Biohacking... optimizing performance with alternative means

[Josefein421]

After years in traditional medicine I still believe in it strongly. However perhaps it is my age as I get to my mid 40's or the rapid advance or peptide science but I have started to be more interested in biohacking type things to help stay healthy, perform my best in the gym but also stay feeling and looking young. I see the ages of the members of the gym as their profiles pop up on the screen and it is just mind blowing when I see someone that is my age or younger and looks a decade older. Similarly I have become more and more impressed with the 50+ year olds that look like a spry 35.

I have started researching and reading up on:
- Mushhroom coffee... Nootropic/adaptogen/cognitive effects. The one I am using also has collagen peptides in it
- Cold plunge at home... Science is actually pretty good if kept in context. Reduced inflammation/soreness, dopamine release, resiliency and even some potential immune benefits
- Home sauna... I didnt realize the long standing documented cardiovascular benefits. Immune. Inflammation. Potential minor fat burning.
- Red Light Therapy... The least evidence based and I am mixed on my thoughts. Hair, skin rejuvenation and potential for targeted anti-inflammatory and muscle recovery
- Deep tissue... Nothing new here except I have never gone for regular bodywork. I have started going weekly for shoulder/lat impingement and just overall work for mobility and recovery. Not a chiropractor fan but know lots of guys have had great benefit from regular visits
- Peptides... Beyond GLP/mito stuff which we are familiar. I have looked into Cerebrolysin and other nootropics which has been used a lot especially in Europe for cognitive recovery from stroke, Dementia/Alzheimer's, TBI. Very promising evidence over there and a lot of anecdotal benefit from users coming off ADHD meds or reducing dose from it.


If anyone has any experience with these feel free to add. Or if there are other things you "hack" with. Or if you have a brand or product you like. Or if youve tried something and found it to be a waste.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

After years in traditional medicine I still believe in it strongly. However perhaps it is my age as I get to my mid 40's or the rapid advance or peptide science but I have started to be more interested in biohacking type things to help stay healthy, perform my best in the gym but also stay feeling and looking young. I see the ages of the members of the gym as their profiles pop up on the screen and it is just mind blowing when I see someone that is my age or younger and looks a decade older. Similarly I have become more and more impressed with the 50+ year olds that look like a spry 35.

I have started researching and reading up on:
- Mushhroom coffee... Nootropic/adaptogen/cognitive effects. The one I am using also has collagen peptides in it
- Cold plunge at home... Science is actually pretty good if kept in context. Reduced inflammation/soreness, dopamine release, resiliency and even some potential immune benefits
- Home sauna... I didnt realize the long standing documented cardiovascular benefits. Immune. Inflammation. Potential minor fat burning.
- Red Light Therapy... The least evidence based and I am mixed on my thoughts. Hair, skin rejuvenation and potential for targeted anti-inflammatory and muscle recovery
- Deep tissue... Nothing new here except I have never gone for regular bodywork. I have started going weekly for shoulder/lat impingement and just overall work for mobility and recovery. Not a chiropractor fan but know lots of guys have had great benefit from regular visits
- Peptides... Beyond GLP/mito stuff which we are familiar. I have looked into Cerebrolysin and other nootropics which has been used a lot especially in Europe for cognitive recovery from stroke, Dementia/Alzheimer's, TBI. Very promising evidence over there and a lot of anecdotal benefit from users coming off ADHD meds or reducing dose from it.


If anyone has any experience with these feel free to add. Or if there are other things you "hack" with. Or if you have a brand or product you like. Or if youve tried something and found it to be a waste.

I mean the majority of what we call “biohacking” is just newish recovery methods + drugs we are allllready using. So the drug stuff is meh. The majority of the stuff biohackers are obsessed with, they copied from us (peptides, GH secretagogues, nootropics, etc). The newish recovery stuff is interesting though. Some guys kinda go off the deep end on stuff that isn’t quite shown to help or has no real evidence to help in anyway. But go meet any one who labels themselves a Biohacker, they will wanna pick YOUR brain, not vice versa.

 

[massephase]

Not an answer to your question, but ...
my suspicion is that 99.5% of all people have so much potential to improve their recovery by doing the basics better that it's all unneeded gimmicks for them.
Big rocks vs minutia (very small rocks).

 

[Josefein421]

I mean the majority of what we call “biohacking” is just newish recovery methods + drugs we are allllready using. So the drug stuff is meh. The majority of the stuff biohackers are obsessed with, they copied from us (peptides, GH secretagogues, nootropics, etc). The newish recovery stuff is interesting though. Some guys kinda go off the deep end on stuff that isn’t quite shown to help or has no real evidence to help in anyway. But go meet any one who labels themselves a Biohacker, they will wanna pick YOUR brain, not vice versa.

