Biohacking buzzwords range from bulletproof coffee to sleep quality monitor rings; but at its worst, biohacking practices may devolve into pseudoscientific practices that do more harm than good.
Bryan Johnson believes he can stall biological aging with a strict diet of grass-fed butter and by taking 150 supplements each day.
What Is Biohacking?
Biohacking involves using products and methods not approved by medical science to optimize your health, cognitive abilities and physical performance – often through unconventional means like adding supplements to your diet or implanting electronic implants directly into the body. Biohackers typically conduct extensive research on new health trends before they become widely accessible to the general public.
Many of the hacks people try are risky and could lead to death or serious bodily injury, like using unregulated supplements to alter body chemistry, such as high dosage of Ketone Salt to accelerate fat burning or taking research chemicals like Chlorin E6 to improve vision. While most researchers understand the dangers involved with their experiments well enough for proper research to be completed on them, hackers may use supplements without the appropriate testing in place for safety.
Biohacking often refers to personal enhancement, such as changing genetic makeup or trying to recapture youth. Bryant Johnson spent over two years and two million dollars attempting to recapture 18-year-old vitality by injecting himself with various hormones and chemicals; unfortunately, such personal experimentation isn’t always successful, and can even end in tragedy, as evidenced by Aaron Traywick’s death earlier this year.
Though there may be risks involved, there are various biohacks you can employ in your own life to improve health-related biohacks that you can implement for positive changes. For instance, taking vitamin D3 supplements may help boost mood and prevent depression as well as dementia from setting in; getting adequate sleep also improves mental and physical performance as well as decreasing stress levels; adding mindfulness meditation into daily life routine can promote spiritual growth while relieving anxiety.
Another way to practice biohacking is through technology that monitors and tracks your health, like an Ezra Full Body scan which detects early signs of cancer, tissue abnormalities, vascular anomalies and other potential issues that need treating. Such technology alerts users immediately of potential issues so that appropriate treatments may be sought out as soon as possible.
Biohacking Basics
Biohacking requires taking the time to understand how your body reacts to different stimuli. With tools like self-tracking, blood or DNA testing and wearable technology available today, biohackers can use self-awareness techniques such as self-tracking to gain more insights into their health, fitness and cognitive functioning in order to adjust lifestyle habits in order to reach optimal wellness.
Biohacking can be as straightforward or intricate as you wish. Starting off simple changes such as keeping a food diary or measuring vital signs to establish baselines and set improvement goals; or getting more involved by trying more experimental techniques such as cryotherapy (using extreme cold to destroy and heal tissue) and neural priming (a technique to enhance focus).
Biohacking offers many health advantages, yet results take time to show. You must work consistently at implementing hacks and measuring results to determine whether or not they’re effective; for instance if your goal is to increase muscle mass through biohacking, regular workouts and tracking progress over time is required to see results. If using sleep hacks to improve quality of rest then consistency with bedtime and not watching television or checking mobile phones before bed is critical – both can interfere with natural release of melatonin hormone.
Before beginning biohacking, it is vital that you consult a specialist. Riskier methods of biohacking could include injecting untested substances, implanting foreign objects into the body or genetically modifying yourself – all of which could increase the chance of infections, allergic reactions and ecological disruption.
Humans have always experimented with nature, including themselves. Some of the first examples of biohacking can be seen in ancient medicine and alchemy, in which people used chemicals to change matter and achieve immortality. Other pioneers included Leonardo da Vinci who studied anatomy and physiology through dissection and drawing; Paracelsus who advocated chemical medicine; and Benjamin Franklin who experimented with electricity, diet, and exercise – among many others.
Biohacking Lifestyle
Biohackers go beyond diet and lifestyle changes when it comes to improving their health and wellbeing, using gadgets and DIY experiments such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, sleep tracking devices and infrared saunas among many other items to optimize their body for improved mental and physical performance.
One of the easiest and most accessible ways to hack your biology is through exercise and supplements. By eating healthily, taking appropriate supplements, and exercising regularly, you can improve your immune system, metabolism and stress levels while increasing longevity and feeling healthier over time.
Biohacking often emerges after people have tried traditional approaches and are left wanting more. Dave Asprey, founder of Bulletproof 360 and best-selling author, recounts how his own quest to feel “better” led him on an inward-gazing two-decade odyssey that involved everything from drinking bulletproof coffee (coffee mixed with MCT oil and grass-fed butter) to having stem cells injected directly into his body.
Asprey’s experimentation and self-tinkering have allowed him to overcome his autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression while simultaneously increasing his lifespan. He believes that by applying principles from both nutrigenomics and DIY biology together to live longer healthier lives.
But not everyone is willing to take such drastic measures. In a Wall Street Journal article, biohacker and functional medicine specialist Melissa Young recommended seeking professional help when altering one’s DNA at home or garage laboratories. She advises biohackers seeking such tools should consult a naturopath or functional medicine practitioner in order to ensure safe and effective tools.
Biohacking is an emerging movement combining science, technology and wellness. While some biohackers may attempt to push the limits of human optimization through aggressive measures like surgery or injections, most are focused on optimizing their biology through healthy lifestyle choices and innovative tech tools.
Biohacking Science
Biohacking is a do-it-yourself citizen science activity combining body modification with technology. Its motivations range from cybernetic exploration, personal data acquisition and advocacy for privacy rights to open source medicine development. Since its advent, its influence has extended to discussions of cultural values, medical ethics, safety concerns and consent in transhumanist technology development.
Biohackers are individuals searching for ways to enhance their health with everything from supplements and exercise regimens, genetic engineering and even gadgets that allow them to monitor health status or produce food themselves.
Biohacking should not be taken lightly; certain experimental techniques can actually cause harm if conducted or overseen incorrectly. Therefore, it’s vital that biohacking activities be supervised by a physician – for more on this movement check out Melissa Young of Functional Medicine Specialist Melissa Young on this podcast!
Biohackers tend to present their augmentation practices as legitimate; they often serve as solutions to anti- or pro-enhancement debates. A popular biohack is to add L-theanine into one’s coffee daily to reduce any anxiety from caffeine intake.
Use of silicone gel injections is another popular practice used to fill wrinkles, though it could potentially have serious repercussions that could even prove life-threatening. Furthermore, the FDA warns against these treatments as their effectiveness has yet to be demonstrated.
Forest bathing, or immersing oneself in nature to reconnect to one’s roots and feel grounded, may also prove therapeutic; however, according to FDA warnings this should not replace traditional therapy or medication treatments.
Biohacking involves discovering innovative and creative methods of improving your health. While biohacking may not be for everyone, it can be an engaging way to explore your body and its capabilities. When in doubt, always consult with a physician and prioritize safety first for your wellbeing.
