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From wearable technology and biometrics to personalised health assessments and preventative care, longevity is becoming one of the fastest-growing areas in modern healthcare. SoGlos speaks to Second Prime founder Claire Richardson about the science behind ageing well – and why she believes midlife is an opportunity to take greater control of your future health.

With a background spanning NHS research, genomics, elite sport and pharmaceuticals, Claire developed Second Prime as a highly-personalised healthspan programme to help people better understand how they are ageing and what they can proactively do about it. 

Delivered exclusively through GHS Clinics in Cheltenham, the pioneering programme combines data, behavioural science and expert support to create tailored long-term health strategies.

For readers discovering Second Prime for the first time, how would you describe the programme?

I would describe it as a preventative healthspan programme built around a proprietary intelligence system that we’ve developed and recently patented. I created it for people in midlife who want a more precise and personalised understanding of how they’re ageing – not just through isolated blood results
or symptoms, but by looking at their entire biological, psychological and behavioural framework.

The philosophy behind it came from frustration with the narrative that midlife is the beginning of decline. We hear phrases like ‘midlife crisis’ all the time, but science and real life actually tell a much more interesting story.

There was a Stanford study in 2024 that found many biological changes cluster around key transition points, particularly in the mid-40s and early 60s. What we see through our own work is that midlife isn’t a cliff edge at all – it’s a biological design window.

What do you mean by a ‘biological design window’?

I was seeing incredibly intelligent and successful people who were excelling externally but privately confused about their health. They were searching online, buying into mass-market wellness messaging or being told nothing was wrong clinically, but still feeling like something had shifted.

A lot of ageing is actually within our control – our lifestyle, our stress levels, sleep, movement, nutrition and recovery patterns all matter enormously. The problem is that most people don’t know which signals from their body are important and which are just noise.

Second Prime is about helping people decode those signals so they can understand the key levers they personally need to pull to age well.

Why do you think attitudes towards ageing are changing?

There’s definitely a huge education piece happening. For years, the narrative around ageing has been about decline and loss, but the conversation is now moving much more towards agency and intelligent prevention.

People are becoming increasingly interested in healthspan rather than just lifespan. It’s not simply about living longer – it’s about living well for longer and maintaining performance, independence and quality of life.

There seems to be a lot of longevity programmes appearing on the market right now. What makes Second Prime different?

Everything we do is highly personalised. The real difference is that we don’t just look at one source of information. A blood test alone can only tell you so much.

Second Prime triangulates multiple layers of data – biochemistry, biometrics and psychosocial information. The psychosocial side is actually one of the most important pieces because it looks at someone’s lived experience, stress, behaviours and recovery patterns.

Somebody might have ‘normal’ blood results but still be carrying huge cognitive strain that’s affecting their sleep, digestion, hormones and cardiovascular risk. Or they may appear physically fit but actually have poor recovery and resilience.

What we’re doing is identifying the systems carrying the strain and then creating a programme around improving and optimising those areas.

Second Prime looks at six interconnected health domains. Why is that whole-person approach so important?

When I was developing the Second Prime intelligence model, I spent a long time mapping the systems that influence how people age. What became clear was that the same patterns kept reoccurring and overlapping.

The six domains effectively act like healthspan vital signs. If they’re broadly regulated, someone is more likely to have a favourable ageing trajectory. If one begins to strain, it impacts the others.

Those domains include things like cognitive and psychological load, sleep and recovery, digestion and the gut-brain axis, inflammation, metabolic health, movement and hormones.

What matters is not a single score or data point – it’s understanding how all those systems interact together.

What types of people typically come to you for support?

We work with people from all different walks of life, but many have reached a point where things just don’t feel quite right.

Some may feel less motivated or energised than they used to. Others have been given the all-clear medically but still feel like something has shifted – physically or mentally.

We also work with a lot of entrepreneurs and senior executives who’ve had phenomenal careers and want to maintain their performance long term. They might say, ‘I don’t feel quite as sharp in meetings anymore’ or they’re noticing changes in recovery, sleep or resilience.

Then there are people who’ve witnessed sudden decline or illness in parents or family members and want to proactively understand their own risks.

What are some of the early warning signs people often ignore?

Sometimes it’s not symptom-driven at all. It can simply be somebody wanting to strategically plan for the future.

But for others, it’s things like struggling to recover properly, changes in body composition, poor sleep, fatigue, relying on alcohol to unwind or feeling mentally drained despite appearing outwardly successful. A lot of high-performing people have effectively been running their bodies at maximum capacity for years. Their body then starts giving them early warning signs that some systems are under strain.

What can someone expect when they begin a Second Prime programme?

Most people begin with a Second Prime healthspan assessment, delivered over three or four appointments.

The first appointment is really about understanding the individual – their lifestyle, pressures, goals and concerns. We then move into a comprehensive assessment involving lab panels, fitness testing, movement analysis and functional testing. After analysing the data through the Second Prime intelligence system, we create a detailed report explaining what’s happening, where strain is appearing and, most importantly, what to do about it.

Many clients then move into an ongoing programme where they work with a wider team of experts including movement practitioners, dietitians, clinicians and specialists such as sleep therapists.

The aim is not simply to give advice but to provide accountability and measurable improvement over time.

What excites you most about the future of Second Prime?

What’s really exciting is that this has been developed here in Cheltenham first. There’s a lot of longevity focus in London, but not many places across the wider UK offering this level of personalised preventative care.

We’re already progressing plans for a second site in London and we’re also having conversations internationally, including in Japan, which is incredibly advanced in preventative ageing science.

Finally, what would you say to someone who has spent years prioritising everything except their own health?

The small changes you make now can have a huge impact on 90-year-old you. The people we work with aren’t imagining a future where they simply slow down and stop. They want to remain active, independent, mentally sharp and fully engaged with life for as long as possible. That’s really what Second Prime is about – helping people take back control of how they age.

To find out more Second Prime or enquire about an assessment, visit , email hello@secondprime.health or call 01242 262007 .