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After having read, heard, and seen various things about the Blueprint project and its poster figure, Bryan Johnson, I have been reflecting on this more hardcore ways of seeking to extend longevity. He has advocated that he has managed, through the optimization of various aspects of his lifestyle, to reverse his biological age. However, to achieve that, he lives isolated from the world, eats the same predefined meals every day, takes over a hundred pills a day, and never deviates from his strict schedule. On one hand, I have to start by admiring his self-control. He is being a pioneer and sacrificing much of his life to expand the horizons of what we can achieve in terms of longevity with changes in our daily lives. That deserves my respect, and although he claims not to mind this new lifestyle and feels very happy adopting it, the reality is that it cannot be easy to maintain this regularly over such a long time.
The flip side, and what intrigues me the most, is the cost that the rejection of so many things may have on the health of each person, particularly Bryan Johnson. He claims he is the most measured person in history and the project under discussion has only lasted for just over two years, but I wonder if so much sacrifice will not bring, in itself, long-term harm.
Maintaining a robust social network and engaging in group activities is essential for all of us over the years. I don't doubt that Bryan Johnson has a solid group of family and friends to rely on, however, everything seems to have to adapt to his rules.
There are no new experiences; the environment in which everything takes place is always the same (his home); there is no room for spontaneity. In essence, life is governed by a deterministic algorithm created by his team, and there is very little room for real unwinding.
In the long run, this will inevitably cause damage to one’s mental health, and could influence other aspects of his health (which goes against the whole purpose of the project). Amidst all the virtues such a project may have, something as simple as this aspect is being neglected.
His team analyzed numerous studies that assess, individually, the potentials of certain substances, behaviors, or activities in promoting longevity; and they have sought to implement this in one person only; while the subject himself abstains from numerous factors that potentially could be even more beneficial, ultimately limiting his freedom. Not to mention other contradictions such as the fact that there is recurring evidence that people with greater longevity follow an extremely natural way of life, particularly regarding nutrition. Taking over a hundred supplements daily goes completely against this. At best, even if no effective harms are documented, it will give Bryan Johnson an extremely expensive urine. Despite this, I would bet more on the first hypothesis. The human being, beyond his body and mind, and what he decides to do with both, is also a product of the surrounding environment, for better or for worse, but it is good that this environment is transmutable and that we can evolve positively with it Creating a shield around us will never be the answer, because the goal is to increase our longevity in this world and that will never be achieved if we ignore much of what it offers us. Have a great week! João Pedro Neto, MD
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