Bulletproof Labs, located in a low-rise brick building on an upscale strip in Santa Monica, was founded by Dave Asprey. Best known for his Bulletproof Diet and fat bomb java drinks made with grass-fed butter and triglyceride oil, Asprey also created Bulletproof Labs as part of this enterprise.
He states that his human upgrade facility, a light-filled room adjacent to his coffee shop, will help members regenerate cells, boost mental clarity, shed fat, add muscle mass, recharge their batteries and extend their lives using cutting-edge technologies never before available to the general public.
Machines
Are You Looking to Supercharge Your Health with Bulletproof Coffee & Podcasts? Now there is an easy way for you to gain the benefits of their life-changing hacks right in your own home! Dave Asprey, founder of the bulletproof empire, recently opened Upgrade Labs biohacking centers this fall that provide members access to cutting-edge technologies designed to boost muscle tone, brainpower and cell health in short increments. Asprey’s machines range from the cockpit-style atmospheric cell trainer next to his door to a virtual float tank, featuring pulsed electromagnet fields, EEG neurofeedback, liquid nitrogen cryotherapy and more. He has invested over two decades and over $1 million into developing “stacks” of treatments targeting mind, body and cellular health that make up his performance lab at home.
Asprey believes these tools can enhance his and others’ performance at work, play and the gym; hence he made them widely accessible through Upgrade Labs. At Upgrade Labs, “biohacker technicians” in snug black T-shirts guide customers through sessions. While Asprey still plans on having an online recommendation engine to help customers find personalized hacks which work best for them in due course.
Asprey also sells curated packages that can be installed into consumer’s homes. As part of Robb Report’s Ultimate Gift Guide, Asprey has assembled an upgrade featuring his atmospheric cell trainer (a cold high-intensity interval training machine), Breathe EZ hypoxic stationary bike Breath Easy hypoxic stationary bike Breathe Easy hypoxic brain charger neurofeedback brain charger and his unique weight training apparatus “Cheat Machine,” a weight training apparatus which maximizes muscle gain in only few reps.
Asprey’s goal with Upgrade Labs was to give consumers a way to easily and in real-time track their health, from basal metabolic rate and gut microbiome makeup analysis, all the way up to their VO2 Max (the maximum amount of oxygen you can breathe in per breath). He uses that information to develop tailored interventions tailored specifically for each consumer.
Services
The body is an intricate system that can be explored and improved upon – or “hacked”, to use biohacker lingo – using various means, from altering DNA to installing speakers in your ears or embedding vibrators near pelvis (yes, this does exist!). Most often biohackers use themselves as lab rats and measure performance over time using consumer-oriented technology.
Dave Asprey’s visionary brainchild and coffee lover extraordinaire is Dave Asprey’s “human upgrade lab,” in Santa Monica. On-site technologies such as pulsed electromagnet fields, EEG neurofeedback, oxygen therapy and liquid nitrogen cryotherapy that typically only available to elite athletes or university laboratories provide measurable improvement for physical and cognitive performance.
Asprey’s philosophy, which has become popularized through his books and podcasts, is that we live in an age of unprecedented choice. According to him, brain, muscle and digestive health can all be optimized with the appropriate tools; Asprey & Company products and services aim at doing exactly this – tapping into our obsession with self-improvement. PCMag recently visited their LA facility to meet General Manager Amanda McVey as well as try some technologies on offer.
McVey welcomed us to an airy and white lobby that at first glance looked like a gym, complete with trainers standing nearby and equipment arranged. But this light-filled space actually serves as a wellness centre that does not sell massages or facials.
At the on-site independent medical clinic, guests can consult with staff and receive performance enhancing IV nutrient infusions ranging from hangover cures to recovery stacks as part of an ongoing maintenance programme for peak mental and physical performance.
These machines are all tailored to achieve specific results, whether that means speeding up muscle growth, increasing cellular energy or decreasing brain inflammation. Asprey refers to ARX as “the ultimate strength training machine”, while Vasper Systems’ Cold HIIT uses compression and cooling technology for an exercise experience similar to high-intensity interval training but with much lower exertion levels.
Locations
After making his Bulletproof diet a hit and his coffee providing everyone with buttery brain power, Dave Asprey turned his focus toward human performance, opening Upgrade Labs as the world’s first human performance facility on Main Street in Santa Monica. Although Upgrade Labs appears similar to an ordinary gym with personal trainers standing by and shiny equipment lining the shelves, its true purpose lies in adapting biology for enhanced performance rather than simply increasing physical exercise levels.
At the lab, members can enjoy performance-boosting IVs of vitamins and amino acids; take an inhalation challenge to improve airway function; test for ketosis (low blood sugar), an indicator of optimal health; get 3D body analysis; experience cold high-intensity interval training which claims to reduce inflammation, increase fat loss, accelerate recovery of muscle mass growth and promote increased recovery times. Asprey, known as the father of biohacking, envisaged this facility to assist people in renewing cells, losing weight, building muscle mass strengthing immunity systems as well as expanding lifespans.
The facility’s goal is to offer busy individuals an easier, more effective method for training and recovering. “We provide all these tools together in one location with trained professionals available to guide people through using them efficiently,” according to Asprey.
Future upgrades lab plans: Opening multiple Upgrade Labs across North America has already been secured with contracts signed to launch them in Calgary and Vancouver using similar high-performance technology as found at Santa Monica facility; expected opening date: late 2023 or early 2024
Asprey, author of The 4-Hour Workweek and Head Strong, wants his tech lab to be more affordable and accessible, particularly to middle-aged adults who may struggle to make time for personal development. To this end, they provide access to their equipment via $50 “bullets,” redeemable against sessions on specific machines; or an all-access pass which includes a one-time baseline evaluation.
