From bison powder to a £30,000 robot that massages you, our expert guide to which new products really WILL help you live longer

What’s the best way to stave off ageing? To find out the latest thinking, thousands of eager ‘biohackers’ – seeking to optimise their health – poured through the doors at the recent Health Optimisation Summit in London.

These are people who are already plunging themselves into ice baths and ‘stacking’ supplements (combining different ones daily in the hopes of amplifying their effects). But the summit is widely recognised as the epicentre of the European longevity movement – and they wanted to see what was new in the wellness industry.

And, sure enough, there were all kinds of gadgets, supplements and ‘functional’ foods (ie, with added health benefits) – even a physiotherapy robot. But are any of them worth trying?

‘Serious longevity science is still largely only happening in labs,’ says Dr Ingrid Yang, a physician and longevity specialist at Sharp Memorial Hospital in California in the US.

‘The science of longevity is evolving but it’s very much at the “Does this even work and is it safe?” stage.’

However, there are exceptions. Take creatine. Interest in the compound, produced naturally in the body, isn’t new – it has been beloved of the body-building brigade for years.

But recent research shows that it may have a critical role in keeping our brains smart and our muscles strong. Dr Yang’s verdict is that creatine ‘has strong evidence in improving healthspan and a firm safety record. Plus, it’s inexpensive.

‘It’s the closest thing to a genuine, affordable, evidence-based “longevity” product out there at present.’

Indeed, there was plenty of creatine on show at the summit. But what about the other products – are they any good? We asked Dr Yang to give her verdict…

Hydrogen therapy

Inhale H2 Precision Hydrogen Inhalation Therapy, £4,899, healf.com

First there was hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which uses a pressurised chamber to help your body absorb pure oxygen and boost energy and tissue repair. Indeed, it’s recognised as an effective treatment for 14 conditions, including severe burns and non-healing diabetic wounds.

But now we’re being told that inhaling pure hydrogen can enhance performance, reduce inflammation, balance cholesterol, clear brain fog and rejuvenate our cells.

Primarily, hydrogen is said to ‘mop up’ harmful molecules, called reactive oxygen species. Released when our bodies convert food into energy, these can damage cell DNA and accelerate ageing.

The manufacturer says its hydrogen therapy ‘appears to play a protective and regulatory role at the cellular level… preserving mitochondrial structure [mitochondria are ‘batteries’ in cells that provide energy] and DNA. This may lead to healthy longevity’.

You wear a mask and breathe in the hydrogen gas for a session that typically lasts for 20 to 40 minutes.

EXPERT VERDICT: This seems plausible and safe. Independent research suggests genuine benefit in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, an umbrella term for conditions such as emphysema). For example, in one study hydrogen therapy reduced inflammatory markers and improved how far people with COPD could walk.

Most studies measure biomarkers such as oxidative stress (where there’s an excess of reactive oxygen species) and functional endpoints (such as how far someone can walk in six minutes) – rather than hard outcomes such as hospitalisation, disease progression or deaths. And there’s no evidence that it extends human lifespan, as claimed by influencers.

So, while there is some science behind it, it’s nowhere near justifying almost £5,000 for home use. Save your money.

Beef powder

Modern Savage, £55 for 658g, modernsavage.co

Bear Grylls’ Modern Savage brand is ‘solving the real-world problem of what we call nutrient-vacant foods’, it claims, by returning to our ancient ancestors’ diet. This means relying on red meat from large mammals such as bison – and eating every part of it, including the organs, fat, brain and marrow – as well as eggs, bone broth, raw milk, honey and fruit.

This is a powder made from beef liver, kidney, heart, spleen, lung and testes and bison liver – alongside inulin fibre, probiotics, date powder and freeze-dried berries.

Organ meats are ‘nature’s ultimate multivitamin’ says Grylls, who adds the supplement offers ‘better focus, stronger immunity and stronger muscles’.

EXPERT VERDICT: Organ meats are genuinely nutrient-dense and a powder may appeal to someone who dislikes eating liver, say, but there is no good evidence that desiccated-organ supplements outperform a normal diet in terms of focus, immunity or muscle strength.

My main concern is vitamin A – products should clearly state how much they contain per daily serving (and this one doesn’t). Bison and beef liver are concentrated food sources of vitamin A in the form of retinol.

If you combine products (say, a multivitamin or vitamin A-fortified foods), you could risk overload as retinol builds up in the body. This can cause severe, irreversible liver and bone damage.

