The State of Longevity: The healthmaxxing economy is here

Longevity is shifting from a niche biohacking interest to mainstream consumer health management, accelerated by the pandemic and tools such as ChatGPT that make medical information easier to access. A survey of 500 U.S. consumers underpins the case that people are spending more effort and money on health - and that major opportunities lie in helping them turn information into action. Companies are competing to become a “healthcare home” that gathers records, tests, wearable data, and AI interpretation while arranging clinicians, appointments, prescriptions, and follow-up. The key advantage will be coordinating care, not simply answering questions.

Consumer demand is also expanding beyond organic food to non-toxic homes: 70% of respondents filter water, 39% replace plastic with glass, and 62% would pay extra for non-toxic labels, despite benefits sometimes being difficult to measure. Interest in peptides is growing, but unapproved compounds often lack solid safety and efficacy evidence; the authors see stronger prospects in rigorous, FDA-regulated medicines and care providers that can deliver them. Heart health may become a bigger consumer focus as evidence supports aggressive LDL reduction and new treatments broaden access, while Lp(a) testing can help personalize risk management, though drug benefits remain unproven. Wearables are already common - 54% use one and most check daily - but 55% of users say their data has never prompted a behavior change or doctor visit, pointing to a gap between tracking and useful care.