Biohacking or how to become superhumans

Homemade biology to make us superhuman 

Image by Alan9187 for Pixabay 

You may have read or heard about this broad concept that encompasses several movements from the person who wants to improve their health to biopunks (experimentation with human DNA), transhumanists (free to use whatever technology they want to transform themselves) and techo-progressives (use of technologies with limitations for human enhancement).

The purpose of biohacking is basically to change the chemistry and physiology of the body using a series of scientific, nutritional and electronic tools to expand and improve the physical and mental capabilities of the individual.

A biohacker can be considered a person who makes simple changes to his or her lifestyle, such as diet and other practices that allow him or her to improve his or her quality of life and which are considered “homemade biology”; or even uses technology to keep track of physiological changes in his or her body. But he or she can also be a person who uses implants and other genetically altered objects in the body in order to make it “superhuman.”

There are several terms or expressions inherent to the practice of Biohacking:

• Body hacking: applying hacker ethics to improve your own body.
• Homegrown biology: movement in which individuals and small organizations study biology and share their findings.
• The quantified self: measuring various body indicators and behaviors to optimize health.
• Performance psychology: improving mental and behavioral abilities to increase performance.

Img. Stefan Keller

These are terms that correspond to the field of practicing Biohacking on the body itself, but there are others such as Bioremediation (any biotechnological process that uses microorganisms from plants, fungi or enzymes derived from them to recover an environment altered by contaminants and return it to its natural condition.) Or Bioart, which is a set of artistic practices that relate art, biology and very often technology.

Why would you want to be a biohacker?

In 2018, Biohacking gained more strength after the publication of the book “The Bullet Proof Diet” where an American businessman, Dave Asprey, known for publishing books on how to improve people's physical condition and provide peace and energy to the mind, proposes an improvement program. Asprey proposes that through an anti-inflammatory diet, physical performance will improve; but also, by incorporating other techniques, such as improving memory through training and the use of nootropic or "smart" drugs, the person will be able to elevate certain human mental functions such as cognition, memory, creativity, motivation, attention and concentration.

On the physiological side, Asprey and the followers of this wave of Biohackers promote intermittent fasting and ketogenic cycles, which include, as mentioned above, eating anti-inflammatory, unprocessed foods, free of sugar, refined flour, saturated fats and fried foods. All of this is complemented by a wide range of vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements.

She also recommends observing and understanding your sleep-wake cycles to improve the quality of your sleep hours and, therefore, your daily performance. She also highlights the importance of meditating, emphasizing gratitude, in order to reduce stress and improve mental acuity.

If you are interested in incorporating these practices into your life and making your body your own laboratory, below you will find some of the most commonly used techniques for this purpose.

Biohacking level 1

1. Review your routine in terms of the hours you sleep and the quality of your sleep. Your meals and the times they are eaten. Your physical condition: level of activity and exercise. You can write down in a notebook if you take time to reflect or meditate. Once you have recorded this data, you can move on to applying the Biohacking techniques in the following steps.

2. Nowadays, there are apps for everything, including those for improving sleep quality or inducing sleep naturally. Some apps like Flux will reduce the light output on your phone and computer after a certain time so that the brain sends the signal to the body to rest and stimulates the production of melatonin at night.

3. One of the most influential biohackers is Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, who promotes intermittent fasting, including eating one meal a day and even completely fasting once a week. Intermittent fasting has become a feature of biohacking that is spreading in order to regulate blood sugar and maintain a healthy body weight.

You can start by restricting your eating schedule to certain hours, such as having your last meal at 8 pm and the next at 10 am without restricting yourself from certain foods, but respecting the fasting hours and not eating absolutely anything during the defined period.

During meal times, the consumption of vegetables is encouraged, especially,

- Avocado - Olives - Chinese cabbage - Cabbage - Cucumber

- Brussels sprouts - Chard - Spinach - Romaine lettuce - Radishes

- Kale - Asparagus - Broccoli - Pumpkin - Zucchini

In addition to vegetables, it is recommended to consume protein or at least the full spectrum of amino acids for optimal functioning of the body.

What is bullet proof coffee?

This is a energizing drink promoted by Asprey and has become a sensation in various parts of the world, especially for people who do intermittent fasting and . The preparation is composed of

• Freshly ground coffee beans,
• MCT oil from coconut oil that contains C8 (caprylic acid or octanoic acid), that is, it has 8 carbons in its chain, which makes it very easy and quick to absorb.
• Organic butter without salt or preservatives.

