Ep.4 - Is longevity only for the wealthy? Democratising healthy ageing, with Andrea Maier

Longevity often feels like an exclusive club. High-end supplements, private clinics, body scans that come with a hefty price tag… But what if healthy ageing wasn’t a luxury?

In this episode, Greg and Charlie sit down with Andrea Maier, professor of longevity medicine and gerontology at the National University of Singapore, to explore how we can make longevity accessible to more people, regardless of income or background.

We begin with the science of ageing: what actually happens in our bodies over time, why some people age faster than others, and how genetics and environment interact. Andrea explains why wealth and class have an impact on both lifespan and healthspan, and where small interventions can make a difference.

From there, we move into practical ways to track and support healthy ageing. We highlight simple but powerful metrics we can monitor ourselves:

• What intrinsic capacity is and how you can test it to baseline your health (22:20)
• What strength tests you can do without specific equipment (25:37)
• Everyday measures of cognitive resilience to avoid frailty (29:01)

We explore what these signals can tell us about long-term vitality, and how to nurture brain health even if sudoku isn’t your thing!

Finally, we turn to the experience segment, where we tackle questions from listeners who have already started exploring longevity interventions. Andrea helps us demystify peptides. We break down what they are and what to watch out for on the market. We also discuss the hype around NMN supplements and whether they live up to their promise.

Along the way, Andrea reflects on the people and experiences that shaped her own view of what living until 90 can look like. A reminder that longevity isn’t just about adding years to life, but about preserving the simple freedoms that make it beautiful. 

Resources we mentioned:

• Handgrip strength in Europe by characteristics
• An Expert Consensus Statement on Biomarkers of Aging

To explore further:

• Andrea Maier - Research
• Andrea Maier - LinkedIn
• Greg Potter - Website
• Greg Potter - Instagram
• Thriva - Website
  
  

If you’d like to send us your health questions for future episodes, you can email us a voice note, or simply write in with your question at themethod@thriva.co

About Thriva:

Thriva is a proactive health platform built for the modern age. The promise of longevity often comes with years spent in poor health. We want to bridge the gap between lifespan – how long we're living – and healthspan – how well we're living. We combine powerful at-home blood testing with wearable insights and expert guidance. So you can know exactly what’s going on inside your body - and what to do about it - before issues arise. With this podcast, we hope to bring listeners confidence in everyday health decisions. 

To learn more about Thriva’s values and services, visit https://thriva.co/.