Citizen Bio is a new Showtime documentary which follows the rise of DIYbiology, or citizen bio, which allows individuals to experiment with biology outside the sterile environments found in academic or corporate labs. Kay Aull is among those practicing DIYbiology who seeks to empower all.
Higher Dose operates as both a wellness tech salon and biohacking center, offering services such as PEMF mat therapy, red light face masks and infrared sauna sessions to promote skin and hair health.
What is Biohacking?
Biohacking (also referred to as garage biology or amateur genetic engineering) is an increasingly popular trend that connects hi-tech, wellness and anti-ageing communities through DIY science. Biohackers use tools available online for playing with biology or even changing DNA; biohackers may even modify their own bodies in order to enhance performance or alter physical appearance.
Biohackers have used devices like LED lights that change color with gestures and infrared cameras to detect motion as tools to biohack their bodies, serving both aesthetic and practical purposes in terms of improving focus, reducing inflammation and increasing energy levels. Furthermore, many biohackers have experimented with cold water therapy which helps improve circulation as well as combat depression.
With COVID-19 making headlines and the release of a Showtime documentary highlighting alternative medicine, more people have become aware of biohacking. This trend combines self-taught technology building and using one’s body as an experiment; however, its results haven’t been as successful in terms of furthering biology, likely due to limited tools and materials for hacking biology available to practitioners.
Still, an emerging community is exploring everything from gene editing to nutrigenomics as part of its biohacking strategies. Simple lifestyle practices such as intermittent fasting, nootropic supplements and even ice baths may even qualify as forms of biohacking that aid recovery post exercise or promote wellness.
Social media has amplified some biohacking trends to great success, yet many don’t necessarily boast significant scientific backing or are safe for everyone with preexisting medical conditions. Furthermore, biohacking trends based on hormesis may produce beneficial side effects; however, incorrectly or overdoing biohacking may cause negative side effects as well.
As such, anyone attempting a biohack should consult with a health professional, such as a functional medicine doctor, before making their choice. A functional medicine doctor can guide their research through the complicated world of biohacking to help find their unique path to health goals.
Why Biohacking?
Citizen Bio is a new Showtime documentary that takes an in-depth look into the world of biohackers — individuals experimenting with ways to eradicate diseases and cure viruses through cutting-edge biotechnology techniques. The film includes interviews with prominent members in this space as well as one board-certified functional medicine physician with reservations about this movement.
He asserts that it’s essential to differentiate between legitimate and harmful aspects of biohacking, and those trying to use self-treatment and alter medical practices without professional consultations as part of biohacking practices. Although certain health habits can bring some benefits, he worries about individuals trying to improvise medical services themselves without consulting professionals first.
According to him, this practice may result in dangerous side effects; be costly and ineffective; be difficult to monitor; and it may even make matters worse as information sharing becomes difficult to monitor. Therefore, anyone taking this approach for their health should only work with doctors who are licensed and insured.
He notes with alarm that biohacking has become too mainstream, with some practitioners engaging in practices such as cold plunging and red-light therapy without consulting scientific studies and consulting with their doctor first. He cautions against these practices which he warns can have damaging consequences such as damaged brain tissue. According to him, people should only engage in these practices if it has been approved by science research.
Biohacking may have its share of controversy, yet its benefits cannot be denied. According to Ellen Jorgensen of Genspace in Brooklyn, biohacking has brought science from laboratories into public view while providing people an opportunity to experiment with their health and experiment on themselves by changing lifestyle and supplements to enhance performance – whether this means athleticism, mental clarity or spiritual growth. Jorgensen asserts that people engaging in biohacking ‘hack themselves’ through lifestyle modification and supplementation in order to enhance performance – or “hack themselves”.
Biohackers have an edge when it comes to tailoring their health interventions precisely, which allows them to achieve results more quickly than average people. Biohackers may also take advantage of technological innovations like DNA-splicing or cell engineering techniques for longevity and improved quality of life.
What is the Biohacking Movement?
Biohacking is an emerging trend in health and wellness that integrates cutting-edge science with preventive approaches. Through root cause analysis, diagnostic testing, and personalized interventions it can offer more comprehensive health assessments while offering individuals tailored guidance toward improved wellness outcomes.
While biohacking may seem like a novel trend, its growth is part of a larger healthcare consumer trend that has been propelled by pandemic and economic pressures. An aging baby boomer population places additional burdens on healthcare while costs for medical technology and insurance premiums continue to increase rapidly.
As such, many individuals are seeking innovative ways to improve their health and longevity by experimenting with various tools and practices. Biohackers believe the human body is an intricate system which can be fine-tuned much like any piece of advanced technology would be optimized. They utilize methods ranging from affordable dietary supplements, sauna sessions, light therapy to more extreme interventions such as daily ice baths or implanting technology under their skin to track hormones or track body functions.
Biohackers also commonly refer to themselves as hackers, grinders, or biopunks – although the confusion of terminology may seem confusing at first. While the movement might appear disjointed from computer hacker culture of the 1980s – its roots lie therein with an emphasis on DIY culture that applies computer hacking principles to biological systems.
Biohacking has evolved beyond early discussions on discussion forums to become an expansive community that spans professionals and amateurs. As it expands, more investment opportunities in biohacking are emerging; neuromodulation, genetics, and nutrition may all offer promising returns in this space. Investors should proceed cautiously; some emerging technologies may have reached their full potential while targeting high-growth segments may still bring profitable returns.
Where can I find a Biohacking Group in Boston?
Biohacking studios are becoming more available for those interested in experiencing its concepts first-hand. Most offer a mix of recovery tech and anti-ageing solutions like cryotherapy, infrared saunas, hyperbaric oxygen chambers and IV drips; others may offer cryotherapy sessions, infrared sauna sessions, hyperbaric oxygen chamber sessions and IV drips as well. While prices tend to be more costly due to catering to premium clientele by offering membership packages including annual body scans, blood tests, hormone monitoring along with detox drips full body MRIs IV vitamin injections / NAD+ boosters to boost focus & stress levels.
Remedy Place stands out in this field with their signature wabi-sabi interior design concept that is reflected in their service offerings – which focus on recovery rather than longevity. Their menu of treatments include IV drips, vitamin injections and hormone monitoring but also Lucia No.3 light sessions (white light said to induce hypnagogic states) and salt therapy for respiratory cleanses.
S10 stands out in this field by providing training and recovery in one designer space with private spa suites where clients can switch between ice bath, infrared sauna and magnesium massage to maximise each session’s benefits.
Gaia Nomaye takes a more spiritual approach to biohacking. Their focus is restoring our inner energy so we can connect to ancient mother earth and her healing traditions so that we may live longer. Additionally, this studio offers traditional recovery therapies as well as innovative ones like infrared saunas, PEMF mats, and Nanovi cell repair treatments for optimal healing.
Biohacking has recently emerged as an emerging trend among health-minded consumers who increasingly view their bodies as complex systems that can be optimised to maximize performance and recovery, much like technology. This trend can be seen as a response to pandemic outbreaks where individuals put greater focus on holistic healthcare to prevent illness rather than only treat symptoms when illness arises.