As for supplements to improve your physical and mental health, the most used by Biohacking followers are:

• Vitamin D3
• Vitamin K2
• Magnesium (L-threonate type, which relaxes muscles and helps you fall asleep naturally)
• Vitamin C
• Omega-3
• Vitamin A
• Selenium
• Copper
• Vitamin B12 and Folate

Nootropics or smart drugs used by biohackers

There is now a long list of substances that have effects on our mental performance in terms of cognition, learning and memory, or that allow us to maintain a good habit under stressful conditions. The conditions that these drugs must meet are that they do not have adverse side effects as a psychiatric drug would; that they do not modify the electroencephalogram or measurement of electromagnetic waves in the brain, and that they can cross the blood-brain barrier to provide the desired cognitive effect.

Modafinil is a drug used by many entrepreneurs and technology business owners as it reduces fatigue and sleepiness, while increasing dopamine and acetylcholine levels. Ritalin, on the other hand, is a drug used to treat attention deficit. There are methamphetamines that are used as psychostimulants and Ampakines that have been used so far in the early stages of Alzheimer's. All of the above are substances that work by speeding up the time in which we learn something new, improving memory and increasing neuronal plasticity which is the key to better cognitive performance and reasoning.

However, you can achieve the capabilities advertised by these synthetic products with natural alternatives and healthy habits. Among them,

• Gingko Biloba which would give it the ability to produce new neurons (240 mg).

• Lion's Mane Mushroom , contains beta-glucan, regenerative action against neurodegenerative diseases, memory loss and dementia. Increases myelination or strengthening of the protective layer of our neurons (3 gr. per day).

• Maca can help not only improve sexual function and libido, but also memory and learning ability (1-3 gr. per day).

• Bacopa Monnieri , used in Ayurvedic medicine, provides protection to neurons in specific areas. It helps improve behavior, that is, maintain a certain behavior under adverse circumstances, such as quitting smoking and maintaining it (300-450 mg per day).

• B complex , especially B12, which improves mood, memory, focus, and neuronal health.

• Daily exercise is the quintessential healthy habit that allows you to increase your neuronal plasticity and this, in turn, increases the speed of learning.

• Meditation together with Omega-3 supplementation (EPA and DHA) has been shown to reduce the occurrence of errors in mental flexibility exercises (our brain's ability to adapt our behavior and thinking to new, changing or unexpected situations).

4. Exercise. Since this Biohacking trend is designed for businessmen, developers and all professionals who must spend several hours at a desk, who seek to make the physical activity they practice as efficient as possible in proportion to the little time they can dedicate to it, the criteria for the Biohacker's sports practice to be effective are:

• Keep exercise short, intense, infrequent, safe and purposeful. If your exercise doesn't meet these criteria, you're not getting the full benefit of it.
• Weight training would be the best exercise alternative, as long as the workout is done within a 20-minute span.
• Train with the HIIT system or high intensity interval training. HIIT is a system that consists of repeated sequences of periods of high intensity activity, followed by recovery times, mainly boosting metabolism and maximizing oxygen consumption.

At the end of the training, there should be a deficit in oxygen production that would increase metabolism and fat burning by up to 15% more than what would be achieved with conventional training. A longer exercise session or prolonged strenuous activities will have greater caloric expenditure, greater metabolic stimulation and other benefits, but everything depends on your sporting goals and the time you have available for it.

Although HIIT is a short workout, it could help you reduce blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity and balance cholesterol profiles.

5. Meditation. There are a variety of meditation styles, but mindfulness is currently the most popular. It involves getting into a comfortable position and observing your thoughts without judging them. This technique can also be used to perform tasks, it just requires you to relax and pay attention to what you are doing at the moment instead of letting your mind wander. If you get distracted, don't beat yourself up, just bring your focus back to the moment.

There are various apps available online, and even YouTube offers free beginner sessions. Longer courses and even spiritual retreats can give you a more solid understanding of the practice, and you don't need to belong to any religion.

6. Cold therapy. This practice has been used to treat depression and boost both the metabolism and immune system. Today's biohackers use it to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and stimulate endorphin production.

You can start gently: at the end of your normal shower, use cold water (as cold as you can stand it and for as long as you can stand it) and gradually increase the time. The most stimulating version of cold therapy is "wild" or "natural" swimming, although it is best to make sure the place is safe before diving in. Just submerging yourself for three minutes in water of 2˚C-10ºC is enough to notice the effects.

Img. MabelAmber

7. Hacking blue light. Limiting exposure to blue light at night is the most effective way to avoid it, but it is not always possible. The reality is that it is very difficult to spend every night reading or doing activities by candlelight. However, there are already devices such as TrueDark twilight glasses with a red tint that filter out blue light at night.

Biohacking is a conscious way of implementing positive changes, in most cases, in order to achieve your goals to their full physical, mental and emotional potential. This can be achieved through habits in your diet and adding some supplements; doing practices such as cold therapy to stimulate your body; as well as taking the time to meditate for a few minutes a day; or simply making sure you get the hours of sleep that your body really needs to restore itself and have the physical and mental energy it requires for its daily performance.

Cheer up, your body will thank you!