The Science

Introducing: The Metrics That’ll Determine How Long (& Well) You’ll Live

At Your Last Decade, we focus on measurable health indicators that have been scientifically linked to increased lifespan and improved healthspan . By targeting these areas, we aim to empower you with actionable strategies to enhance your longevity.

All our recommendations and proposed actions come from hard, scientific data that show if we improve upon a handful of key metrics, statistically we can increase the chance of lengthening your life, and improving its quality.

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VO2 MAX

VO₂ max — your maximal oxygen uptake — is one of the most important markers we assess. It’s more than a fitness metric; it’s a powerful predictor of mortality and overall resilience.

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BLOOD BIOMARKERS

Your blood tells a story long before symptoms appear. It can reveal early signs of metabolic dysfunction, cardiovascular risk, systemic inflammation, and organ stress.

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THIGH STRENGTH

Thigh strength helps prevent injury by stabilising joints and absorbing load. It's one of the most important determinants of whether you remain active & engaged with life as you age.

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GRIP STRENGTH

Grip strength is simple yet powerful proxy for overall muscular strength. Research shows grip strength is strongly associated with mobility, independence, and even survival.

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Balance & Stability

Balance & stability affect your ability to control your body in space. Stabilising joints and coordinating movement is fundamental to long-term functional health.

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THIGH STRENGTH

Thigh strength helps prevent injury by stabilising joints and absorbing load. It's one of the most important determinants of whether you remain active & engaged with life as you age.

The Science

Introducing: The Metrics That’ll Determine How Long (& Well) You’ll Live

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VO₂ Max

VO₂ max — your maximal oxygen uptake — is one of the most important markers we assess. It’s more than a fitness metric; it’s a powerful predictor of mortality and overall resilience.

VO₂ max reflects the efficiency of your heart, lungs, blood vessels, and muscles working together to deliver and use oxygen during physical activity. In other words, it tells us how well your body handles stress and effort, which is central to both healthspan and lifespan.

VO₂ Max and Mortality Risk

One of the most striking findings in longevity science is the relationship between VO₂ max and all-cause mortality. A major 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that cardiorespiratory fitness is inversely associated with mortality — meaning the higher your VO₂ max, the lower your risk of death from all causes.
Specifically:

How We Assess and Improve It

We offer direct VO₂ max testing or validated submaximal equivalents depending on your needs. We then tailor a cardiovascular training plan to your current level and goals — from low-intensity zone 2 work to more advanced interval training when appropriate.

Key components of your VO₂ optimisation plan may include:

Why It Matters

Improving your VO₂ max doesn’t just reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. It improves mitochondrial function, metabolic health, brain function, and more. It makes everyday activities easier — and it builds a reserve of resilience your body can draw on when it needs it most, whether that’s fighting off illness or recovering from surgery.

In short: VO₂ max is one of the most modifiable and meaningful predictors of your future health. And it’s something we can absolutely improve — at any age.

“View health as an investment, not an expense” – John Quelch

Blood Biomarkers

Your blood tells a story long before symptoms appear—silent but measurable signals that reveal early signs of metabolic dysfunction, cardiovascular risk, systemic inflammation, and organ stress.

We focus on the biomarkers (shown below) that give the most insight with the least complexity and create interventions to move things in the right direction, before they become a problem.

Why Blood Markers Matter

Early Warning System

Detect changes before symptoms arise

Predictive Power

Identify risk for heart disease, diabetes, dementia

Actionable Insight

Inform interventions for maximal impact.

Key Biomarkers

FULL BLOOD COUNT

Your baseline

Understanding the actual blood lets us know about your immune system, oxygen carrying capacity, ability to clot and heal.

KIDNEY FUNCTION

Your ability to clear your system

Your kidneys filter the blood and early kidney disease can have huge long-term impacts on your other organs.

LIVER FUNCTION

Your most versatile organ

An incredibly important organ involved in some of the most vital roles in your body from metabolic function to immune response. Hidden liver disease is common but fortunately can be reversed with targeted management.

HBA1c

Your chronic glucose control

A look at your last 3 months of glucose control in your body, this can be a signal for early metabolic diseases as well as a measure of effectiveness of management.

THYROID FUNCTION

Your main metabolic hormone

A major hormone releasing gland that affects both your metabolic function but also how you feel day to day.

ADVANCED HORMONE PANEL

Your complex feedback system

We measure a wide variety of hormones including the “reproductive hormones” like testosterone and oestradiol as well as those involving the stress response, such as cortisol. With this information we can implement specific interventions that affect how you feel today as well your future health risks.

ADVANCED CHOLOESTEROLS

Your long-term cardiovascular risk

Markers such as your Apolipoprotein B and Lipoprotein (a) are becoming novel sources of treatment and much more important in your future risk of heart disease than the traditionally thought of “good and bad” cholesterol.

MICRONUTRIENTS & ELECTROLYTES

Your tiny regulators

Deficiency in any of these key nutrients is common in modern diets and lifestyles and has a huge impact on other systems. Magnesium, Vitamin D and Zinc are commonly low and impact the immune, cardiovascular and cognitive function.

C-REACTIVE PROTEIN

Your inflammation marker

Chronic inflammation from any source is a stress on your body and can contribute to long-term increased cardiovascular risk.

HOMOCYSTEINE

Your heart disease Amino Acid

Elevated levels of this amino acid can cause blood vessel damage and can be a signal for other deficiencies.

