The solution to reverse the effects of ageing has interested and puzzled scientists for decades. But a middle-aged man believes he has found a way to bio-hack is body to regain his youth.
Bryan Johnson, a 45-year-old tech developer who lives in Venice, California, has dedicated his life to following a rigorous daily routine which he says has given him the heart of a 37-year-old, the skin of a 28-year-old and the lung-capacity and fitness of an 18-year-old.
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While there are some external signs that Johnson is at the very least, healthier than most 45-year-olds, doctors are excited by what’s happening on the inside.
Lots of people are likely unconvinced by Johnson’s quest for youth, however doctors say his tests show he’s reduced his overall biological age by at least five years.
His ultimate goal is to have all of his major organs - like is brain, liver, kidneys, teeth, skin hair, penis and rectum - functioning the same way as they did when he was in his late teen years.
It’s not as easy as it sounds. Johnson’s initiative, known as Project Blueprint, instructs him to follow a strict vegan diet of 1,977 calories. The daily recommended amount of calories per day for an adult man in 2,500.
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He must also take part in exercise each and every day that lasts an hour, plus high-intensity exercise three times a week.
Bloomberg reports there are more than 30 doctors and health experts - led by medicine physician Oliver Zolman - monitoring all his bodily functions.
The daily regime may sound like an absolute nightmare for many of us. He wakes up every morning at 5am and takes two dozen supplements. He works out for an hour, drinks green juice with added creatine and collagen peptides and brushes and flosses his pearly whites while rinsing with tea-tree oil and antioxidant gel.
Before getting some shuteye, Johnson wears glasses for two hours to block blue light.
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Johnson’s vital signs are also constantly monitored and he undergoes monthly medical procedures, many of them painful, to maintain his results. This includes ultrasound, MRIs, colonoscopies and blood tests.
This is in addition to the daily measurements of his weight, body mass index, body mass index, body fat, blood glucose levels and heart-rate variations.
During his sleep, a machine he’s hooked up to counts the number of nighttime erections he has.
“I treat athletes and Hollywood celebrities, and no one is pushing the envelope as much as Bryan,” said Jeff Toll, an internist who is part of the regime team, per Bloomberg News.
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Johnson said: "What I do may sound extreme, but I’m trying to prove that self-harm and decay are not inevitable."
Johnson made his fortune when he was in his 30s. He sold Braintree - not the town in Essex, a payment processing company he founded - to eBay Inc. in 2013 for $800 million (£645m) in cash.
Before he sold his company, he experienced a big downturn in his medical and physical health. He told the outlet he was overweight, depressed and nearly suicidal because of his long working hours.
This period ultimately led to his interest in his own biology and his pursuit for health.
Gregory Robinson