Happy New Year, Zapien 💫

It’s been a minute since our last newsletter, but we’ve been busy—and for good reason. We’re excited to announce that our website is finally live!

In July 2023, New Zapiens began as a private WhatsApp group. Karol and Simon, two dads passionate about health, started sharing evidence-based longevity tips to help people shift from reactive to proactive healthcare. What started as a small conversation has blossomed into a global community of health enthusiasts, united by one challenge: finding trustworthy health solutions in a noisy world.

Here’s the reality:

• The healthcare system profits from treating illness, not preventing it
• The wellness industry makes bold claims, but often lacks evidence
• Health gurus and influencers? They thrive on sensationalism, preying on insecurities

In a world where trust is everything, who can we rely on?

You spoke. We listened. We evolved.

We’re proud to introduce the New Zapiens website—your trusted hub for health, wellness and longevity.

Our mission:

To empower you with authentic, honest reviews from knowledgeable, positive minds and save you hours of research—so you can make better health decisions and focus on living your healthiest, happiest life.

What’s inside:

• 725+ wellness and longevity brands waiting to be discovered
• 15,000+ filterable products tailored to your goals
• 750+ community reviews and curated Health Stacks to inspire your journey

Forever,
Karol, Martin, Simon & Andy

This Week’s Highlights

➤ Founder Interview: Building the future of healthcare with Max Marchione, Superpower Co-Founder.

➤ WhatsApp Group Highlights: Discussions on Zone 2 training, supplement quality/contamination, branding, fasting & exercise strategies, and health monitoring insights.

➤ Community Health Stack: Dr. Hadi Saleh, an orthopedic surgeon, author and entrepreneur, shares his proven health stack for a long and fulfilling life.

➤ Trending Brands 2024: Discover the TOP 10 most reviewed and trusted brands from the New Zapiens community.

Founder Interview

In our Founder Interview series, we showcase the brightest minds in preventive health, wellness, and longevity. In Episode 1, we introduce Max Marchione, Co-Founder and CEO of Superpower.

Tell us a little about yourself and your current venture

I'm Max, co-founder of Superpower a new healthcare system to prevent disease and enhance human capabilities. Previously, I built Next Chapter to help shape the trajectory of young talent and Ultraviolet Ventures to invest in companies that ‘nobody else sees’. I dropped out of Australia’s top law school, despite ranking 1st, to study mathematics and statistics while working 10 jobs on the side. Today, I live in San Francisco and spend most of my time thinking about healthcare 5 years from now, resource allocation in light of AI, storytelling, culture, speed, and how to create an A+ team & culture. I invest from pre-idea via Fractal Capital. You can learn more about me on my website.

In your opinion, which emerging longevity trend or product will have the most transformative impact on our health over the next five years, and why?

Gene therapy, and the ability to genetically drive outcomes in a reasonably safe manner. 

WhatsApp Group Highlights

Zone 2 Training Techniques

• Simon initiated a discussion on Zone 2 training, questioning whether a steady pace or a quick start is more effective. He expressed frustration with constant heart rate checks.

• Alessandro emphasized the importance of not exceeding Zone 2 to avoid burning carbs and producing lactate, suggesting staying below the threshold.

• Dennis proposed starting fast to utilize anaerobic energy briefly before settling into Zone 2, emphasizing not to overpace to avoid lactate build up.

• Jens suggested using the ability to talk as an indicator of staying within Zone 2 without devices, highlighting a practical approach.

Supplements and Heavy Metal Contamination

• Sandra raised concerns about supplement quality and potential heavy metal contamination, sharing personal lab test results.

• Martin advised focusing on avoiding highly contaminated sources rather than all supplements, suggesting water filtering as a precaution.

• Josch searched for reliable sources on electrolyte supplementation, challenging the need for them outside extreme conditions.

• Oushesh highlighted the balance between sodium and potassium, referencing neuroscience insights on sodium-potassium exchange.

Fasting and Exercise Strategies

• Ana Lorena shared her experience with fasting workouts, noting changes due to stress and perimenopause, and sought advice.

• Thomas and Sandra discussed the impact of women's menstrual cycle on fasting workouts, recommending adjustments based on stress and phase.

• Franco shared traditional carb-loading strategies for endurance sports, suggesting quark as a pre-sleep energy source.

• Sandra emphasized the importance of post-workout nutrition for women, highlighting a shorter eating window compared to men.

Health Monitoring and Insights

• Heiko shared unexpected HRV peaks during sickness, questioning the reliability of Whoop's health indicators.

• Maddy suggested arrhythmia as a potential reason for HRV anomalies, noting similar experiences with Whoop and CardioMood.

• Fabian noted a similar experience, finding resting heart rate and respiratory rate more indicative of illness than HRV.

• Volker described how his HFV predicted sickness in advance, prompting a discussion on proactive health measures.

Community Health Stack

Dr. Hadi Saleh

Trained orthopedic surgeon entrepreneur - CEO of CeramTec Group, a midcap German “Hidden Champion”. Since more than 9 years, I have embarked on the journey to find out how I can optimize my life towards a healthy long life - striving to live to 120 years. I have a German Podcast called “Mission Gesundheit” dealing with all topics regarding health and have written a book with the same title.

Hadi’s Health Routine

• 2x per week strength training with progressively loading more weights. I use a personal trainer who pushes me.
• One of my best investments in myself 3-4x per week running with one HIIT session
• Mindful of my sugar intake

Brands Hadi Trusts

Trending Brands 2024

Ways to Collaborate