The Impact of AI on Aging, Healthspan and Lifespan

Written by: Dr Tim Trodd (Functional Medicine)

Modern medicine is very effective at detecting and treating disease. When I qualified 45 years ago coronary artery disease presented with a coronary event (angina or a heart attack) that was fatal or, if the patient survived, required bypass surgery, a huge operation. Now CT Angiogram is readily available, and stenting is now a routine almost minor procedure. Until recently AIDS was invariably fatal but now with effective antiviral treatments HIV hardly shortens lifespan. For some previously fatal cancers biologicals and gene analysis have been a breakthrough, there is a chance of cure. Metabolic disease, such as obesity and diabetes now have an array of treatments that can manage and sometimes even reverse these problems. The liquid biopsy MCES tests, such Lucence Insight, will revolutionize screening for cancer

More and more people who have access to modern medicine (it is expensive) will grow old and require some form of assisted living or care. Our goal has to be to delay loss of function and to extend our healthspan, enjoy our lives, be healthy, productive and delay the need for assistance as far as possible. It is the life in your years and the years in your life.

Doctors are taught to practice medicine in a linear and programmed fashion. Symptom, history, investigation, diagnosis, treatment (which is nearly always a drug). The period of time to follow up and reassessment is often measured in months.

However, humans and diseases are not linear but massively complex, constantly changing and patients often have more than one problem at a time. The linear approach cannot possibly yield the best outcomes. AI will almost instantly be able to scan all options and possibilities for a given set of data and the program be constantly updated with any new data.

Going forward the patient will be at the centre of the team. The doctor will provide medical services and monitoring. Consider a patient starting a health program who is stressed, unfit and overweight. They may need management of their medical conditions such as blood pressure, perhaps a weight loss drug such as a GLP1 agonist, regular input from a Health Coach, Nutritionist and an exercise program from a Physical Trainer. In addition, their doctor will need to monitor progress which may be standardized test of strength and fitness and a measure of body composition such as DEXA.

Data from wearables, CGM, blood tests of physical abilities will be pooled and analyzed by AI. The outcome is a program with no set protocol, everybody has an individual program, aided by AI, and regularly updated.

This change is happening now, and healthcare organizations and the medical profession are going to need to adapt to this change, and provide appropriate services to AI enabled patients and clients.