Andropause
Andropause is an informal term for age-associated hormonal and symptomatic changes in some men, often discussed in relation to testosterone.
Glossary
Plain-language explanations of the tests, measures, therapies, and concepts used in longevity medicine.
A
B
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy refers to the clinical use of hormones that are chemically identical to hormones produced in the human body.
Biological Age
Biological age is an umbrella term for estimates intended to summarize how age-associated features compare with a reference population.
Biomarker
A biomarker is a measurable biological characteristic used to describe a normal process, a health-related process, or a response to an exposure.
Biomechanical Assessment
A biomechanical assessment is a structured observation and measurement of how forces, joints, and body segments interact during movement or posture.
Body Composition
Body composition describes the relative amounts and distribution of fat mass, lean soft tissue, and bone mineral in the body.
Bone Mineral Density
Bone mineral density is a measurement of mineral content projected over a defined area of bone, commonly obtained with DEXA.
C
Cellular Senescence
Cellular senescence is a state in which a cell remains metabolically active but has entered a durable pause in division.
Circadian Rhythm
A circadian rhythm is an approximately twenty-four-hour biological pattern coordinated by internal clocks and synchronized by cues such as light and darkness.
Cold Water Immersion
Cold water immersion is partial or full-body exposure to water below typical skin temperature, often called a cold plunge in wellness settings.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Continuous glucose monitoring is a method of estimating glucose levels throughout the day and night with a small sensor worn on the body.
Coronary Artery Calcium Score
A coronary artery calcium score is a number derived from a CT scan that estimates the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries.
Cortisol
Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex that participates in metabolism, immune signalling, blood-pressure regulation, and the stress response.
Cryolipolysis
Cryolipolysis is a non-surgical aesthetic procedure that applies controlled cooling to a selected area of subcutaneous fat.
D
DEXA Scan
A DEXA scan is a low-dose X-ray assessment used to estimate bone mineral density and, with suitable software, body composition.
DHEA
DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, is a steroid hormone made mainly by the adrenal glands and used as a precursor for other hormones.
DNA Methylation
DNA methylation is a chemical marking process in which methyl groups are added to DNA, often influencing how genomic regions are regulated.
Dysbiosis
Dysbiosis is a broad descriptive term for a microbial community pattern considered disrupted relative to a chosen reference or functional context.
E
Epigenetic Age
Epigenetic age is a model-derived estimate that uses patterns such as DNA methylation to summarize age-associated molecular variation.
Estradiol
Estradiol is a steroid hormone and the predominant form of estrogen during much of the reproductive years.
F
Fasting Insulin
Fasting insulin is the concentration of insulin measured in blood after a defined period without caloric intake.
Free Testosterone
Free testosterone is the small fraction of circulating testosterone that is not bound to sex hormone binding globulin or albumin.
G
Gait Analysis
Gait analysis is the systematic observation or measurement of walking or running patterns across time, distance, joint motion, and force.
Genomic Testing
Genomic testing examines selected parts or broad portions of a person's DNA to identify sequence variants and other genomic features.
Glutathione
Glutathione is a small molecule made from three amino acids that participates in cellular redox balance and chemical processing.
Gut Microbiome
The gut microbiome is the collective genetic material and ecological activity of microorganisms living in the gastrointestinal tract.
H
Hallmarks of Aging
The hallmarks of aging are a scientific framework that groups interconnected biological processes associated with changes observed during ageing.
HbA1c
HbA1c is the proportion of haemoglobin with glucose attached, used as an integrated marker of recent blood-glucose exposure.
Healthspan
Healthspan is the portion of a person's life spent with a desired level of health, function, and independence.
Heart Rate Variability
Heart rate variability is the variation in time between consecutive heartbeats rather than the number of beats per minute.
HOMA-IR
HOMA-IR is a calculated index that uses fasting glucose and fasting insulin as a model-based estimate related to insulin resistance.
hs-CRP
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, or hs-CRP, is a blood measurement capable of detecting relatively low concentrations of an inflammation-associated protein.
