A 23-year-old man from Tennessee decided to test the anti-aging lifestyle of a tech millionaire who claims to have the body of an 18-year-old. Andrew Boyd followed the Blueprint diet and exercise plan of Bryan Johnson, a 46-year-old entrepreneur who spends $2 million a year on his bid to reverse the aging process. Boyd documented his 75-day experiment on his YouTube channel and shared his results with the world.
The Blueprint plan
Johnson, who sold his company Braintree to PayPal for $800 million in 2013, created the Blueprint plan as part of his Project Blueprint initiative. The plan consists of a strict vegan diet of 2,250 calories per day, which he consumes in a six-hour window. He also exercises for an hour every day, plus three sessions of high-intensity interval training per week. In addition, he takes 111 supplements daily, undergoes blood transfusions from young donors, uses red light therapy, wears a continuous glucose monitor, and follows a rigid bedtime routine. He claims that his biological age is 18, while his chronological age is 46.
Boyd, who is a biohacker and health enthusiast, decided to try the Blueprint plan as closely as possible for an average person. He spent about $112.34 a week on food and supplements, which he ordered from Amazon and bought from local grocery stores. He followed the recipes from Johnson’s website, which included dishes such as the green giant (a drink made of water, chlorella powder, creatine, collagen peptides, cocoa flavanols and Ceylon cinnamon), the super veggie (a mix of broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, ginger, garlic and black lentils), the nutty pudding (a blend of nuts topped with fresh strawberries), and the sweet potato bowl (roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas and avocado). He also worked out for an hour a day and slept from 9 p.m. to 5:15 a.m. consistently.
The results
After 75 days of following the Blueprint plan, Boyd claimed that his biological age was 19.2, while his chronological age was 23.7. He said that he felt incredibly focused and energized throughout the experiment. He also lost about 10 pounds of body fat and gained some muscle mass. He said that his skin improved and his blood pressure dropped. He also noticed that his glucose levels were more stable and his inflammation markers were lower.
However, Boyd also admitted that the plan was extremely hard to follow and that he faced some challenges along the way. He said that he missed eating meat and dairy products and that he sometimes felt hungry and bored with the food choices. He also said that he struggled with socializing and maintaining relationships because of his strict schedule and dietary restrictions. He said that he had to sacrifice some aspects of his life in order to prioritize his health.
Boyd concluded that the Blueprint plan was not about the exact diet or exercise protocol, but rather about using measurement and data to back up health choices. He said that he learned a lot from the experience and that he would continue to experiment with different biohacking methods in the future.
The controversy
Johnson’s anti-aging lifestyle has sparked some controversy and criticism from experts and the public alike. Some have questioned the validity and safety of his methods, especially the blood transfusions from young donors. Johnson briefly enlisted his 17-year-old son Talmage to provide blood for him, calling him a “blood boy”. However, he later stopped this practice after facing backlash from the media and the medical community.
Some have also argued that Johnson’s lifestyle is elitist and unrealistic for most people. They have pointed out that not everyone can afford to spend $2 million a year on their health or have access to the same resources and technology as Johnson. They have also suggested that Johnson’s obsession with reversing aging is driven by vanity and fear of death.
Johnson has defended his lifestyle as a personal choice and a scientific experiment. He has said that he is not trying to live forever, but rather to optimize his health span and quality of life. He has also said that he hopes to inspire others to take charge of their own health and well-being.