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With more advancements in health and wellness than ever before, people are prioritizing their overall wellbeing in ways they haven’t in the past. They’re embracing everything from advanced health data to personalized nutrition, a committed focus on brain health, wearable technology, and more. As we head into 2026, these trends aren’t just fads—they are a sign of where the wellness industry is headed and what’s to come. If you’re on a mission to optimize your health, keep reading, as hearing about what’s next will be right up your alley. Here are 10 health trends to expect next year.
1. Your annual bloodwork gets an upgrade
Routine physicals typically include a basic metabolic panel, vitamin D levels, and annual cholesterol check. But these labs only tell a part of the picture when it comes to health. As the standard blood panel begins to feel outdated, people are seeking advanced or specialty blood tests that dig deeper, looking at everything from insulin resistance and inflammation to hormone balance, metabolomics, and even genetic risk.
The global market for blood-based biomarkers was estimated at $7.85 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $11.58 billion by 2030, with all signs pointing to the fact that advanced bloodwork will continue to surge in popularity.
Advanced or specialty bloodwork can reveal potential issues before symptoms show up—whether that’s subtle insulin resistance, inflammation linked to cardiovascular risk, or hormonal shifts that can affect metabolism and mood. Digging deeper with labs may help enable people to make shifts in their diet and lifestyle to prioritize their health. These tests also make it easier to track progress over time and see how those changes are paying off. And, as extensive lab work continues to become more mainstream, these tests are becoming more accessible, allowing people to order them directly (along with imaging) through services like Prenuvo.
Related: What your bloodwork says about your health
2. The rise of health memberships
Have you ever felt under the weather, called to make an appointment with your doctor, and been shocked to hear they can’t see you till next month? That old model is fading fast. More accessible, on-demand healthcare is in. These days, people are subscribing to care in the same way they subscribe to content: a monthly or annual fee for premium access. Concierge-style medicine used to feel like something only the 1% invested in, but it’s now becoming more of a priority for people of all backgrounds. In fact, the U.S. concierge medicine market is expected to grow by 10.3% through 2030.
This doesn’t just mean having a doctor available to talk to you 24/7. It’s about continuous care that helps people manage their health year-round, whether that’s access to telehealth appointments, personalized dashboards, coaching, or trend tracking. Prenuvo, for example, combines imaging, bloodwork, and consultations in a membership model, for a health partnership that lets patients track changes over time.
3. Annual testing becomes the norm
Getting checked once a year isn’t a new concept as some reports show that as many as 76.2% of American adults see their doctor for an annual wellness check. But many people may be feeling that their routine exam doesn’t provide enough health insights for monitoring for their overall health. Technology like whole body imaging, biological age tests, epigenetics, and microbiome sequencing have opened doors to much deeper health information than a doctor listening to your heart, measuring your height and weight, and running a basic blood panel.
As the market catches up, this trend is only accelerating. The U.S. precision diagnostics market was at $6.9 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $21.5 billion by 2030. Biological age testing alone is expected to grow from $1.28 billion in 2024 to more than $3 billion by 2033.
Proactive‑minded individuals are now building annual health rituals, not just scheduling physicals. They’re seeking out deeper health solutions to help them detect subtle changes, track health trends over time, and take proactive steps—like Prenuvo’s blood work and whole body scan—rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.
Related: What your annual physical could be missing
4. The ultra-processed food reckoning
Talk of the perils of ultra-processed foods have made constant headlines in recent years. Research from 2025 found that ultra-processed foods can increase your risk of death by 15%. Other research found that those who ate a diet rich in ultra-processed foods could experience 28% faster rate of cognitive decline. And additional studies have linked a higher consumption of ultra-processed foods to metabolic syndrome (conditions that include increased waist circumference, elevated blood pressure, higher blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol/triglycerides). People are waking up to this and doing their best to ward off overly processed foods and prioritize whole foods. We’re moving way past counting calories or paying attention to macros. So instead of focusing on “How much sugar is in this?” the conversation will now be centered around how processed food is, aka “How close is this to its original form?” Food is under the microscope more than ever.
