When you lay on DEXA scanner you are getting insight from a gold-standard medical diagnostic technology. At i-thrive, we don’t use DEXA as a fad or wellness gimmick. We use it as a precision tool—to guide transformation, evaluate risk, and anchor high-performance strategies in real data.
✅ What does a DEXA scan tell you?
- Body composition: the most accurate breakdown of fat mass and lean mass available
- Visceral adipose tissue (VAT): the deep fat around organs linked to metabolic disease
- Bone mineral density (BMD): critical for understanding osteoporosis and fracture risk
This isn’t surface-level fitness data. DEXA is used by the NHS, in elite sport, and in clinical trials worldwide.
📚 NHS: Bone density scan (DEXA)
📚 WHO Obesity Guidelines
⚠️ So how often should you scan?
Be Cautious of Multiple Scan Offers
If someone is offering you multiple DEXA scans as part of a package deal, it’s important to ask: Why would you need a scan so quickly? Frequent scans, especially in a short period, are often unnecessary and may expose you to more radiation than advisable. At i-thrive, we focus on strategic DEXA scans that are clinically justified and spaced appropriately to provide meaningful insights into your body composition, bone density, and overall health. Always question the need for multiple scans—ensure they align with your long-term health and performance goals, rather than just serving as a glorified scale.
At i-thrive, we follow IRMER ‘s guidance on the ALARP principle: “As Low As Reasonably Practicable.” This means we scan only when necessary, and with purpose.
Our guidelines:
- Whole-body composition scans: no more than every 6 months, unless part of a closely guided transformation
- Bone mineral density scans: typically every 24 months, unless there’s a medical reason to monitor sooner which matches guidance from the Royal Osteoporosis Society.
🧭 How i-thrive Uses DEXA
We don’t upsell packages or encourage unnecessary scanning.
We refer when:
- There are some risk indicators that would benefit from a scan
- A transformation is being measured
- There is clinical or strategic value
And we never hand over results without interpretation. Every scan is followed by a coaching conversation—focused on how your data drives next steps in your performance, health, or longevity journey.
We believe in responsible diagnostics—and actionable insight.
