I thought I knew biohacking...then I met 4,000 biohackers

Prior to attending the 2025 Biohacker’s conference (May 28-30) in Austin, Texas, hosted by Dave Asprey, the ‘Father of Biohacking,’ I thought I knew what biohacking (“do-it-yourself biology”) is.

I had only scratched the surface.

This was not just a conference. It was a subculture of health seekers who will do anything to live longer.

I showed up expecting shiny gadgets, longevity tips, and basic wellness advice.

What I got instead are glimpses of a futuristic, spiritual, and AI-driven world.

Many core principles are grounded in real science. But it’s still a bit wild west—a landscape of idealism and AI infatuation.

So what exactly is biohacking?

Cambridge Dictionary writes: “Attempts to improve the condition of your body and mind using technology, drugs, or other chemical substances such as hormones.”

Sound non-specific? A bit. Basically, biohackers make intentional changes (‘hacks’) to their body, environment, or lifestyle to achieve better health, according to Dr. Melissa Young.

Think intermittent fasting, creatine supplementation, and red light therapy. There may be some overlap with longevity science, but biohacking stands alone in its experimental—often strict—approach to living longer.

Here’s how:

• Biohacking is most popular among non-experts, writes Cambridge Dictionary.

• Many therapies are not proven to be effective…yet. For instance, IV vitamin injections.

• Measure, measure, measure: Smartwatches and intense data collection guide most decisions.

• Self-experimentation: Often without doctor consent or approval.

The new frontier of health

This year’s event drew more than 4,000 attendees: wellness entrepreneurs, spiritual gurus, fitness instructors, tech bros, doctors, grandmothers, grandfathers, two-month-old babies…and everyone in between. 

Picture a sea of coffee cups filled with Asprey’s trademarked “Danger Coffee,” and conversations filled with words like “HRV,” “stem cell ketosis,” and “quantum coherence.” Equal parts promotional and meta.

Everyone was there to learn how to engineer their bodies to work better. 

You are, as Asprey says, “the director, the pilot, the engineer, and now the designer [of your health].” ✈️

The $36-billion-dollar industry is not just sci-fi or wishful thinking. “The things that were once woo are now data,” Asprey tells the crowd. 

Speaker Joe Dispenza proves that in a 90-minute presentation, using dozens of line graphs to outline clinical research on the healing potential of meditation.

The culture of optimization

Optimization seems ‘selfish,’ one of the attendees told me. “So what if it is?” he counters. Feeling good impacts every aspect of life, and many do it for the sake of others.

I often overhead things like “I want energy for the grandkids.” Daymond Johnson, a Shark on Shark Tank and biohacking enthusiast, declares he will walk his grandchildren down the aisle, “and they aren’t even born yet.”

Despite the gravity of their intentions, biohackers see the humor. As the opening speaker jokes, “[A biohacker’s] love language is stem cell ketosis.”

In line with that, it’s not unusual to see lips stained blue from taking methylene blue, an anti-viral made famous by Robert F. Kennedy, or to drop $40,000 on technology that emits pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF).

But the goal remains: "How do we stay sharp, energetic, and beautiful as we age?"

Speaker highlights

I enjoyed speakers who weren’t preachy, such as Vani Hari (AKA the Food Babe and ringleader of the red dye ban), who emphasized putting political party aside and using our collective voices to advocate for better food quality.

Ryan Holiday, a writer and expert on stoicism, gave a compelling presentation breaking down the ancient philosophy of living a good life—not to live forever.

• Asking yourself “Have I lived, or have I just existed?” can alone help you incorporate more intention into your life.

What I saw–and tried

I hopped on the CAROL bike, which claims that it’s Reduced Exertion HIIT (REHIIT) training style can make two 20-second biking sprints the equivalent of a 45-minute run. Sound too good to be true? I agree.

Another fitness bike vibrates while you ride, promising more strength and fat-boosting via increased muscle contractions.

I sat in a portable far-infrared sauna, got bone density testing, (turns out I have strong bones but low muscle mass–time to strength train), and even tried (panic-inducing) carbon dioxide therapy.

The science behind some of these products is unclear.

As a rule of thumb, ALWAYS consult a doctor before trying any therapies, technologies, supplements, or procedures in the longevity and biohacking space.

The trends you need to know

These themes came up over and over.

⚡ Bioenergetics and KING mitochondria: Energy is the future of wellness–think mitochondria plus spirituality. Connection, love, and awareness shape your energetic field, says Dr. Kien Vuu, MD.

🌿 Live for your liver: The liver controls metabolism, hormones, and skin, says Siggi Clavien of The Liver Clinic. 80 to 90% of cases of fatty liver disease won’t show up on a blood test, so MRI scans, clean eating, and mold detoxes are rising.

🚨 Red light wellness: Red light reduces inflammation (a driver of disease) and boosts mitochondrial health. White light and blue light are also being used for cognitive decline and circadian health.

〰️ Vibrations and the mind-body connection: Whether literal (vibration plates) or energetic (think mindset), vibrations were everywhere. 

The science is iffy, but positive thinking is a longevity-booster.

• “The moment you feel abundant and worthy, you are teaching your body chemically to understand what the mind is understanding,” says Joe Dispenza.

🤖 The future is AI: “AI has strip-mined all of human knowledge,” Asprey says. Whether it’s AI clones, the Cyber Human AI companion, or the Lotus syncing wearable data, it’s all about centralizing health.

But…it sometimes felt like being at a car dealership

There was a lot of promotion. I heard about Asprey’s $16,000+ “40 Years of Zen” program at least 40 times throughout the conference.

Some products don’t make much sense either—like bioenergetic salt, salt that is supposedly infused with ‘energy patterns’ to stimulate cellular repair…..

Many products also weren’t FDA-approved, and most speakers were selling their own stuff—a conflict of interest in traditional science.

Notably, I heard no one mention consulting a doctor about anything.

What I’ll actually keep doing

Clavien says that 50% of health is mindset. I believe that dose of wisdom.

Every attendee and speaker had youthful energy and genuine enthusiasm for health. Their positive mindset was contagious, reinvigorating me to work on mine—because after all, mindset might be the ultimate determinant of longevity.   

What will I continue?

• Working on mindset

• Tracking basic health metrics

• Tuning into my body’s intuition

• Strength and resistance training

• And honestly? CO2 therapy

What biohacks do you do?

Whether it’s ice baths, methylene blue, or LED light therapy, reply to this email with your response. We want to share your insights in an upcoming newsletter.

Until next time,

Erin

_{The information provided about wellness and health is for general informational and educational purposes only. We are not licensed medical professionals, and the content here should not be considered medical advice. Talk to a doctor before trying any of these suggestions.}

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