Presented by ACSM in partnership with Medical Fitness Association (MFA).
For over a century, the evolution of biomarkers has mirrored the health challenges of society. In the early 20th century, biomarkers addressed acute diseases and survival; by mid-century, they focused on chronic disease risk factors like cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose. The late 20th century brought genomic and proteomic breakthroughs, enabling precision medicine and targeted therapies, especially in oncology. Yet, despite this progress, gains in healthspan have stalled. Our system remains optimized for diagnosing disease, not for defining or extending health. This presentation challenges that paradigm. We will explore how biomarkers can be reimagined to capture functional capacity and resilience, moving beyond the absence of disease to measurable indicators of healthspan. Clinicians and performance professionals will learn the characteristics that define a good biomarker, how traditional and fitness-based metrics like VO₂max serve as leading predictors of longevity, and what emerging omics-based biomarkers (proteomics, metabolomics, epigenetics) reveal about human functional capacity. By integrating clinical, performance, and cutting-edge molecular markers, practitioners can design longevity- focused programs that not only prevent disease but actively enhance quality of life, resilience, and performance. The future of healthcare will be defined not by disease management alone, but by the ability to measure and extend human healthspan.
