Billionaire Vampire-in-Training Injects Himself With Teenage Blood to Reverse Biological Age
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nti-aging-obsessed tech billionaire Bryan Johnson seems to have taken inspiration from Mad Max and Dracula for his latest attempt at reversing his biological age.
Johnson, 45, revealed that he had recruited his 17-year-old son and 70-year-old dad for a multi-generational blood plasma swap. This is just the latest bizarre venture in his quest for longevity (or immortality), “Project Blueprint.” Previously, Johnson has undergone monthly MRIs and invested in an overnight erection tracker as part of his $2 million annual longevity expenses.
In a YouTube video documenting the procedure, the trio heads to Resurgence Wellness, a medical spa near Dallas, Texas. There, Johnson and his son have a liter of their blood extracted and broken into piece parts—a process that separates plasma from red blood cells.
Plasma is the yellowish, liquid component of your blood that carries hormones, nutrients, and waste throughout your body. Once separated, plasma can be used during blood transfusions to treat autoimmune diseases, clotting disorders, and immune deficiencies, according to the Red Cross.
After the extraction, Johnson receives a liter of his son’s blood, and his father receives a liter of his blood.
This isn’t the first time Johnson has hopped on this trend. He says he has previously received plasma transfusions from an anonymous, young donor. But this multi-generational exchange was the first time he’s taken blood from his son, who has also been on the Blueprint Project protocol for two years.
“We do all of our blood work together,” Johnson says. “If you look at the results of our bloodwork we’re almost indistinguishable.”
Elective plasma transfusions from young donors are the newest craze in the biohacking community. This procedure hopes to regenerate hair growth, boost cognitive function, and stave off other markers of biological aging.
However, the FDA released a statement discouraging elective “young blood infusions,” noting that these claims are unproven.
Initial interest in young blood transfusions was sparked by a study using mice, in which a young and an old mouse had their circulatory systems stitched together. Scientists observed that the older mouse garnered health benefits like improved memory and metabolism (1). There is no evidence that these suspected benefits could be seen in humans yet.
However, regular blood donation may tout benefits for the donor—like lower heart attack and cancer risk, reduced iron stores, and boosted liver health—according to Rasmussen University. That means that if he keeps it up, Johnson’s son might get the most out of this procedure even if he didn’t receive any plasma from his dad or grandfather.
“I could be a part of a Blueprint therapy that would help reverse my age and my dad’s age and my grandpa’s age all at the same time,” his son says in the video. “I’m ecstatic to have that opportunity.”
References
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Kamran, et al (2013). Parabiosis in Mice: A Detailed Protocol.
