Becoming Superhuman: Biohack your way to a younger, stronger self
Ageing backwards is a desire many nurture. For millionaire entrepreneur and founder of Blueprint, Bryan Johnson, it’s an obsession that makes them go to great lengths. It is perhaps this obsession that has given birth to biohacking, the latest buzzword among those chasing immortality

Biohacking is the practice of optimising the body and mind through science, technology, and lifestyle changes. It includes various methods aimed at enhancing human health, performance, and overall well-being through self-experimentation and biological modifications.
How effective is biohacking, often referred to as do-it-yourself biology?
Super hyper swag word
“Biohacking is nothing but going back to the core root values of our way of life with evidence and logic. It’s just following our ancestral way, albeit in luxury and by splurging money,” says Dr Jagadeesh Kumar V, senior consultant physician and lifestyle specialist at KIMS Hospitals. It’s in vogue now, just because certain strata of people have started realising the importance of health, sense of well-being, and optimising lifestyle.
“Waking up on time, in synchrony with the biological clock, timely food, which is super healthy, no substance abuse, consuming greens and fruits, and cold showers is all what biohacking is about. Our age-old practices are the core content, only that they now have a fancy name (biohacking),” he says.
He says the human body is a complex, intricate, advanced structure that works in synchronicity with all its hormones and neurotransmitters intact. “Recent lifestyles have taken a toll on the ideal way of living. Having a good sleep for 7.5 to 9 hours a day, eating ideally around 1800-2500 calories per day, and having a balanced diet with recommended proportions of carbohydrates, protein, and fat — all are being neglected in the race for wealth and career,” points out Dr Jagadish adding that any ritual carried out for a good number of days is what is biohacking. “Religious rituals like Ayyappa Deeksha are nothing but biohacking.”
Like the meditation practice of Vipassana, which involves intense 10-day silent retreats where all forms of sensory inputs, like mobile phones, music, and reading, are given up. Biohacking uses this Buddhist tradition as a tool to alter the mind, without regard to its religious aspects.
Becoming biohackers: The experiments begin
Sajeev Nair, Founder & Chairman, Vieroots Wellness Solutions, is someone who became a biohacker himself before becoming a biohacking evangelist. “My day begins and ends with biohack,” he says. He is an early riser, and apart from the usual morning hygiene routines, he does oil pulling in with virgin coconut oil. Another morning routine that he doesn’t miss, especially when he is at home, is grounding, which is walking barefoot on soil and grass. Then after a few minutes of gratitude prayers & mindfulness meditation, she does some basic pranayamas, yoga asanas & stretches that warm him up. Then, it’s time to hit the gym.
“My workouts are designed based on my genetic profile as I practice Epigenetic Lifestyle Modification (EPLIMO) protocol.”
As for his diet, Sajeev doesn’t follow any strict patterns. “Portion control is my approach to diet. I make sure that I have a balanced diet. I avoid taking fresh fruits and vegetables if I am not sure about the source,” he says.
He also takes nutritional supplements daily, which include vitamins (C & E especially), NAD complex, MITO complex, super magnesium, krill oil for the omega-3s, and so on. “I also make it a point to complete my dinner at least 3 hours before sleep, which I ease into easily after a few minutes of prayers & meditation,” he informs.
On a weekly or monthly basis, Sajeev indulges in IR sauna, cold plunge, pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, and red light therapy, which he does at Vieroots Biohack Centre under medical supervision.
Nair, who is India’s pioneering biohacker who specialises in research-validated, safe, and personalised lifestyle modification or biohacks, says, “Whether it is diet, supplements, exercise, or yoga, I make sure that these biohacks are personalised as per my genetic and metabolic traits as measured by our Eplimo lifestyle management solution.”
Not a one-size-fits-all approach
He was motivated to be one of the first Indians to undergo a full genetic test in the US, soon after it became available. “That test result blew my mind, as what I saw in it was not just my genetic susceptibilities for a few lifestyle diseases — as most people do — but the immense potential that lay in keeping off such disease risks by making people adopt personalised lifestyle modifications spanning diet, supplements, exercise, yoga, etc. That led me to write my first biohacking book, ‘The Making of a Superhuman,’” says the biohacker.
How safe is it?
There are biohacks that are research validated for efficacy and safety and those that are not so research validated for either efficacy or safety or both. “I follow and advocate only biohacks that are research validated on both counts,” says Sajeev.
Tom Cruise’s breathtaking tactics
Biohacking is “one of Tom Cruise’s big passions.” At 62, the Top Gun star continues to test the limits of physical endurance, this time preparing for an underwater part that requires unprecedented command of breathing techniques. Cruise has adopted a training regimen that involves deep-diving techniques and hyperbaric oxygen treatment. “The training and preparation we put into this film is a culmination of all before it. From the depths, to the skies, I can’t wait to share more with you,” he shared on Instagram. Cruise had a custom-built tank installed to practice holding his breath underwater.
WTF: Anti-ageing tech mogul walks out of Kamath’s podcast
American entrepreneur and longevity advocate Bryan Johnson recently cut short a podcast recording during his visit to India, citing concerns over the country’s air quality. The 47-year- old founder of Kernel and OS Fund took to social media to explain why he had to end the conversation early with host Nikhil Kamath on his podcast, WTF. The poor air quality, he said, caused skin irritation, burning eyes, and a sore throat. The biohacker believes that his vegan diet, exercise, and experimental medical procedures have shortened his biological age by five years.