Longevity-obsessed tech millionaire discontinues de-aging drug out of concerns that it aged him
Summary
Bryan Johnson, a 46-year-old tech multimillionaire focused on anti-aging, stopped using rapamycin—a supplement he took for five years—after research suggested it might accelerate aging.
Johnson cited side effects like skin infections and glucose issues, as well as findings from a recent study showing rapamycin could worsen epigenetic aging.
Known for extreme anti-aging experiments, Johnson also created the health startup Blueprint, which markets pricey supplements.
His controversial methods, including teenage blood transfusions and genital shock treatments, have raised skepticism about their effectiveness and safety.
https://gizmodo.com/longevity-obsessed-tech-millionaire-discontinues-de-aging-drug-out-of-concerns-that-it-aged-him-2000549377Open linkView original on lemmy.world389
Comments97
It's an unpopular opinion, but I actually appreciate this guy and what he is doing. He has opted to open his entire research and data to anyone that wants to look at it. So, even though he is definitely a weirdo, the data he is providing might be of some use.
I don't want to look like a vampire, but if his research leads to the discovery of some protein that allows my heart to beat at full strength for a little longer, or slows down the onset of dementia, etc., then I'm all for him wasting his money trying to look like a Twilight cast member.
I like that he's willing to really fuck up his own body to see what happens. I don’t like that he's peddling supplements.
Notice I used the word "appreciate" instead of "like".
But he's involving so many variables, is his data even useful? I don't understand how you could extrapolate anything from a guy who takes so many supplements that may cause conflicting outcomes.
Someone who has a background in science would know that testing on a single person is not very useful for what other posters are wishing for (new proteins, new anti aging treatments).
This billionaire has age dysmorphia and is using his wealth to experiment around. It’s unfortunate really.
I don't know about "unfortunate". His "move fast and break things" approach to anti-aging treatments have a good chance of killing him, and having one less dipshit billionaire who thinks he's brilliant because he's rich would undoubtedly benefit society as a whole.
That’s a good perspective. I hadn’t thought of it that way.
It's unethical to experiment on anyone other than yourself, but there's a reason we can cure so many things in mice, and it isn't just that they're a bit simpler. It's also because they go through a lot of mice.
Yes, because anything that looks promising can be pulled out as a hypothesis to be tested properly.
This isn't real research ... it's just a millionaire spending money on trying to live longer for themselves while selling and marketing products on the side.
If it were real research, it would involve a group of recognized researchers and scientists testing products and activities on a small group of volunteers who are fully aware of what they are participating in. And the research has to last for several years using multiple controls.
Watching one guy testing and trying out a few things whenever he feels like it and done at his own whim and under only his opinion and likes and dislikes is not research.
The biggest contribution he has to longevity is in promoting and advertising the fact that one of the ways to extend your lifespan is to become a millionaire.
Someone testing on themselves is how we learned what causes and how to treat ulcers (the researcher earned a Nobel prize for giving himself an ulcer, and then treating it), among other things.
Controlled trials are great, but research has to start somewhere.
You're telling me that shocking one's nards on a hunch and writing it down isn't real research?
I'm starting to think I know nothing about science. What have I been doing?
I'd love to see your research on shocking your nards ... especially to be able to see the video evidence of what happens and what the results are.
For most of the time since the start of the Scientific Revolution, the way this guy does research was the standard way that research was done. Controlled clinical trials certainly have an important role in the development of new medicines, but they're slow and expensive. They aren't good tools for quickly trying out a lot of very speculative ideas. I expect that if a powerful anti-aging technique is discovered, it will be used for self-experimentation years before a clinical trial.
A couple of caveats: first, I think that a powerful anti-aging technique is probably not possible with today's technology or the technology of the near future. Second, I think the self-experimentation is more likely to be done by a scientist in an academic lab studying senescence than by someone doing research outside of academia.
A sample size of one is pretty much useless. The only good thing to come out of his work is the publicity and public interest in anti aging imo.
It's one guy who is going through like a million treatments.
It's cool that the data is available but what helpful information can be gained from it other than "what happens if you do jackass but healthy?"
I just watched this movie again today, wasn’t expecting a meme of it so quickly!
I know it's not the popular choice, but Last Crusade is by far my favorite of the Franchise. I re-watch it way more than Raiders.
Ditto, I think it’s the best out of all of them!
Hah, sounds like his "research" is trying it out on himself and deciding he didn't like it. And now that he doesn't like it, all of a sudden he finds the research valid. He's still only listening to opinions he agrees with. What a shallow twat.
Watched the documentary with a friend; we were trying to guess his age. We agreed on "decent looking for 55". He's 47 lol.
His face looks old enough to make his hair look unnatural.
