Are Gyms the New Longevity Clinics? - Progestogens & Breast Cancer Risk - Circulating Tumor Cells Study
Your sneak peek into the world of Longevity Docs.
Hey Docs,
I Just Turned 45!
Thinking about 3-year-old me, obsessed with becoming a doctor.
Back then, I believed health was all about the heart. Now, I see longevity as four key forces: body, emotions, relationships, and purpose. I’m still working on daily rituals to strengthen them, and I’m grateful that Longevity Docs brings them all together.
Thank you to the community 🙏
In this week Neswletter:
🔬 New Research: Dr. Molly Maloof will lead a study on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) for early cancer detection
💬 Hormone Debate: Following intense discussions in the chat, Dr. Yurth, Dr. Gersh, and Dr. Killen will debate oral vs. transdermal estradiol and the impact of progestogens on breast cancer risk at our Hormones Mastermind
🔥 What’s Hot? Are gyms the new longevity clinics? With Life Time, Equinox, and others offering biomarker testing, GLP-1s, and diagnostics, is this the future or just another trend?
Happy Sunday!
David
Longevity Docs Institute
Investigator-Initiated Study on Cancer Detection Study led by Dr. Molly Maloof
This study explores Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) as a primary cancer screening tool within the longevity community. Participants will undergo confirmatory imaging (MRI, PET, ultrasound) to determine the most effective pathway for early cancer detection.
Dozens of Longevity Docs have already expressed interest in joining. The Longevity Docs Institute will provide full research support, including study design, IRB approval, research coordination, and technology infrastructure.
Want to launch your own study? We support physician-led research: contact us to get started.
Longevity Docs Mastermind
Day-21: Countdown to the Hormones Mastermind
🔥 Breaking News: Oral vs. Transdermal Estradiol Debate
Join Dr. Yurth, Dr. Gersh, and Dr. Killen for a panel discussion on one of the most debated topics in hormone therapy. This conversation was carefully curated to present both sides of the controversy, ensuring a balanced and evidence-based perspective.
Get your in-person ($495) or virtual ticket ($295) here:
Does progestogens cause breast cancer?
Buzz: A new Annals of Oncology paper sparked intense discussion in the Longevity Docs community by suggesting that progestogens (both synthetic progestins and bioidentical progesterone) may contribute to breast cancer risk. The study reported that long-term use of estrogen plus micronized progesterone (>5 years) was associated with a higher risk (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.15-1.48).
Physician Insights:
Several Longevity Docs challenged the study’s conclusions, arguing that its findings were based more on mechanistic models rather than real-world clinical outcomes.
Dr. Amy Killen: "Every other study has shown micronized progesterone does NOT increase risk. The E3N study grouped progesterone with dydrogesterone, so its conclusions are flawed."
Dr. Elizabeth Yurth: "This paper leans too heavily on mechanistic insights, suggesting progesterone drives cell proliferation in breast tissue. However, this is a normal part of the menstrual cycle and not a sign of cancer risk."
Dr. Felice Gersh: "Hormones don’t cause cancer: hormonal dysregulation does. Estradiol is one of the most powerful senolytics we have, and progesterone plays a key role in normal breast function."
Several physicians also pointed out that hormone type, dosing, and context matter. Many of the risks associated with progestogens in past studies were linked to synthetic progestins, not bioidentical progesterone.
Private Club
Member Spotlight
Meet the Longevity Doctors Club members: physicians entrepreneurs building the future of longevity medicine one practice (or more) at the time.
Jonathan Bastian, MD, CCFP
Longevity Physician | Precision Medicine Expert | Medical Director
Dr. Jonathan Bastian is a Calgary-based physician focused on improving healthspan and longevity through evidence-based medicine. As Medical Director and Resident Medical Doctor at AEON, he integrates emerging science with patient-centered care to enhance metabolic health, hormonal balance, and overall well-being.
Professional Background
Experience in hospital medicine, palliative care, and emergency medicine.
