Evidence, explained.

Insights on preventive medicine, biomarkers, risk stratification, and longevity science — written by the clinical team at Health Detectors.

All Articles

Why
Evidence

Why Cochrane says standard check-ups don't work

251,891 patients. 17 trials. Zero mortality benefit. What the largest health-screening review actually found.

Clinical Team · April 15, 2026 · 8 min
ApoB
Cardiovascular

The two lipid markers your cholesterol panel is missing

ApoB counts every atherogenic particle. Lp(a) reveals a genetic risk that affects 1 in 5 people. Neither is in most check-ups.

Clinical Team · April 10, 2026 · 6 min
Age
Longevity

The biological age test that actually works

Most bio-age tests are noise. DunedinPACE is different — validated in a randomized trial. Here's what it measures and what it doesn't.

Clinical Team · April 8, 2026 · 7 min
HOMA
Metabolic

Insulin resistance: the silent decade before diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is preceded by 5 to 15 years of rising insulin resistance — invisible on a standard check-up.

Clinical Team · April 3, 2026 · 7 min
LDCT
Oncology

Low-dose chest CT: the lung cancer screening that saves lives

20% mortality reduction in high-risk smokers. Two landmark trials, 80,000+ participants. Why most eligible people have never been offered this test.

Clinical Team · April 1, 2026 · 7 min
MRI
Imaging

Whole-body MRI: powerful tool or overdiagnosis machine?

30–50% incidental finding rate. No mortality RCT. When we offer it, when we don't, and why the distinction matters.

Clinical Team · March 28, 2026 · 7 min
VO₂
Fitness

VO₂max: the strongest predictor of how long you'll live

Low fitness is a stronger mortality predictor than smoking, diabetes, or coronary artery disease. And unlike those, you can improve it at any age.

Clinical Team · March 25, 2026 · 6 min
Vit D
Nutrition

Vitamin D: the deficiency that affects 40% of Europeans

Strong evidence for bone and immune health. Overhyped for everything else. What the science actually says — and what it doesn't.

Clinical Team · March 20, 2026 · 5 min
CRC
Oncology

Colonoscopy at 45: the screening with the strongest evidence

68% colorectal cancer mortality reduction. The one screening test that can find and remove precancerous lesions in the same session.

Clinical Team · March 15, 2026 · 6 min
CAC
Cardiovascular

Coronary calcium score: the 10-minute cardiac risk scan

A CAC of zero means under 2% ten-year risk. A CAC above 400 demands immediate action. This scan reclassifies 50% of intermediate-risk patients.

Clinical Team · March 12, 2026 · 6 min
Liver
Metabolic

Fatty liver disease: the silent epidemic

25% prevalence. 80% of cases have normal ALT. Why standard liver tests miss NAFLD — and what to look for instead.

Clinical Team · March 8, 2026 · 6 min
Grip
Fitness

Grip strength: the 5-second test that predicts mortality

142,000 people across 17 countries. Each 5kg decline = 17% increase in all-cause mortality. More predictive than blood pressure.

Clinical Team · March 5, 2026 · 5 min
Sleep
Cardiovascular

Sleep: the risk factor your doctor never asks about

Less than 6 hours = 48% higher coronary risk. Sleep apnea affects up to 30% of men. Most cases are undiagnosed.

Clinical Team · March 1, 2026 · 6 min
MUC
Program

Why Munich? Germany's best-kept secret in executive health

Higher specialist density, newer equipment, more time per patient — at a fraction of the US cost. Here's why Munich.

Clinical Team · February 25, 2026 · 5 min
A1c
Metabolic

HbA1c vs. fasting glucose: why you need both

One is a snapshot, one is a 3-month average. Both have blind spots. Add fasting insulin and you cover the full spectrum.

Clinical Team · February 20, 2026 · 5 min
T
Hormones

Testosterone replacement: when it helps, when it harms

The TRAVERSE trial (n=5,246) found increased atrial fibrillation, kidney injury, and pulmonary embolism. Why we don't offer it at normal levels.

Clinical Team · February 15, 2026 · 7 min
GLP-1
Metabolic

Ozempic and the GLP-1 revolution: what the evidence shows

14.9% weight loss. 20% CV event reduction. But also: nausea, rebound, and muscle loss. The complete evidence picture.

