Billionaire Bryan Johnson paused to take a look back at the past year and a half of developing and practicing an extreme anti-aging regimen, acknowledging that his solutions aren't for everyone but asserting that some helpful changes are accessible to anyone.
In an interview with Emmy-nominated Bloomberg journalist Ashlee Vance, Johnson said he had spent millions pursuing biological age reversal through an intensive lifestyle protocol. The founder of Kernel, a company developing brain interfaces, said his current regimen involves restricted calorie intake, taking two dozen supplements per day, and meticulous sleep and exercise routines.
“We didn't really know what to expect when we started,” he told Bloomberg. “The 5.1 year age reversal for epigenetics was interesting, and slowing the speed of aging by 25% was something that we found really exciting.”
The protocol was developed with “world-class scientists and doctors” and tailored to Johnson’s body using extensive testing and data, he explained.
“We make hundreds of measurements in my body every few months,” he said. “We just reference the scientific literature. And we do this again and again. And we try to fine-tune it.”
While praising Johnson’s commitment, Vance noted that such an intensive regimen is not realistic for most people.
“When we say stringent—1,977 vegan calories a day, two dozen supplements and medicines, exercise an hour a day plus high intensity three times a week, sleep at the same time, every night, after two hours of wearing glasses and block blue light...” she recounted. “I don't think I particularly want 33,000 images of my bowels.”
Johnson acknowledged this concern, saying he understood his current protocol “is pretty daunting for most people.” But he argued that the basic principle could apply to everyone.
“We all have these versions inside of us where we commit this self-destructive behavior, and we do so again and again,” he remarked. “Oftentimes some of the biggest gains can be made if we just stopped some of those more self-destructive behaviors.”
When asked for simple changes people could make, Johnson recommended prioritizing sleep, eating more vegetables, nuts and berries, and avoiding unhealthy habits. “You’re off to a pretty good start,” he said.
While some praise his dedication, Vance returned to criticism that Johnson has received insisting that the regimen is extreme and not feasible for most.
“It’s understandable,” Johnson told Bloomberg regarding the varied reactions. “The same dialogue that is happening online is the same dialogue that happens inside of each one of us.”
Editor's note: This story was drafted with Decrypt AI from sources referenced in the text, and fact-checked by Ozawa.