The pursuit to look younger than you actually are is a never-ending process. But, a California-based entrepreneur Bryan Johnson has taken this endeavour several notches higher with his goal to have a body, including the brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, tendons, teeth, skin, hair, and other organs, of an 18-year-old. To accomplish this feat, Johnson, along with a team of 30 medical experts, is on a mission to reduce the age of his body with a series of experiments called 'Project Blueprint'. For the same, the 45-year-old, who is the CEO of the Los Angeles-based neurotechnology company Kernel, is sending over Rs 16 crore annually. According to a Bloomberg report, his experimental programme consists of a strict vegan diet comprising 1,977 calories every day, an hour of high-intensity workout three times a week, consistent bedtime, and wearing glasses that block blue light for two hours before bed. Phase I: maximally slow speed of aging Phase II: reverse biological age Phase II starts now — Bryan Johnson (@bryan_johnson) January 29, 2023 "Each month, (Johnson) also endures dozens of medical procedures, some quite extreme and painful, then measures their results with additional blood tests, MRIs, ultrasounds, and colonoscopies," the report said. It further revealed that he starts his day at 5 am with two dozen supplements and medicines, a green juice with creatine and collagen peptides, and tracks his body fat, heart rate variations, and blood glucose levels. To maintain his dental health, he "brushes, Waterpiks and flosses his teeth before rinsing with tea-tree oil and applying an antioxidant gel." Interestingly, Johnson has claimed that his efforts are bearing positive results, something he shared on Twitter. Taking to the microblogging site, he wrote that he has achieved 5.1 years of epigenetic age reversal and slowed his pace of ageing by 24 per cent. According to the doctors, the 45-year-old now has the heart of a 37-year-old, the skin of a 28-year-old, the lung capacity of an 18-year-old, and the gum inflammation of a 17-year-old. 2 yrs of Blueprint: .5.1 yrs epigenetic age reversal (world record) .slowed my pace of aging by 24% .perfect muscle & fat (MRI) .50+ perfect biomarkers .100+ markers < chronological age .fitness tests = 18yr old .Body runs 3F° cooler Available to all: — Bryan Johnson (@bryan_johnson) January 18, 2023 "What I do may sound extreme, but I'm trying to prove that self-harm and decay are not inevitable," he told Bloomberg Businessweek. But, how is something like this even possible? According to Dr Dilip Gude, Senior Consultant Physician, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad, there's no evidence-based medicine substantiating this degree of anti-ageing. "There are no randomised controlled trials that have shown to reverse the internal organ ageing process," he told indianexpress.com. He explained that most therapies for anti-ageing are at a very nascent stage, adding that stem cell therapy and gene therapy are some of the therapies trying to reverse ageing. "Having said that, some therapies using antioxidants and foods rich in soy, seafood, resveratrol, coenzyme Q10/ubiquinol, glutathione, Vitamins C, E, and D and vitamin A/carotenoids, lycopene, polyphenols from fruit juices, tea, coffee, and red wine have shown anecdotal benefit in anti-ageing. Also, flavonoids from onions/tomatoes etc, grape seed proanthocyanidins, silymarin, genistein, and essential fatty acids have shown mild benefits in anti ageing overall. Most importantly, calorie restriction has universally shown to prolong longevity in many studies," Dr Gude added. Hearing my face is not an 18 yr old👴🏻; commencing project Baby Face icyw, we’ve focused on maximally slowing my speed of aging, now at .76 (ranking #1 on leaderboard). Caloric restriction (25%) being a primary driver, which also has the harmless side effect of facial volume loss — Bryan Johnson (@bryan_johnson) January 29, 2023 While Johnson's journey may appear as a breakthrough to many, it's not advisable, experts say. "Other than the fact that it is very expensive and requires pretty much all your day leaving no time for a job or anything else, this may seem like some change in the short term. But, stressing our physical capabilities on a daily basis may have long-term effects on the organs of the body and general health," Dr Suhas S Consultant, Plastic Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road said. Dr Gude also mentioned that it's not suggested to let the body go through such "gruelling unsubstantiated and unestablished treatment recommendations". Currently, the medical fraternity is undergoing an experimental stage, hence, there would more studies are needed to identify or know about the side effects of regenerative procedures and treatments, Dr Charanjeev Sobti, Senior Consultant, Plastic Surgery, Indian Spinal injuries centre, agreed. He explained, "Cellular or stem therapy for anti-ageing might trigger an immune response in which the recipient's body attacks the stem cells as foreign invaders. Presently, we need to focus on eating well and exercising to reduce the effects of ageing. Also, avoid smoking and alcohol." Talking about skin anti-ageing treatments, Dr Navya P, Consultant Dermatology, Manipal Hospital, Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore, said, "Though skin ageing can't be reversed, it can be delayed to achieve a younger looking and healthy skin. A combination of an antioxidant-rich diet and skin care with products and procedures helps in the same." There are no serious side effects with any of these procedures when handled by a trained and experienced dermatologist or plastic surgeon, Dr Navya said. "Having a clear idea of what the outcome can be expected rather than being unrealistic is helpful." 📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don't miss out on the latest updates!
