Biohackers, an emerging ‘pioneer community’ of technology-enabled self-directed transformation, utilise data-driven approaches to health and wellbeing. From intermittent fasting to light emitting implants, biohackers experiment with various techniques and products designed to optimise workouts or sleep cycles.
Many believe modern medicine doesn’t offer enough solutions and are frustrated with high drug costs. Others are driven by normative beliefs regarding bodily autonomy or creative expression as a driving force for change.
What is biohacking?
Biohacking is an approach to DIY biology where individuals use scientific experimentation to push the limits of what’s possible, using gadgets, chemicals and implants to enhance physical health and wellness. Experiments range from simple tweaks to more extreme attempts such as altering DNA in order to create living organisms – or even optimizing lifestyle choices through diet or other means to optimize wellbeing.
Biohacking involves practices such as fasting, cold therapy and limiting screen time that may help improve sleep quality, reduce inflammation and promote weight loss. However, before engaging in biohacking practices of any kind it should always be discussed with a functional medicine doctor beforehand as these may not be appropriate for everyone and can even prove harmful if utilized incorrectly.
Other biohacks involve taking supplements and research chemicals unregulated by the FDA that may produce adverse side effects, including nootropics – supplements designed to enhance cognitive function, focus, and performance.
Note that many unregulated substances have not been fully tested on humans and can therefore pose a significant risk, especially to those with preexisting conditions or who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Aaron Traywick’s death in 2018 as one of the pioneers in biohacking serves as a stark reminder of these dangers.
Biohackers are driven by an appetite to reach optimal health and improve their lives in any way possible, often through different means ranging from eating well and working out regularly to using supplements and researching various health hacks online.
DIY biohacking allows anyone interested in biology to experiment on themselves and gain more knowledge about the human body. While this approach offers many advantages, it’s important to keep in mind that not all biohacking methods are suitable for everyone and that health can be complex network of considerations; before making any self-experiments it is advised to always consult a functional medicine doctor first.
How can biohacking help me?
Biohacking is a self-improvement trend encompassing lifestyle changes to high-tech tools for optimizing health. This DIY approach to health can help navigate an unhealthily world by taking both moderate and extreme steps toward living longer and healthier.
While biohackers often employ unconventional and unproven practices, there are plenty of safe practices which can also boost health through biohacking. From diet hacks such as eliminating processed food from your diet to improving sleep quality through light therapy – biohacking has the ability to have an immense positive effect on wellbeing.
Functional medicine and biohacking share similarities in that both utilize an individualized approach to healthcare that seeks out root causes of a problem rather than simply treating symptoms. Furthermore, both utilize holistic approaches to wellness that utilize modern science and technology advances.
There are various strategies available for biohacking your body and mind for improved performance, from supplements to specific exercises. But it’s essential that you conduct adequate research, finding a wellness expert who can guide this journey safely – such as functional medicine doctors who utilize systems-based approaches to detect and treat health conditions; nutritionists/dietitians that specialize in optimizing diet for peak performance; strength coaches teaching latest training techniques, as well as sleep specialists offering restful nights.
Nootropics, or cognitive enhancers, are an increasingly popular biohack. Although available over-the-counter or online, nootropics should only be taken with extreme caution as their safety profile remains hazy.
Other biohacks might include adding more natural light into your daily routine, sleeping with an oxygen mask to improve air quality, or using a device that monitors body hydration levels. There’s no right or wrong way to biohack; but for best results consult a functional medicine doctor first before making changes on your own.
What are the risks of biohacking?
Biohacking techniques can be hazardous if implemented without conducting sufficient research or consulting a healthcare provider first. DIY approaches to self-improvement could result in nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalances and damage to other bodily systems. Furthermore, certain individuals are particularly prone to negative health impacts from certain biohacking practices – pregnant women should exercise extreme caution regarding intermittent fasting as it could negatively impact fetal development and growth.
Biohacking is often promoted as an easy, foolproof way to improve health and performance, yet many biohacks lack scientific evidence or verge into pseudoscience. Cold plunges and infrared saunas are popular examples; neither have scientific support behind their claims of cell regeneration or detoxification; furthermore fasting or juicing practices may lead to nutritional deficiency or imbalance.
Biohackers raise ethical concerns by altering their genetic material at a genetic level. While some biohackers use what they’ve learned to improve their lives, others have violated principles of informed consent and autonomy by enrolling themselves as research participants without first consulting an institutional review board (IRB), thus bypassing institutional review boards’ function of assuring scientific validity while safeguarding study participants.
As media and social media are filled with false health claims, it’s essential that individuals focus on what works for their body and mind in the long-term. For many this means focusing on diet, exercise and sleep – including investing in high-quality mattresses, noise-blocking headphones and wearing blue light blocking glasses at night.
Biohacking can be an invaluable way of improving oneself, but it is vitally important that any potential hacks be discussed with a medical expert beforehand. Furthermore, getting a blood and hormone panel as well as an at-home DNA test is recommended in order to identify any nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, or any other potential issues you might be suffering from and help establish healthier baselines with more informed choices for moving forward.
What are the benefits of biohacking?
One of the main motivations behind biohacking is an intense desire to enhance their lives in some way, be it increasing focus and concentration, getting stronger, feeling more relaxed or experiencing spiritual development. People who engage in biohacking typically conduct personal experiments in order to determine what works for them best – this may involve optimizing diet, supplementation and exercise regimens, monitoring sleep tracker apps for data analysis or taking cognitive-enhancing substances such as nootropics.
Intermittent fasting is another popular biohacking strategy, helping to enhance oxidative stress markers, blood pressure, hunger and cholesterol levels – as well as reduce triglycerides while simultaneously improving insulin and blood sugar levels in those living with type 2 diabetes.
Biohackers typically rely on nutrigenomics to examine how food interacts with genes and affects health or illness, or they may experiment with supplements, like ketogenic diet or anti-aging superfoods whey protein and collagen. When it comes to cognitive enhancement, they primarily utilize brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which promotes neurogenesis and neuroplasticity through meditation, breathing exercises, red light therapy or nootropics – to increase levels of this neurotropic factor.
Other biohackers aim to optimize their bodies’ systems, such as their immune and digestive tracts. One approach they may take to do this is through an elimination diet in which specific foods are eliminated from your diet for 10 days at a time until reintroduced individually to identify which cause inflammation or symptoms; they might also use probiotics, acai powder and supplements to maintain gut health.
There’s also a category of biohackers who experiment with practices such as ice baths and cryotherapy to increase circulation, boost metabolism, and fight depression.
Overall, most biohacking techniques utilized by those who identify themselves as “biohackers” are relatively safe. Injury or even death from biohacking methods is low if people abide by recommended guidelines and don’t overdo their activities.
Biohackers often experiment with new methods without consulting the medical community beforehand and this poses a potential health risk, especially for those trying GMOs, gene editing or enhancements that do not have sufficient scientific studies available for approval. Therefore it’s advisable to speak to a healthcare provider prior to making significant lifestyle or supplement changes or taking new supplements.
