Title: Tech Tycoon Halts Anti-Aging Pill after Suspecting It Accelerated Aging
Bryan Johnson, a 46-year-old tech entrepreneur with a passion for "de-aging," has been exploring various methods to extend his lifespan. His morning routine includes consuming 54 different supplements for breakfast, aiming to extend his lifespan and break age records. Recently, he stopped taking one of these supplements, rapamycin, due to concerns about its potential side effects and unproven benefits.
Johnson revealed his decision in a tweet, mentioning the drug's side effects such as skin/soft tissue infections, lipid abnormalities, glucose elevations, and increased resting heart rate. Additionally, a new study suggested that rapamycin might be accelerating aging in humans.
Johnson's quest for longevity led him to start Blueprint, a health and wellness company that promotes lifestyle changes like eating a healthy diet, exercising, and not smoking or drinking excessively. The company also sells subscription services for protein powders, dubbed "longevity mixes." While the product received mixed reviews, its creator's obsession with longevity and dedication to scientific experimentation capture the public's interest.
Johnson's pursuit of longevity goes beyond conventional methods. He's reportedly experimented with transfusing his teenage son's blood to test its health benefits, and more recently, he tried "shock treatments" on his genitals to potentially reverse age-related changes. Results of these bizarre self-experiments remain uncertain.
Rapamycin's effects on aging are not fully understood. Some studies suggest it can induce hyper-autophagy, a cellular degradation process, but the consequences can be mixed. Others indicate that it might accelerate aging in humans, as suggested by an increase in epigenetic aging clocks. The benefits of lifelong dosing of rapamycin seem less apparent when compared to its potential risks and side effects.
Given Bryan Johnson's focus on leveraging technology for longevity, he believes that future advancements in tech, such as gene editing and cryonics, could revolutionize our understanding and extension of human lifespans. Recognizing the power of technology in shaping the tech-driven future, Johnson continues to explore groundbreaking methods to defy the aging process.