Plasma Exchange
Therapeutic Plasma Exchange, the most advanced longevity treatment available.
Think of it as an oil change for your body.
Your plasma (the liquid portion of your blood) is the carrier system for everything your body does: oxygen, nutrients, hormones, signals, repair. It is also, over time, the accumulator of everything your body has been exposed to. Inflammatory proteins from decades of stress and infection. Autoantibodies that contribute to autoimmune symptoms. Microplastics and environmental toxins that lodge in plasma. The proteins associated with neurodegeneration. Aging is, in part, the accumulation of these toxins, stress molecules, and garbage proteins in your plasma. Plasma exchange is the most efficient and effective way to remove these.
Therapeutic Plasma Exchange addresses this directly. The plasma: the liquid component of your blood, is removed through a clinical apheresis machine. The red blood cells and immune cells are separated and returned to your body unchanged. The removed plasma is replaced with sterile albumin solution, giving your organs cleaner blood to work in.
This is currently the most advanced single-session longevity treatment available at Next Health. It is performed under direct physician supervision, with monitoring throughout, and with comprehensive biomarker testing before and after.
"In thirty years of practice I've watched longevity medicine evolve from supplements and hormone replacement to peptides and stem cells. TPE is the next frontier. It's the only intervention I know of that directly addresses the accumulated molecules in your blood that drives age-related decline."
TPE PROTOCOLS
Combination protocols built around TPE.
Therapeutic Plasma Exchange delivers the most impact when it is paired with the diagnostics and therapies that address your specific biology. These are our signature TPE-anchored protocols: each combining plasma exchange with the other modalities available at Next Health.
HOW IT WORKS
TPE: The procedure.
TPE is a clinical apheresis procedure performed under physician supervision. Here is what happens during a session.
- Duration: 2–4 hours per session, outpatient
- Comfort: Private treatment room with reclining chair, refreshments, and entertainment options
- Post-session: Most patients return to normal activities the next day. Optional post-session biomarker testing available.
Pre-Session Biomarker Testing
Before each TPE series you receive testing. Inflammatory markers, nutrient levels, hormone panel, and accumulated toxin profile (heavy metals, mycotoxins, environmental toxicants). The diagnostic foundation that lets us measure the impact on your biology.
The Apheresis Process
A trained apheresis nurse establishes IV access. Your blood is drawn into the apheresis machine, which uses centrifugal force to separate components: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. The cellular components are immediately returned to your body unchanged. The plasma is collected and discarded.
Albumin Replacement
As your plasma is removed, sterile 5% albumin solution is simultaneously infused as the replacement fluid. Albumin is the most abundant protein in healthy human plasma. Replacing your plasma with fresh albumin restores the optimal internal environment without reintroducing the inflammatory proteins, autoantibodies, and accumulated waste filtered out.
THE SCIENCE
Watch Dr. Shah explain TPE, and review the research that backs it.
Dr. Darshan Shah, MD, Chairman and physician founder of Next Health, board-certified surgeon, longevity medicine practitioner: explains the science, the procedure, and the role of TPE in a modern longevity protocol.
The clinical evidence base for TPE in longevity is among the fastest-growing in modern medicine. Originally FDA-approved for specific medical indications, TPE is increasingly being investigated for its broader effects on biological aging, neurodegeneration, and systemic inflammation.
The mechanism is well-characterized. Plasma is the medium in which inflammatory proteins, autoantibodies, microplastics, environmental toxicants, and disease-associated proteins like beta-amyloid accumulate over decades. Removing this plasma and replacing it with fresh albumin solution directly evacuates these substances from circulation.
Key Studies
The TPE research landscape is evolving quickly. We continually update our reference list as new peer-reviewed studies are published. Want our full research bibliography? Request the TPE white paper at consultation.
IS THIS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Who Plasma Exchange is built for.
TPE is powerful when it's matched to the right clinical picture. These are the patterns we see most often. PLEASE NOTE: no claims are made as to whether this therapy is going to cure or treat any particular disease. Plasma exchange, being FDA-approved for other conditions, is being used off-label for these types of patients. Potential therapeutic applications
The Patient with Elevated Inflammation or Lipid Markers
Your bloodwork shows persistent elevation of hs-CRP, ApoB, Lipoprotein(a), or other markers that suggest your internal environment has accumulated more inflammatory and atherogenic burden than is healthy. You've worked on the lifestyle factors. The numbers are still high. TPE addresses the accumulated burden directly.
The Patient with Neurodegeneration
If you have cognitive impairment from neurodegeneration you may want to discuss whether this treatment is appropriate with your physician. Your Next Health physician will review your history and help you decide.
The Longevity-Forward Optimizer
You read the science. You already have the foundations in place and want to explore what else a physician-supervised plan can include. TPE is one option your physician may discuss with you.
The Patient Recovering from a Major Health Event
Long illness. Recovery from chemotherapy. Post-COVID syndromes. A period of chronic inflammation, infection, or environmental exposure that has left your biology in a state that doesn't match where you want to be. TPE is the most direct way to restart the internal environment of your blood.
The Patient with Substantial Environmental Toxicant Burden
Your Total Tox Burden testing shows meaningful heavy metals, mycotoxins, microplastics, or environmental toxicants in your system. Detoxification protocols have been partially helpful but haven't fully cleared the burden. TPE directly removes plasma-bound toxicants in a way gradual detox cannot match.
The Patient with an Autoimmune Condition
Hashimoto's, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, MS, psoriasis, or another autoimmune disease is driving chronic inflammation and circulating autoantibodies through your system. Standard therapies help manage symptoms but don't clear the underlying immune complexes. TPE is used clinically to remove pathogenic antibodies and inflammatory mediators directly from plasma, resetting the immune environment in a way medication alone cannot.
NEXT HEALTH FANS OF TPE
Names you recognize, in our chairs.
A growing community of athletes, performers, longevity-forward physicians, and notable figures have chosen Next Health for their TPE protocol. Listed here are some of the names we're proud to have served.
Jim Kwik
Brain performance coach, author
Dr. Mindy Pelz
Physician, fasting expert, author
Ben Greenfield
Biohacker, longevity author
Mona Sharma
Wellness advocate
Troy Aikman
NFL Hall of Famer
Orlando Bloom
Actor
Kayla Barnes
Longevity researcher
Dr. Kara Fitzgerald
Functional medicine physician, biological age researcher
Brooke Burke
Television host, wellness entrepreneur
Dr. Mark Hyman
Functional medicine physician, author
Gary Brecka
Human biologist, longevity expert
Bryan Johnson
Longevity researcher, founder of Blueprint
LeAnn Rimes
Singer, songwriter
Featured individuals received TPE at Next Health locations. Featuring does not constitute an endorsement of TPE for any specific health outcome. Individual experiences vary.
THE EXPERIENCE
From consultation to post-session: what your TPE day looks like.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
The questions our patients actually ask.
RELATED PROGRAMS
The programs that pair with Plasma Exchange.
The Executive Physical
Our deepest assessment, and the diagnostic foundation most TPE patients complete before their first session.
Explore →
Memberships
Next Health members receive member benefits. See Memberships for details.
View Memberships →
Precision Hormone Therapy
TPE clears the accumulated noise in your plasma; hormone optimization restores the signaling environment that operates within it.
Explore →
The most advanced longevity treatment available at Next Health.
Filter the plasma. Remove what shouldn't be there. Replace it with what should. Performed under direct physician supervision, monitored by healthcare professionals, integrated with the rest of your biology. Currently available at select Next Health flagship locations.
Available at select Next Health locations · Pre- and post-session biomarker testing included