Certified in men’s health and hormone replacement therapy.
Continues to practice urgent care while specializing in longevity medicine.
Expertise & Focus
Metabolic Health
Hormone Therapy
Exercise & Sleep Physiology
Nutritional Interventions
Ketamine Treatment
Strategic Pharmacology
Anant Vinjamoori, MD, MBA
Longevity Physician | Healthcare Leader | Strategic Advisor
Dr. Anant Vinjamoori is a longevity physician and trusted advisor to some of the top names in industry. He currently serves as the President of Next Generation Medicine, Chief Longevity Officer at Superpower and Head of Longevity Medicine at Midi Health. Previously, as Chief Medical Officer at Modern Age, he built the first national integrated longevity clinic brand in the United States.
With deep expertise at the intersection of science, medicine, technology, and business, Dr. Vinjamoori is shaping the future of healthcare by leveraging biomarkers, AI-driven insights, and precision medicine to optimize healthspan and performance. His thought leadership has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, and other major publications.
Expertise & Focus
Precision nutrition & exercise plans
Hormone optimization
Advanced diagnostics: functional testing, genomics, metabolomics and more
Advanced therapies such a peptides, stem cels and exosomes
Brain training techniques including Neurofeedback & HRV biofeedback
Education & Leadership
Dr. Vinjamoori completed his medical training at Harvard Medical School and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. His ability to bridge clinical expertise with business strategy makes him a sought-after advisor for companies at the forefront of longevity and health innovation.
Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE
Cardiologist | Longevity & Preventive Medicine Expert | Innovator in Heart Health
Dr. Robert Todd Hurst is a board-certified cardiologist specializing in preventive cardiology, heart imaging, and longevity medicine. As the Founder of Healthspan MD, he is dedicated to advancing cardiovascular health through innovative diagnostics, biomarker-driven insights, and lifestyle interventions.
A Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) and the American Society of Echocardiography (FASE), Dr. Hurst brings decades of clinical expertise to the forefront of risk reduction and health optimization. His work focuses on integrating cutting-edge research and precision medicine to help individuals extend both lifespan and healthspan.
Expertise & Focus
Preventive & Longevity Cardiology
Advanced Cardiac Imaging
Leveraging biomarkers, AI-driven diagnostics, and personalized treatments.
Patient Education & Advocacy
Career & Leadership
Dr. Hurst has held key leadership roles in top medical institutions, contributing extensively to clinical practice, research, and physician education. He has trained and mentored future generations of cardiologists and continues to be an active voice in scientific publications and medical conferences.
Join the Longevity Docs Club
If you’re a physician starting or scaling your longevity practice highly vetted Longevity Docs Club is for you.
Join a community of like-minded physicians and gain access to resources on marketing, finance, strategy, and technology to support your independent practice
Applications now open for MD, DO, or MBBS - Limited memberships
Global Network
Welcoming New Longevity Docs
Longevity Docs unites board-certified physicians from diverse specialties - including cardiology, endocrinology, surgery, psychiatry, public health, regenerative, and functional medicine - across private practice, academia, and health systems worldwide.
Frederik Dierick, MD: Brussels - Belgium
Rahul Khare, MD: Chicago, IL - USA
Woganee Filate, MD: Toronto - Canada
Majdoline Jayoushe, MD: Toronto - Canada
Jack Penner, MD: Los Gatos, CA - USA
Helen Lo, MD: Beaverton, OR - USA
You are a physician(MD/DO, MBBS) interested in longevity medicine. Connect with us!
What’s Hot
Are Gyms the New Longevity Clinics?
With the GLP-1 revolution, gyms are no longer just about treadmills. Life Time is opening its second longevity clinic, joining Equinox, Continuum, Monarch Club, and Love Life in the race to offer bloodwork, GLP-1 prescriptions, VO2 max testing, and DEXA scans. With memberships from $200 to $10,000/month, these brands are evolving into all-in-one longevity hubs. (See article in Media)
Gyms have a huge advantage over traditional healthcare: they move fast. With a cash-pay, consumer-driven model, they are agile, proactive, and quick to adopt new longevity innovations. This shift could scale longevity medicine faster than hospitals, but will it work?
