YEARS vs. Superpower: A Comparison of Longevity Diagnostics

The market for longevity medicine is growing rapidly, and with it, the confusion. On one side are digital platforms like Superpower, advertising with slogans like "100+ biomarkers for $199 per year." On the other is YEARS in Berlin, whose most comprehensive program is priced at €16,900. At first glance, it seems like comparing a bicycle to a sports car.

But the underlying question is concrete: What do you get for your money? Where does serious preventive medicine begin, and where does data-driven marketing end? This article provides a medically-grounded, transparent analysis of both models. We compare the business philosophy, diagnostic depth, true costs, and scientific foundation to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your goals, budget, and standards for medical thoroughness.

Business Models Compared: Where is the Focus?

Superpower: The Tech-First Subscription Model with AI Interpretation

Superpower is a software and data-driven platform. Its business model is based on a subscription: users pay an annual fee and can perform blood tests at regular intervals. Samples are either collected at home or at a partner lab.

The results are delivered to an app and interpreted by an algorithm, which then generates recommendations, usually for supplements or lifestyle changes. The entire process is designed for scalability and minimal human interaction. The user interacts with software, not a physician.

YEARS: Clinical Diagnostics with Physician Guidance

YEARS is a physician-led preventive medicine clinic in Berlin-Charlottenburg. The model is not based on a recurring subscription but on a single, in-depth diagnostic day at the clinic. Depending on the program, this day lasts six to nine hours.

In addition to blood markers, imaging and functional tests are performed. After data collection, a roughly two-week process of medical synthesis follows. The result is a detailed medical report and a personal strategy discussion with a physician. The YEARS model is designed for medical precision, not scalability.

Biomarker Analysis: Measured Markers vs. Calculated Indices

The number of biomarkers is a central marketing message in the longevity space. However, the number alone says little about the quality of the diagnostics.

What Superpower Advertises as "100+ Biomarkers"

Superpower advertises the analysis of over 100 biomarkers. This claim has become the subject of legal disputes. In a lawsuit filed in 2026, competitor Function Health accused Superpower of misleading marketing, alleging that of the advertised 100+ markers, only about 55 are actually measured in a lab, with the rest being calculated indices and ratios (Function Health vs. Superpower, 2026).

A concrete example: The direct measurement of LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol yields three real measurements. The calculated ratio of LDL to HDL is a derived index. It provides additional information but is not an independent measurement. This practice is not inherently disreputable, but a user expecting 100+ direct measurements and receiving 55 has an expectation gap that the provider could avoid with clearer communication.

YEARS Ultimate with 230+ Analyzed Markers

The YEARS Ultimate® program analyzes over 230 biomarkers. YEARS transparently distinguishes between directly measured and derived values. The goal is to create the most complete biochemical profile possible. This includes:

• Standard and Advanced Lipidology: In addition to LDL and HDL, Apolipoprotein B (ApoB), Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], and oxidized LDL are measured. The INTERHEART study, with over 26,000 participants, showed that the ratio of ApoB to ApoA1 is a stronger predictor of heart attacks than classic cholesterol values (Yusuf et al., The Lancet 2004).
• Inflammatory Markers: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), Interleukin-6, and other cytokines. An elevated hs-CRP level can double the risk of a heart attack in otherwise healthy individuals (Ridker et al., NEJM 2002).
• Metabolic Health: Fasting glucose, HOMA-IR for measuring insulin resistance, leptin, and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).
• Specialized Markers: Autoimmune markers, amino acid profiles, immunoglobulin subclasses, and advanced hormone profiles including cortisol, testosterone, and DHEA-S. The latter are included in the analysis spectrum starting from YEARS Evolve® and are not exclusive to the Ultimate® program.

Which Biomarkers are Clinically Actionable?

A biomarker is only valuable if its result leads to a concrete action—a lifestyle change, a medication, or further diagnostic clarification. Lp(a) is a good example: a strongly genetically determined risk factor for heart disease that is almost never measured in standard blood panels but may be responsible for up to 10% of cardiovascular diseases (Tsimikas et al., JACC 2018). If you don't know your Lp(a) value, you can't take targeted countermeasures.

Diagnostic Depth: Imaging, Genomics, and Epigenetics

The greatest distinction between the two models lies in their diagnostic breadth. Superpower is limited to blood-based analyses. YEARS integrates several other technologies.

Superpower: Blood Tests as the Core Competency

Superpower's model is optimized for efficiency and accessibility. Blood tests are ideal for this: minimally invasive, inexpensive to analyze, and can be performed decentrally. The focus is on biochemical imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, and basic risk markers. What this model cannot do is detect structural changes in the body.

YEARS: MRI, Genomics, Epigenetic Clocks, and Liquid Biopsy

The YEARS Evolve® and Ultimate® programs expand the diagnostics across several dimensions:

• Whole-Body MRI: A 60- to 90-minute, radiation-free scan from head to pelvis. It looks for tumors, aneurysms, and structural abnormalities in organs like the liver, kidneys, or brain. A preventive whole-body MRI can uncover potentially life-threatening findings that are not yet visible in the blood.
• Liquid Biopsy: A blood test (truCheck) that analyzes circulating tumor cells and their DNA to provide indications of over 70 different types of cancer. This technology complements imaging and searches for cancer at a molecular level in its early stages, before a tumor becomes structurally visible.
• Medical Genetics (Ultimate®): Sequencing of the entire exome and genome to identify inherited risks for over 170 diseases. Pharmacogenetics provides additional information on how the body responds to over 150 medications. For someone with a family history of breast or colon cancer, this can be the difference between early intervention and a late diagnosis.
• Epigenetic Clocks (Evolve®/Ultimate®): Analysis of DNA methylation patterns to provide an estimate of biological age. These clocks are still the subject of active research but offer valuable insights into the pace of the aging process.