Be on the lookout for new food labels, policy debates, and a cultural shift in how we define "junk food.” In fact, the FDA and USDA have opened a formal request for information in mid‑2025 to help develop a uniform definition of ultra-processed foods for human food products in the U.S. food supply. This is a landmark step that could change how food is labeled, marketed, and perceived.
5. The inflammation conversation
We’ve heard inflammation is the root of all disease. When it’s acute—aka your body’s response to an illness or injury—it can be a powerful healing mechanism. But when it becomes chronic, inflammation is linked to a wide range of diseases—from cancer and cardiovascular disorders, where it plays a contributing role, to autoimmune conditions, where it both causes and results from ongoing immune dysregulation. Research published in Nature Medicine estimated that chronic inflammation contributes to up to 50% of all deaths worldwide through its role in chronic disease. And chronic low-grade inflammation can also increase your rate of aging.
As awareness of this increases, people are no longer just managing symptoms, they want to manage their internal terrain. They’re learning more about specific ways to measure their inflammation levels, including advanced bloodwork that tests for inflammation. This includes hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), a protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation and Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a signaling protein known as a cytokine, that the immune system releases during inflammation, stress, infection, trauma, and chronic disease processes. They’re also prioritizing anti-inflammatory diets and learning to manage inflammation through techniques like mediation that keep stress levels in check. And they’re turning to wearables to learn track metrics such as sleep, heart rate variability, and recovery scores which are data points that can influence inflammation levels.
6. Peptides go mainstream
You’ve likely heard of people doing GLP-1s for diabetes management and weight loss. But that’s just one of many peptides to hit the market in recent years. Peptides of all kinds, from growth-hormone secretagogues to metabolic regulators are becoming central in wellness conversations. Expect to hear more about peptides that support muscle growth, help with anti-aging, boost immune health, and more. The global peptide market was valued at $224 billion in 2024 and is supposed to be worth $260.25 billion by 2030.
Research in peptides is skyrocketing, as these short chains of amino acids are able to move along the body and act quickly where needed. And there are nearly 100 different peptides approved around the world. But experts warn that many are not currently FDA approved. Some are being used off market in wellness and longevity clinics in more of an experimental sense. And some peptides, like Melanotan II, are linked to serious side effects, such as skin cancer, and are illegal in the United States and many countries. As research continues, we’ll likely see more peptides become more widely accepted in mainstream use.
Related: How different peptide therapies affect your body
7. Muscle is a new metabolic health marker
Muscle isn’t just for looks anymore. People are learning that sarcopenia—the loss of skeletal muscle—doesn’t only come with age; it’s also linked to metabolic resilience. Low muscle mass can worsen insulin resistance, reduce metabolic flexibility, and impair long-term health outcomes. In fact, a meta-analysis of older adults found that sarcopenia is significantly linked to metabolic risk factors like high blood pressure and raised fasting glucose. So, preserving muscle mass isn’t just cosmetic anymore, it’s foundational. That’s why people are prioritizing lean mass, grip strength, protein timing, and resistance training.
This is especially important for those on GLP-1 therapies, as these drugs can drive fat loss but also reduce lean body mass. One 2025 study found an average lean mass loss of about 1.9 pounds, which can represent roughly 25% of the total weight lost.
Staying on top of your body composition is also gaining tracking—we’ve moved past the days of simply stepping on a scale and using our height and weight to calculate our BMI. Body composition analysis, like Prenuvo’s, has become a powerful tool for accountability, giving people a clear picture of muscle mass and even revealing visceral fat, which isn’t visible to the naked eye.
