Can Biohacking Help You Live Longer?

I recently attended the 2022 Biohacking Conference. Hosted by the “Father of Biohacking,” Dave Asprey, it was an exciting event featuring prominent speakers such as Dr. Will Cole, Dr. Steven Gundry, Jim Kwik, Dr. Harry Adelson, Charlie Engle, Naveen Jain, Dr. Patrick Porter, and Dr. Caroline Leaf.

While I certainly don’t live a true biohacker’s lifestyle, there are many ways I integrate biohacking into my life. A few examples are red and infrared light therapy, grounding (walking outside with bare feet), using sound frequencies, having an EMF blocker, and drinking structured water. I’ve tried many biohacking therapies including cryotherapy and using a float tank. I am also convinced that NAD+ IV therapy changed my life. 

But can living what many people consider an extreme and sometimes expensive lifestyle make you live longer? Most biohackers will say yes, but in my opinion, that isn’t the purpose of biohacking. 

person holding supplements for biohacking

What is biohacking, really?

Many things can be considered biohacking. There isn’t a true “dictionary definition.” I’ve always defined it as going beyond standard wellness conventions. For example, if you’re sore or slightly injured from exercise, the average person might use an ice pack or take a hot bath with Epsom salts. A biohacker would likey opt for cryotherapy or a session in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. In other words, if Joe Rogan, Dave Asprey, or Luke Storey talks about something new and cool, it’s probably considered biohacking.

Biohacking is also misunderstood. Many people think biohacking is expensive — and while it certainly can be, it doesn’t need to be. For example, devoted biohackers will try to avoid blue light for a few hours before going to sleep. While you can spend money on fancy blue-light blocking glasses or purchase red lightbulbs from Amazon for a few dollars each, you can also just avoid screens, which costs nothing. 

Does biohacking help you live longer?

Biohacking isn’t always a magic bullet to a longer life because longevity is never guaranteed. You can keep the healthiest diet and exercise routine seven days a week but get hit by a bus the next time you go for a run. You can also meditate every morning and sit in a float tank every afternoon, but if you only eat processed foods, biohacking won’t extend your life. 

In my opinion, the majority of people into biohacking aren’t trying to live for 100+ years, they’re trying to live more optimally. If you’re the kind of person who attends a biohacking conference, listens to Asprey’s podcast, wears an Oura ring, gets vitamin injections, and avoids EMFs (or at the very least knows what an EMF is without needing to Google it), you may end up living longer than the average person. 

But whether you have your own red light sauna that costs thousands of dollars or a more budget-friendly red light panel, there isn’t a magic cure to living longer. It’s about living a conscientious lifestyle and optimizing your body.

If you’re part of the biohacking community, there’s a very good chance you eat high-quality food (most likely it’s organic) — and you’re probably getting more exercise than the average American. You also probably take high-quality supplements. It’s also a fair assumption that you have access to insurance and various forms of western and eastern medical care. All of these things can lead to a longer and better life.

Biohacking: not just for the wealthy

It’s impossible to deny that there’s an economic privilege that many of the most prominent biohackers have. The average person can’t afford to install a cold plunge in their home. Most of us can’t wake up at 4:30 am, meditate for 15 minutes, drink a smoothie, exercise for 45 minutes with a trainer and then end it with a hyperbaric chamber and cryotherapy. Do people like Asprey get specific benefits from their wild morning routines? Yes — but anyone can benefit from doing what’s within their means.

The most important thing about biohacking isn’t the therapies, toys, or supplements — it’s about mindset. Biohacking trains your brain to make smart choices for your health. While it does take effort, things don’t feel as challenging when they become part of your lifestyle and routine. While people might benefit in small ways from taking one supplement versus another or find their recovery is easier by going to a local medspa for weekly infrared light sessions, it all culminates in small decisions for a more optimized life.  

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About Amanda Lauren

Originally from New York City, Amanda Lauren currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two dogs Milo and Lulu. Rarely seen in an actual gym, she is a group fitness enthusiast who enjoys Pilates (both East Coast and West Coast styles), spin, barre, power plates, yoga and her newest obsession, versa climbing. She will try any group fitness class at least once. When Amanda isn’t working out or trying to find the perfect pair of pink sneakers, she blogs about her adventures in fitness as well as fashion, lifestyle and beauty on ItsAmandaLauren.com.