From bizarre diets to blood transfusions and even cryogenic preservation, it seems that some tech bros will use any tool at their disposal to live longer.
In this week’s Show Me the Science podcast, Professor Luke O’Neill has explored the fascinating world of tech billionaires and their obsession with extending human life.
“It’s certainly a common feature of them that they all want to live forever, several of them,” he said.
“They’re investing in companies, they’re doing various things in their own lives to try and live to a healthy old age, and it’s just a strange thing that they’ve all sort of gone down this path.
“There is a slightly more useful side to it, rather than just vanity.
“If they make discoveries to slow down ageing, we’d all benefit – and remember, all the diseases that I often talk about, including cancer and things like arthritis, Alzheimer’s – they are diseases of ageing.”
Elderly person’s hands, © PA Wire/PA ImagesProf O’Neill used the example of Bryan Johnson, who made his fortune after his company Braintree was bought by eBay, as an example of the extreme lengths some tech bros will go to in an attempt to stall ageing.
“The sort of stuff he’s doing is a bit creepy,” he said.
“He is getting plasma infusions from his 17-year-old son – now, isn’t that a bit strange?
“There’s some basis for that, actually, scientists have shown [that putting] young blood into an older mouse can rejuvenate that older mouse.
“There’s something in blood as we age that goes down; if you take some young blood and use that, you can sort of sustain us in various ways, our physiology can be protected.
“Of course, they’re trying to purify what it is in the young blood that’s doing this, there’s a thing called GDF11 that might be responsible.”
A man donates blood at the university hospital. Credit: Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa/Alamy Live NewsMr Johnson also sticks to a strict, calorie-restricted vegan diet, in which his main meal is “brown slush”, according to Prof O’Neill.
“There’s a great phrase in this business of ageing research – you mightn’t live long enough, but it’ll feel like it because you’re doing all these miserable things,” he said.
“Now, what can we say overall about this? Well, fair play to them at one level, they are putting their billions, they’re putting their money where their mouth is, and we might all benefit.
“They’re putting themselves through what look to me, quite torturous things, but let’s see what happens.”
When it comes to the ordinary person though, Prof O’Neill said you can still increase your chances of a longer life by reducing sugar intake, reducing alcohol intake, not smoking, eating vegetables, exercising and socially connecting with your peers.
Main image: Professor Luke O’Neill in the Newstalk studio. Image: Newstalk
