PARIS – François has no problem admitting that he has never been a great sportsman. But now nearing 60, he’s decided to change course — radically. A former general practitioner who became an executive in a number of major healthcare groups, he now claims to be “back in shape like [he was] at 25.” More energy, a leaner body, regular sleep.
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There is no miracle method, he assures us. Just a new way of looking at health, thanks to his discovering longevity medicine at his new job. For the past four years, he has been reading and dissecting scientific studies. And in just a few months, this doctor has methodically reversed his lifestyle habits. “I always thought I was doing the right thing, but a lot of misconceptions are collapsing in the face of new scientific evidence. I was always told that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. That was wrong. At least for me.”
He now practices intermittent fasting. He skips one or two meals a day — most often breakfast, as dinner with his family remains non-negotiable. He cycles for three to four hours a week, cuts down on sugars, and looks after his sleep by swearing off screens half an hour before bedtime. “I often stay at hotels: I always book a gym.” He takes supplements, tracks his data on a connected scale. His wife, initially skeptical, eventually started her own postmenopausal program. “We move forward together, each at our own pace. On the days when I slack, she’s the one who motivates me.”
In four years, François has lost a few kilos, gained more tone and, above all, established a routine. He doesn’t seek a spectacular transformation, but focuses on long-term commitment — a discipline he sees as an “active investment” in his health. “I don’t have any major concerns today. My aim is to preserve this state for as long as possible. Like managing an estate. To enjoy my children, my grandchildren and, if I’m lucky, my great-grandchildren.”
360° check-up
Like François, many people in their 60s want to take control of their health after the age of 55. The inspiration may come from a book — for him, a work by Dr. David Sinclair, picked up while browsing at the bookstore — a bad check-up, a bout of fatigue… or a more brutal awakening.
In the end, this check-up saved me
For Isabelle, 64, who responded to our call for testimonials, it all began last Christmas. Looking for a “useful” gift for her husband, she heard about 360° health check-ups, made enquiries and came across the proposal from the American Hospital of Paris. She booked two appointments: one for him, one for herself. After all, it couldn’t hurt — especially as she’d been suffering from persistent fatigue for several years.
Two days of tests later, the verdict was reassuring for her husband. For her, it was a different story. Severe sleep apnea, skyrocketing cholesterol, atherosclerotic plaques, hepatic steatosis (fatty liver), high cardiovascular risk… “I was having one apnea a minute. And everything went wrong from there: poor sleep, weight gain, metabolic blockage.”
She left the hospital with a sleeping aid, an injectable treatment to kick-start her weight loss, nutritional support — even though she thought she was eating well — and a physical activity program. She was prescribed Nordic walking, a personal trainer once a week and a return to sport. In two months, she lost 4.5 kilograms and regained her energy. “I thought I was giving my husband a present. In the end, this check-up saved me.”
9,500 check-ups this year for the American hospital
This gift comes at a price: 4,000 euros for her, 3,700 for him. “We’d put money aside to go on vacation. In the end, we chose to invest in our health. And we don’t regret it.”
Demand at the American Hospital continues to climb. “We’re going to exceed 9,500 check-ups this year,” says Dr. Benoît Gallix, director of the Check-up Center. The aim is to shift from a curative health system to a preventive one. “Today, we take care of people after a heart attack, and that’s expensive. The idea is to prevent them from having a heart attack in the first place. Obviously, that means investing more up front.”
The aim is to change the patient’s trajectory
The model, inspired as early as 1991 by American clinics such as the Mayo Clinic, was based on “secondary” prevention: early detection of silent diseases. “An ex-smoker, even without symptoms, will have a chest scan. Not because they’re unwell, but because they’re at risk.”
From now on, the approach is “primary”: act on the risk factors in advance — cholesterol, sedentary lifestyle, diet. “The aim is to change the patient’s trajectory.”
