The early bird gets the worm — but could it also live forever? Bryan Johnson thinks so.
The 47-year-old tech mogul-turned-biohacker is on a quest to cheat death, and his morning routine begins before most of us have even had our first cup of coffee.
Johnson powers through a meticulous regimen of 91 supplements, multiple meals, and an anti-aging regimen that might sound more like a sci-fi plot than reality. And he does it all before the clock strikes noon.
The California-based entrepreneur, who has sparked a cult following with his extreme “Project Blueprint” longevity plan, offered a rare glimpse into his daily grind in the new Netflix documentary “Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever.”
Early riser, artificial light
Johnson claims he does more than 100 different things daily to optimize his body’s “ideal state.” And it all kicks off at 4:30 a.m.
Like most of us, Johnson starts his day in the bathroom. But that’s where the similarities end.
Since he’s up before dawn, the biohacking enthusiast flicks on a special lamp that mimics natural sunlight and lets it wash over him for three or four minutes.
This ritual is based in light therapy, which treats the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder and depression by signaling to the brain to adjust the production of hormones like melatonin and serotonin, which affect mood and sleep, respectively.
The practice is also thought to reduce inflammation and stimulate the production of collagen, a protein responsible for younger-looking skin that diminishes with age.
Once he’s soaked up some sun, Johnson pops three pills that might look familiar to your medicine cabinet: Vitamin C, essential for tissue growth and repair; and both heme and elemental iron, minerals crucial for a range of bodily functions, including transporting oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body.
Next up is a temperature check. In the doc, Johnson uses an inner-ear thermometer and registers a chilly 94.9°F — a mild hypothermic state that’s well below the average 98.6°F.
Vagus nerve stimulation
The next step in Johnson’s age-reversal quest is heart rate variability therapy. He does this by strapping on the Parasym device, which sends targeted electrical impulses through his ear to stimulate the vagus nerve.
The goal is to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and make his body “more chill.”
Studies suggest stimulating this nerve can lower inflammation, improve sleep, reduce pain, lower blood pressure and increase heart rate variability, which is a biomarker of improved health.
Supplement madness
Then it’s time for the heavy lifting. Johnson swallows another 54 supplements, including cocoa flavanols (to boost brain and heart health), garlic (for cholesterol and immunity) and ashwagandha (for stress relief and lowering blood pressure).
In the doc, Johnson also mentions taking the immunosuppressant rapamycin, which transplant patients take to help prevent organ rejection. However, he dropped it from his regimen shortly after filming due to side effects like skin infections and elevated blood sugar levels.
At this point, it’s time for breakfast.
The longevity fanatic chugs his signature “Green Giant” drink, packed with Chlorella algae, rich in vitamins and omega-3s, creatine, which helps to maintain muscle mass, and spermidine, a cancer-fighting, anti-aging agent.
Fighting hair loss
To fend off baldness — yes, even immortality can’t save your hairline — Johnson straps on a red light therapy cap.
This six-minute treatment stimulates hair follicles, promotes blood flow to the scalp, and (theoretically) slows down graying. One study found it can increase hair density by 39% when used consistently over 16 weeks.
In the doc, Johnson says that he has seen significant improvements in reversing his own hair growth with the cap, telling viewers he should “genetically” be bald while boasting a full head of hair.
Exercise, veggies and high-tech gadgets
Johnson then hits the gym for about an hour, hitting a mix of strength, cardio, flexibility, and balance exercises. Think: reverse push-ups, pull-ups, squats, bicep curls and 10 minutes of intense HIIT (high-intensity interval training).
By 9 a.m., it’s time for his second meal of the day: “a few pounds of veggies.” We’re talking an entire head of broccoli, shitake mushrooms, garlic, and — because why not? — a tablespoon of dark chocolate, among other age-fighting ingredients.
For dessert, he eats his infamous nutty pudding.
The longevity fanatic then undergoes 12 minutes of whole body light therapy, which he tells viewers is supposed to “accelerate healing.”
Exposing the body to low wavelengths of red and near-infared light has been shown to stimulate collagen production, improving skin health and reducing the appearance of wrinkles and age spots. It is also thought to help with pain management, accelerate wound healing and increase energy levels.
Still not done, Johnson rounds out his morning with audio therapy to boost hearing, followed by his last meal before noon: more veggies, nuts, seeds, and berries.
Notably, Johnson follows a vegan diet, with the exception of collagen peptides. He typically consumes 2,250 calories a day, 130 grams of protein, 206 carbs and 101 grams of fat.
Even more pills
Johnson finishes off with another 34 pills, bringing his morning total to a whopping 91. These include acarbos, to control blood sugar; hyaluronic acid, for skin and joints; and turmeric piperine, for inflammation and digestion.
And that’s just before noon. Johnson has a full roster of activities throughout the day, and an equally impressive bedtime routine before he hits the pillow around 8:30pm — typically falling asleep within just three minutes.
The goal: achieve the lowest possible biological age.
“Just like a tree has rings, we all have a signature inside of our body of our age,” Johnson says in the doc. “After doing Blueprint now for two years, I’ve reversed my biological age by 5.1 years.”
The biohacker says his aging speed is now just 0.69, meaning for every 12 months, he ages just 8 months. At the start of Blueprint, his aging speed was 1.03.
“In terms of how far this goes,” Johnson says, “it’s open ended. I want to take my speed of aging to the lowest possible number.”
Beating the clock
Want to live forever, but worried you’ve done too little, too late? Johnson admits that he had poor health habits in his youth. He also battled chronic depression for a decade after burning himself out from 20 years of building tech companies.
In fact, the anti-aging advocate didn’t launch “Project Blueprint” until October 2021 when he was 44 years old.
Today, Johnson spends more than $2 million a year on his longevity regimen, which once famously included swapping blood with his 17-year-old-son.
For those brave enough to follow in his footsteps, Johnson has posted all of his methods online — free of charge. He also sells his supplements and other biohacking tools on his website.
