this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2025
330 points (97.4% liked)

News

23824 readers
3397 users here now

Welcome to the News community!

Rules:

1. Be civil


Attack the argument, not the person. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Good faith argumentation only. This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban. Do not respond to rule-breaking content; report it and move on.


2. All posts should contain a source (url) that is as reliable and unbiased as possible and must only contain one link.


Obvious right or left wing sources will be removed at the mods discretion. We have an actively updated blocklist, which you can see here: https://lemmy.world/post/2246130 if you feel like any website is missing, contact the mods. Supporting links can be added in comments or posted seperately but not to the post body.


3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.


Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.


4. Post titles should be the same as the article used as source.


Posts which titles don’t match the source won’t be removed, but the autoMod will notify you, and if your title misrepresents the original article, the post will be deleted. If the site changed their headline, the bot might still contact you, just ignore it, we won’t delete your post.


5. Only recent news is allowed.


Posts must be news from the most recent 30 days.


6. All posts must be news articles.


No opinion pieces, Listicles, editorials or celebrity gossip is allowed. All posts will be judged on a case-by-case basis.


7. No duplicate posts.


If a source you used was already posted by someone else, the autoMod will leave a message. Please remove your post if the autoMod is correct. If the post that matches your post is very old, we refer you to rule 5.


8. Misinformation is prohibited.


Misinformation / propaganda is strictly prohibited. Any comment or post containing or linking to misinformation will be removed. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, credible sources must be provided.


9. No link shorteners.


The auto mod will contact you if a link shortener is detected, please delete your post if they are right.


10. Don't copy entire article in your post body


For copyright reasons, you are not allowed to copy an entire article into your post body. This is an instance wide rule, that is strictly enforced in this community.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

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.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] BigBenis@lemmy.world 4 points 20 minutes ago

This guy looks like he's 60 cosplaying as a 20 year old

[–] Mediocre_Bard@lemmy.world 4 points 1 hour ago

It would be hilarious if the societal collapse caused by wealth inequality resulted in him getting murdered. I would laugh and laugh.

[–] Lettuceeatlettuce@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 hour ago

It would be hilarious if the accelerated aging from the supplement undid all the progress he made from all the other stuff lol.

[–] yrnttm@lemmy.world 14 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

This dude is just going to spend a bunch of money on shit that will eventually kill him. What a waste.

[–] PraiseTheSoup@lemm.ee 3 points 2 hours ago

That's what we all do every day, this guy just has more to spend

[–] Alphamars@lemmy.world 4 points 3 hours ago

You can't cheat life. We must all age..

[–] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 22 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

"genital shock treatments"

Ok..... how did someone sell that as an anti-aging treatment?

[–] Uruanna@lemmy.world 14 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

The salesman: "anti-what?"

[–] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 3 points 35 minutes ago

The passing of time must be stored in the balls.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.world 17 points 7 hours ago

Had to check this wasn’t nottheonion

[–] Preflight_Tomato@lemm.ee 31 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

Watched the documentary with a friend; we were trying to guess his age. We agreed on "decent looking for 55". He's 47 lol.

[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 17 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

People who are obsessed with some physical quality about themselves always make whatever the issue is, like 1000% worse than if they just left it alone and lived normally.

[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 11 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

His face looks old enough to make his hair look unnatural.

[–] apfelwoiSchoppen@lemmy.world 3 points 2 hours ago

It looks like a wig.

[–] WhatSay@slrpnk.net 20 points 8 hours ago

I bet I live longer than him, and on a shoestring budget

[–] Allonzee@lemmy.world 50 points 10 hours ago
[–] Scott_of_the_Arctic@lemmy.world 17 points 9 hours ago

The guy looks like one of those Kraftwerk robots.

[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 182 points 13 hours ago (5 children)

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.

[–] tacosanonymous@lemm.ee 112 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

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.

[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 48 points 13 hours ago

Notice I used the word "appreciate" instead of "like".

[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 47 points 12 hours ago (3 children)

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.

[–] JoeyJoeJoeJr@lemmy.ml 16 points 5 hours ago

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.

[–] Zombiepirate@lemmy.world 15 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

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?

[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 4 points 6 hours ago

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.

[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 5 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

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.

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.

[–] livjq@lemmy.world 53 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

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.

[–] PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca 38 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

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.

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 4 hours ago

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.

[–] Sludgehammer@lemmy.world 5 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

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.

[–] PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 hours ago

That’s a good perspective. I hadn’t thought of it that way.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] GreenSofaBed@lemmy.zip 22 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

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.

[–] quixotic120@lemmy.world 14 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

That’s the thing, he might live a bit longer but at what cost? I would much rather enjoy my life than by a slave to a miserable routine dedicated to promoting longevity that will potentially buy me an extra decade. Like I can just eat a somewhat reasonable diet, exercise, sleep okay and with decent genetics based on my parents and grandparents I will probably make it to at least mid to late 80s, maybe longer if medicine advances. If I had genetics that suggested a strong likelihood that I would die in my 60s I would maybe be more interested

With this guys routine I could maybe push that to 100ish? I would certainly love to extend my life but not at the cost of it consuming my life. I assume he’s banking on getting to the theoretical max though, which is probably closer to 120ish, and that is substantial but then it’s like a few decades of extremely decreased mobility and mental acuity? Eh

And of course this all disregards the potential that you get cancer, murdered, car accident, etc.

[–] TechAnon@lemm.ee 7 points 8 hours ago

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.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 26 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

this guy sucks. He's conducting essentially a thousand uncontrolled trials on himself making them all useless unless he dies of a new contraindiction

[–] Free_Opinions@feddit.uk 17 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

Why does he suck though? Aren't we all conducting uncontrolled trials on ourselves? Better that, than doing it on other people, right?

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 11 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (2 children)

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.

[–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 9 points 7 hours ago

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.

[–] Glasgow@lemmy.ml 5 points 9 hours ago

Don’t need to trust. Gives us an idea of where to look and verify.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] apfelwoiSchoppen@lemmy.world 18 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

The Dennis System for Aging

[–] _____@lemm.ee 2 points 6 hours ago

If I was old I'd simply say: Old age begone!

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] dhork@lemmy.world 40 points 14 hours ago

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.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 33 points 14 hours ago (3 children)

Rapamycin

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.

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›