5 advantages gyms have in longevity medicine
Gyms already help build daily health habits making them well-positioned to integrate longevity solutions.
Loyal members who trust their brand, gyms have a built-in audience ready to buy longevity services without the challenge of building credibility from scratch.
Large retail spaces and scalable membership models allowing them to expand longevity offerings in ways standalone clinics can’t.
AI will automate real-time biomarker analysis, personalized health insights, making longevity care faster, cheaper, and more precise than doctor visits.
Gyms are built around prevention and proactive health, making them a natural fit for longevity optimization, unlike traditional healthcare, which primarily focuses on treating illness.
5 challenges gyms could face
Trainers and health coaches lack the medical expertise required for longevity medicine, making physician oversight essential for credibility.
Without strong incentives, attracting and retaining top medical professionals in a gym setting will be a significant challenge.
Marketing hype over science-backed solutions could undermine trust and damage credibility.
Selling supplements and treatments while also prescribing them creates a conflict of interest, eroding consumer confidence if not managed transparently.
Testing is becoming a commodity, and members will expect expert interpretation, continuous education, and a clear, evidence-based longevity roadmap
My Prediction: The future longevity medicine won’t be built in hospitals
The future of longevity medicine won’t be built in hospitals - it will emerge in high-performance health spaces where consumer demand, AI, and business innovation intersect. Gyms will evolve into clinics, labs, and health ecosystems, redefining healthcare delivery. Doctors risk becoming employees rather than leaders in an industry they helped shape.
The longevity economy is bigger than science; it’s about education, business, technology, consumer experience, brand, and community. Doctors who fail to build their own platform, network, and expertise will find themselves working for the very gyms that are now leading the industry.
The new standard in medicine will be set by doctors who master biomarkers, AI-driven diagnostics, precision therapies, and business strategy. The question isn’t whether longevity medicine will change, but who will lead it.
Progestogens and Breast Cancer Risk
This study suggests that estrogen alone has little to no impact on breast cancer risk, while progestins (not estrogens) from hormonal contraceptives appear to be responsible for a small increase in breast cancer risk.
Annals of Oncology - Recommended by Dr. Amy Killen
AI-Driven Polygenic Risk Scoring for Precision Longevity Medicine
The authors meta-analyzed genome and exome sequencing data from 36 studies that included 52,416 AF cases and 277,762 controls. The results highlight the contribution of rare coding and structural variants to AF, including genetic links between AF and cardiomyopathies, and expand our understanding of the rare variant architecture for this common arrhythmia.
Nature Genetics - Recommended by Dr. Steven Murphy
Hormone Therapy and Biological Aging in Postmenopausal Women
In this study, postmenopausal women with historical HT use were biologically younger than those not receiving HT, with a more evident association observed in those with low SES. The biological aging discrepancy mediated the association between HT and decreased mortality. Promoting HT in postmenopausal women could be important for healthy aging.
JAMA - Recommended by Dr. Tom Rifai
Longevity Docs Hormones Mastermind
📅 Date: March 29, 2025
📍 Location: Convene 101 Park Ave, New York (In-person & Digital Access Available)
One-day, 10-course curriculum
featuring dozen world-renowned experts, offering an unique opportunity to elevate your expertise in hormonal health and longevity medicine.
Learn directly from an unparalleled lineup of physicians, including:
Drs. Amy Killen, Jessica Shepherd, Elizabeth Yurth, Angela DeRosa, Salome Masghati, Juan Bautista, Felice Gersh, Melissa Loseke, Marcos de Andrade, Elizabeth Poynor, Kyle Gillett.
