Integrating Metabolic Breath Analysis with Peptide Therapy for Precision Medicine

Background

Clinical-grade metabolic testing is central to Dr. Leonard Pastrana’s approach to peptide therapy and longevity medicine. At NuBioAge, he uses PNOĒ’s metabolic breath analysis to guide interventions in cellular medicine and optimize patient outcomes.

Dr. Pastrana, a clinical pharmacist and expert in peptide-based protocols, leads one of the country’s most innovative clinics in metabolic health. His model centers on preventative diagnostics, cellular efficiency, and data-driven personalization. To achieve this, he needed a tool that could quantify systemic metabolic function in real time — not just based on labs or symptoms. Through clinical-grade metabolic testing, patients can gain a full view of how peptide protocols affect systemic health over time.

Challenge

In functional and longevity medicine, validating treatment efficacy remains a challenge. Many interventions — including peptide therapy, hormone replacement, and pharmacological solutions — rely on blood biomarkers and subjective symptom tracking. This challenge underscores the importance of clinical-grade metabolic testing as a standard of care in functional protocols.

However, these methods often lack real-time insights into metabolic efficiency, energy utilization, and mitochondrial performance. Dr. Pastrana sought a precise, non-invasive, and clinically relevant tool to measure:

Cellular health
Metabolic flexibility
Treatment effectiveness for conditions like metabolic syndrome, weight management, and post-viral fatigue (e.g., long COVID)

Solution: Why PNOĒ?

PNOĒ’s breath analysis delivers real-time metabolic data, allowing Dr. Pastrana to customize interventions based on oxygen consumption, fat oxidation, and mitochondrial function. By tracking 23 key biomarkers — including VO2 Max, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) — PNOĒ supports precise, personalized protocols. Clinical-grade metabolic testing offered by PNOĒ ensures each treatment decision is informed by real-time data.

In his peptide therapy programs, PNOĒ plays a vital role in:

Mitochondrial dysfunction: Detecting early decline and guiding MOTS-c peptide therapy to boost ATP production and glucose regulation
Fat oxidation and metabolic flexibility: Adjusting nutrition and peptide regimens based on substrate utilization
GLP-1 weight loss programs: Ensuring patients preserve lean muscle by calibrating caloric intake and physical activity to metabolic demand

Case Study: Long COVID Recovery and Metabolic Recalibration

A 40-year-old male patient with long COVID reported:

Severe fatigue and recurring infections
Significant decline in VO2 Max (from 45 to well below baseline)
Reduced mitochondrial efficiency and poor fat oxidation

Intervention:

Zone 2 training (4x/week, 45 min/session) to restore mitochondrial function
MOTS-c peptide therapy to activate AMPK and support energy metabolism
NAD precursors (NMN + leucine) to aid recovery
Resistance training and hydration to preserve muscle and regulate glucose

Outcome:

VO2 Max returned near baseline within 2 months
Fat oxidation improved and energy levels stabilized
Post-recovery performance exceeded pre-COVID levels

Using clinical-grade metabolic testing, Dr. Pastrana validated mitochondrial performance recovery in this case.

Beyond clinical use, Dr. Pastrana also leverages PNOĒ to educate patients. Many individuals undergoing peptide therapy struggle to understand how cellular-level changes translate to daily energy, fat burn, or exercise tolerance. PNOĒ’s reports and visualizations offer a patient-friendly way to track VO2 Max improvements, monitor metabolic flexibility, and connect biomarker shifts with lifestyle changes. This not only enhances compliance but builds confidence in the care plan.

With each follow-up, the breath analysis serves as a checkpoint, helping identify when to intensify a protocol, maintain it, or introduce new interventions. For example, when a patient’s fat oxidation improves but recovery scores decline, Dr. Pastrana may adjust peptide timing, modify training zones, or integrate supportive supplements. This iterative, evidence-based model enhances outcomes and avoids the one-size-fits-all trap common in regenerative care.

Business Impact

Offering clinical-grade metabolic testing helped NuBioAge stand out in a crowded longevity market.

Clinical precision: PNOĒ provides real-time, actionable data to optimize therapy
Treatment validation: Enables measurable outcomes for peptide and lifestyle interventions
Patient retention: Tangible progress fosters adherence and long-term engagement
Revenue growth: Adds a high-value diagnostic layer that differentiates NuBioAge from competitors

Conclusion

By integrating clinical-grade metabolic testing through PNOĒ, Dr. Pastrana bridges the gap between pharmaceutical science and functional medicine. Whether optimizing recovery, performance, or metabolic health, breath analysis offers the clarity needed to deliver precision care, improve outcomes, and lead in the evolving landscape of longevity medicine.