Millionaire biohacker Bryan Johnson is facing a significant challenge in his long-term aim to “defeat death.”
The 48-year-old tech entrepreneur, known for documenting his rigorous health regimen intended to lower his biological age, shared on social media last week that he has been diagnosed with an incurable autoimmune disease.
In a post on June 30, Johnson mentioned that “my stomach is eating itself.” He revealed that he is suffering from autoimmune gastritis, a condition where his immune system erroneously attacks the healthy cells of his stomach lining.
Interestingly, Johnson stated he had been unaware of this issue for years. He suspects it stemmed from his past diet, which included fast food and sugary drinks, prior to his shift toward better health practices.
Reflecting on his eating habits as a child, Johnson noted: “I ate sugar cereal, drank sugary soda, and gobbled down fast food. I did have some healthier years in my early 20s, but then I became a young father of three and started a business. With all that stress, I let my health decline and gained 40 pounds. Eventually, I slipped into a deep, chronic depression. Somewhere along the way, my body started developing an autoimmune process that impacted my thyroid and my stomach lining.”
He explained that autoimmune gastritis can lead to irreversible damage, such as nutritional deficiencies and an increased risk of cancer over time. He pointed out that when this condition is currently diagnosed, standard treatments often concede that nothing can be done beyond managing the symptoms, regardless of how severe or dangerous they may be.
Despite the grim prognosis, Johnson is determined to “try and solve” the illness. His plan includes monitoring various diagnostic tests like ferritin and iron levels. Additionally, his team is set to perform repeated biopsies and adapt treatments based on the findings.
He remarked: “In the age of AI, multiomics, and custom-built DNA, proteins, and cells, no condition should be considered incurable simply because no one has attempted to cure it with modern methods.”
Having sold his tech company Braintree Venmo to Paypal for $800 million in 2013, Johnson has invested heavily in both financial and physical pursuits—like utilizing his teenage son’s blood plasma in an effort to reset his biological age to 18—spending around $2 million annually.
His strategy involves a comprehensive approach to halt aging, adhering to a 1,977-calorie vegan diet. He also takes numerous supplements and medications, some of which are available on his “blueprint” website.
Johnson’s protocol, which is outlined on his site, covers various aspects of health from dental care to daily exercise routines, and he promotes his anti-aging mantra, “don’t die.”
He has also engaged in more invasive medical procedures including MRIs and colonoscopies, aiming to be the “most biologically measured person ever,” sharing his health metrics publicly.
In a previous conversation with The Independent, he said, “I basically took myself out of the equation for self-care and established a system that looks after me better than I could.”
