$2,000,000/Year Anti-aging Routine Without Spending $2M
date
Feb 19, 2024
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2m-anti-aging-routine
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Published
tags
Health
summary
Bryan Johnson invests $2,000,000 annually in longevity research. While I don't have millions to allocate toward anti-aging, I'm keen to delve into his findings and explore how I can craft a budget-friendly routine that achieves 60-80% of the same results. I'll be discussing from supplements, diet, exercise, and sleep perspective in this blog.
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Post
Intro to Bryan
Bryan Johnson is the founder of Kernel, a company developping device that can monitor and record brain activity. Previously he was the founder of Braintree, a mobile and web payment systems for e-commerce companies. Braintree acquired Venmo in 2012 for $26.2 million; the combined entity was acquired by PayPal for $800 million in 2013.
He also created a venture capital firm OS Fund investing in early-stage science and technology in Oct 2014, which he backed with $100 million of his personal capital.
You may know him through his anti-aging project “Blueprint”, which gained a lot of media attention for his unique approach to extending human lifespan.
Intro to Blueprint
Project Blueprint, aims to measure all 70+ organs of his body and then maximally reverse the quantified biological age of each. Blueprint is not Quantified Self or Life Optimization. At its core, it is an exploration into the future of being human.
What I like about Blueprint is that they have more than 30 doctors and health experts in the team, and they are conducting experiments in a scientific way.
We never act on anecdotes. We never do something because others do it. We do, however, “trust our gut”, by its data, not subjective emotional states. Evidence based medicine only.
In many parts of the world, it's common, particularly among the older generations, to seek medical help only in emergencies, often when it's already too late. For instance, my mother had to have a tooth extracted recently due to a crack that might have been preventable with earlier intervention. This underscores the need for proactive healthcare measures to anticipate and prevent such issues.
Blueprint touches the aspects such as supplements, diet, exercise, and sleep. It draws my attention to eating sugar free, non-processed foods, emphasizing the importance of good sleep hygiene, and fostered an environment where mental health issues could be openly discussed without stigma.
Motivation
Bryan was born on August 22, 1977, 47 years old at the time of writing. With data support, the results of his anti-aging routine are impressive. He slowed pace of aging by equivalent of 31 years. He was able to reduce biological age by 21 yrs in 5 months, and slow the accumulating aging damage down to lower than 88% of 18-year-olds.
Although I don’t have million laying around for anti-aging, but I wanted to see how I could copy part of his routine to mine to achieve close enough result without spending millions.
Let me leave this section with some questions that I have pondered before, and after I discovered Blueprint. I found these questions from Bryan well captures my motivation behind this study.
If you felt energized instead of lethargic, what would you dream of?
If your body didn’t have debilitating aches and pains, what would you be doing?
If you weren’t battling depression, what might life feel like?
If you weren’t in cognitive decline, how would you use your mind?
Once you resolve the basics, there is boundless possibilities that await discovery in our lives.
Supplement
Bryan takes 104 pills everyday, and here is his list
104 pills is simply not possible for me to follow immediately, I in general would start with supplement will enough human trial support instead of animal trial only. Beneficial effects in animal models don’t necessarily translate to human benefits. In addition I am also looking for supplements with no or no obvious side effect to human body. If I require a doctor to consistently monitor whether I am maintaining balance in all aspects, it would be overly burdensome for me to manage. Lastly, I would also consider my current age as well as my life style into consideration to avoid taking necessary supplements.
- Reserveratol: Found in the skin of red grapes, resveratrol is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been studied for its potential to activate sirtuins, a group of proteins believed to play a role in aging processes.
- NAD+ Precursors (Nicotinamide Riboside or NMN): NAD levels are estimated to decrease by nearly half between the ages of 20 and 50. NAD+ is crucial for cellular energy production, DNA repair, and sirtuin activation, but its levels decline with age. Supplementation with precursors like nicotinamide riboside (NR) or nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) may help replenish NAD+ levels, potentially offsetting some aging processes and supporting metabolic health, energy levels, and cellular repair mechanisms. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34517020/#:~:text=Major NAD%2B precursors focused on,ageing%2C metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.
- N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC): is valued for its ability to boost glutathione levels, one of the body's most potent antioxidants, which is crucial for neutralizing free radicals and reducing oxidative stress. By supporting the body's natural detoxification processes, NAC helps protect against cellular damage and inflammation. Additionally, its mucolytic properties make it effective in breaking down mucus, improving respiratory health in conditions like chronic bronchitis and COPD. NAC also shows potential in supporting brain health and may have protective effects against certain neurodegenerative diseases.
- Omega-3: Omega-3s, particularly EPA and DHA found in fish oil, have strong anti-inflammatory properties, which are crucial for combating chronic inflammation associated with aging. They support heart health, cognitive function, and may help maintain healthy skin. The wide-ranging benefits and extensive research supporting omega-3s make them a top choice for promoting overall health and longevity.