“View health as an investment, not an expense” – John Quelch

Thigh Strength

Thigh strength is one of the cornerstones of both current performance and long-term independence. Strong quadriceps and surrounding muscles support nearly every movement we make — from walking, climbing stairs, and standing up, to running, lifting, and maintaining balance. In the short term, thigh strength helps prevent injury by stabilising joints and absorbing load. Over the long term, it is one of the most important determinants of whether you remain active, independent, and engaged with life as you age.

Thigh Strength, Independence, and Aging

Loss of thigh strength is strongly associated with reduced mobility, frailty, and loss of independence. Research shows that when leg strength declines, people are less likely to leave the house, engage socially, or pursue hobbies – changes that can accelerate both physical and psychological decline. The ability to rise from a chair without assistance, walk at pace, or catch yourself after a stumble are all directly tied to thigh strength. Preserving this capacity means preserving freedom, confidence, and quality of life well into older age.

How We Assess and Improve It

We assess thigh strength through validated physical tests, including sit-to-stand performance, functional movement screens, and force measurements. Based on your baseline, we design a targeted program that combines resistance training, functional strength work, and balance drills to build and maintain lower body power. Regular reassessment ensures your progress is tracked and your plan adapts as your capacity grows.

Why It Matters

Improving thigh strength protects joints, reduces fall risk, enhances athletic performance, and supports cardiovascular health through greater daily activity. Just as importantly, it helps safeguard independence and social engagement as you age — key factors for both physical health and mental wellbeing.

In short: thigh strength is a powerful predictor of how well you’ll live, not just how long. And with the right training, it can be strengthened and preserved at every stage of life.

“View health as an investment, not an expense” – John Quelch

Grip Strength

Grip strength is far more than a measure of hand function. It’s a simple yet powerful proxy for overall muscular strength and biological resilience. Research consistently shows that grip strength is strongly associated with mobility, independence, and even survival.

Grip strength reflects the integrated health of your muscles, nervous system, and connective tissues. It serves as an accessible marker of how well your body can generate and sustain force — a fundamental capacity for healthy aging. From carrying groceries to preventing falls, grip strength underpins the ability to live independently and actively.

Grip Strength and Mortality Risk

Large-scale studies have identified grip strength as a predictor of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and even cognitive decline. In fact, a 2015 Lancet study found that reduced grip strength was more strongly linked to mortality risk than systolic blood pressure. This makes it one of the most clinically relevant, low-cost indicators of long-term health.

How We Assess and Improve It

We measure grip strength with validated dynamometry to establish your baseline. From there, we integrate targeted strength training into your program, focusing on compound lifts, resistance work, and functional movements that improve not only grip but also whole-body strength. Regular reassessment allows us to track your progress and fine-tune your plan.

Why It Matters

Improving grip strength isn’t just about your hands — it’s about maintaining autonomy, reducing fall risk, enhancing cardiovascular health, and supporting brain function. Stronger grip translates into stronger aging, giving you the ability to stay active, resilient, and independent well into later life.

In short: grip strength is one of the simplest, most revealing metrics of your current and future health. And with the right training, it’s highly improvable at any stage of life.
“A strong grip is a strong predictor of a long, independent life.”

Medical Assessment

Preparing for your healthiest decades ahead starts with understanding where you are today.

During your personalised consultation, we’ll explore your family history, genetic and lifestyle risk factors, and areas of wellbeing that can be optimised to help you feel healthier now and in the future.

This is combined with a comprehensive physical examination, giving us a clear baseline from which your journey with us begins.

We’ll then bring together your assessment results, biomarkers, and other data points to create a personalised health plan.

This plan is always collaborative: together we’ll decide on the strategies that best fit your goals — from lifestyle and wellbeing changes to supplements and prescribed medications.

“A strong grip is a strong predictor of a long, independent life.” – Duncan Rock, Physiotherapist

“View health as an investment, not an expense” – John Quelch

Balance & Stability

Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and death in older adults, particularly in frail populations. But balance and stability aren’t just about preventing falls in old age—they’re essential throughout life. Maintaining these capacities now helps preserve mobility, joint health, and overall physical independence as you age.

Strong, stable, and balanced joints reduce the risk of acute injuries and chronic degeneration. When your muscles can control your joints effectively, and your nervous system can keep you upright and coordinated, everyday tasks – carrying groceries, climbing stairs, or even getting out of a chair – become safer and more efficient

The Mobility Connection

Mobility doesn’t mean extreme flexibility or contortion-level limberness. True functional mobility comes from the combination of:

Strength

The ability to control joints through their full range of motion.

Stability

Solid joint support so movements are controlled and safe.

Balance

Neuromuscular control to keep the body upright and coordinated.

Together, these qualities enable smooth, pain-free movement, reduce wear-and-tear on tissues, and preserve independence over decades. In short, a body that is strong, stable, and balanced is a body that moves well – today and for years to come.

How We Support Balance & Stability

We assess functional stability and balance across key joints and movement patterns, then prescribe targeted interventions to strengthen and stabilise those areas. Exercises may include:

Core and joint stabilisation drills
Dynamic balance training
Functional strength movements that reinforce safe, coordinated motion

Why It Matters

Investing in balance and stability isn’t just about performance – it’s about longevity. A stable, strong, and coordinated body protects you from injury now, maintains your mobility through middle age, and dramatically lowers your risk of falls and fractures later in life. In other words, these often-overlooked capacities are some of the most powerful tools for preserving a healthy, functional, and resilient body over the long term.

“View health as an investment, not an expense” – John Quelch