Related: Why tracking your BMI is becoming irrelevant
8. Brain health is wealth
As people work to have their healthspan match their lifespan, they’re shifting their focus to brain health. Gone are the days of assuming age-related cognitive decline is inevitable. Today’s goal is to proactively preserve and optimize brain volume, white‑matter integrity, and neuroinflammation. People are seeking out brain-boosting products, like functional foods and beverages, and adaptogenic supplements, while also investing in cognitive training apps, neurofeedback, and wearable devices that track brain performance and recovery. They’re also prioritizing lifestyle factors such as aerobic and resistance exercise, sleep optimization, stress management, and social engagement, all of which have been shown to support cognitive resilience. According to some estimates, advancements in cognitive wellness could unlock $26 trillion in global economic value by 2040.
Expect to hear more conversations around nootropics, also known as ”smart drugs” or cognitive enhancers. That market is projected to reach USD $11.17 billion by 2030. Meanwhile, interest in training mental muscles with neurotrackers is growing, giving people ways to track focus, memory, and cognitive performance over time. And as people look for deeper insight into their cognitive health, tools like Prenuvo’s Brain Health Assessment, which provides a look at the brain structure, volume, and blood flow and helps patients understand changes before symptoms appear.
9. Gut health shifts to microbiome personalization
Get ready to hear more about the gut microbiome than ever before. Gut health is becoming a central part of how people manage metabolic health, especially as research points out that an imbalance in gut bacteria is strongly linked to conditions like obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. There’s a lot of research going into next-generation probiotics and prebiotics, as well as precision nutrition tailored towards people’s individual microbiome. A review of 87 studies, for instance, found that people with metabolic disorders often have different bacterial profiles, like lower levels of Akkermansia muciniphila and Bifidobacterium and higher abundances of Proteobacteria.
As consumers catch onto the importance of tailoring gut health to their bodies, they’re hopping on personalized gut testing and targeted pre‑and probiotics. And the latest statistics show significant growth in demand for this type of personalized microbiome solutions. People are no longer interested in generic digestive health. They want to optimize their microbiome to support fat metabolism, control inflammation, ward off chronic conditions, and boost their moods.
Related: How you could add 10 healthy years to your life
10. Sleep optimization takes center stage
It’s no longer considered admirable to stay up late getting things done (or sneaking in another streaming episode past bedtimes). Optimizing sleep has become a priority, not a luxury. Enter the era of wearables and apps to track sleep stages, HRV, and recovery, turning sleep into actionable, data-driven health metrics. In fact, the global sleep tech market—including wearables, apps, and connected devices—is expected to grow from $26.6 billion in 2023 to $58.2 billion by 2030.
Get ready to hear more about AI-powered sleep aids, whether that's better testing for sleep apnea, personalized sleep coaching, and even AI-powered smart rooms as establishments like hotels work to give consumers ways to prioritize a good night’s rest. People are also exploring nootropics, sleep-promoting supplements, light therapy, and temperature-controlled bedding to optimize circadian rhythms. As more research links poor sleep to metabolic disorders, immune dysfunction, heart disease, and cognitive decline, individuals and companies are treating sleep as a measurable, essential pillar of health rather than a passive nightly activity.
11. AI-assisted everything
In 2026, artificial intelligence is poised to move from more of a behind-the-scenes helper to a true collaborative partner in how we monitor, manage, and optimize our health. Generative AI will play a role in helping to develop drugs faster and will work with scientists as they seek out new treatment therapies. AI agents will help with managing patient care and making virtual treatments more accessible.
Another big win is that AI will continue to step more prominently into assisting with disease detection. At Prenuvo, radiologists are already working alongside AI for a second set of eyes on patient scans, helping them measure, compare, and interpret findings with even greater precision. This can help detect potential abnormalities before symptoms appear.
Related: How radiologists and AI work together on your health
Additionally, AI is also making its way into health tracking wearables, home diagnostics, and apps. This is enabling people to track their sleep, heart rate, breathing, blood sugar, and stress patterns in real time. And instead of simply displaying numbers, this next generation of health trackers will utilize AI to offer actionable insights, predictions, and tailored recommendations. It will be like having a personalized health coach on your wrist.
To learn more about the benefits of whole body MRI, blood labs, or how else Prenuvo could help you with your 2026 health goals, book a call with a member of the care team.
