The antiaging industry promises longer life. Here's reality
The antiaging industry promises longer, healthier lives through drip clinics, supplements and billion-dollar biotech bets, yet most consumer products still lack strong human trial proof. An ABC Four Corners probe finds real geroscience underway, but physicians say exercise, diet and social ties remain the clearest path to more healthy years today.
Key Takeaways
- Consumer longevity clinics and biohacking products often lack strong human trial data.
- Serious labs are testing autophagy drugs, immune rejuvenation and epigenetic reprogramming.
- Senolytic “zombie cell” compounds such as fisetin show promise in mice; human proof is limited.
- Experts still rank exercise, nutrition and social connection as the proven longevity tools.
What is the antiaging industry really selling?
According to ABC News, the longevity market is booming as tech investors fund startups with huge valuations — sometimes before they have a product to sell.
At a New York biohacking conference, Four Corners found ozone therapy, hydrogen inhalation, red light, vibration plates and IV infusions marketed with scientific-sounding claims. Few of those therapies had solid human evidence behind them.
In West Hollywood, Next Health offers MRIs, blood panels, NAD+ infusions, hyperbaric oxygen, cryotherapy and plasma exchange to mostly fit clients. Endocrinologist Professor Katherine Samaras called NAD boosters “a complete waste of money,” and metabolism expert Professor Luigi Fontana said he has not seen randomized human trials proving disease benefit or safety.
Four Corners also flagged about 100 Australian operators advertising IV clinics, biological age tests and telehealth peptides that sit in regulatory gaps — raising contamination and side-effect risks. For more reporting in this space, see our Longevity & Biohacking coverage.
Is any longevity science actually promising?
ABC stresses that consumer marketing racing ahead of evidence does not make the underlying science fantasy. Geroscience argues that cancer, heart disease, dementia and vision loss often share aging as a root cause — so one breakthrough could cut many diseases.
Retro Biosciences, launched with a $US180 million investment from OpenAI founder Sam Altman and valued at $US1.8 billion, is running a first-in-human Alzheimer’s safety trial in Adelaide tied to cellular “garbage” recycling (autophagy). Intervene Immune is exploring thymus regeneration, while Life Biosciences is testing partial epigenetic reprogramming aimed at glaucoma-related vision loss — early, carefully scoped human work, not a consumer fountain of youth.
Do “zombie cell” supplements work in people yet?
Separately, coverage of senolytics highlights fisetin, a plant flavonoid some longevity researchers reportedly take themselves. It targets senescent “zombie” cells that stop dividing but keep releasing inflammatory signals.
Mouse studies have linked chronic fisetin use to longer healthspan and lifespan, and Harvard’s David Sinclair has been reported to take about 500 mg daily. Human evidence remains limited, and experts warn over-the-counter senolytics are not tightly regulated like drugs — so popularity is not proof.
What actually helps you live longer right now?
Fontana told ABC that patients sometimes take 30–40 supplements a day without data, while calorie restriction with good nutrition, physical activity and social connection have strong 2026 evidence for cutting chronic disease risk.
Bottom line: watch the labs, skip the unproven drip-bar hype, and bet first on habits science already supports.