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In this episode of Longevity by Design, host Dr. Gil Blander sits down with Dr. Andrea Maier, Professor in Medicine and Director of the NUS Academy for Healthy Longevity at the National University of Singapore’s School of Medicine. They explore what the evidence shows on supplements, and why “test, then treat” beats guesswork.
Andrea unpacks a review of over 5 million people: multivitamins may support memory and lower systolic blood pressure in some older or at-risk groups, but offer little for healthy adults. She also reports lab audits of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) and urolithin A, where many products fell short of the label.
She then sorts buzzworthy compounds like alpha-ketoglutarate, spermidine, curcumin, and melatonin by mechanism, trial quality, and fit. Her rule stays simple: measure what you can, match the dose to the need, and track outcomes with walking speed, grip strength, steps, and wearable sleep data over time, not once.
Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Dr. Andrea Maier
💡 What she does: Professor in Medicine, Healthy Ageing and Dementia Research, and Director of the NUS Academy for Healthy Longevity
💡 Company: the National University of Singapore’s School of Medicine
💡 Noteworthy: She runs human trials on supplements and aging, audits label accuracy in the lab, and pushes a “measure first” approach using biomarkers, wearables, and simple strength tests.
💡 Where to find her: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreamaierprof
💡 Guest Company Website: https://discovery.nus.edu.sg/19564-andrea-britta-maier
Episode highlights:
[00:00:00]: Introduction
[00:01:02]: Overview of Evidence-Based Clinical Practice
[00:02:16]: Multivitamins and Minerals: Usage and Population Trends
[00:04:08]: Systematic Review Findings on Multivitamins and Cognitive Health
[00:05:44]: Who Benefits Most from Multivitamin Supplementation
[00:06:57]: Personalized Nutrition and the Case for Targeted Supplementation
[00:08:21]: Ongoing Clinical Trials on Multivitamins and Biological Age
[00:09:19]: Supplement Quality: Label Claims Versus Actual Content
[00:12:14]: Navigating Supplement Quality and Consumer Guidance
[00:14:53]: Novel Longevity Compounds: Alpha-Ketoglutarate
[00:17:47]: Alpha-Ketoglutarate: Human Evidence and Population Focus
[00:18:29]: Spermidine: Dietary Sources and Human Evidence
[00:21:25]: Curcumin: Mechanisms, Evidence, and Target Populations
[00:24:54]: Evaluating Supplements for Clinical Use
[00:27:08]: Scientific Approach to Supplement Research
[00:29:26]: The Role of Independent Research in Supplement Evaluation
[00:32:37]: Melatonin: Sleep, Jet Lag, and Circadian Rhythm
[00:37:25]: Practical Melatonin Use for Travel and Sleep Optimization
[00:41:05]: Digital Biomarkers: Definition and Emerging Role
[00:45:54]: Integrating Digital Biomarkers into Healthcare Practice
[00:49:05]: Physical Function Tests: Grip Strength and Sit-to-Stand
[00:59:48]: NAD Precursors: NMN, NR, and Human Trials
[01:05:23]: NAD Testing: Current Landscape and Future Directions
[01:07:24]: Final Takeaways and Closing Remarks
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