Multimillionaire’s Quest Against Death Cut Short by Illness
A wealthy individual, renowned for his determination to conquer death, has recently received a diagnosis of an incurable autoimmune disease.
Bryan Johnson, who brands himself as a “biohacker” and has gone to the extent of using blood transfusions from his teenager son in the pursuit of eternal youth, has disclosed that he is battling autoimmune gastritis (AIG).
In a social media post, he shared, “My stomach is eating itself.”
Despite hoping to find a solution for the condition, which stems from the body’s immune system attacking its own stomach lining cells, he acknowledged that it is incurable.
Symptoms include anemia due to a vitamin B12 deficiency, alongside an increased cancer risk in the affected tissue.
Mr. Johnson mentioned that he was diagnosed with AIG in May. While he can’t pinpoint when it started, he suspects it might have developed from childhood, possibly due to a diet rich in sugary cereals and fast food, or during a period in his twenties when he gained weight after neglecting his health.
He noted, “AIG causes irreversible damage: nutritional deficiency, anemia, and, over time, an elevated cancer risk.” In reflection on current medical standards, he stated that upon diagnosis, conventional care “concedes defeat,” offering only management of the condition.
The 48-year-old is currently undergoing blood tests to analyze “one million immune cells” to identify which ones are harming his stomach lining. Once identified, he believes a targeted therapy can be pursued.
Having sold his payments processing business for $800 million in 2013, he has since invested his wealth into reversing aging. He employs a team of medical professionals to monitor his health, spending approximately $2 million annually, essentially transforming himself into a human guinea pig in line with his “don’t die” philosophy.
He claims to possess the heart of a 37-year-old, skin of a 28-year-old, lung capacity of an 18-year-old, and gums of a 17-year-old.
Mr. Johnson follows a strict regimen, which includes wearing goggles for two hours nightly to block blue light, waking at 5 am for exhaustive workouts with 25 different exercises, taking numerous supplements, and using tea tree oil to rinse his teeth.
Earlier in 2023, he attempted to reverse cell damage using blood transfusions from his son Talmage, but described the initiative as a failure.
His journey hasn’t been entirely smooth; in November 2024, desperate to counter the gaunt look from his rigid 1,977-calorie diet, he had fat injected into his face but suffered a severe allergic reaction. He later described “Project Baby Face,” which temporarily left him nearly blind due to swelling, as another unsuccessful venture.
