Self-experimentation with lifestyle interventions to optimize health, energy, or longevity. Most of it is basic nutrition, sleep, and exercise dressed up with technology.

What are the best biohacks for beginners?

Fix sleep first (7.5+ hours consistent), get morning sunlight, eat 0.8g/lb protein, and do Zone 2 cardio 3x per week. These deliver 80% of the results.

Does cold exposure work?

Yes for mood and alertness. Moderate evidence for inflammation. Cold showers give 90% of the benefit of cold plunges at 0.01% of the cost.

Yes if you have access. Finnish studies show 3x per week sauna sessions at 170°F for 20 minutes reduce cardiovascular mortality by 40% over 20 years.

Should I get a continuous glucose monitor?

For 2 weeks as a diagnostic, yes. It teaches you which foods spike your blood sugar. After that, the insights diminish.

Is intermittent fasting biohacking?

A 12-14 hour eating window is useful for most people. Longer fasts have debatable benefits for non-obese men and can hurt training.

Does red light therapy work?

Weak evidence for skin improvement. Almost none for performance or recovery. Not worth the $300-3000 device cost for most men.

They are largely unregulated and sourced from gray markets. Research is incomplete. Most men should avoid them until FDA approval or robust long-term studies.

How much should I spend on biohacking?

Less than you think. The high-impact interventions (sleep, training, protein, sunlight) are free. Sauna and CGM are worth $100-500 per year. Everything else is optional.

Should I copy Bryan Johnson?

Copy his first 10 interventions (sleep, exercise, diet, stress). Ignore the rest unless you have $2M per year. The 80/20 is in the basics.

Biohacking Basics — What Actually Moves the Needle

What Biohacking Actually Is

Biohacking is a marketing term for things humans have done forever — eating, sleeping, moving, breathing — plus some newer tech like CGMs and cold plunges.

Most of it is 10% effect plus 90% aesthetics. The Bryan Johnson Blueprint protocol is 80 different interventions stacked together, and he genuinely does not know which ones are doing anything. That is not a criticism of Bryan — he says it himself. It is a criticism of the field.

Here is a cold-blooded ranking.

High Impact (Do These)

Sleep optimization — Single biggest lever. Free. See separate guide.

Zone 2 cardio 3x per week — Improves mitochondrial function, insulin sensitivity, heart health. 30-45 minutes. The research is overwhelming.

Protein at 0.8g per lb bodyweight — Maintains muscle, keeps you lean, supports healing. Most men under-eat protein.

Strength training 3-4x per week — Grip strength is one of the best longevity predictors. Muscle mass protects against falls, metabolic disease, and frailty.

Morning sunlight — 5-10 minutes within an hour of waking. Sets circadian rhythm. Free.

Medium Impact (Worth It)

Continuous glucose monitor for 2 weeks — Expensive but educational. You learn which foods spike your blood sugar. Most people discover oatmeal and rice spike harder than they expected.

Sauna 3x per week at 170°F for 20 minutes — Cardiovascular benefits comparable to moderate cardio. Longevity research from Finland is robust.

Cold exposure after training — Mood, inflammation, alertness. Do not do it right after lifting (blunts hypertrophy). Morning cold showers work.

Time-restricted eating (12-14 hour window) — Helps some people control calories. The “autophagy at 16 hours” claims are overblown. 12-14 hours is the sweet spot.

Low Impact (Optional)

Cold plunge — Same benefits as cold showers at 20x the cost. If you enjoy it, fine.

Red light therapy — Weak evidence for skin. Almost none for muscle recovery. Expensive.

Blue light blocking glasses — Minimal effect. Full darkness at bedtime works better.

Grounding/earthing — No convincing research. Walking barefoot in grass is fine. It is not medicine.

Mostly Marketing

NAD+ infusions — $800 per session. Research on oral NAD+ is promising but IV benefits are unclear.

Cryotherapy — 3 minutes at -200°F. Expensive, brief, similar benefits to cold showers.

HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen) — Real for wound healing. Mostly hype for longevity.

Rapamycin and metformin for longevity — Promising but experimental. Not for healthy men without medical supervision.

Peptides (BPC-157, TB-500) — Gray market, unregulated, incomplete research.

The Realistic Stack

For most men who want to biohack without becoming a hobbyist:

Weekly:

3-4 strength sessions
3 Zone 2 cardio sessions
2-3 sauna sessions (if available)
1-2 cold showers in the morning

Daily:

7.5+ hours sleep
Morning sunlight
0.8g/lb protein
8+ glasses of water
Outdoor walking for stress

This covers 95% of what biohacking can deliver. Total cost: sauna membership ($50/month) and nothing else new.

The Bryan Johnson Question

He spends $2M per year. His biomarkers are impressive. Should you copy him?

No. The 80/20 on his protocol is the first 10 things (sleep, diet, exercise, stress management). The other 70 interventions add marginal value at exponential cost. Copy the first 10. Ignore the rest unless you have his money.