Why Imaging Matters for Early Detection

A blood test can show an elevated tumor marker. An MRI can locate the tumor, determine its size, and show its position relative to surrounding structures. Many solid tumors in their early stages cause no changes in a standard blood panel. The combination of molecular diagnostics and structural imaging creates a much tighter safety net.

Costs, Accessibility, and Hidden Expenses

Superpower's True Cost: $199 Plus Recommendations

The annual membership fee of $199 is intentionally set low to reduce the barrier to entry. However, the model is often financed through follow-up recommendations. User reports indicate that the AI platform regularly suggests personalized supplement protocols that can cost several hundred dollars per month. Over a year, total expenses can quickly reach several thousand dollars without any physician review of their necessity.

YEARS: €1,900 to €16,900, Potentially Reimbursable by Private Insurance

The YEARS programs have transparent, one-time prices:

• YEARS Core®: €1,900
• YEARS Evolve®: €7,600
• YEARS Ultimate®: €16,900

These prices include all diagnostics, the physician's evaluation, and the final strategy discussion. There are no follow-up products or mandatory additional costs. Clients with private health insurance in Germany can use the GOÄ (German Medical Fee Schedule) for billing. Since the comprehensive diagnostics often reveal medically relevant findings, such as fatty liver, insulin resistance, or vitamin deficiencies, private insurers in many cases cover a significant portion of the costs. The exact reimbursement rate depends on the individual's insurance plan.

The Cost of a Late Diagnosis

The treatment costs for an advanced cancer or the follow-up costs of a heart attack exceed the expense of comprehensive prevention by many multiples. This applies to the health insurance system as well as to the patient, who loses months or years of quality of life.

Medical Quality and Expertise

Who Interprets the Data?

At Superpower, interpretation is primarily done by an algorithm. Human support often comes from "health coaches" whose medical qualifications are not clearly defined. The model is designed to minimize physician time.

At YEARS, every finding is reviewed by a specialist: radiologists, cardiologists, laboratory physicians. The YEARS medical team then synthesizes these results into a holistic picture. The final strategy discussion is led by a physician who is familiar with all the data and places it in the context of the client's individual life situation. Medical Director Dr. med. Jan K. Hennigs is a former research fellow at Stanford University and the author of over 120 scientific publications.

Research and the "Clinic-as-a-Study" Model

Superpower: A Data Platform for Consumers

Superpower collects health data from its users. This data can be used internally to improve algorithms. The primary purpose remains commercial and focused on the individual user.

YEARS "Clinic-as-a-Study": Biobank and Research Integration

YEARS operates on a "Clinic-as-a-Study" model. Every client can choose to become part of a prospective clinical registry. Within the YEARS Evolve® and Ultimate® programs, up to 70 samples (blood, stool, urine) are cryopreserved in the YEARS Biological Safe. This biobank forms the basis for future research and allows samples taken today to be re-analyzed with new technologies in ten or twenty years. A client whose samples are stored in 2026 could benefit from an analytical method in 2040 that does not yet exist today.

Critical Limitations

• Biomarkers show probabilities, not certainties. A perfect blood panel is not a guarantee of health.
• Epigenetic clocks are a research tool. Their clinical validation for predicting individual health outcomes is still in its early stages. They provide an estimate, not an exact measurement of biological age.
• Preventive diagnostics do not replace your primary care physician. It is a supplement to ongoing care from a family doctor or specialist, not a substitute, especially in case of illness.

Who Should Choose Which Model?

Superpower is a good fit for:

• Individuals who want initial insights into their biomarkers for a small fee and wish to track trends over time.
• People who enjoy working with health apps and data and prefer to manage their health independently.
• Younger individuals with no known family history of disease who are looking for basic health monitoring.

YEARS is a good fit for:

• Executives and entrepreneurs who want maximum diagnostic certainty in a single day (see also Executive Health Check-up).
• Individuals with a family history of cancer or heart disease who are seeking a deeper clinical evaluation.
• People over 40, for whom the early detection of structural and age-related diseases becomes more important.
• Clients who are not just buying a service but want to actively contribute to longevity research.

Two Models, One Goal

YEARS and Superpower pursue the same goal through fundamentally different paths.

Superpower makes basic health data accessible. The model has a low barrier to entry, is inexpensive to start, and is entirely software-driven. It functions as a tool for personal health tracking. For clinical depth, physician interpretation, and the detection of structural diseases, it is not sufficient.

YEARS delivers medical deep diagnostics that leverage the current state of clinical and scientific possibilities. The approach is resource-intensive, requires in-person attendance, and a higher financial investment. In return, it provides a medically validated picture of one's health status, integrates imaging and genomics, and embeds the process in a research model whose value unfolds over years.

The crucial question is: Are you looking for a digital data point, or a physician-led analysis to form the basis of the most important health decisions of your life?

For a no-obligation consultation, you can contact our team at any time.

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Sources

• Function Health vs. Superpower (2026). Case Filing Documents, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California.
• Ridker, P. M., et al. (2002). C-Reactive Protein, the Metabolic Syndrome, and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Events: An 8-Year Follow-up of 14,719 Initially Healthy American Women. Circulation. DOI: 10.1161/01.cir.0000021769.64332.61.
• Tsimikas, S. (2018). Lipoprotein(a): A Causal Genetic Risk Factor for Atherothrombotic Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.09.059.
• Yusuf, S., et al. (2004). Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study): case-control study. The Lancet. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)17018-9.