Longevity Docs Cannes
📅 Date: June 25-26, 2025
📍 Location: Palace of Festival, Cannes - France
Conferences Calendar
NextMed Health: San Diego, March 30 - April 2
Vitalist Bay - Berkeley, CA, Apr 4 - May 29
The Longevity Med Summit - Lisbon, May 6-8
Life Summit - Berlin, May 27-28
Dublin Longevity Dummit: Dublin, July 2–4
ARDD: Coppenhagen, August 25-29
Life Time Opens Second Miora Longevity Clinic
Life Time expands its Miora Performance & Longevity Clinic to Evanston, IL, offering bloodwork-driven therapies like peptides, GLP-1s, and hormone therapy. The 60,000 sq. ft. luxury club features cryotherapy, hydromassage, and elite training. With $2.62B in 2024 revenue, Life Time plans nationwide Miora growth while its LT Digital app nears 4M users. AtheletechNews
Inside the scientific quest to reverse human aging
Can we turn back the clock on aging? A breakthrough in cellular reprogramming may soon enter human trials, aiming to restore youth at the cellular level. But with risks like tumors and ethical dilemmas, is the science moving too fast? Read the latest on the race to reverse aging Washington Post
Aging Women’s Brain Mysteries Are Tested in Trio of Studies
Researchers identified a gene that seems to help slow brain aging in women, and studied links between hormone therapy, menopause and Alzheimer’s. New York Times
At Longevity Docs, we offer two distinct membership to support doctors in longevity medicine:
Basic Membership
Become part of a global network of 300 longevity-focused physicians across 50 countries, access to our app, educational resources, and opportunities to attend exclusive events.
Private Club Membership
For those seeking a more immersive experience, the Private Club Membership offers all the benefits of Standard Membership, plus exclusive access to private events, monthly forums, deeper collaboration with experts, and early insights into cutting-edge longevity practices.
Eligibility: Open exclusively to medical doctors operating a healthcare practice or leading a business dedicated to longevity.
Every Doctor Should be a Longevity Doctor
As a heart surgeon, I was often the doctor you hoped never to need . If you were in my operating room it means prevention was no longer an option. My father, a physician specializing in Chinese medicine and acupuncture, taught me about preventive care very early on. At 21, in 2001, I launched a foundation focused on operating on children in Africa, India, Cambodia, and Haiti so they could live longer, healthier lives.
In 2020, everything changed. When my wife contracted COVID-19, I realized the future of medicine lies in prevention. This led me to found a digital clinic dedicated to combating preventable age-related diseases, immersing myself in longevity research and new tech.
However connecting with like-minded doctors was the hardest part. I started a WhatsApp group with a dozen doctors passionate about longevity. We shared publications, new tech tools, and discussed case studies. It quickly grew into something bigger, and I realized we lacked a structured platform to learn, exchange insights, and shape the future of evidence-based longevity medicine.
From this need, Longevity Docs was born. Today, we unite 300 physicians across 50 countries with a shared goal: to democratize longevity medicine. Imagine a world where physicians have access to evidence-based practices, collaborate with experts, and conduct research together - in real-time, anywhere in the world.
I firmly believe that a decentralized, collective intelligence of physicians is the key to extending human healthspan. Together, we can create a legacy where medicine helps people live better.
Dr. David Luu
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Newsletter Disclaimer:
The content shared in this newsletter, including the "Buzz in the Chat" section, is for educational purposes only. It is derived from peer-to-peer conversations among physicians within the Longevity Docs community and is intended to inform and engage our network of doctors.
Please note that these discussions do not reflect the official position of Longevity Docs and are not to be interpreted as medical advice or recommendations. The insights and opinions shared are those of individual physicians and are provided as part of our mission to foster collaborative learning and dialogue among healthcare professionals.
We encourage all readers to consult qualified healthcare professionals for personalized medical advice and to evaluate any medical information in the context of their clinical expertise and patient needs.
I have two books on longevity. #DrGPT #harveycastromd