We talk about it often: in the world of Big Tech it is not uncommon to meet figures who want to move the horizon of the possible forward. One of them is Bryan johnson, a tech billionaire with a true obsession with anti-aging, and has embarked on a journey that goes far beyond the pursuit of health, brushing the boundaries of the quest for immortality. Today this journey adds a new, controversial stage.
Johnson recently added gene therapy based on follistatin, a protein known to increase muscle mass and reduce inflammation, to his routine, costing $25.000 per dose.
The Blueprint Project
At the age of 46, Bryan Johnson has already invested a fortune in his personal crusade against time. With an annual budget of around $2 million, his “Blueprint Project” is not a simple exploration of modern science, but a true immersion into largely uncharted territory.
The gene therapy Johnson is now adding is not without controversy: It's important to note that this treatment is not FDA-approved, and many scientists remain skeptical of its effectiveness.
Personal and private: the transformation of Bryan Johnson
Before embarking on his anti-aging journey, Bryan Johnson was a businessman like many others. His transformation began in 2018, after the sale of his startup Braintree to Ebay for 800 million dollars. At that moment, Johnson decides to dedicate himself to a rigorous regime, abandoning junk food and sleepless nights for a vegan diet and dozens of supplements.
This change has led Johnson to claim he has the skin of a 28-year-old, the heart of a 37-year-old and the lung capacity of an 18-year-old, although these claims have not been independently verified.
The new $25.000-per-dose therapy: follistatin
As mentioned, the path taken by Bryan Johnson is based on the use of follistatin, a protein known for its potential anti-aging properties. Johnson experiments on himself, assuming the (high) costs and risks of a therapy that has not been subjected to the rigorous standards of safety and effectiveness typically required for medical treatments in the USA.
Follistatin is a natural protein in the human body that plays a role in inhibiting another protein, myostatin, known to limit muscle growth. Through inhibition of myostatin, follistatin can potentially increase muscle mass and reduce inflammation. In gene therapy, the genes responsible for producing follistatin can be inserted into the patient's cells to promote the production of this protein in larger quantities than normal.
Johnson reportedly received his first follistatin gene therapy injection in September on a remote Caribbean island not regulated by the FDA.
Bryan Johnson beyond science: ethical and philosophical reflections
Bryan Johnson's case raises profound questions that go beyond science and technology. What does it mean to grow old in an era where biological limits could be overcome? What is the price of longevity, not only in economic terms but also in ethical and moral terms? If they work, will these very expensive treatments also be available to the less well-off?
Johnson's “crazy” research poses a challenge to our understanding of humanity and our place in the natural world. A challenge that deserves to be followed and which, I am sure, will hold new "episodes" for us.