I havent checked into any of the forums or whatever bc I figured they were wayyyy deep into it kind of like preppers. But yeah the drug stuff makes sense. I was more intrigued by if the data actually supported any of these other things.

Not an answer to your question, but ...
my suspicion is that 99.5% of all people have so much potential to improve their recovery by doing the basics better that it's all unneeded gimmicks for them.
Big rocks vs minutia (very small rocks).

This is kind of my thought or was my thought a long time. And I am not 100% sold. Sauna yes. But the others... it does seem like a bunch of nickels and dimes when we'd be better served focusing on quarters and dollars.

 

[Shelby]

Optimizing sleep and keeping stress low are at the top of my list.

 

[Josefein421]

I can see my intent is was missed lol.

Yes I agree on sleep and all the basics of recovery. I was just curious is anyone used a sauna or cold plunge or so on liked it or felt there was benefit. We have had members do things PRP, stem cells or hair transplant procedures. I guess just thought it was along those lines and something different to talk about than 6 pages on "What to say if someone asks if you're natural"

 

[LK3]

meditation, more cardio and taking sun everyday are changes i made after 40 that i feel all helped.

 

[LK3]

I can see my intent is was missed lol.

Yes I agree on sleep and all the basics of recovery. I was just curious is anyone used a sauna or cold plunge or so on liked it or felt there was benefit. We have had members do things PRP, stem cells or hair transplant procedures. I guess just thought it was along those lines and something different to talk about than 6 pages on "What to say if someone asks if you're natural"

i dont have access to that sort of stuff to try but i have done a temascal ( sweat lodge ) which i highly recommend if you can do it.
i also do breathing work which i feel is very helpful.

 

[AllOkJumpmaster]

So we use cold baths in our HPP, and I use them personally along with some of the wim hof breathing stuff. I like it, but I don't know if I'd call it a "hack". I honestly use it personally more for the mental side of it, and just feeling great afterwards, but I don't necessarily believe that it translates to a shit ton of extra recovery unless you are someone that is putting in 100 miles a week of running.

That said, if you do utilize cold baths, try to "dose" them as far away from your hypertrophy training as possible. We have a lot of emotional data that says cold therapy around the training window can severaly blunt mTor signaling.

 

[specter]

I can see my intent is was missed lol.

Yes I agree on sleep and all the basics of recovery. I was just curious is anyone used a sauna or cold plunge or so on liked it or felt there was benefit. We have had members do things PRP, stem cells or hair transplant procedures. I guess just thought it was along those lines and something different to talk about than 6 pages on "What to say if someone asks if you're natural"

Sauna
Implemented 15mins sauna sessions at one point and it deff helped, lowered my stress, felt more "fresh" if that makes sense, recovered overall better, joints felt better. it would go something like this, i would be done training, spent like 5-10 mins to cool down stretch out, i would drink intra wo so would have plenty of electrolytes, aminos, carbs in my stomach, so when done "cooling down" i would go into the sauna where i trained and just melt for 15mins on a timer, shower and go home and eat my post wo meal.

Stan Efferdings 10mins walks
I picked these up first because i fuckin hate!!! doing cardio, i have a very bad knee and crooked hips af among other things a couple car accidents, so like any kind of running or really fast paced cardio always fucked me up bad, so 10mins walks everyday started with 1 time a day and worked up, they worked great i felt more energized, digestion improved deff, cardio deff improved i felt a big shift in recovery after sets in the gym, my resting HR fell like 10 points in 6 weeks.

 

[Josefein421]

Yes meditation and sun/walks for sure! Well, not the meditation for me. I have tried many times. But the walks and sun for sure. I have made an effort to take more walks throughout the day just 10-15min with the puppy to get some air and sun and preferably as close to waking. I definitely notice a difference when I am not outside for those 3-4 walks a day. Or if the weather is extra gloomy for days straight.

 

[specter]

Yes meditation and sun/walks for sure! Well, not the meditation for me. I have tried many times. But the walks and sun for sure. I have made an effort to take more walks throughout the day just 10-15min with the puppy to get some air and sun and preferably as close to waking. I definitely notice a difference when I am not outside for those 3-4 walks a day. Or if the weather is extra gloomy for days straight.

the classic "meditation" never did anything really for me, sitting down or laying down and "meditate" but then again the walks became a kind of meditation, i would walk and my mind would wander after the walk i would be calm almost serene and refreshed to continue the day, now im very very very very priviliged to be able to do what i want with my day, when i want to, so i know the things i did and when was not something everyone could do.