Some wealthy Americans are spending up to $250,000 a year on longevity care. Here's what doctors say about the practice

Former model turned entrepreneur Kate Tolo recently made news after revealing publicly that she is following in her boyfriend, Bryan Johnson's biohacking footsteps. Johnson, who claims to be age 49 and celebrates his birthday every 19 months, is renowned for his longevity aspirations. The venture capitalist, who popularized the philosophy "Don't Die," has received plasma infusions from his teenage son and donated his own plasma to his father in his pursuit of living longer. For her part, Tolo, who dubs herself: "the most measured woman," says she's tracking her cortisol levels daily, as well as collecting samples of her blood, urine and stool. "I'm doing this for women," Tolo told Wired earlier this month. They have plenty of company. Wealthy individuals are routinely fueling the growth of longevity clinics, oftentimes spending tens of thousands of dollars a year on memberships that boast access to full-body MRIs and personalized therapies and testing, under the care of longevity doctors. The goal: optimizing their health, often to extend their lives. You may be wondering whether you should similarly spend thousands in the name of leading a healthier, more successful life. Living a longer life without disease is a perfectly reasonable desire, after all. But the answer to this particular question is nuanced, and as with many modern conventions, comes down to convenience and personal need. Here's what some physicians and industry experts advise. As always, consult with a physician who is familiar with your needs before making any major changes that can affect your health. What longevity clinics offer Longevity doctors — typically medical practitioners working to help people lead healthier, longer lives — can tell you a lot about how your body is holding up over time. A typical first session at a longevity clinic might involve blood and metabolic testing, as well as VO2 max testing to determine your fitness level and "biological age" testing, which is sometimes called the "credit score for the body." There are approximately 800 longevity clinics in the U.S., according to an estimate from the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine in June 2024. Clinics typically test patients' biomarkers of aging — like inflammation levels, immune system health and cognitive ability — and their doctors often recommend personalized practices, therapies, supplements and nutrition guidance based on the results. Some longevity tests and treatments are based on emerging science, and people may be spending big despite not having conclusive evidence that multi-thousand-dollar treatments can help them live longer, says Dr. Andrea Maier, director of the National University of Singapore Academy for Healthy Longevity and founder of Singapore-based Chi Longevity, a longevity medicine clinic. "There's really no biology behind [the IV drips]," Maier says, referring to NAD+ IV drips, which are popular because the coenzyme, NAD+, is vital for metabolism and naturally decreases with age. Intravenous "drips" — for supplements ranging from multivitamins to minerals like magnesium — can cost $150 to $1,000 per session, according to some clinics' websites. Neil Paulvin, a New York City-based longevity and regenerative medicine doctor, agrees. There's not enough research to support the idea that NAD+ IV drips can infuse the coenzyme into the human body at a cellular level, Paulvin told CNBC Make It last March. Some clinics may also offer full-body MRIs, which scan for any abnormalities from cancerous tumors to evidence of stroke. While those head-to-toe scans — which can range from $1,000 to more than $3,000, according to price listings on some clinics' websites — purport to detect early signs of some diseases, they might also pull up non-threatening medical issues. When it comes to elective full-body MRIs, receiving the procedure without a medical need, "in many cases, they lead to downstream harm, even though you think you're helping the patient," says Matthew Davenport, a radiologist and executive vice chair in the department of radiology at the University of Michigan Medical School. "When you get an imaging test of your whole body and we find stuff, oftentimes it provokes additional actions," Davenport says. A follow-up "could be simple as a doctor's visit, or it could be lab tests, or more imaging tests, or an endoscopy... or a surgery to remove something." Naturally, these procedures may carry financial implications, he adds. What's more, the most common, research-backed recommendations for optimal health outcomes are the same tried-and-true advice people typically hear. Many longevity doctors suggest basic low-cost health tips — like exercising, spending quality time with loved ones and prioritizing whole-food first diets. The price of membership Memberships in clinics that offer concierge services for analyzing health data aren't cheap. Luxury fitness company Equinox Fitness Club's "Optimize" gym membership — which includes personal training, sleep coaching, a "health concierge" and costs $40,000 a year — has a waitlist of over 1,000 people, according to a company spokesperson. At Human Longevity, a clinic based in San Diego and San Francisco, annual memberships range from $8,000 to $19,000 a year for access to testing — such as brain and body MRIs — paired with an expert clinician review. In New York City, a longevity clinic, Extension Health, offers a "Superhuman" package at a price of $250,000 a year. The membership, which is invite-only, can include procedures like plasma exchange, which involves having your blood removed and separated from harmful substances like abnormal proteins before it is returned to the body. These clinics tend to be located in "wealth bubbles" like New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco where demand tends to be higher, says Patrick Dwyer, managing director at Miami-based boutique wealth management and planning company Aligned by NewEdge Wealth. Enough of his clients have asked him about longevity clinics that he's started scoping them out himself, so he can make informed recommendations, he adds. "The demand for doctors who do this stuff is going to be off the charts," says Dwyer, nodding to patients' budding interest in these concierge medical options. His clients are often the most interested in emerging therapeutics in the longevity space, likely because they've heard about the benefits from peers, he adds. The cost of services can depend on what your health insurance covers. Depending on a person's health insurance, the cost of blood tests may not be covered unless ordered by a doctor for medical reasons, such as concerning health symptoms. Insurance doesn't always cover requests for blood tests for metabolic health, hormonal health and inflammation without medical necessity, Maier says. Blood tests can range from $29 to more than $300 each, on average, depending on where they're administered and what you're testing. A single test at some longevity clinics can cost as much as $800, though it could include an analysis of your cellular health. Do you really need it? Between longevity clinics and more tangible wearable health tracking devices like Whoop straps or Oura Rings, the spectrum of wellness offerings is vast — and isn't expected to slow down. The global wellness market is on track to hit $9.8 trillion by 2029, up from $6.8 trillion in 2024, according to forecasts from the Global Wellness Institute, a Miami-based nonprofit that monitors wellness economy trends. Barring any scientifically dubious procedures, the real value of a longevity clinic comes from the peace of mind a patient gets from receiving a personalized recommendation and the thinking behind it, says Sanjiv Lal, CEO and co-founder of Regen Therapy, a Los Angeles-based business-to-business platform for regenerative and longevity medicine clinicians. The actual programs and therapeutics often sought by the wealthy "are not as expensive as what they're paying," Lal notes. Instead, high-cost clinics broadly exist to help clients skip the mental work of researching and testing what works best for them and make them feel like they're getting advice directly from the world's foremost experts, he says. When spending money on longevity interventions, invest in therapeutics with evidence to support their efficacy, Maier says. Before trying anything new that can drastically affect your health, determine if your body actually needs it through testing and working closely with a physician, she adds. "The most wasteful thing that we can do in this space is to try things without measuring them, and knowing what we're trying to do," Lal says. And even then, be prepared for the unexpected. Johnson, a longevity-maxxing advocate, announced in July that he was diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis, a chronic inflammatory condition where the immune system attacks the cells within the stomach lining. If financially investing in your personal health can fit within your budget — and you're unwilling to dive in headfirst to start — some smaller parts of the longevity clinic experience may be beneficial, says Maier. For instance, getting a blood test that indicates what your body is lacking and needs to supplement could be worth the investment if you can afford it, she says. A gut microbiome test could also help some people design their own diets, based on their levels of various vitamins and nutrients, Maier says. While you can get this kind of testing done at a longevity clinic, generally, at-home gut health tests can range from about $200 to $500 each. "Start with the basics," Maier says. "The best return of investment is actually there." — CNBC Make It's Megan Sauer contributed reporting.