Could these apps help you live forever?
Others turned to health tonics containing radioactive elements such as radium, which promised a youthful glow but often led to devastating results. More recently, tech billionaires have been injecting the blood of teenagers to try to rejuvenate their ageing bodies.
In 2025, a new generation of health products is continuing the illustrious promise of living longer. Their websites are compelling: 'Peak health starts now'. 'We're your super app for health.' 'Future-proof your body.'
The difference between now and 100 years ago? These fountains of youth are predominantly delivered via a smartphone – do not involve monkeys or young people – and are more anchored in actual science. Some of them are, at least. There are potentially billions of dollars on offer for the companies that can get there first.
Biohackers, tech bros and the 'Huberman crowd' – followers of American neuroscientist and wellness podcaster Andrew Huberman – are early adopters of these new preventative care apps in pursuit of better sleep, healthier bodies and ultimately a desire to extend their lifespan.
Proponents say that while many people already track their 10,000 steps and heart rates, most lack access to the deeper health data that could identify potential concerns before they develop into serious conditions.
In the US, flashy apps such as Superpower are leading the charge. That app, co-founded by Australian expat Max Marchione, is already worth more than $US300 million ($453 million) and has more than 150,000 people on its waiting list.
In Australia, a similar race is heating up, and some of its players are confident they can conquer the US, too.
The apps are ballooning in valuation and hype but are facing their biggest test: can they broaden their customer base beyond early adopters and tech geeks to everyday users? Can they get mums and dads excited about biomarkers, gut microbiomes and toxins?
An AI doctor in your pocket
One of Australia's leading contenders is Everlab, which describes itself as the nation's leading personal longevity clinic.
The start-up combines diagnostics, digital doctor consultations and AI to tackle chronic disease, and tens of thousands of Australians are on its waiting list.
Everlab is led by chief executive Marc Hermann, who says the COVID pandemic prompted a new generation of people to become fanatical about healthcare and taking better care of themselves.
His start-up charges $2999 annually for its longevity program, in which customers are screened for more than 1000 diseases, offered year-round diagnostics and provided a '50-year personalised health road map'.
A cheaper tier for $1199 a year includes blood tests, doctor consultations and personalised intervention plans.
If Everlab has its way, it might eventually replace GPs, according to Hermann. 'I really do believe that we will end up in this world where everyone will have their AI doctor in their pocket,' he says. 'The north star we are building towards is autonomous healthcare. So building a system that has all the context surrounding you, all your data, genetics, ethnicity, family history, and then creating a super personalised roadmap for your health.
'We want to build towards offering lifelong care that is deeply connected and holistic, versus just a one-off testing service.'
To date, Everlab has processed more than 1 million biomarkers through full-body health testing, and says one in four test results are abnormal.
For 2.5 per cent of members, the findings have been life-changing, according to Hermann, uncovering serious conditions such as blocked arteries, gastrointestinal tumours, early-stage cancers and congenital brain abnormalities.
'Our target audience is that 40-to-60 age range, people that want to have peace of mind and a clinician that they can really trust ... Just average Australians who are conscious about being on top of their health.'
The company has raised $15 million to expand internationally and get a leg-up in the arms race.
'We are seeing a major shift,' Everlab investor Laura Sillam, principal at New York-based Left Lane Capital, said. 'From concierge clinics to diagnostics memberships and longevity programs, consumers are increasingly willing to invest out-of-pocket in proactive health solutions. This trend extends far beyond early adopters, biohackers or the so-called 'Huberman crowd' in coastal US cities.
'Demand is surging globally, with consumers showing a clear willingness to pay for superior healthcare experiences that prioritise personalisation and quality. We believe this shift isn't just a trend ... It's the future of healthcare.'
'The last health app you need'
Everlab is far from the only local start-up attempting to corner the market. Sydney-based firm Bright is building the 'super app for health' and is courting US investors including venture capital giant Sequoia. Its app is far cheaper than rivals – just $20 a month, not hundreds or thousands – and is targeting 1 million users by the end of 2026.