The assessments are intended to be comprehensive: cardiovascular, metabolic, oncological, but also cognitive, mental or muscular. “Because aging is basically a loss of capacity.” This autumn, “fragility” check-ups will be introduced, to anticipate the first signs of weakness.
Young people are also taking charge of their health
Who are the people choosing to invest in their “health capital?” At the American Hospital, the profiles are diverse. Of the nearly 9,500 check-ups carried out this year, 70% are paid for by companies, often global enterprises. The remaining 30% come on an individual basis — and they are growing in number. These people — often French, sometimes from outside of Paris, including middle-class households — are willing to pay between 1,600 euros and 3,000 euros for a complete check-up. A third of patients are foreign: from West Africa, Maghreb, the Middle East or Eastern Europe.
The typology of patients is changing. Isabelle, 64, was surprised by this in the waiting room: the patient base is getting younger. And a growing number of them are women, Gallix says, adding that “Women don’t bury their heads in the sand as much when it comes to their health, and they’re more willing to take initiative.” He also recognizes the trickle-in of athletic upper-middle-class profiles — trail runners, marathon runners or triathletes — “who are not always in as good health as they think.”
“The real criterion for doing this check-up is a willingness to take charge of one’s health,” Gallix observes. In a quarter of cases, doctors detect a pathology requiring rapid treatment. In 3 to 5% of cases, a scan is requested immediately, even before the end of the check-up. Undetected diseases, caught just in time. Nearly 40% of patients return within two years, just like a vehicle inspection. “There’s a logic to it: It’s maintenance, just like my car,” Gallix says.
Cheaper options
Not everyone takes the hospital route; some look elsewhere. Bernadette, 66, another Figaro subscriber, has turned to a more alternative approach for an issue that borderlines healthcare and everyday comfort. She had been suffering from joint pain for a long time. “Ankle, knee, hip, wrist… It was cyclical, migratory. Nothing very serious, but I could feel that something was wrong.” She consulted an osteopath, without any lasting improvement. Until one day, the osteopath talked to her about functional medicine.
While researching the subject, Bernadette came across a practitioner in Marseille. She had to wait seven months for a first appointment by videoconference, then got the full work-up: extensive tests and analyses in Belgium. “It’s expensive, yes. But it changed everything.” She spent around 600 euros between consultations and exams.
The diagnosis came: gluten intolerance. She eliminated bread and pasta from her diet, and the pain disappeared. “Overnight. It was spectacular.” She also adopted intermittent fasting. “I’ve been skipping breakfast for 18 months. I’ve lost 8 kilos without any fuss.” Every morning, she devotes 30 to 45 minutes to gentle exercise for seniors, in front of YouTube. And she has since been treated in Paris by another general practitioner, also a follower of functional medicine — but at a more affordable rate.
Beware of mirages
Not all health initiatives are created equal. Some advertised approaches are reliable, while others are more marketing than medical.
Aging well is not a function of Californian laboratories or miracle powders
The 2024 report by Miviludes (A French government agency that monitors cult movements) cautions against the proliferation of fantastical offers that compound longevity, extreme diets, bold transhumanist visions and promises of regeneration. “These new medical utopias often target an aging, vulnerable public in search of control over the end of life,” according to the institution. And functional medicine is still one of those grey areas to be closely monitored.
The eternal youth movement even has its icons. Bryan Johnson, 46, ex-founder of Braintree, has made a name for himself with his radical project to reverse aging. In the documentary Don’t Die, released on Netflix in 2024, he swallows over 100 supplements a day, supervised by 30 doctors, with an annual budget of $2 million. His goal is to have the organs of a man in his 30s, the skin of a teenager and the libido of a young man.
Fascinating for some, worrying for others. But the most reputable doctors remind us that aging well is not a function of Californian laboratories or miracle powders — it’s simply a question of the body we inhabit. “Scientifically, today, only three things have a proven effect on aging: eating better, sleeping better and moving more. Period,” Gallix concludes.
