June 14, 2024 / ask men / -- These Biohacking Pros Plan to Live Beyond 180 — Here's How You Can Too
Given all of the emerging medical discoveries and technological advancements in recent years, one would think our life expectancy would be on the rise — but actually, research has shown that it’s been declining. The good news? Regardless of your genetics, you aren’t doomed to a short, disease-ridden life. In fact, according to entrepreneur and best-selling author Dave Asprey — AKA the “father of biohacking” — aging isn’t actually inevitable. He would know: Testing has revealed that he’s biologically 11 years younger, and aging at 72% the rate of other humans.
The theme of Asprey’s 10th annual Biohacking Conference was “Live Beyond 180.” Asprey said he chose it because — in his words — ”We are not going to settle.” And why should we?
Here are some of the top takeaways and tips from biohacking experts on how to reverse your biological age.
Test, Don’t Guess
Investing in supplements, making changes to your diet, and tweaking your lifestyle are all excellent ways to optimize your health. But if you don’t know exactly what’s going on in your body, making these kinds of adjustments is often just a waste of time — and money. The only way to come up with a personalized plan is to do some testing.
At the recent Biohacking Conference, Viome founder Naveen K. Jain spoke about the importance of acknowledging our bio-individuality — in other words, the uniqueness of our individual bodies. While some people may thrive on legumes and whole grains, others may find that they perform better on meat and leafy greens. That’s where the revolutionary Viome Full Body Intelligence Test comes in: it helps to identify exactly which foods you should be prioritizing — and avoiding — for optimal health.
In addition to a personalized food list, you receive a list of recommended custom-formulated supplements that can help you to improve the diversity of your microbiome, fight inflammation, and reach other wellness goals. The test also offers helpful insight into the current state of your immune system, gut health, oral health, heart health, and brain and cognitive health. As they say, knowledge is power. And what could be more powerful than knowing exactly what your body needs?
Meanwhile, Upgrade Labs — Asprey’s biohacking center with multiple locations in the U.S. and Canada — offers members complimentary cell health analysis. These scans allow for ongoing tracking of your muscle mass, visceral fat, body fat, systemic cellular health, and more.
Boost Your Body’s Repair System
Atherosclerosis, heart disease, liver failure, kidney failure, diabetes, lupus, arthritis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s emphysema, COPD — these are some of the leading chronic diseases in the U.S., and in some cases, the leading causes of death. According to Christian Drapeau, a stem cell expert, scientist and founder of STEMREGEN, people with these diseases have one thing in common: they have 50% or fewer stem cells than their healthier counterparts.
When more stem cells are in circulation, your body can repair itself more easily. But as we get older, our bodies don’t produce as many new stem cells. Enter: STEMREGEN Release, a powerful, research-backed blend of plant extracts estimated to increase the number of circulating stem cells in your body by up to 100%. Drapeau told AskMen that every single ingredient is supported by placebo-controlled studies.
“Once these stem cells leave the bone marrow, they can enter the heart, the muscles, and many other tissues,” he explained. “They can replenish every type of stem cell.”
Release may be STEMREGEN’s flagship product, but the company just added three new options to its supplement line:
- STEMREGEN Sport, which is designed to support muscle recovery and resilience in athletes regularly undergoing strenuous physical activity
- STEMREGEN Mobilize, which is a drinkable powder meant to help ensure efficient stem cell delivery throughout the body
- STEMREGEN Signal, which helps stem cells reach targeted areas of the body more directly
Hack Your Trauma...
Living in constant fight-or-flight mode can take quite a toll on the body. With that in mind, if you suspect you’re still dealing with some unprocessed trauma, it’s time to make healing one of your top priorities. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, somatic therapy, breathwork, meditation — these are just some of the science-backed ways to treat trauma. But in recent years, there’s been an exciting wave of research about new and potentially game-changing approaches.
For example, Dr. Sara Gottfried, a Harvard-educated physician, four-time bestselling author, and leading expert on hormones, says participating in MDMA-assisted therapy for trauma has been transformative in her healing journey. The FDA has not yet approved psychedelic-assisted therapies — but that could change as soon as August 11 of this year.
“In my first session, I could feel a massive shift,” Dr. Gottfried told AskMen. “I could feel my trauma resolving in a way that I have never experienced. It provided so much insight. It helped me to look at the facts of my case with a more neutral approach, and a witnessing quality — rather than spinning the story that I created, mostly in therapy, for decades.”
Board-certified psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Dave Rabin, who specializes in treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, also shared some promising new approaches to treating trauma at the Biohacking Conference.
Through some of his research at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Rabin discovered that one of the fastest, most effective ways to help someone feel safe is through gentle physical touch. In the interest of harnessing that power, Rabin invented Apollo Neuro — the first scientifically-validated wearable technology that utilizes touch therapy to improve relaxation, calm, sleep, and focus.
...And Your Sleep
Board-certified psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Dave Rabin, who specializes in treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, also shared some promising new approaches to treating trauma at the Biohacking Conference.
Through some of his research at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Rabin discovered that one of the fastest, most effective ways to help someone feel safe is through gentle physical touch. In the interest of harnessing that power, Rabin invented Apollo Neuro — the first scientifically-validated wearable technology that utilizes touch therapy to improve relaxation, calm, sleep, and focus.
“Sleep is our most vulnerable state of existence — during deep sleep, REM sleep, most of us are paralyzed or completely disconnected from the outside world,” Dr. Rabin said. “So if you don’t feel safe to be vulnerable, you’re not going to enter deep sleep. Your body is actually going to reject it. It’s not going to allow you to be that vulnerable if you perceive a threat around the corner.”
In other words, for many of us, the key to getting better sleep is to somehow send signals of safety to the brain. And there’s a chance Apollo Neuro may be capable of doing just that.
Clinical studies have shown that 40% of Apollo Neuro users feel less stress and anxiety, and they experience up to 25% more focus and concentration, up to 19% more deep sleep, and up to 30 minutes more sleep a night. So, how does this relate to longevity? Well, a 2024 study of 172,321 adults found that men who get adequate sleep live about five years longer than men who don’t.
Harness the Power of Urolithin A
Researchers have identified cellular senescence as one of the top hallmarks of aging. This refers to the process by which cells become damaged and permanently stop dividing, and it can be caused by a wide range of internal and external stressors, injuries, and other issues. As you age, your body can’t clear those dysfunctional “zombie cells” quite as easily and effectively. Over time, those cells begin to release molecules that trigger inflammation, which is at the core of so many chronic diseases from cancer, ulcerative colitis, and diabetes to Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease.
Scientists say these zombie cells often accumulate because the mitochondria — which play a key role in the natural cell recycling process — aren’t working properly.
So, how do you get rid of these zombie cells? Over 300 studies have shown that a natural compound called Urolithin A can prevent premature senescence and stimulate the turnover of damaged, dysfunctional mitochondria, as well as improve gut healthand muscle health — among other perks. Urolithin A is a postbiotic, so your gut only makes it after you consume certain antioxidants in foods like pomegranates. Fortunately, Mitopure® — the first and only Urolithin A supplement — can allow you to reap those cellular health benefits. Better yet, Mitopure® offers six times more Urolithin A than you can get from your diet alone.
