Can Bio-Hacking Reduce Our Aging Process?

Biohacking has gained significant attention recently with many influencers on social media and podcasts talking about it. Suddenly it seems like everybody is a health expert, and inevitably there is some bad advice floating around on the internet.

Bryan Johnson, a multi-millionaire who features in the Netflix documentary Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever, has an extreme approach to anti-aging and biohacking which involves controversial treatments such as taking plasma from his son, daily body scans, and using himself as a human guinea-pig for new treatments such as `gene therapy` which is not yet fully tested or FDA approved. Bryan spends over two million pounds each year on improving his health and claims he wants to live through “many lifetimes”.

So what exactly is Biohacking and why has it gained so much traction? Well, basically it is the process of reversing aging both externally and internally. It’s no secret we all want to stay looking younger, however, there is now an emphasis on becoming healthier from within. So how can you do this without spending millions of pounds like Bryan Johnson and where do you start?

1. Reduce Inflammation: Chronic inflammation is linked to many age-related diseases and discomforts. The AIP (Anti-inflammatory Diet) has been gaining traction recently online, with Welsh influencer Sophie Richards advocating for an anti-inflammatory diet that helps with a variety of illnesses including endometriosis. She has tips, advice, and symptom journals available on her Instagram page if starting an Anti-inflammatory diet is something you’re interested in. Regular use of red light therapy and/or saunas can also help reduce inflammation and promote cellular repair. You can invest in at-home red light therapy from brands like Celluma and Dermalux, as these are both CE-marked and clinically tested.
2. Build Muscle Mass: As we age, muscle mass naturally declines, leading to frailty and decreased mobility. Strength training exercises, such as weight lifting, resistance training, and even classes like yoga or Pilates, can significantly improve muscle mass and overall strength.
3. Healthy Eating: Biohackers often emphasize a diet that supports metabolic health and energy levels. The types of diets they may use are a plant-based diet, intermittent fasting, or ketogenic eating. It is important however not to be extreme with diets and find what works best for you. It’s also proven that fasting doesn’t work for everyone, some women especially don’t always respond well to fasting due to hormone changes.
4. Exercise: Other exercises and activities that will benefit you are walking, swimming, and cycling – these are vital for cardiovascular health and energy. Regular physical activity can combat many aging signs and prevent conditions like heart disease and diabetes. However, over-exertion can do just as much damage so always approach exercise in a healthy way and learn to not push your body beyond its limits.
5. Sleep Optimization: Sleepiscrucialforrecovery,cellular repair, and cognitive function (I type at 1am). Biohackers often monitor their sleep patterns using technology such as the Oura ring to improve sleep quality. Lack of sleep is linked to an increased rate of illness and aging.

You don’t need to inject plasma or take 54 pills a day like Bryan Johnson to improve your health. You don’t even need to invest in any technologies or overdo the supplements and exercise, just focusing on habits like eating well, exercising regularly (even if it’s just low-impact exercise), reducing stress, and prioritizing sleep will do wonders. Remember your journey, diet, and exercise regime will be different from that of someone else, find what works for you, make small changes, and happy biohacking!