Peptides, Performance & Personalized Health: The Future of Longevity Medicine with Myles Spar, MD

Longevity medicine is having a moment—but what actually works? In this episode of "Next Level Health," Dr. Melinda Ring sits down with Dr. Myles Spar to cut through the hype around peptides, wearables, and "biohacking," and focus on what truly improves healthspan. From personalized data to foundational habits, this conversation brings clarity to a rapidly evolving space. https://youtu.be/c_q601V1whc 00:00 – The Problem with Longevity Influencers TikTok trends, unverified "experts," and the dangers of self-experimentation 00:00:57 – What Is Longevity Medicine, Really? Why the field is booming—and what's driving the hype 00:02:29 – Why This Moment Feels Different From integrative medicine to mainstream understanding 00:05:29 – Longevity vs. Anti-Aging vs. Biohacking Why language—and intention—matters 00:08:36 – Why Health Advice Feels So Confusing Zone 2 vs. HIIT, keto vs. balance—what actually works? 00:11:20 – Wearables, Data & Health Anxiety When tracking helps—and when it backfires 00:15:55 – Are Advanced Tests Worth It? Biomarkers, personalization, and the need for interpretation 00:20:13 – The "Big Five" That Actually Drive Longevity Why sleep, nutrition, movement, brain health, and purpose still win 00:23:33 – Real Patient Transformations How personalized care moves the needle—even for high performers 00:25:24 – Men, Women & Longevity Trends Who's engaging—and why the landscape is shifting 00:29:54 – Peptides, NAD, Stem Cells: What's Legit? Separating promising science from expensive hype 00:33:54 – How Peptides Actually Work Supporting the body vs. replacing its systems 00:35:12 – Can Longevity Medicine Be Accessible? The future of scalable, equitable health optimization 00:37:41 – One Simple Habit for Better Healthspan A practical takeaway anyone can start today Catch full episodes of Next Level Health with Dr. Melinda Ring here on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@OCIHNorthwestern/podcasts 📺   Listen to Next Level Health with Dr. Melinda Ring on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-level-health-with-dr-melinda-ring/id1769262080 or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.   — Subscribe to the channel here:  https://www.youtube.com/@OCIHNorthwestern?sub_confirmation=1 — Follow the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Northwestern University here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nmoshercenter/   Website: https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/ocih/index.html — Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/ocih/about-us/newsletter.html