Biohacking, although the topic is not new, it was picked up by many publications and media outlets, giving the discussion scale and involving doctors and scientists, which only added ambiguity and controversy in some aspects. Therefore, further in the article, I propose to understand in more detail what biohackers are doing and whether there is any benefit from it.
The current interest in the topic on the Runet is due to the next round of its popularity, but the term “biohacking” itself has been known for a long time. Moreover, it is ambiguous and is used in English for several different concepts. First, biohacking is the name for Do IT Yourself Biology, the scientific study of biology in amateur labs. Ellen Jorgensen talked about this phenomenon in 2012 at a TED conference .
Secondly, biohacking is often understood as the implantation of various technological devices into the body. People who conduct such experiments are called grinders; their ideas are related to transhumanism and the search for immortality. Among grinders, there are both academic scientists and amateurs, acting at their own peril and risk.
In this area, the research of Professor Kevin Warwick of the University of Reading is well known. Since the late 90s, he and his colleagues have been exploring the possibility of creating a computer that could interact with human biological systems. Back in 1998, Warwick implanted a chip in his hand that opened doors in the laboratory and turned on computers when he entered the department. His later experiments are connected with the transmission of information through sensors to the cells of the brain, their interaction with external stimuli.
It is difficult to say how long mankind cares about the idea of immortality or, at least, an increase in longevity. Already in the epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest surviving literary works in the world, the storyline was built around the search for eternal life. Since then, the topic has not lost its relevance and attractiveness.
But immortality is very contradictory and abstract. But a long, healthy and happy life is something that is close and understandable, something that many aspire to. Over the time of Gilgamesh, humanity made a huge step in this direction, but the movement continues. And there are those who see biohacking as its next stage.
Advances in medicine and technology have contributed to the fact that modern people live longer. Biohacking is also about the desire to optimize existing and emerging new tools for even better results.
Now biohackers are trying to make the movement more meaningful and structured. But many of their methods raise questions, if not outright bewilderment. So, Dave Asprey, a well-known popularizer of biohacking, having received a concussion, turned not to doctors, but began to heal himself . He took fish oil and the female hormone progesterone. He also shone a LED lamp into his nose every day, which, according to him, at a certain frequency of radiation protects the brain from mitochondria and informs the cells that it is not time for them to die. Sounds weird, right?
Yes, biohacking uses certain methods, the benefits of which have not been confirmed by modern science. But this movement is not random, it is consistent and precise, with tight control. Having gained popularity in Silicon Valley, among far from poor people, experiments (if I may say so) in most cases are carried out under the supervision of doctors.
At the same time, many indicators of the body are meticulously measured, the influence of certain actions is observed. The benefits of some techniques have been repeatedly confirmed earlier, so globally, the question of the effectiveness of biohacking is primarily in the absence of harm from some radical decisions in the long term.
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Biohackers claim that from the moment they started working on themselves, they have become significantly healthier and happier, reduced the impact of stress, and increased the efficiency and quality of decisions.
But what caused this change? Doctors and scientists say that tracking a large number of biological indicators is ineffective - their change does not always indicate the presence of disease or an improvement in the state of the body. The same applies to the analysis of the genetic code, which is used in biohacking to assess the likelihood of developing diseases. Interpreting information from genes is still a very difficult task, science is just taking its first steps in this direction.
Sleep hygiene, optimal nutrition, optimal physical activity, mental health, medical tests and medications and supplements are all related. I briefly talked about the last two above. As for healthy sleep, proper nutrition, exercise and mental health, it is less and less controversial.
Healthy sleep is very important. There are numerous studies on this topic and the figure about 7-8 hours of sleep for a person is not taken from the ceiling. It is this time, on average, required by the body for proper rest and normal functioning, which is confirmed by the experiments of scientists from the universities of Pennsylvania and Washington.
3-4 hours before bedtime you need to block the "blue" light, sleep in the dark, the bedroom should be cold (18-19 degrees) and humid. You have to get up at the same time.
Here the author adheres to the following key ideas: do not use sugar in any form, give up salt, eat only natural food, do not eat cheap food from the meat of animals that are bred on an industrial scale, consume mainly plant foods, choose organic foods from animal products. , do not drink alcohol. Also practice cyclic fasting and diet ketosis - and try to consume foods high in fat, medium in protein and low in carbohydrates.
As you can see, most of these nutritional principles cannot be called radically new either, they have been known for a long time, have many admirers and, at least in some aspects, are confirmed by science.
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Physical activity is good for the body - this is also true. As for the training complexes - how many people, so many opinions. But recommendations in general do not run counter to what doctors, trainers and what has been studied by science advise .
An important element of biohacking is coping with stress and being resistant to it. The author talks about the benefits of meditation , psychotherapy, sex, and also encourages not to lie. In this regard, there is both a huge amount of accumulated practical experience, and individual studies of scientists on this topic, which will not be difficult to find on the Web.