It looks like a wig.
It's not just "one of many" it was the big one that has a large online following swearing by it, and lots of idiots taking it.
Also I can't see a pic of this guy without thinking of Dennis Reynolds asking if he should wear a mask of his own face.
Every time I think of Dennis Reynolds, I'm reminded of the episode where he tries to sell his car that got stuck in water, and he berates the guy for mentioning how the car isn't even runnable.
Lol he even has "big hair". I bet this guy is a blast to be around. Yikes.
Is he buddy's with Peter thiel and all the vampires that support trump and want to live forever
"genital shock treatments"
Ok..... how did someone sell that as an anti-aging treatment?
The salesman: "anti-what?"
The passing of time must be stored in the balls.
I don't usually like salespeople, but this one I like a lot.
My guess would be Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite.
I'm choosing to read that as someone is screwing with him.
this guy sucks. He's conducting essentially a thousand uncontrolled trials on himself making them all useless unless he dies of a new contraindiction
Why does he suck though? Aren't we all conducting uncontrolled trials on ourselves? Better that, than doing it on other people, right?
I think what they meant is even if he finds something that works, the data can't be trusted, which will heavily delay things like doing it properly.
If the tests aren't being done on anyone else yet then he's not going to delay anything by trying it himself.
Frankly, I admire his daring. When people pilot experimental aircraft or climb a mountain nobody's climbed before they're considered to be adventurers, he's doing the pharmaceutical equivalent.
Don’t need to trust. Gives us an idea of where to look and verify.
He'll probably kill a multimillionaire and will not even be a crime
He's doing what all of us are doing which is why the whole article is just ego fellatio for a rich dullard.
I watched his video describing a day in his life, sleep at 8pm and wake up at 5am, then take 50 pills, his whole day revolved around preparing for sleep, which he said was the most important thing, so I guess he's right about that. But just thinking a tiny change in his life, even travelling, will upset this routine, then what, the stress from that routine is probably aging him the most.
I truly believe he loves doing this so no cost to him as far as mental health/stress goes. Sounds like you are doing most things right so that pretty much covers the 80/20 rule. Johnson is trying to live indefinitely without losing mobility or mental faculties. It's great that we have someone testing things out and adjusting when things don't work.
I'm in my forties and he doesn't look noticeably younger than I do except for my hair being salt and pepper. I don't look exceptionally young or anything, it just doesn't seem like his regimen is really doing anything that diet, exercise, and sunscreen can't also accomplish.
I can imagine that having a hyperfocus on anti-aging and unstoppably aging at the same time, must be really stressful and at the end of the day, ends up contributing to a faster aging overall.
Yeah I remember seeing some stupid post somewhere about this guy saying "can you believe this man is only 45" and everyone in the comments saying "um yes that is what 45 year olds look like."
I think to be fair, you've got to compare his before and after, rather than comparing him to anyone else.
I certainly wouldn't say he looks young, but I think he's on a better trajectory.
I bet I live longer than him, and on a shoestring budget
This dude is just going to spend a bunch of money on shit that will eventually kill him. What a waste.
What an efficient allocation of capital!
That's what we all do every day, this guy just has more to spend
Nah some of the shit we buy sustains us, and some of the killer shit we buy at least provides joy. This guy is just a miserable, wasteful asshole.
You have to see this guy's routine. His life is built around attempting to extend his longevity. He lives like a luxurious lab rat being pocked, prodded, measured and eats/drinks/sleeps/exercises on a ultra-strick program.
It seems miserable.
This guy looks like he's 60 cosplaying as a 20 year old
If it kills him sooner, that’s one less oligarchs billionaire to worry about.
The Dennis System for Aging
He just hit the final S in that system
He probably should have taken this medication under the supervision of Dr. Toboggan.
If I was old I'd simply say: Old age begone!
The guy looks like one of those Kraftwerk robots.
Had to check this wasn’t nottheonion
When you’ve got everything in life and all you want to do is live longer.
instead of helping the billions living in squalor and dying premature deaths.
If he hits on an effective anti-aging treatment from his efforts then he'll help billions that way instead. Pretty much everyone eventually suffers from aging if they live long enough.
I applaud your otimism in thinking it will be democratised and not a luxury for wealthy classes.
Almost all medications start out as a luxury for wealthy classes.
When insulin was first discovered as a treatment for diabetes the first Americans to be treated with it back in 1922 were James D. Havens, son of former congressman James S. Havens, and Elizabeth Hughes Gossett, daughter of the US Secretary of State. I can just imagine the Reddit threads at the time decrying how diabetes research was only benefiting the "elites." But nowadays insulin is manufactured in bulk and anyone can have access to it.
