Featured Image Credit: Bryan Johnson / YouTube
Bryan Johnson has spent a lot of time and money trying to reverse his age and 'live forever.'
But recently, he revealed that one of the many drugs he takes may have accidentally done the exact opposite and accelerated his ageing.
The biohacker is well-known for his extreme anti-aging experiments and has spent over $2 million a year working with a team of more than 30 medical experts to try and slow down his biological clock.
His unconventional methods including taking 54 daily supplements, receiving blood transfusions from his teenage son and even posting his penis data have both caused shock and criticism from his audience.
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Now, in a new video that's already racked up over 300,000 views, Johnson opened up about his experience with Rapamycin.
The immunosuppressant was initially used to suppress the immune system in organ transplant patients and decrease organ rejection rates.
However, in 2009, researchers found a potential link between Rapamycin and increased lifespan in mice.
That’s when it caught Johnson’s attention, he explained. The study he referenced showed that Rapamycin could extend the lifespan of mice by up to 14 percent, and even more when used alongside other medications.
Assessing the possibilities, the 47-year-old said that the dug - in low doses - can inhibit a protein called mTORC1, which is tied to 'many age-related diseases.' Suppressing it was thought to 'reduce biological age, the speed of ageing and improve organ age markers,' Johnson noted.
At the same time, a dose of Rapamycin that is too high can affect the function of mTORC2. This can lead to a suppression of natural cancer-killing cells as well as disruptions in blood glucose, insulin, and cholesterol.
Working with his team of over 30 medical experts, Johnson tried various dosing schedules, adjusting the number of pills he took each week. Researchers tracked the drug’s presence in his bloodstream over several days to determine the optimal dosage.
"Knowing that information, we could then figure out if the dose is appropriate for the effects and narrow enough to avoid the side effects," he explained. "I didn't notice any benefits," he admitted, adding: "I did however notice side effects."
Among the issues of regular canker sores, slower wound healing and blood glucose spikes, Johnson said the 'the most painful' part was his 'increased resting heart rate' - a key biomarker he uses to track his sleep quality and overall health. Though these symptoms persisted for years, Johnson said he kept going in the hope the drug would eventually deliver longevity benefits.
But new literature made the American entrepreneur pull the plug - new studies showed that Rapamycin 'increased the speed of ageing in humans across 16 epigenetic clocks.'
Johnson called the findings 'huge news' and admitted the irony of his situation was 'pretty funny.' While unsure whether he caused himself lasting damage, he says his journey is a constant experiment - and that negative results can be just as important as positive ones.
