By Maytal Imani, Staff Writer
At 49 years of age, Bryan Johnson, a technology entrepreneur, has captured the attention of scientists by changing how he measures aging. While the average person uses birthdays as an age marker, he uses blood tests, scans, sleep scores, changes in DNA and cardiovascular data. Through his multi-million-dollar longevity protocol called “Project Blueprint,” he aims to reverse biological aging and keep his organs functioning at peak levels for as long as modern science allows.
Johnson’s routine emphasizes intensive diet, exercise, sleep, community and restraint, all under the banner of his “Don’t Die” movement. While two people can both be 50, they can have entirely different muscle strength, fitness levels, blood pressures and risks for disease. Blueprint tracks an enormous range of biomarkers (measurable signs of health, such as those in blood) with the vision to measure individual organ systems and determine whether their biological condition can be shifted toward that of younger people. The scientific idea behind this project is to differentiate between chronological age and biological age. While the former is simply the number of years a person has lived, the latter attempts to describe how a person’s organs, cells and physiological systems are functioning compared with those of others.
In scientific terms, Johnson is essentially an N-of-1 experiment (a study involving one participant). While Johnson has made himself the experiment, his body cannot settle the question. Without the control groups or randomization needed to determine whether one intervention caused an outcome, or whether the same result would hold for other people, his work only produces valuable observations and hypotheses.
The real test will occur in clinical trials, laboratories and, hopefully, among millions of patients willing to slow the biological machinery of aging. To some, Johnson represents the future of personalized medicine: a world where healthcare can be tailored to each individual. To others, his extreme routine raises alarming questions about the limits of current science through such a passionate pursuit of longevity.
Beyond criticisms of medical extremism, Project Blueprint has also raised ethical questions. The advanced health technologies, supplements and medications have created concerns about whether breakthroughs will be accessible to everyone or primarily benefit wealthy individuals who can afford the extensive testing and treatments to achieve the “immortal” status. This past February, Johnson launched a program called Immortals that charges $1 million a year for just three spots, TechCrunch reported. Still, the future of aging research not only requires scientific discoveries but also discussions about accessibility and fairness in the use of technology.
With the rising expectations he has placed around reverse-aging, doctors and professionals in the field have taken to social media to address the controversy over this program. Dr. Pinchas Cohen, dean of the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California, disagrees with Johnson’s claims that death may not be inevitable, stating, “Death is not optional; it’s written into our genes.” His goal is to get his 49-year-old organs to look and act like those of an 18-year-old.
While researchers at Harvard Medical School have reported milestones in age reversal through the rejuvenation of older mice, they run those experiments according to established scientific conventions. On the other hand, Johnson has turned himself into a human guinea pig.
Many aspects of Blueprint are strongly supported by medical research, such as exercise, adequate sleep and healthy eating. However, other interventions remain uncertain. For instance, Dr. Eric Verdin, president and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, has emphasized the importance of remaining realistic about what science can currently achieve. Calling Johnson’s obsession with living a pipe dream forever, he stated, “If you want immortality, you should go to a church.”
The answers Project Blueprint is attempting to provide will not come from a single biological-age score, a single entrepreneur or even a single experiment. They will come from controlled trials that connect molecular changes to outcomes that matter: fewer diseases, preserved function and more healthy years of life. Johnson’s data raises a more important question beyond just telling us how long a person will live: Should age be measured only by the years behind us, or by how well the body is still functioning? For now, the clock is still ticking. He simply asks science whether it has to tick the same way for everyone.
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