Tech millionaire who wants to ‘live forever’ edits his own DNA on a secret island

Bryan Johnson has earned a reputation for himself as the person who wants to beat one thing we all eventually succumb to: aging. In his latest attempt to achieve that, Johnson has undergone a specific kind of gene therapy. The tech entrepreneur claims that out of all the procedures he has undergone so far, this could have the biggest impact. Johnson travelled to a remote island in Honduras called Roatan. The island has given space to new-age experimental technology companies in a zone called Prospera. This is where the gene therapy company Minicircle operates. It is important to note that the procedure is not approved by the US regulatory body FDA. 

What is gene therapy?
Gene therapy is being explored to treat various conditions like cancer, genetic disorders, and infections. Human gene therapy is a medical technique that changes or manipulates a person’s genes to treat or cure diseases. 

How it works:
1. Replacing Faulty Genes: If a person has a disease because of a faulty gene, doctors can replace it with a healthy version.
2. Inactivating Problematic Genes: If a gene isn’t working correctly and causing disease, it can be turned off.
3. Introducing New Genes: Sometimes, adding a new or modified gene can help the body fight a disease.

Can you live forever after gene therapy?

In the video, Johnson explains that humans have a ceiling of age of approximately 120 years. However, a process called Follistatin gene therapy helps enhance strength and muscle in an organism. This therapy can also slow down the rate of aging. The founder and CEO of the company Minicircles claims that they have witnessed some incredible results with the new therapy. It resulted in big muscle mass increments and decreases in epigenetic ages. So technically, you won’t live forever, but there could be chances that a person could break the barrier of 120 years. 

On record, only a single person has ever been able to cross the barrier of 120 years. A woman named Jeanne Calment was born in the year 1875 and she died in the year 1997 staying alive for 122 years and 164 days. 

Changes after Follistatin gene therapy

According to Johnson, six months after the therapy he witnessed an increase of 7 per cent in his muscle mass. However, he also gained around 5 per cent overall weight during that period. Just three weeks after the treatment, Johnson’s Follistatin levels had increased 160 per cent.  

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