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A rapid roundup of health tech moves, including a major acquisition that expands AI care into Germany’s reimbursement system. A large study reveals U.S. women often miss perimenopause symptoms like fatigue, mood shifts, sleep and digestive changes. Coverage of the first FDA-cleared human trial using partial cellular reprogramming to target glaucoma and advance longevity research.

Anta buys a major Puma stake, positioning itself as a global rival to Nike. Tennis regulators ban wearable trackers amid worries over real-time data access. Kevin Hart expands into fitness franchising and wellness investments. Ulta experiments with in-store wellness shops selling supplements, sexual wellness, and recovery with educator support.

P&G snaps up Wonderbelly to reposition digestive care as wellness. Once Upon a Farm launches an IPO roadshow aiming for a $760M valuation. Life Time posts double-digit revenue per member growth and plans a major club expansion. A new racket sport, Tipty, debuts with athlete backing targeting tennis players on pickleball courts.

Dr. Muthu Alagappan, an internal medicine physician and AI researcher who founded Counsel Health, builds AI-native primary care that blends medical AI with licensed clinicians. He discusses messaging-based longitudinal care. Topics include AI-led history taking and seamless handoffs to doctors. They debate where AI should act versus humans and how to scale accessible, lower-cost personalized medicine.

Amazon launches a groundbreaking Health AI tailored for One Medical members, revolutionizing care coordination with advanced LLMs. Lululemon faces quality control issues as they halt online sales of their Get Low leggings amid governance turmoil. A recent study reveals that getting less than seven hours of sleep significantly shortens lifespan, even more than poor diet or loneliness. Prioritizing consistent restorative sleep is essential for longevity, outweighing expensive health optimization trends.

Padel Haus secures investment to double U.S. players by 2030, signaling a boom in the sport. Ammortal recruits star athletes as investors, enhancing recovery solutions for NFL and MLB teams. NOBULL hits a $1B valuation and broadens its reach, introducing grass-fed nutrition products after closing TB12. Ultra raises funds for innovative nicotine-free performance pouches as the trend toward functional substitutes gains traction among youth, focusing on energy and mental performance.

Younger generations are leaning towards spontaneous in-person events, like run clubs and sauna raves, signaling a shift in social preferences. Meta faces challenges in the VR fitness space as it pauses its Supernatural app amidst broader industry risks. Meanwhile, Sam Altman's Merge Labs secures $252M to advance brain-computer interfaces, starting with medical applications. There’s a growing trend towards nutrient-dense, transparently sourced meats, as illustrated by Cream Co. Meats' successful funding round aimed at connecting ranchers with consumers.

Bathhouse is making waves with an expansion into eight new cities, focusing on recovery and community. Peloton has teamed up with Respin Health, boasting an impressive 84% symptom improvement in a menopause program that highlights the intersection of fitness and healthcare. A stark warning from the World Economic Forum claims the global sports economy could face a staggering $1.6 trillion loss by 2050 due to decreased activity and climate issues. Meanwhile, David Beckham's IM8 has hit a remarkable $100 million in annual recurring revenue by emphasizing simplicity.

Join Carter Barnhart, Co-founder and CEO of Charlie Health, a pioneer in virtual intensive outpatient care for mental health and substance use disorders. He shares insights on scaling accessibility to high-acuity treatment across 40 states. Discover how Charlie Health proved the effectiveness of virtual care, leveraged community partnerships, and secured over 850 insurance contracts. Carter also discusses the importance of group-based healing and utilizing data to improve outcomes, all while aiming to destigmatize mental health treatment.

January 16, 2026: Your daily rundown of health and wellness news, in under 5 minutes. Today's top stories: EGYM merges with Playlist (Mindbody and ClassPass parent) to create $7.5B platform backed by $785M, turning fragmented fitness tools into unified OS Verdane makes largest-ever investment in Clue a women's health and period tracking app with100M+ global downloads Ultrahuman partners with Click Therapeutics to launch migraine tool integrating wearable data with digital therapeutics Cancer survival rate hits historic 70% with survivors expected to exceed 22M by 2035, creating new demand for long-term survivorship care More from Fitt: Fitt Insider breaks down the convergence of fitness, wellness, and healthcare — and what it means for business, culture, and capital. Subscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribe Work with our recruiting firm → https://talent.fitt.co/ Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/fittinsider/ Follow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider Reach out → insider@fitt.co