Bryan Johnson, the 47-year-old tech entrepreneur who gained fame for his ambitious $2 million-per-year quest to reverse aging, has discontinued a medicine that he had been taking for years to increase his longevity. For the past five years, Johnson had been taking 13 milligrams of the immunosuppressant rapamycin in pursuit of ‘eternal’ life. However, he abandoned the regimen after realizing that the side effects outweighed the medication’s negligible benefits.
“On September 28th, I decided to stop rapamycin, ending almost 5 years of experimentation with this molecule for its longevity potential,” Johnson announced, as featured in his new Netflix documentary, “Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever.“
The decision marks a significant shift in Johnson’s extensive anti-aging regime. Rapamycin, traditionally used to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients, had been a key component of his protocol, with Johnson consuming 13 milligrams of the immunosuppressant daily.
The science behind the decision
Johnson’s team cited research showing that long-term rapamycin use can lead to metabolic complications. “Despite the immense potential from pre-clinical trials, my team and I concluded that the benefits of lifelong dosing of rapamycin do not justify the hefty side effects,” Johnson explained, noting specific concerns about disrupted lipid metabolism and insulin resistance.
Despite this setback, Johnson continues his broader anti-aging crusade. The former Silicon Valley executive, who made his fortune selling his payment processing company to eBay, maintains an elaborate regimen of medical diagnostics, treatments, dietary restrictions, and exercise protocols.
Controversial treatments continue
Johnson’s pursuit of eternal youth has previously made headlines for extreme measures, including a total plasma exchange with pure albumin. This procedure followed his widely publicized 2023 blood plasma exchange with his teenage son, whom he controversially dubbed his “blood boy.”
The entrepreneur’s decision to abandon rapamycin highlights the experimental nature of the longevity field, where, as Johnson notes, “Longevity research around these experimental compounds is constantly evolving, necessitating ongoing, close observation of the research and my biomarkers.”
As Silicon Valley’s most visible anti-aging evangelist adjusts his approach, his journey continues to spark debate about the lengths to which humans might go to extend their lifespan and the potential risks they’re willing to accept in pursuit of that goal.