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These 3 men claim they've reversed their biological age. Here are their daily routines.

Amber Middleton   

These 3 men claim they've reversed their biological age. Here are their daily routines.
  • Three men — a tech entrepreneur, a doctor, and a scientist — claim to have reversed their biological ages.
  • All three follow plant-based diets and exercise regularly, which are well known longevity strategies.

It's not just Peter Pan who wants to never grow old.

There is a growing trend of biohackers and longevity experts who take extreme steps — and spend a small fortune — to keep themselves young and achieve a maximum lifespan.

They combine eating well, avoiding stress, exercising, waking up early, guzzling various green drinks, having regular blood tests and body scans, taking dozens of supplements, and more, all in the name of hopefully winning a few more healthy years.

Business Insider took a closer look at three men who claim to be experts at keeping their biological ages young to see what they're really up to.

David Sinclair claims to be 10 years younger, biologically

Harvard biologist and anti-aging researcher David Sinclair, 54, previously told BI that his biological age is 10 years younger than his chronological age. What he means is his body is, wear-and-tear-wise, more like that of a healthy 44-year-old than someone approaching his mid-50s.

He's determined this biological age based on a straightforward cheek swab test he used, provided by his own startup, Tally Health. Tally charges consumers between $130 and $200 a month for access to its biological age tests. But independent experts caution that a single biological age test like Tally's can never really tell you definitively what kind of shape your body is in.

Today's biological age tests should only be used for fun, scientist Steve Horvath — the man who invented the first biological age calculator — previously told BI. Horvath said these tests mean nothing if you don't cross-reference the results with your other important health metrics, like your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

Sinclair takes a wide array of supplements, including resveratrol. Resveratrol, a polyphenol, is an antioxidant in red grape skins and peanuts. That means it's also available in red wine, in trace amounts. Sinclair, and his defunct resveratrol-selling company, is largely responsible for the buzz around red wine as a potential longevity hack. (The scientific reality is that most lab research found resveratrol to be a total dud when it comes to life extension.)

In addition to his pills, Sinclair also drinks one to two green matcha teas every day, and adheres to many healthy daily habits which we know are likely connected to longer lifespans. He abstains from alcohol, eats a plant-based diet, and practices intermittent fasting "whenever possible." He also uses a standing desk to avoid sitting for long periods.

He emphasizes the importance of stress reduction and makes sure he "avoids jerks" to keep his stress levels low. He also sets aside periods of the day for quiet time.

Dr. Mark Hyman says his body is 20 years younger than his age

Dr. Mark Hyman, founder of the UltraWellness Center in rural Massachusetts, is 64. But he's said that his biological age is two decades younger, around 43.

Hyman previously told BI that many of the health problems that come with aging like achy joints, foggy thinking, and chronic illness can, in fact, be avoided or reversed with lifestyle interventions.

"It's a treatable condition, as opposed to an inevitable decline," he said. He credits good nutrition and exercise for his own longevity. His day starts at 6 am with 20 minutes of mindful meditation, and a coffee — which is consistently linked to a lower risk of heart disease and dementia in studies.

Hyman then does strength training exercises to help with back pain and to build muscle, followed by a 40-degree three-minute shower. He believes the cold temperature improves his metabolism and reduces inflammation – though the science here is a bit squishy.

Hyman also follows a paleo and vegan diet, focused on mostly plants — a strategy which is great for the heart — and for longevity. Finally, he takes a series of supplements.

Bryan Johnson is 46, but he says his organs are aged 17-37

Silicon Valley entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, who once built the company we now know as Venmo, is 46. But he says the biological age of his lungs is about 18.

He also claims to have the heart of a 37-year-old, the skin of a 28-year-old, the gum inflammation of a 17-year-old, and the nighttime erection rate of a teenager.

Like Hyman and Sinclair, Johnson also maintains a plant-based diet (in his case, totally vegan) and he exercises daily.

Johnson made a decision about three years ago to totally overhaul his lifestyle, in a bid to live forever. He tossed the brownies, the goldfish crackers, and the late night worrying in the trash, and now gets up each day at 5 am to chug down two dozen medicines and supplements including turmeric, zinc, metformin, and lithium.

Johnson also restricts his daily calories to the very exact number of 1,977 and has blood tests, MRIs, and colonoscopies each month to monitor his progress.

He spends about $2 million a year on this Peter Pan-like quest to say "I won't grow up," or get frail and aged.



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