Bryan Johnson and the Pursuit of Immortality: A Critical Look
Bryan Johnson, a wealthy American tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist, has gained notoriety for his extensive financial investments in attempts to achieve immortality or, at least, significant anti-aging effects. His approach, involving self-experimentation with radical methods, has made him a popular topic of discussion on social media.
The Source of Wealth and the "Immortality Project"
Johnson's wealth largely stems from his payment processing company. He reportedly received nearly $800 million from eBay's acquisition, which he used to fund his "immortality" project. From a medical perspective, this endeavor appears to be a costly venture with a slim chance of success.
Limitations of Self-Experimentation (N=1)
The unlikelihood of success isn't a dismissal of advancements in anti-aging medicine. Rather, it highlights the limitations of using oneself as the sole test subject (N=1) in medical research. The results, regardless of outcome, can only be considered anecdotal and cannot be generalized. Any medical contributions from this type of experimentation would be minimal.
The High Cost of Health
According to online reports, Johnson spends over a million dollars annually on health checkups. He is also known for taking Rapamycin for the past five years.
Rapamycin (Sirolimus): An Overview
Rapamycin is a naturally occurring antibiotic and immunosuppressant. It was initially isolated from a bacterium in Easter Island soil in the 1970s. Its original use was to suppress organ transplant rejection, and it has also been applied in the treatment of certain cancers, such as renal cell carcinoma.
Mechanism of Action: mTOR Inhibition
Rapamycin functions primarily by inhibiting mTOR, a crucial cell signaling pathway. mTOR regulates cell growth and metabolism and can enhance complexes of proteins related to autophagy (self-eating). mTOR is further divided into C1 and C2.
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mTORC1 Inhibition: Promotes autophagy, potentially delaying aging and fostering cell health.
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mTORC1 and Muscle Growth: mTORC1 also plays a critical role in tissue repair and muscle synthesis. Inhibiting this pathway could worsen muscle synthesis, potentially exacerbating sarcopenia (muscle loss) and weakness.
The activation or inhibition of mTOR is thus a double-edged sword. The idea that suppressing mTOR leads to lifespan extension has its roots in research.
Animal Studies and the Promise of Rapamycin
A 2009 study published in Nature showed that administering Rapamycin to mice around 600 days old (roughly equivalent to old age in humans) extended the lifespan of both male and female mice by 9% to 14%. This research led researchers and experts to believe that the drug might have the potential to prolong life. Similar positive results were found in experiments involving worms.
The Drawbacks: Side Effects of Rapamycin
However, subsequent studies have revealed potential downsides:
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Worsening insulin resistance
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Abnormal fat metabolism
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Elevated cholesterol
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Difficulty controlling blood sugar
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Gastrointestinal side effects
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Oral ulcers
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Increased susceptibility to infections (due to immune system suppression)
Bryan Johnson's Change of Course
After amassing his fortune, Johnson founded KERNEL, a company focused on developing brain imaging technology. Simultaneously, he invested in the health industry, specifically in the challenging field of anti-aging. He documented his efforts to extend his lifespan and his extreme self-experimentation in a Netflix documentary.
Discontinuation of Rapamycin
In early 2024, Bryan Johnson publicly announced that he had stopped taking Rapamycin. He stated that despite the drug's promising pre-clinical results, he and his team concluded that the benefits of long-term use did not outweigh the significant side effects. He also mentioned that long-term use of the drug could interfere with fat metabolism and lead to insulin and glucose intolerance.
This decision aligns with the earlier point: the success or failure of a treatment on a single individual does not provide significant medical contributions. Meaningful information about a drug's potential can only be obtained through large-scale clinical trials.
The Importance of Proper Clinical Trials
The development of drugs needs proper clinical trials to determine safe and reasonable dosages and to identify both severe and mild adverse reactions. Eventually, sufficient scientific evidence needs to be provided to acquire appropriate drug approvals (indications), such as FDA approval, and to continually perform post-market surveillance. There have been many cases where drugs were eventually removed from the market because of too many adverse effects.
A Word of Caution
While individual experimentation is within someone's right, especially when funded personally, the promotion of specific methods or drugs to the general population requires significantly more effort and investment. Results from animal studies, while valuable, need real-world validation.
Lessons from Past "Miracle" Cures
It's important for medical experts to maintain a level of skepticism. Consider these examples:
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Parkinson's Disease Drug (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor): Demonstrated lifespan extension and cognitive improvement in animal studies in the 1980s and 1990s. It was proposed to potentially slow down the aging process. However, human trials did not show significant lifespan extension, and long-term use resulted in hallucinations, insomnia, hypertension, and serotonin syndrome.
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Resveratrol: Initially touted as a "miracle molecule," this natural polyphenol compound found in red wine induces sirtuins (longevity proteins) and mimics calorie restriction. While showing promise in animal and worm studies, its effects in humans were unclear. Achieving a potentially effective dose through red wine consumption would require drinking hundreds of bottles, leading to liver dysfunction and gastrointestinal problems.
Similar examples abound. Therefore, caution is advised when hearing about any drugs or supplements being promoted with claims of lifespan extension or anti-aging. Do not believe claims easily.
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