Anti-aging: the “tomorrowland of health”

In my frantic ambition to stay young for ever (just kidding!), I came across an interesting article about the “longevity doctor” Mohammed Enayats who claims to have cut his biological age from 41 to 24, while plugging treatments at his Chelsea-based “futuristic health lounge HUM2N” Dr Enayat is said to be a “rockstar visionary” creating the “tomorrowland of health”. Of course, he lacks any published research into longevity, but he cites a decade of experience as a GP and specialisation in “functional” medicine, the rebranded term for so-called alternative medicine (SCAM).

For longer living – aka “biohacking” – HUM2N offers intravenous ozone therapy. The US Food and Drug Administration has warned against such treatment, saying there isn’t enough evidence that it’s either useful or safe. The journal Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine reported the case of a 36-year-old woman who was admitted to hospital in Australia suffering severe neurological complications shortly after being given IV ozone to “boost immunity”. On this blog, we discussed this treatment several times, e.g.:

• CAM-CANCER: a most valuable source of information
• “Dr” Patrick Vickers and “the world’s premier clinic for the treatment of cancer and advanced disease”

And in my book, I have an entire chapter on it which concludes: “Unless sound positive evidence emerges, the risk/benefit balance of ozone therapy for any condition fails to be positive.”

Furthermore, HUM2N also offers expensive hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which has real life-saving uses for rare situations, such as divers with decompression sickness, but is widely sold by alternative-health practitioners as a SCAM for anything from ADHD to hair loss, despite the risks of serious lung and ear injuries (see Eye 1647). On this blog, we have repeatedly discuused this treatment and its dangers, e.g.:

• Former chiropractor fined after death of MS patient receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• A 5-year old boy has been ‘incinerated’ in an oxygen chamber undergoing alternative treatment for ADHD
• “Dr” Patrick Vickers and “the world’s premier clinic for the treatment of cancer and advanced disease”

When asked about the scientific basis for such treatments, Dr Enayat sent a long list of articles and papers, mostly relating to experimental uses to treat specific health conditions rather than providing evidence of improving longevity. “We are transparent where evidence is emerging rather than conclusive,” he insisted.

Another cornerstone of HUM2N’s offerings is NAD+, a bodily coenzyme it describes as the “miracle molecule”. For £1,995, the treatment is claimed by HUM2N to improve IVF success rates – when asked for evidence of this, Dr Enayat cited a study into mice that itself cautions “highly limited” effects on humans with “numerous questions unanswered” and no human trials. He said NAD+ treatments were “clearly positioned as exploratory, not a proven disease-modifying therapy”.

Controversial skincare treatment intravenous glutathione is sold for £195 a pop. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute warned consumers earlier this year that the treatments are “not licensed for cosmetic use here and pose significant health risks”, frequently causing nasty side effects especially when administered intravenously, including kidney or liver damage and anaphylaxis. When challenged, Dr Enayat agreed that “strong clinical data” for benefits of this treatment “exist only in specific niches”. Dr David Gems, professor of biogerontology at University College London’s Institute of Healthy Ageing, described it as “surprising that a registered GP would be so relaxed about offering some of these quack treatments”. And Dr Michael Sagner of King’s College London’s ARK ageing research unit described any advertised “biohacking” as a red flag, with most treatments being useless and some dangerous.

So, what should we think about Dr Enayat’s “tomorrowland of health”?

I don’t know about you, but I get the feeling that staying well away from it might be the best chance to reach an right old age.