- CoQ10: CoQ10 is essential for energy production in cells and acts as a powerful antioxidant. Its levels naturally decline with age, particularly in heart tissue. Supplementation can support heart health, help maintain energy levels, and protect cells from oxidative damage, all important for aging healthily.
- Vitamin B Complex: Vitamin B Complex comprises eight essential B vitamins crucial for metabolism, brain function, and red blood cell production. Regular intake is necessary due to their water-soluble nature, helping prevent deficiencies and supporting overall health.
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant essential for collagen production, immune function, and iron absorption. It aids in tissue repair, wound healing, and reducing oxidative stress, necessitating regular consumption for health maintenance.
- Vitamin D-3: Vitamin D-3 enhances calcium absorption, supports bone health, boosts immune function, and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Among the eight supplements I mentioned above, I already incorporate Vitamins B, C, and D into my daily regimen and am gradually introducing the others to enhance my longevity. Also a lot of the supplement in his list can be found in whole food diet.
Diet
Bryan is vegan and his daily diet is intense:
- 10% caloric restriction
- Intermittent fasting
- 2,250 calories
- Vegan food
- 3 meals
Below is an example of his “Super Veggie” meal.
His eating schedule is also not normal, he finishes all 3 meals in the morning, he starts at 7:00am for the first meal, at 9:00am, 11:00am his second and third meal. He said he is mostly doing this to make sure 10 hour fasting time before sleep.
I enjoy my chicken breast, fish and steak, but I am planning to slowly adding more vegetable into my diet such as lentils, broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms. Counting calories isn't something I enjoy—it consumes too much of my mental energy to keep track of daily calorie intake. While some may recommend using apps like MyFitnessPal to facilitate calorie tracking, I find it still poses a challenge for me. Instead, I plan to adhere to a few meal options and calculate their caloric content just once.
I generally adhere closely to my diet, but when dining out with friends, I ease up on the restrictions to keep the atmosphere comfortable. I also find enjoyment in exploring new dishes or different cuisines occasionally. This flexibility is an integral part of my lifestyle. However, I remain particularly cautious about high-sugar foods due to their addictive nature.
Finally, regarding my eating schedule, I typically wake up between 8 and 9 a.m. and go to bed between 11:30 p.m. and midnight, usually having only 1 to 2 meals a day. I'm not keen on significantly altering my eating habits to align with my sleep pattern. I intend to maintain my current sleeping schedule while ensuring an 8-hour fasting period before bedtime, meaning my last meal will be around 3:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Exercise
Bryan dedicates a minimum of one hour daily to exercise, maintaining this routine throughout the week. His comprehensive workouts encompass:
- Calisthenics
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- Weight training with high repetitions
The specific details of his exercises and movements are provided in the attachment below.
Additionally, to ensure the health and longevity of his joints and to minimize the risk of injury, Bryan dedicates 10 minutes to stretching and warming up prior to his exercise sessions.
I really need to improve on exercise. Due to my recent status and work, I am constantly on the move, often find myself in a unfamiliar city. Even though my family and I understand the significance of physical activity, we haven't developed a routine of going to the gym or engaging in regular exercise. My only exceptions are going for a run or a swim, typically when I need a break from work or when I've been homebound for several days straight.
My goal this year is to establish a regular exercise habit, starting with at least 3 days a week of simple workout that I put together as below
Total Time: 40 Minutes
Warn-Up (5 minutes)
- March in place: 3 minutes
- Arm swings and circles: 2 minutes
Main Workout (30 minutes)
- Walking or Jogging: 5 minutes to get your heart rate up.
- Squats: 3 sets of 10 reps to strengthen my legs and glutes.
- Push-Ups: 3 sets of 10 reps (modify by doing them against a wall or on your knees if needed).
- Plank: Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute, rest, and repeat once to strengthen your core.
Cool-Down (5 minutes)
- Stretch my arms, legs, and back: 5 minutes to relax your muscles and prevent soreness.
The crucial aspect is maintaining consistency, simplifying my workout routine, and eliminating the need for a gym. While I may consider joining a gym eventually for more effective workouts, I find solo weightlifting mundane. Instead, I enjoy more engaging activities like swimming, playing tennis, or badminton with friends.
Sleep
Bryan dedicates 30 minutes to an hour each evening to his wind-down routine, which he typically spends with his family. During this time, they engage in various relaxing activities such as hanging out, reading, conversing, stretching, playing games, and watching something together. This family time allows them to disconnect from the day's stresses, focus on each other, stop the brain from ruminating.
Attaching his short video of some of his sleep tips:
I 100% agree on the importance of sleep and what it does to our health as well as longevity. Therefore I am going to slowly accepting all his suggestions.
- Reserve at least 30mins of wind down time doing simple things.
- Try to sleep & wake up at the same time every day without using alarms
- Sleep in a cold and dark room
- Sleep in a cold + dark room
I am not going to take magnesium glycinate at least not regularly just to avoid my body becoming accustomed to the supplement, which could potentially lead to difficulties in falling asleep without it.