At this rate, he can likely claim solitude regarding the premature deaths
Edit: solidarity not solitude. My brain broke this morning.
Is this the trickle down economics everyone is talking about? shall we again start selling uranium, platinum etc beverages to the rich?
He has a team for this?
“Despite the immense potential from pre-clinical trials, my team and I came to the conclusion..."
Forget trickle down economics, this is insane just bring the guillotines.
It's so completely unfair that idiots like this guy make millions of snake oil "experiments" that don't even work, but people who dedicate all their time and energy into a labor of love are left to rot
I still can’t believe he took his kid’s blood to try to live longer.
Is it wrong to wish him success in his quest for longevity with a side of quadriplegia?
Oh, that’s different then.
I see the proud tradition of drinking mercury concoctions is alive and well. I mean, not well, but...
Would be nice if the dude just went ahead and dove into taoist alchemy instead of trying to create a veneer of actual science.
I ran across a YouTube video of this guy a couple months ago because a popular YT fitness guy (rock climber) I watch went and interviewed him and did some physical 'age tests' with him as well as just talk about his daily routines.
He doesn't come across as batshit crazy in the video, but obviously he's a bit obsessive over this whole thing.
The funniest part about it was that Magnus (Climber) matched or exceeded him in almost all the physical 'age tests' they performed. Of course, Magnus would also outperform most other people in most physical tests but that didn't make it any less humorous. On the "not as batshit as I imagined" list, he also seemed fairly supportive/genuine of Magnus' results/abilities during the video.
https://youtu.be/G7b28Vm9-O0
Regular physical activity and spending some time outdoors is more beneficial than injecting weird shit, who knew?
You can't fight bad habits with supplements.
I don't believe this guy (Bryan) has a lot of bad habits, his whole life seems to revolve around this life extending plan. I'm not at all defending/justifying him, but he had a pretty good answer regarding what supplements are best when Magnus asked. His response was "The ones you are deficient in"
Again, as I said above, in the linked video he doesn't scream "batshit crazy" but just really eccentric!
He also exercises and eating healthy though. He isn’t just popping pills and pray for the best.
Who cares at that point?
Who cares, you're dead.
In what world was that an argument? Lol, good luck to you Mr. "If he dies you're already long dead" guy.
Here's an actual argument:
We're going on a Holiday...
It's pretty wild someone like this is so high on his own supply that he bought into his own bullshit.
I'm out of the loop, I don't know who he is and I'm not sure I've heard about the drug earlier. But IMO, at least he did that. Instead of only peddling dreams to others for a hefty price
If this is the guy I'm thinking of, he's doing both.
Extreme workouts, diets, medical interventions (blood transfusions, etc.), general body weirdness that would be classed as some variety of anorexia nervosa if he were younger and poorer, and a regimen of pills. He's selling the pills.
Oh, and ladies? He's looking to to reenter the dating market. I guess that's neither here nor there, but for some reason he's available!!!
Well, that's kinda my point. At least he's doing both, not only one of those
:D
I'm a man and if I met a woman serious about life extension then I would consider that a positive. It's evidence that she is smart (at least in the high-INT/low-WIS way), motivated, and will always have something strange and new to talk about. Her eccentricity may turn out to be of the sort that makes a serious long-term relationship impossible, but that's a risk that someone who wants to date eccentric people must take.
With that said, I expect that women who think the way I do are quite rare.
Well, aren't things peculiar in the Delusionland™️?
Dude looks like he's in his late 50's
Every fiction writer who described dystopian futures in which the wealthy sought life extension in order to continue amassing control and wealth should pat themselves on the back. Yeah, people and the rulers have always wished for life extending magic, but the dystopia factor is spot on.
It would be hilarious if the accelerated aging from the supplement undid all the progress he made from all the other stuff lol.
You can't cheat life. We must all age..
He seems to actually believe there is a way to live forever. And he's spending millions per year to get there. He said he wants to show the world how to stop ageing. When asked how everybody should be able to spend as much resources as he does, he said society has to figure that out. Besides the fact that cost-intense trestments will only benefit the wealthy there wasn't one word about overall resource management, when people will die much later, but babies are born continuously. And the sentence about society has to figure it out really made me angry. Society already figured out billionairs are an issue and often enough the cause for many poor people suffering. But this doesn't change anything, cause the rich make the rules.
I'm glad someone other than me is trying this sort of thing. He bears the risks, but if he succeeds then I share in the benefits.
Same here. It bothers me how many people have come to worship the Dragon-Tyrant and consider this guy to be somehow "selfish" for attempting this.
This is one of the biggest wastes of time I could imagine.
He wants to be Bob page so bad
He needs to go on a whole foods plant-based diet. It’s good for your skin and health.
IIRC, he already is.