The Optispan Podcast with Matt Kaeberlein

Dr. Stanfield Mortgaged His House For $150k To Prove Longevity Drug Works

Nov 11, 2025
Guest
Brad Stanfield
Dr. Brad Stanfield, a primary care physician and YouTube communicator from New Zealand, shares his passion for longevity research. He reveals his bold decision to remortgage his house to fund a rapamycin clinical trial. The discussion dives into the importance of evidence-based medicine and the complexities of supplements like vitamin D. Stanfield critiques biological age clocks and emphasizes the difference between preventive care in New Zealand and the U.S., while urging a focus on rigorous, patient-centered clinical trials for better insights into aging.
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ANECDOTE

House Remortgage To Fund Trial

  • Brad Stanfield remortgaged his house to cover a $150,000 shortfall for a rapamycin trial he organized.
  • He and his wife took that financial risk to ensure the study could proceed and be completed.
ADVICE

Prioritize RCTs Over Basic Studies

  • Rely on randomized clinical trials and clinical guidelines rather than observational studies or single-cell research.
  • Double-check evidence and avoid extrapolating basic research to human recommendations without robust human data.
ANECDOTE

Publicly Admitting Past Mistakes

  • Brad admitted he previously took resveratrol, sulforaphane supplements, and metformin but later reversed course.
  • He credits clinical training for helping him recognize and correct those mistakes publicly on his channel.
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