Vibro-acoustic bed

Onizion sound bed, £2,799, onizion.com

‘Vibro-acoustics’ is the use of sound vibrations that you can both hear and physically feel through your body – research has suggested benefits in autism, chronic pain, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, post-operative recovery and sensory dysregulation, the Onizion website says.

Its bed is aimed at those looking for inner calm and neurodivergent people (‘the ADHD brain that cannot stop. Autistic nervous systems that never fully decompresses’), promising: ‘Your nervous system reset.’

The specially engineered bed acts like a high-fidelity speaker for your body, turning sound (from a calming playlist the manufacturer has also developed) into low-frequency vibrations.

You lie down, put on the headphones and press play on an accompanying app: ‘You hear each soundtrack and feel it through your whole body.’ This signals to your body to ‘quiet the nervous system’ and guide you into a ‘deeply restorative state in as little as ten minutes’.

EXPERT VERDICT: Studies do show benefits for vibro-acoustic beds in general.

A 2023 review of previous research found whole-body vibration reduced chronic lower back pain and pain from osteoarthritis – and a small pilot study on peripheral neuropathy (damage to nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, particularly the hands and feet) showed some improvement in symptoms.

But studies on ADHD, autism and burnout are small and lack rigour.

And a 2017 Cochrane review on whole-body vibration noted that most studies were small, short-term and at high risk of bias because of industry ties.

There is just no clinical evidence that vibro-acoustic therapy can reset the nervous system as claimed.

Any benefits are almost entirely because of acute relaxation. You can get this kind of relaxation response much more cheaply, with, for example, guided meditation, gentle yoga, a weighted blanket or a massage.

Green papaya enzyme

Bio Normalizer Fermented Green Papaya Enzyme, £54 for 30 sachets, fermentedgreenpapayaenzyme.com

This was developed in Japan in 1969. However, it has suddenly developed a cult following, thanks to social media.

Unripe (green) papaya is high in antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and lycopene (a pigment compound linked to heart health). It’s also very rich in papain, a potent digestive enzyme.

Fermenting the papaya creates ‘good’ bacteria alongside oligosaccharides (a type of carbohydrate) and amino acids, said to improve digestion and defend against cellular ageing.

EXPERT VERDICT: There is more published human data on green papaya enzyme than on many other antioxidant supplements, though that evidence base is still small.

A handful of human trials show the extract can ease digestive symptoms, restore healthy gut bacteria and reduce oral inflammation – while laboratory studies suggest it lowers cell damage and inflammation, and improves cholesterol levels in rats.

But these are small studies, and the anti-ageing claims rest on research in mice. It appears safe but the results are modest and a balanced diet delivers the same antioxidants.

Peptide mouthwash

OraltidePro mouthwash, £27.99, profound-health.com

Peptides are big news in the biohacking world. They are short chains of amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that act as chemical messengers, travelling through the body and telling cells what to do.

OraltidePro mouthwash includes two peptides (pentapeptide-97 and hexapeptide-103) and casein (a protein in cow’s milk).

The formula is thought to ‘support the regeneration of receding gums’, ‘protect against oral infections such as gingivitis’ and ‘encourage remineralisation and strengthening of tooth enamel’.

EXPERT VERDICT: There is no evidence that a rinse can regrow gum tissue. The only treatment is surgical, typically, a gum graft, where tissue – often from the roof of the mouth – is placed over the exposed tooth root.

Research is more promising when it comes to regenerating enamel – but even here studies show the gains are small.

This is hugely expensive. You are better off sticking to good brushing and flossing.

AI physiotherapy robot

Yuan Life FlowMotion, around £30,000, yuanlife.com

Chinese company Yuan Life launched its AI-guided robotic physiotherapist at the London show; a compact cart with a single robotic arm. It uses a fusion of AI, 3D vision and infrared thermal imaging to track body temperature and muscle heat, honing in on your ‘tension’ spots. Its arm can mimic the twisting and turning of physical therapy – and targets acupuncture points alongside tight muscles and fascia (connective tissue).

EXPERT VERDICT: The best evidence for this is in stroke rehabilitation. A review looked at 396 clinical trials and found that robotic therapy can help patient recovery – but only very slightly, and that it performs no better than a good human physiotherapist.

It mainly improves arm movement – but bear in mind this is only under test conditions, rather than in real-world use of the limb.

There’s a genuine but narrow role for this in supervised clinical rehab – early after a stroke, or for very weak limbs. But as a general wellness ‘optimisation’ tool? Don’t bother.