Biohacking: Revolutionizing health care through science, self-experimentation
NEW YORK - "It’s not a gimmick. They’re taking their health care into their own hands. It might be the ultimate path to the fountain of youth."
It's called biohacking.
"Modern tools and technologies and things that we have access to really optimize our wellness overall", said Melanie Avalon, the host of the Melanie Avalon Podcast.
What is biohacking?
"And really what it involves is using science to figure out how we can get healthier." said Greg Wells, the CEO of Wells Performance.
Biohacking encompasses every aspect of the world of health, from losing weight to improving athletic performance, to recovering from an injury, to eating better and most importantly, living better.
"Our grandparents, for example, the doctor walks in the room, has a white lab jacket, and you know, the patient does whatever the doctor says," said Rudy Gehrman, founder of Physio Logic.
This is one of the reasons why biohackers take control of their body’s health.
"The doctor might not go as deep as they could as far as lab results," Avalon said.
Although biohackers do the research, they have to make sure to get it from a credible source, and still incorporate their physician.
"If you’re not in communication with your primary care physician, that could lead to dangerous effects," Gehrman said.
Gehrman works for Physiologic in Brooklyn, a one-stop shopping for biohackers.
The biohacker uses gadgets such as an Apple smartwatch, smart rings, smart clothing and even implants. These help with what might be the most important part of biohacking -- gathering data.
"So biohackers, we live under this premise that you can’t improve on anything you’re not measuring," said David Choi, an avid crossfitter and patient at Physiologic.
That course correcting is an important part of the journey of the biohacker.
"That diet might not be applicable in six months, our data might change on a cellular level," Gehrman said.
Some of the tools of a biohacker are a lot bigger than a watch. How about lying down and enjoying the oxygen in a hyperbaric chamber? Or extreme temperature changes jumping in an infrared sauna, or trying cryotherapy?
"I banged my knee into something, and it started to affect my ability to perform," Choi said. "I started to look into PRP, which is platelet rich plasma injections, which are supposed to help your knee regenerate own tissues and tendons. Now, I’m back in action."
Despite the technology involved in biohacking, it’s not a quick fix.
"We are looking at holistic health and well-being, mind, body, emotions, spirit, but doing little things consistently over a long period of time," Wells said.