Brian Johnson’s Health Journey and Recent Diagnosis

Brian Johnson, the founder of the neurotechnology firm Kernel and a committed transhumanist, has been on a quest to push the boundaries of human biology. After striking a significant deal by selling his payment platform, Braintree, to eBay for $800 million back in 2013, he fully embraced biohacking. His aim? To stop aging and, perhaps, find a way to dodge death altogether.

In a 2023 interview, Johnson disclosed plans to spend upwards of $2 million to transform his body and organs—aiming to replicate those of an 18-year-old. To facilitate this ambition, he assembled a dedicated team of over 30 health professionals to meticulously track his bodily functions.

“My stomach is eating on its own,” he mentioned in a candid moment.

“It might sound extreme, but I’m trying to demonstrate that self-destructive behaviors and decline are not just random; they’re expected,” Johnson remarked a few months prior, hinting at his use of rejuvenating plasma sourced from what he calls “Blood Boys,” utilizing blood from his son.

Proudly calling himself “the healthiest person alive,” Johnson recently revealed via his health platform, Don’t Die, that he has been diagnosed with an incurable autoimmune disease.

“Bad news #1: I have an autoimmune disease. My stomach eats all by itself,” he shared in a post. However, he maintained an optimistic tone, stating, “Good news. I’m going to attempt to resolve it.”

He suggested that he may have developed autoimmune gastritis during a particularly stressful period in his life when his health was declining.

Autoimmune gastritis is a chronic condition whereby the immune system mistakenly targets the stomach lining cells. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this disorder can elevate the risk of neuroendocrine tumors and stomach cancer.

“I only discovered it in May. I have no idea how long it has been affecting me,” he expressed. He continued, stating that autoimmune gastritis leads to lasting nutritional deficiencies, anemia, and, over time, an increased likelihood of cancer. “When discovered, conventional medicine often concedes, claiming there’s little that can be done outside of management.”

Johnson mentioned that even his reportedly healthy lifestyle choices haven’t been enough to cope with low iron levels he is experiencing.

“I’ve been so preoccupied with avoiding death that I’ve forgotten how to live,” he reflected.

This condition interferes with the stomach’s parietal cells, leading to decreased gastric acid production, which is crucial for iron absorption.

The reality of his incurable condition surfaced only after he realizaed he needed to overhaul his medical team and underwent extensive testing.

While no cure exists for autoimmune gastritis at this stage, he is determined to find a solution with his team’s help.

Johnson’s diagnosis, though not terminal, has seemingly intensified his obsession with health.

“We often get caught up in minor issues that pale in comparison to what we truly value, but deep down, we know that health can easily slip our minds until it becomes our primary focus,” he articulated.

Despite his request for comments going unanswered, Johnson reacted strongly after his illness was disclosed, criticizing those who suggested that people are so intent on survival that they forget about truly living.

Transhumanists have countered with a somewhat bleak perspective, positing that humans construct personas to shield themselves from the reality of inevitable death, engaging in group activities and rituals as a way to mitigate the pain of this existential reality.

Johnson began portraying himself as a heroic figure, navigating from societal norms to a candid acceptance of his human vulnerabilities.

After taking hundreds of daily pills, adhering to a strict plant-based diet, and even injecting himself with blood derived from his son, he believes critics are not troubled by his choices, but rather by what they see when they look in the mirror.