I
Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance describes reduced responsiveness of cells or tissues to a given insulin signal, with effects that vary across organs and metabolic pathways.
Intravenous Therapy
Intravenous therapy is the administration of fluid or a substance directly into a vein through a sterile catheter.
L
Lactate Threshold
Lactate threshold is an exercise-intensity boundary around which blood lactate begins to accumulate faster than the body can clear or reuse it.
Lipoprotein(a)
Lipoprotein(a), abbreviated Lp(a), is an ApoB-containing lipoprotein particle with an additional apolipoprotein(a) component attached.
Longevity Medicine
Longevity medicine is an emerging clinical label for care organized around long-term health, function, risk assessment, and ageing-related change.
M
Menopause
Menopause is the life stage marked by the permanent end of menstrual periods because ovarian follicular activity has ceased.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a clinical clustering concept based on several measured features related to glucose regulation, blood pressure, lipids, and central adiposity.
Mitochondrial Function
Mitochondrial function describes the activities of mitochondria in energy conversion, cellular signalling, metabolism, and regulation of cell survival.
N
NAD+
NAD+ is the oxidized form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a coenzyme that transfers electrons and supports many cellular reactions.
Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is a regulated or unregulated healthcare field, depending on jurisdiction, that uses a broad mix of lifestyle, nutritional, physical, and other approaches.
P
Peptide Therapy
Peptide therapy is a broad label for the medical use of short chains of amino acids that act as signalling molecules or have other biological functions.
Perimenopause
Perimenopause is the transition leading up to menopause, during which menstrual patterns and ovarian hormone production can become more variable.
Pharmacogenomics
Pharmacogenomics examines how inherited genetic variation may relate to differences in medication processing, transport, targets, or response.
Photobiomodulation
Photobiomodulation is the use of non-ionizing red or near-infrared light to influence biological processes in exposed tissue.
Platelet-Rich Fibrin
Platelet-rich fibrin is an autologous blood preparation in which platelets and other cells are held within a fibrin matrix.
Platelet-Rich Plasma
Platelet-rich plasma is a preparation made from a person's own blood in which platelets are concentrated within a portion of plasma.
Precision Medicine
Precision medicine is an approach that uses individual clinical, biological, environmental, and lifestyle information to refine healthcare decisions.
Progesterone
Progesterone is a steroid hormone involved in the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and signalling in several body tissues.
S
Sarcopenia
Sarcopenia is a clinical condition characterized by low muscle strength together with reduced muscle quantity or quality, often associated with ageing.
Sauna Therapy
Sauna therapy is planned exposure to a heated environment, usually for a limited period followed by cooling and rehydration.
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin
Sex hormone binding globulin is a liver-produced protein that carries testosterone and estradiol in the bloodstream.
Short-Chain Fatty Acids
Short-chain fatty acids are small fatty acids, including acetate, propionate, and butyrate, produced through microbial and host metabolic processes.
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism
A single nucleotide polymorphism is a common DNA-sequence variation at one nucleotide position within a population.
Sleep Architecture
Sleep architecture is the organization and cycling of non-REM and REM sleep stages across a sleep period.
Spirometry
Spirometry is a breathing test that measures how much air a person can move and how quickly it can be exhaled.
T
Telomere
A telomere is a repeated DNA-protein structure at the end of a chromosome that helps maintain chromosome-end integrity.
Testosterone
Testosterone is a steroid hormone involved in reproductive function, sexual development, bone, muscle, blood-cell production, and other body processes.
V
Visceral Adipose Tissue
Visceral adipose tissue is fat stored within the abdominal cavity around internal organs, distinct from fat beneath the skin.
VO2 Max
VO2 max is the highest rate at which the body can take in, transport, and use oxygen during progressively harder exercise.
Z
Zone 2 Training
Zone 2 training is a label commonly used for steady aerobic work performed below a person's higher-intensity transition points.