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Thursday, October 29, 2026 ยท MEN'S EDITION
LongevityMorning
What's new in feeling better and living longer. 5-minute read.
Good morning. Today: federal health officials cleared a path for pharmacies to make six popular peptides, what your walking pace may say about longevity, and how often men starting testosterone met the lab standard.
01 ยท PEPTIDES ยท REGULATION
HHS cleared pharmacies to compound six popular peptides
HHS said Oct. 28 it won't take action against state-licensed compounding pharmacies, federal facilities or licensed physicians that compound six peptides: BPC-157, TB-500, MOTS-c, epitalon, KPV and semax.
Why it matters: These peptides have largely been sold online as "research-use-only" products, often from overseas suppliers, and the policy offers a pharmacy route instead, NPR reported.
The details: Products must be made for a specific patient and contain only one of the peptides, with ingredients from FDA-registered manufacturers and serious side effects reported to the FDA, according to a summary by law firm Frier Levitt. Larger 503B outsourcing facilities aren't covered. The policy is temporary while the FDA works on rules, and its Federal Register notice is set for Oct. 30.
Yes, but: The peptides aren't FDA-approved, and AP reported most FDA scientific staff opposed the plan. "All peptide substances should go through the standard FDA approval process for new drugs," said Public Citizen's Dr. Robert Steinbrook. One pharmacy owner told NPR, "We won't be able to meet demand." Talk to your doctor.
Source: NPR (via HPPR) ยท AP (via Fast Company) ยท Frier Levitt ยท Federal Register
02 ยท TRAINING ยท LONGEVITY
Faster walkers had a lower risk of death over 12 years
In a UK study of 4,067 older adults followed for nearly 12 years, each standard-deviation increase in clinic walking speed was tied to a 23% lower risk of death.
Why it matters: Walking pace and step rate are simple measures, and the study compared a quick clinic test with what a wrist sensor recorded in daily life.
The details: Participants in the Whitehall II study averaged about 69 years old, and about two-thirds were men; 739 died during follow-up. A higher everyday step rate, measured by a wrist-worn accelerometer over nine days, was tied to a 17% to 18% lower risk. The two measures were only weakly related, and results were similar for men and women. Published Oct. 23 in JAMA Network Open.
Yes, but: It's observational, no absolute risks were reported, and combining the measures added little after full adjustment. "People who naturally walk faster may already have better underlying health," physical therapist Neha Sabharwal, who wasn't involved, told Healthline.
Source: Healthline (JAMA Network Open)
03 ยท HORMONES ยท TRT
About 1 in 5 men starting testosterone met the two-test lab standard
Of 300,277 men newly prescribed testosterone from 2017 to mid-2026, only 21.8% of 2026 starts followed two low readings on separate days, an Epic Research analysis found.
Why it matters: The American Urological Association defines low testosterone as levels consistently below 300 ng/dL on at least two early-morning tests, along with symptoms.
The details: The share with any testosterone test in the prior year rose from 72.3% in 2017 to 82.6% in 2026, while the two-test lab benchmark went from 16.9% to a 22.8% peak in 2024. Primary care doctors wrote 57.6% of new prescriptions, urologists 17.4% and endocrinologists 11%.
Yes, but: The analysis captured only the lab part of the guideline, not test timing or symptoms. Outside labs were missed, so testing is likely undercounted, and telehealth and direct-to-consumer prescriptions were likely under-captured. It's a data brief from Epic's research team, not a peer-reviewed study. Talk to your doctor.
Source: Epic Research
RESOURCES ยท TOOLS WE LOVE
Longevity resources
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Bloodwork On Your Terms - Vanguard Labs
No doctor visit. No insurance hassle.. Order lab tests online, including testosterone. Offering both at home test kits or Quest labs access.
WATCH, LISTEN, SCROLL ยท THE BEST OF THE WEEK
Can't Miss Longevity Content
The videos, posts and podcasts everyone's talking about.
PODCAST
Mind Pump: 2976, Why Tracking Your Food and Body Fat Is Ruining Your Progress
New Oct. 28, the hosts argue that obsessive tracking of weight, macros and body fat can backfire, and talk through what to measure instead.
PODCAST
ZOE Science & Nutrition: Why appreciating flavour could stop you overeating | Spencer Hyman & Tim Spector
New this week, a short clip on how ultra-processed foods affect appetite and how retraining your palate toward whole foods may help you eat less.
ARTICLE
STAT: HHS moves to allow compounding of some unapproved peptides
Out Oct. 28, STAT's Washington coverage of the new peptide policy, a companion to today's lead story. Part of it is behind a paywall.
Quick Hits
Fiber for sore knees. In a six-week, 117-person University of Nottingham trial in Nutrients, a daily inulin fiber supplement and physical therapy each reduced knee osteoarthritis pain, and only the inulin group improved grip strength; the researchers called for larger, longer studies. ScienceDaily
Prostate clues in blood. In samples from 2,555 men in a European cohort followed about 16 years, 12 blood proteins were linked to prostate cancer diagnosed more than 15 years later, per a study in European Urology; the researchers said the proteins aren't ready for screening. Medical News Today
Oura and obesity care. Oura and UC San Diego Health launched a study of how ring data on sleep, heart rate and activity relate to outcomes of bariatric surgery and GLP-1 treatment, Forbes reported Oct. 28. Forbes
See you tomorrow morning.
LongevityMorning is for informational purposes only and isn't medical advice.
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