Dra. Joana Costa

Longevity Medicine

Dr Joana Costa: Longevity Medicine and the Practice of Medicine Before Disease

With dual training in Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, and an international academic background, I specialise at the intersection of General Practice, Family Medicine and Longevity Medicine—a discipline that redefines the physician's role: not simply responding to disease, but designing health across a lifetime.

My clinical philosophy is built on a simple but transformative principle: the earliest signs of disease begin at the cellular level, long before symptoms appear. It is within this window of opportunity that prevention has its greatest impact.

Education and International Training

My scientific journey began with a degree in Biomedical Sciences through the State University of New York at Stony Brook (USA) and Kingston University (UK), where I developed a strong foundation in cellular biology, biochemistry and the epigenetic mechanisms that drive health and disease.

I later earned my Medical Degree from the Third Faculty of Medicine at Charles University in Prague, one of Europe's most demanding medical schools.

To deepen my understanding of preventive healthcare, I completed a certification in Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School, focusing on exercise, nutrition, sleep and mental wellbeing as evidence-based therapeutic interventions rather than optional lifestyle advice.

The Question That Shaped My Career

During my early years working in hospital medicine, and later while training as a Family Physician, one question continued to challenge me:

Why do we only treat disease once it appears?

Modern healthcare is exceptionally effective at diagnosing and treating established illness. However, it is less equipped to prevent chronic disease before it develops, despite the fact that many conditions progress silently for years before diagnosis. By the time symptoms emerge, much of the opportunity for prevention has already been lost.

This question has guided every stage of my professional journey and ultimately inspired the vision behind B-Life Clinic.

Advancing Longevity Medicine in Portugal

As a member of several international longevity organisations, I recognised the need to translate the rapidly evolving science of ageing into rigorous clinical practice.

Together with fellow physicians and researchers from institutions including King's College London, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston), the Grune Lab and i3S (Porto), I co-founded the Portuguese Society of Longevity Medicine and Science—the first Portuguese scientific society dedicated exclusively to Longevity Medicine. I currently serve as its President.

This role reflects what I believe is a pivotal moment: Longevity Medicine is evolving from an emerging concept into an established clinical discipline in Portugal. My work is dedicated to ensuring that this transition is grounded in scientific evidence, clinical excellence and institutional recognition.

Publications and Public Engagement

I regularly write about preventive medicine and longevity, with articles published in leading Portuguese publications including Jornal Económico, Fora de Série and Spend In Magazine.

I have also been invited to speak at numerous conferences and events covering Longevity Medicine, Functional and Integrative Medicine, Aesthetic and Regenerative Medicine, as well as public forums including the iFuture Summit, JNcQUOI Club Lunch & Talk, Lancôme, Caudalie, "Better Sleep for Better Longevity" at MAAT with Hästens Portugal, and Longevity & Entrepreneurship at Impact Hub.

I believe that part of a physician's responsibility is to contribute to public understanding by making scientific knowledge accessible and helping people make better health decisions long before illness develops.

My Clinical Philosophy

Every consultation is guided by a number of core principles:

• Looking beyond laboratory reference ranges to identify the optimal values for each individual.

• Assessing biological age alongside chronological age as a more meaningful measure of health.

• Treating exercise, nutrition, sleep and stress management as therapeutic tools with the same clinical precision as medication.

• Prioritising prevention by identifying and addressing risk before symptoms appear.

• Providing continuous, long-term care because meaningful health outcomes are achieved over time, not through isolated consultations.

Underlying every decision is a commitment to evidence-based, personalised medicine—adapting treatment to the individual rather than applying standardised protocols.

B-Life: The Medicine I Always Wanted to Practise

These principles led me to co-found B-Life Clinic at Cascais Marina.

B-Life brings together the best of conventional medicine with an integrated, preventive approach. Every health plan is built around objective clinical data, advanced diagnostics and meaningful behaviour change, delivered within an environment designed to foster trust, continuity and long-term partnership.

Our approach includes advanced longevity assessments involving more than 100 biomarkers, cardiovascular risk evaluation, VO₂ max testing, whole-body ultrasound and MRI, cognitive assessment, musculoskeletal evaluation and cellular nutrition analysis. These insights form the basis of an ongoing care model that supports each client over time through regular reviews, measurable progress and sustainable lifestyle change.

B-Life is, ultimately, the place where I can practise the medicine I have always believed in.

About Dr Joana Costa

Dr Joana Costa is a specialist in Longevity Medicine and General & Family Medicine, Co-Founder and Clinical Director of B-Life Clinic in Cascais.

She holds degrees in Biomedical Sciences from the State University of New York at Stony Brook (USA) and Kingston University (UK), and a Medical Degree from Charles University in Prague. She also completed a certification in Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Dr Costa is President of the Portuguese Society of Longevity Medicine and Science, a member of several international longevity organisations, and serves on the Advisory Board of the European Longevity Hub.

Portuguese, English

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