This Startup Believes Longevity is at our Fingertips
Inc. Arabia speaks to Leia Baldwin, co-founder and COO of Fivescore Labs, on how her company is looking to pioneer longevity supplements in MENA.
For thousands of years, humans have obsessed over the elixir of life--that secret formula that will allow them everlasting youth. A common theme that has inspired everything from myths and novels to films and video games--not to mention outlandish experiments by emperors and rulers of yore--the desire to capture eternal youth has forever been an obsession of the human race.
That’s not quite what the founders behind Fivescore Labs had in mind when they built their startup in 2022--although one of their founders has said that he looks forward to living the ripe old age of 120.
Fivescore Labs, which means 100 years in Elizabethan English (a score being Shakespearean for 20 years), aims to help its customers achieve longevity--though not of the fabled kind. Through its homegrown supplements and lifestyle regimens, it claims to help people live healthier lives, for longer.
Co-founded by lifelong friends Ali Tariq, Hani Halabi, Leia Baldwin, and Yazan AlAbed, Fivescore Labs makes supplements to help customers improve lifespan and healthspan, when combined with a healthy lifestyle.
The founders, who include Ivy League-trained scientists, saw a niche for longevity supplements in a region that is still relatively young, but increasingly health-conscious.
Although it is based in the UAE, the company, which caters to customers across Europe and the Middle East, is eyeing global growth.
“Our long-term objective is to become a leading trusted resource on matters related to healthy aging, with a focus on adopting a holistic plan encompassing exercise, diet, and sleep hygiene alongside evidence-informed supplementation,” Leia Baldwin, co-founder and COO of Fivescore Labs, tells Inc. Arabia.
“These are unprecedented times for the science of human longevity, and we are thrilled by what the future holds for us all,” she adds.
What are Longevity Supplements?
Longevity supplements are a class of dietary supplements that aim to enhance lifespan and reduce aging symptoms in general.
“It's important to note that the effectiveness and safety of these supplements can vary, and research in the field of longevity and anti-aging is ongoing. A balanced nutritional diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, effective stress management, and social engagement form the basis for a longer, healthier life,” says Baldwin.
She stresses that other factors, like mental, emotional, and social well-being, are key to longevity, and that they should be included as a “critical component of wellness programs.”
So what do longevity supplements do?
Some supplements can slow down aging by reducing chronic inflammation, enhancing cellular health, supporting energy metabolism, and helping to repair cells. Others reduce the risk of heart disease and support brain health and cognitive function. This includes targeting inflammation in the body, preventing osteoporosis, and helping diabetics regulate blood sugar levels.
Rising Health Awareness
Baldwin tells us that interest in healthy aging typically starts at 40, which is when most people begin to reconsider their lifestyle choices and their impact on aging goals.
“In 2016 only 1% of the UAE population was aged 60 and older, but by 2050 this number is expected to reach 16%, highlighting the need for greater awareness around healthy aging and the impact on long-term economic output and productivity,” says Baldwin. And while it’s difficult to gauge the size of the longevity market in the GCC, it is quickly evolving as life expectancy rises, she adds.
“We believe that this rapidly growing sphere will be the most advanced ever, overlapping with numerous other sectors--from biotech and pharmaceuticals to fintech and insurtech.”
Baldwin explains that the UAE and MENA at large offer unique opportunities, partly because increasing rates of lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes and obesity are on the rise, increasing demand for preventive healthcare solutions.
Because the population is young and tech-savvy, there is an opportunity to create more awareness around wellness with digital health solutions, including fitness apps, telehealth services, and wearable tech.
Baldwin notes that interest in longevity is not just skin deep, although the obsession with youth, body image issues, and an undue emphasis on weight loss remain challenges in health awareness. For her, by creating a community around health and wellness and celebrating aging, people can live longer and healthier lives.