Clinical Team · February 10, 2026 · 7 min
Suppl
Nutrition

Supplements: the few that work and the many that don't

Vitamin D, B12, magnesium — yes, if deficient. NAD+, collagen, multivitamins — the evidence says no. Why we don't sell supplements.

Clinical Team · February 5, 2026 · 7 min
Long
Longevity

Longevity medicine: separating science from marketing

NAD+ infusions, peptide therapy, exosomes — the gap between what's being researched and what's being sold is enormous.

Clinical Team · February 1, 2026 · 7 min
MetS
Metabolic

Metabolic syndrome: five markers, one diagnosis

35% of US adults meet the criteria. Many don't know it. Five borderline numbers together are far more dangerous than one abnormal one.

Clinical Team · January 28, 2026 · 6 min
PSA
Oncology

PSA screening: the most controversial test in medicine

20% mortality reduction — but 3-4 men overtreated for every life saved. Why shared decision-making is the only right approach.

Clinical Team · January 22, 2026 · 6 min
Skin
Dermatology

Skin cancer screening: why dermatoscopy beats the naked eye

Naked-eye sensitivity: 60-70%. Dermatoscopy: 89%. For melanoma, where stage at detection determines survival, that gap is life or death.

Clinical Team · January 15, 2026 · 5 min
Move
Fitness

When exercise beats the prescription pad

58% diabetes reduction (vs. 31% with metformin). Depression response matching SSRIs. BP reduction matching first-line drugs. The evidence is clear.

Clinical Team · January 10, 2026 · 6 min
Gaps
Evidence

What your annual physical actually misses

ApoB, Lp(a), HOMA-IR, VO₂max, body composition, micronutrients — six critical blind spots in the standard check-up.

Clinical Team · January 5, 2026 · 6 min
Labs
Evidence

How to read your lab results: what "normal" means

"Normal" on a lab report means "middle 95% of the reference population" — not "healthy." Here's how to interpret your numbers properly.

Clinical Team · January 1, 2026 · 6 min
Jet
Cardiovascular

Jet lag and your heart: what frequent flying does

Six time zones = six days of circadian misalignment. Irregular sleep patterns raise CV event risk by 41%. What frequent flyers need to know.

Clinical Team · December 28, 2025 · 6 min
Wine
Evidence

Alcohol: what "moderate drinking" actually means in 2026

The "one glass is good for you" story is dead. A 2023 meta-analysis of 5 million participants killed the J-curve. The optimal dose is zero.

Clinical Team · December 22, 2025 · 6 min
Stress
Cardiovascular

Stress, cortisol, and the executive health paradox

They exercise, eat well, have good insurance — and still have elevated inflammatory markers. The missing variable is chronic stress.

Clinical Team · December 15, 2025 · 6 min
Women
Program

The executive wife's health gap

Women are underserved by executive health programs. Perimenopause, breast screening, osteoporosis — why couples should come together.

Clinical Team · December 10, 2025 · 6 min
Sit
Fitness

Sitting is not the new smoking — but it's close

24% higher CV death risk from prolonged sitting — even in regular exercisers. The 30-minute run doesn't neutralize 10 hours in a chair.

Clinical Team · December 5, 2025 · 5 min
Flags
Evidence

Red flags your doctor should catch — but often doesn't

Unintentional weight change, night sweats, bowel habit changes, persistent fatigue — symptoms that fall through the cracks in 15-minute visits.

Clinical Team · November 28, 2025 · 5 min
FHx
Evidence

Family history: the most powerful tool that costs nothing

A 20-minute phone call with your parents may be the most valuable thing you do for your health. Three generations of history changes management in 30% of patients.

Clinical Team · November 22, 2025 · 5 min
RIP
Evidence

The annual physical is dead — long live the health assessment

251,891 patients. Zero mortality benefit. Why 15-minute annual visits should be replaced by risk-stratified assessments at the right intervals.

Clinical Team · November 15, 2025 · 6 min
Plan
Program

What happens when we find something serious

1–3% of patients will have a Category C finding. Here's our protocol — step by step — so you know exactly what to expect.

Clinical Team · November 8, 2025 · 5 min
MUC
Program

Munich in 5 days: what to do on your free day

Englischer Garten, Alte Pinakothek, Viktualienmarkt, day trips to Salzburg or the Alps — our guide to Day 2.

Clinical Team · November 1, 2025 · 5 min

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