'Our vision is to be the last health app you need,' the company's pitch deck to investors reads. 'We are building a $20 billion business in two years. One billion people use health apps today. Bright is ready to replace them all.'
Those are bold claims and, so far, the company has racked up 6000 paying subscribers for its app, which pulls in health data from a user's Apple Watch or Garmin fitness tracker to create a full picture of health and then offer AI-generated insights and recommendations.
Chief executive Bryan Jordan says building Bright from Australia has brought challenges, particularly given the limited financial capital on offer locally.
'We don't think the full picture of health should be reserved for the tech crowd. We're building Bright for everyone because everyone deserves to see their full picture.'
Then there's Superpower. Arguably the hottest app in its class globally, its founding team in San Francisco have pulled in tens of millions in funding from Silicon Valley venture capital firms as well as celebrities Vanessa Hudgens, Steve Aoki, Logan Paul and NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
For $US499 a year, the 'super app' offers a 24/7 concierge, and biannual lab testing that analyses more than 100 blood biomarkers across 21 categories, which executives say is 10 times more comprehensive than a standard physical. Tests take 10 minutes and are completed twice a year either at home or at one of 2000 partner labs across the US.
Co-founder Max Marchione is a former student at St Aloysius College in Sydney's Milsons Point. A third of the app's 80 or so staff are Australians. 'The current healthcare system currently leaves most people visiting primary care doctors on a reactive basis after a problem arises, not before,' he says. 'We are on a mission to rescue 100 million people from the limits of traditional reactive care.'
Others are taking a more extreme approach.
Snake oil
Bryan Johnson is a US-based millionaire who doesn't just want to live for 100 years, or even 150. Johnson wants to live forever.
The subject of a recent Netflix documentary, Johnson has launched the Blueprint project which has a simple end goal: 'Don't die.' Johnson has spent $US4 million to date on obtaining immortality and calls himself 'the world's most measured man'. At one point he transferred blood plasma from his 18-year-old son – and gave some of his own to his 70-year-old father – but stopped after it didn't produce positive results.
As The Guardian puts it: 'He rises at 4.30am, eats all his meals before 11am, and goes to bed – alone – at 8.30pm, without exception. In the intervening hours, he ingests more than 100 pills, bathes his body in LED light, and sits on a high-intensity electromagnetic device that he believes will strengthen his pelvic floor.'
On his Blueprint website Johnson sells a range of supplements and pills, and even a bottle of olive oil called 'snake oil'.
Closer to home, multimillionaire property developer Tim Gurner has made headlines for his radical biohacking regime. His Melbourne-based longevity club Saint Haven spruiks a $250,000 annual package offering annual full-body MRI, brain scans and monthly blood testing.
'Anything that is out there that's a biohacking or testing thing, I've done it,' he told Forbes Australia. 'From micro-dosing mushrooms to infrared saunas to steam to [smart ring] Oura, lymphatic drainage. Everything. I want to try everything and see what works for me.'
Millionaires can afford to try anything. But can everyday Australians benefit from these contentious innovations?
Professor Luigi Fontana from the University of Sydney, a world expert in longevity, says there's legitimacy in apps such as Everlab and Superpower. But he's also concerned the hype may be getting ahead of the science.
'These platforms have real potential to empower users with insights that complement – not replace – traditional healthcare, especially when integrated with regular check-ups and foundational habits like structured exercise programs, sleep and healthy nutrition,' he says.
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'But the promise only holds if the science is sound and the interventions are grounded in the best clinical evidence, not hype.'
Hermann, chief executive of Everlab, says he thinks most Australians should want to sign up to his app. 'We don't want to build a luxury for service for the top 1 per cent,' he says. 'We think this is something that can help most people. Being data-driven is the solution to better care.
'We don't think it makes sense to run an MRI scan on every 18-year-old. We just believe that, if you have a certain set of risks, the potential upsides are way bigger than the downsides.'
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