Millionaire Biohacker Trying To ‘Live Forever’ Admits Major Mistake In Anti-Aging Quest

The millionaire biohacker spent years chasing the “live forever” dream, and one of his biggest bets was rapamycin, a drug that started life for serious medical uses.

He got pulled in by early animal research, including a 2009 mouse study that suggested lifespan gains, then he went all-in with the kind of self-experiment that makes other people nervous. But when he started taking it, the “anti-aging” story turned into a very real list of problems: cankers in his mouth, a wound that would not heal fast enough, cholesterol disruptions, and blood glucose spikes.

The worst part, though, was the resting heart rate, and now he’s wondering if his quest to slow aging actually sped it up.

Bryan Johnson reflected on the effects rapamycin had on him after years of use.

YouTube/Bryan Johnson

That’s when the rapamycin headlines started sounding a lot less heroic, right after Johnson noticed the side effects piling up instead of vanishing.

The drug is commonly prescribed to treat illnesses such as cancer and certain lung conditions, but it has also gained attention for its potential anti-aging properties. This effect helps reduce the body’s natural tendency to reject a transplanted organ.

He began taking the drug after reviewing earlier research that suggested its benefits could outweigh the risks. One notable study from 2009 found that when administered to mice, rapamycin appeared to extend lifespan by 14 percent in females and 9 percent in males. This led many in the longevity field to consider its possible applications for humans.

Lessons from Biohacking

He warns that while the pursuit of longevity can be enticing, making drastic changes without thorough research can lead to unintended consequences.

Johnson began to experience several adverse effects of rapamycin.

Mark Abramson/For The Washington Post

Even with the 2023 study where many people taking rapamycin under medical supervision thought it was working, Johnson’s own “biomarker every day” routine told a different story.

It’s a similar moral mess to the coworker who stole lunch, then begged for empathy.

A 2023 study involving 333 individuals taking rapamycin under medical supervision found that 65.5% believed the drug had effective anti-aging properties, while 44% reported improvements in their overall health. Despite this, he ultimately noticed no meaningful improvements in his health. These included “cankers in his mouth, a wound that wouldn't heal fast enough, [his] blood report showed he had cholesterol disruptions, and his blood glucose levels spiked a little bit.”

He went on to share a side effect that hit particularly hard, saying, “Then perhaps the thing that was most painful for me was that it increased my resting heart rate, which, as you know, is the most important biomarker I track every single day because it is the most influential factor determining my sleep quality.”

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The numbers got even stranger when he pointed out that his resting heart rate jumped, the one metric he tracks like it’s the scoreboard for sleep quality.

Conducted by Yale scientists, the study revealed that rapamycin may actually accelerate biological aging in humans rather than slow it down. The researchers observed this effect across 16 different epigenetic markers, raising serious questions about the drug’s use as an anti-aging treatment.

“The irony isn’t lost on me,” he said, adding that for those laughing at home, he was laughing right along with them. He confirmed he has since stopped taking the drug.

He ended the video by emphasizing the importance of experimentation, transparency, and open dialogue.

Then the Yale findings came in, linking rapamycin to accelerated biological aging across 16 epigenetic markers, which makes his “live forever” plan feel like a gamble he lost.

While his extreme dedication has garnered attention, it highlights the necessity of a more holistic approach to aging.

His admission of a major misstep underscores the delicate balance between ambitious innovation and the need for prudence.

He went hunting for immortality, and rapamycin may have handed him the opposite.

Wait until you see how the brother who spent lavishly on the trip got judged.