. In many cases, it is not visible, and even those who are slim can have high levels of visceral fat. This type of fat is linked to a myriad of health issues, including heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
The VO2 Max test is an indicator of overall cardiorespiratory fitness, and measures how efficiently the body uses oxygen during a short but intense period of maximum effort exercise.
VO2 Max results have been shown to be a strong predictor of mortality. Although some of the key recommendations for improving VO2 Max results are exercise based, our team also looks at the body on a chemical level to help improve your VO2 Max result.
Longevity medicine is about optimising your physical, chemical and emotional factors, all of which are closely linked. Optimising for longevity all begins in the cell. Our expertise primarily focuses on the cellular, or, the chemical aspects of longevity, which will provide you with the support to maintain all three of these areas.
This test is used to measure the velocity at which pressure waves propagate through the circulatory system, giving us an accurate reading of a person’s arterial age. Four main factors that affect this are vessel wall thickness, change in vessel diameter, blood pressure and age. Therefore, PWV is a good risk predictor, providing us with a unique insight into early arterial ageing, and arterial stiffness. It can also specifically help predict cardiovascular disease.
Blood pressure is also an important measure of cardiovascular health. Our advanced blood pressure screen includes single and dual blood pressure, ankle brachial index (ABI), and a person’s heart rate. We assess the results in conjunction with other cardiovascular and health markers through our specialised lab testing to obtain a wider picture of your overall health.
Having a good grip strength is often tied into improved longevity, and a measurement that not many people initially consider. Crucial for performing daily activities as we age, such as opening jars and carrying groceries – grip strength is a surprising indicator of vitality! A strong grip is linked to faster recovery and is a key predictor of future health.
Balance is another predictor of mortality and a lack of it can lead to injury, especially in later life. Good balance is also linked closely to posture, especially during exercise. Having good posture is important for a multitude of factors including; organ health, nerve support, muscle alignment – just to name a few. These factors are an important component of longevity and we address this as part of our physical testing and your personal longevity strategy.
The results of your physical tests are very important – they play a major part in shaping your longevity strategy – however, we don’t just look at your results in isolation. Your treatment plan is a result of the combined analysis of your physical and lab test results, your goals, medical history, family history and your current lifestyle and ability to implement the strategies set for you. All of these factors come together to create a complete picture of your health plan – one that is completely unique to you.
With many years’ experience within functional and integrative medicine, our medical team utilised longevity medicine tactics long before they became mainstream. We treat the body and its systems as a whole, addressing your healthspan from all angles. With our high level of experience and knowledge, you can rest assured that we will provide you with the best opportunity to maintain your health and wellbeing as you age.
We offer three Longevity Medicine Membership tiers with varying levels of testing.
If you prefer less commitment or structure then you may prefer our Focussed and Comprehensive consultation types. These put you more in control of the longevity services that you would like to receive and timescales that suit your personal schedule.
