5 years younger in 7 months! The Inside Story of the Reverse Aging Programme

Reversing aging has been an important topic of research since ancient times.Silicon Valley software entrepreneur Bryan Johnson’s “Blueprint Project” gives us a new answer.In 2021, Bryan Johnson launched his own “Blueprint Project”. According to the Blueprint Project website, at seven months into the trial, that is, by January 2022, the project had reduced his biological age by five years at the age of 47, based on six epigenetic clocks.

An epigenetic clock is an assessment method based on epigenetic markers that are closely related to time or age, which quantifies age-related phenotypes and outcomes. Examples include age-related changes in DNA methylation sites, as well as each individual’s rate of ageing, susceptibility to disease, and markers associated with an increased risk of age-related disease and death, all of which reflect the biological age of humans.

Epigenetic age can be measured independently of actual age by different methods. Given that there is no single epigenetic clock that has been clinically validated and that there are accuracy issues with some clock methods, some trials use multiple epigenetic age clocks to measure how many years the biological age has decreased compared to the actual age, and then take the average decrease.

Johnson wakes up at five in the morning and the first thing he does is to take more than 100 capsules of different supplements: zeaxanthin for eye protection, cocoa flavanols for antioxidants, lycopene for arterial and skin benefits, etc.

This is followed by a 67-minute morning workout, which is just one hour long and contains 25 different fitness movements.

His diet, too, is a carefully structured mix of recipes based on scientific research and a strict adherence to a daily intake of 1,977 kcal.

Breakfast: he drinks a green juice rich in creatine, cocoa flavanols and collagen peptides, which he calls “The Hulk”, to start his day with a bang.

Lunch: a “super vegetarian” meal made with broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, olive oil and dark chocolate cooked at low temperatures.

Dinner: also usually vegetable-based. He eats more than two pounds of vegetables a day and has 10 times the dietary fibre intake of the average American.

This rejuvenation programme of course goes far beyond precise control of diet and exercise. To achieve his goals, he has used technology to experiment with his skin, hair, sleep, mouth, eyes and much more. For example.

To avoid damage from UV rays, he wears an umbrella even when working indoors, and has weekly chemical peels and laser treatments.

In order not to be disturbed by nightly urination for a perfect sleep, he spends 30 minutes a day sitting on an electromagnetic machine to strengthen his pelvic floor to increase the strength of his urination.

To reduce hair loss, he receives regular hair growth injections, wears laser caps, etc.

The “blueprint project”, in which he constantly uses scientific instruments to monitor the movements of his 78 organs, is tedious and painful, but the results are impressive.

“A normal person spends 365 days a year, but for me it’s only about 250 days, which equates to four months less ageing a year.”

How to learn from it?

Brian Johnson’s unusual self-control has been the most powerful “helper” in the success of the Blueprint Project. For two years he has been living the exact same life as described above almost every day.

For the average person, such a demanding and even painful project is perhaps even more frightening than ageing and death itself.

Brian Johnson himself has three pieces of advice for people, which we have compiled as a reference, combining his advice with existing guidelines

First, stop self-harming behaviours, including overeating, eating junk food, alcohol abuse and smoking.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for the Population (2022).

– Allocate the amount of food in three meals a day in a reasonable manner. Breakfast should provide 25%-30% of the total energy for the whole day, lunch 30%-40% and dinner 30%-35%.

– Snacks are foods or drinks consumed at times other than regular meals, excluding water. You should try to choose foods with high nutrient density, such as eggs, milk and soya products, as well as fresh vegetables and fruits and nuts; choose less fried or puffed foods.

– Adults, if drinking alcohol, should consume no more than 15 grams of alcohol a day. Children and adolescents, pregnant women, lactating mothers and people with chronic illnesses should not consume alcohol.

– Smokers should quit smoking as soon as possible.

Second, make sleep the most important thing in life.

Qualifying hours of sleep for different age groups.

– 10 hours per day for primary school students; 9 hours per day for middle school students; 8 hours per day for high school students.

– Adults 7-8 hours per day.

Third, eat more vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Vegetables at meals, ensuring a daily intake of at least 300 grams of fresh vegetables, with 1/2 of the dark-coloured vegetables.

Eat fruit every day, ensuring a daily intake of 200 to 350 grams of fresh fruit, and fruit juice should not replace fresh fruit.