The Journey of Inside Tracker: Unveiling the Science of Longevity with Gil Blander
A conversation with the co-founder, Gil Blander.
From an early realization that life is not infinite, Gil Blander, the founder of Inside Tracker, dedicated his life's work to understanding the complexities behind aging and how to delay the onset of diseases associated with it. Gil discusses his journey from academia to the biotech industry n a conversation with Kyriakos Eleftheriou, CEO and co-founder of Terra.
His journey was marked by the discovery of the effects of caloric restriction. This led him to establish his own company to contribute to humanity by providing tools for people to improve their health and longevity.
Blander's research in caloric restriction revealed that this phenomenon altered 18 different processes in model organisms. However, when compared to controls such as resveratrol-treated mice and old mice, there was only a 10% overlap with caloric restriction mice. This indicated the complexity of aging and the need for a more personalized approach to health management.
Thus, Inside Tracker was created providing personalized blood and physiological marker testing to help users improve their health and longevity. The platform tests around 50 blood biomarkers, DNA scores, and 20 physiological markers to provide users with a realistic view of their internal health. Users receive personalized action plans based on their goals, whether improving performance, sleep, or longevity. Inside Tracker recommends the top five actions to take and monitors progress through follow-up tests.
The first version of Inside Tracker was a blood test with 10 biomarkers that was sold for $250. Fifteen years ago, the market for longevity was non-existent and its importance was largely misunderstood. Despite the challenges, Blander persevered, eventually finding support from angel investors who believed in the concept and provided essential funding.
The journey of Inside Tracker also saw pivotal moments in the form of finding the right CEO, R Salam, and gaining support from key opinion leaders like David Sinclair and Andrew Yman. Their influence and investment in the company were instrumental in fundraising and team expansion.
The evolution of Inside Tracker's product development has been continuous and user-focused. The platform aims to distill complex biometric data into understandable and accessible information. Through blood biomarkers, Inside Tracker identifies issues and recommends interventions to optimize health. These interventions are holistic and can optimize multiple biomarkers, promoting continuous improvement and prevention.
Inside Tracker also uses glucose, A1C, and insulin as markers related to sugar control. It provides daily feedback based on blood data, such as recommending magnesium for better sleep or HRV, and uses anomaly detection to identify abnormalities in health data. Additionally, data from fitness trackers are utilized to provide post-exercise tips, recommending specific nutrient intake based on exercise duration.
The platform also calculates one's inner age based on biomarkers, providing a detailed explanation of biological age. It shows which specific blood biomarkers contribute to inner age and how many years each biomarker affects age. This provides actionable information to optimize blood biomarkers.
Inside Tracker goes beyond just genetic factors affecting longevity. While genetics play a role, Blander believes that lifestyle choices can significantly impact health and lifespan. By maintaining low fasting glucose levels, LDL cholesterol, and inflammation markers, one can extend their health span and lead a better and longer life.
Inside Tracker is committed to helping users optimize their nutrition and lifestyle for better health and longevity. By analyzing diet, the platform understands what macronutrients and micronutrients a user consumes too much or too little of and provides personalized adjustments and tips on what foods to integrate into their diet.
The story of Inside Tracker is a testament to the founder's dedication and relentless pursuit of understanding aging and longevity. By leveraging scientific data and personalized insights, Inside Tracker equips individuals with the tools to live healthier and longer lives.