Biohacking, also referred to as DIY biology, is a type of human enhancement where individuals seek to optimise their performance, health and wellbeing by making strategic interventions outside of traditional medicine.

There are various degrees of biohacking, from small incremental changes to extreme engineering and lifestyle overhauls where people aspire to make themselves superhuman when attempting to improve both cognitive and physical performance.

The extreme types of biohacking can include a form of transhumanism, which employs the use of technology to both augment and evolve. Some of these biohacking examples are safe and legal while others are not approved and push boundaries.

Where Did Biohacking Start?

Despite biohacking being a relatively new trend in the health and wellness industry, many biohacks have been around for centuries such as fasting, ice baths, meditation and following particular diets.

It has become hugely popular in recent years, but the term biohacking was used as early as 1988. It began to grow in popularity in Silicone Valley in 2005 and has continued ever since as humans seek improvements with more hacks, treatments, solutions and ideas at their disposal.

Why Do People Biohack?

People biohack for various reasons including to improve their health, reduce ageing, optimise cognitive performance, increase strength and fitness or even extend their lifespan.

Some people may be at the end of the road with their treatment or frustrated with conventional options while others simply seek to be the best versions of themselves.

What Are The Different Types of Biohacking?

The different types of biohacks include nutrigenomics, DIY biology and grinder.

Nutrigenomics focuses on how food interacts with genes and how this can affect your overall health over time. This can include making changes to diet and lifestyle to decrease the risk of developing a disease that you are genetically predisposed to.

It can also help people to lose weight or improve mental health symptoms and improve bodily functions such as digestion, blood pressure and microbiome. 

DIY biology was spearheaded by individuals with an interest or background in science who used scientific experiments to make improvements, find answers and push boundaries.

Grinder is a biohacking subculture that uses technology, gadgets, chemical injections and implants to enhance, alter or change the way the body works.

What Are Everyday Biohacks?

There are many simple biohacks that we can incorporate into our daily lives to help improve and optimise our health, fitness and wellbeing. Often we do these without even knowing we’re biohacking – this includes using:

  • Sleep trackers 
  • Fitness apps
  • Intermittent fasting
  • Meditation
  • Supplements – one of the most popular tools in the arsenal of a biohacker!

More active biohacks include:

  • Nootropics – substances in food or drinks to improve cognitive function
  • Cryotherapy – making yourself cold
  • Neurofeedback – improving brain performance 
  • Near-infrared saunas – to ease pain, assist detoxification and support cell repair
  • Float tanks – relaxing and floating in salt water without any external stimulation
  • IV Therapies – vitamin drips and injections to deliver nutrients to the body to improve bodily function, health and wellness.

Controversial Biohacking

There are some very controversial biohacks which use technology to push the limits of the body including implants, chips and magnets. 

Practices can include injecting chemicals into the eyes for night vision or implanting sound-enhancing magnets into the ears to achieve inbuilt headphones. These can be hugely dangerous with catastrophic outcomes and are not recommended under any circumstance.

What Are The Advantages of Biohacking?

Biohacking can potentially change a person’s body chemistry and physiology, whilst having huge positive impacts such as improving bodily function including sleep, mood, energy, and weight and reducing cellular ageing.

What Do I Need To Get Started With Biohacking?

The best place to start when considering biohacking is to review your diet, exercise and lifestyle and consider the changes you would like to make. It’s imperative you do your research and consider both the benefits and risks of any changes or hacks you are introducing. Using wearables such as an iWatch or Fitbit is a great place to start as you can monitor your health and track improvements.

Is Biohacking Safe?

There are many degrees of biohacking, many of which are very safe and legal, such as fitness apps, supplements and IV therapy. Many of the extreme and experimental biohacks are neither legal nor safe.

It’s important to do all research before employing any extreme or radical biohacks. Therefore, you should be aware of what are the risks vs the evidence-based benefits. 

Start Your Biohacking Journey Today With IV Boost

At IV Boost, we have an extensive menu of treatments to help improve and optimise the health of our patients. Our treatments are overseen by a GMC Doctor and our professional and highly trained team who deliver the very best experience.

Some of the most popular biohacks at IV Boost include:

IV Vitamin Drips

A combination of electrolytes, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are delivered directly to your cells which are absorbed by the body much faster and more efficiently than drinking water (one litre of vitamin therapy is equivalent to drinking approximately 3.8 litres of water). 

As the vitamins bypass the intestine, people can be provided with high–dose supplementation. The vitamin drip is tailored to meet the health goals of each individual.

Ozone Therapy – administering ozone gas into the body to restore optimum oxygen levels, helping to improve and treat a range of conditions.

Mitogive Glutathione – a naturally occurring and powerful antioxidant found in every cell in our body, fulfilling many vital protective tasks including immune defence, nutrient metabolism, DNA repair and detoxification. This effective antioxidant is available in IV, capsule or powder form.