Longevity clinics: what to ask before you say yes?

What longevity clinics typically offer

Most longevity clinics sell a combination of baseline tests, consultations, subscription courses and more or less advanced treatments. It can be everything from classic blood tests and body composition to wearables, CGM, hormone conversations, infusions and broad biomarker packages. PMID 37848122 PMID 34458905

The problem is not that the market is growing. The problem is that very different things are packaged as if they had the same level of evidence. Therefore, it is important to separate useful risk assessment from expensive wellness with medical language. PMID 37848122 PMID 34458905

The first questions you should ask

Start with structure and responsibility: Who has the medical responsibility, how is your medical history assessed, and how are priorities between well-documented risk factors and more experimental offers? A good clinic can explain what is standard medicine, what is emerging science and what is more speculative. PMID 34458905 PMID 30623254

Then ask how they use data. Multiomics, digital biomarkers, wearables, CGM and advanced blood tests can be useful, but only if they lead to concrete decisions. CGM is a good example: the technology has moved from diabetes to wellness, and OTC solutions like the Dexcom Stelo have expanded the market. PMID 34458905 PMID 30623254

When advanced technology makes sense

The convergence of AI, genomics and regenerative medicine is real and important. AI can accelerate discovery and interpretation, but model organisms and laboratory data are not the same as mature clinical offerings for humans. PMID 30623254 Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed

The same applies to promising platforms such as CRISPR, multiomics and digital biomarkers. They may be relevant in specialized settings, but should not be used as a sales pitch without clear clinical relevance. GI Genius illustrates a closer example of AI in practice: concrete decision support in a defined clinical workflow. PMID 30623254 Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed

Which treatments require extra sobriety

NAD+ boosters such as NMN and NR, urolithin A, CoQ10, senolytics such as fisetin and quercetin, hormone therapy and regenerative treatments are best assessed individually. Ask what the evidence is in humans, what endpoints are relevant, and what side effects or uncertainties exist. Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed PMID 31806139

Especially in these categories, the clinic should be clear about the limits of knowledge. It is a good sign if they distinguish between risk optimization and documented life extension. If a treatment is sold as a safe shortcut to longer life without nuances, it is a warning sign. Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed PMID 31806139

Red flags before you pay

There are some red flags that should make you slow down, even if the clinic looks exclusive. A nice room and advanced dashboards are not the same as medical quality. PMID 31806139

If the clinic avoids talking about uncertainty, side effects, contraindications or follow-up with general healthcare, it is often a sign that the sale takes up more than the assessment. PMID 31806139

Evidence-based core diagnostics: What a premier longevity clinic MUST provide

The commercial longevity clinic sector is expanding across Northern Europe, with bespoke clinics and executive health practices charging between 15,000 and over 100,000 DKK annually. Conducting rigorous due diligence is essential before committing substantial personal capital. PMID 37848122 PMID 34458905 PMID 31806139

A high-tier longevity clinic distinguishes itself by emphasizing validated clinical assessments with established prognostic value for cardiovascular event-free survival and physical independence: PMID 37848122 PMID 34458905 PMID 31806139

1. **Advanced Atherosclerotic Risk Profiling**: Quantification of **Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)** and **Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]** over basic cholesterol tests, paired with an electron-beam or low-dose multi-slice **Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) CT scan** to visualize subclinical calcified coronary plaque. PMID 37848122 PMID 34458905 PMID 31806139

2. **Objective Body Composition (DEXA)**: Precision quantification of **Appendicular Lean Mass Index (ALMI)** and visceral adipose tissue volume (VAT in cm²), establishing gold-standard baselines for sarcopenia and cardiometabolic risk. PMID 37848122 PMID 34458905 PMID 31806139

3. **Cardiorespiratory Peak Aerobic Capacity**: Direct **VO2 max measurement via ergospirometry metabolic cart**, which represents the single most robust modifiable functional longevity predictor in epidemiological literature. PMID 37848122 PMID 34458905 PMID 31806139

Red flags and pseudoscientific upsells in commercial longevity medicine

When auditing prospective longevity clinic providers, maintain strict vigilance against aggressive retail upsells lacking prospective randomized human trial validation: PMID 37848122 PMID 30623254

**Intravenous nutrient and NAD+ infusions ('IV cocktail drips')** represent a major commercial red flag. Comprehensive Cochrane systematic reviews conclude that individuals without gastrointestinal malabsorption syndromes derive zero clinical benefit from supraphysiological intravenous micronutrients—excess water-soluble vitamins are excreted in urine within hours, while introducing risks of thrombophlebitis, systemic infection, and renal oxalate crystallization. PMID 37848122 PMID 30623254

Similarly, clinics heavily marketing unapproved exosome injections, bioresonance frequency energy devices, or monthly proprietary proprietary supplement formulations exceeding 3,000–5,000 DKK per month should be approached with extreme skepticism. Legitimate clinical longevity is anchored in risk stratification, lifestyle mechanics, and targeted pharmacotherapy—not boutique wellness marketing. PMID 37848122 PMID 30623254

Integration with public health infrastructure and physician accountability

An ethical longevity medicine clinic functions in concert with public healthcare systems, rather than operating in an isolated pseudo-medical silo. Inquire explicitly regarding their protocol for transmitting clinical findings and diagnostic imagery to your registered general practitioner (egen læge). PMID 37848122 Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed

In Denmark, private health clinics must hold active institutional registration with **Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed** (The Danish Patient Safety Authority), ensuring Danish medical licensure, standardized electronic medical record protocols, and mandatory adverse event reporting. PMID 37848122 Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed

Crucially, should advanced diagnostic screening detect actionable cardiovascular stenosis (e.g., elevated CAC Agatston score >100) or suspicious incidental pulmonary/renal lesions, the clinic must maintain established referral pathways into hospital specialty clinics for immediate medical intervention. PMID 37848122 Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed