Bio-hacking
What is it?
- Biohacking is a do-it-yourself (DIY) form of human enhancement or augmentation, in which people attempt to change aspects of their biology to improve their health, performance, or well-being.
- Some types of biohacking have been around for many years, such as intermittent fasting.
- It is also known as human enhancement, biohacking ranges from efforts to improve brain function to faster weight loss.
- Some types of biohacks are relatively safe to try at home, while others may pose health risks and produce varying results.
- Technology-based biohacking, such as smartwatches and Fitbits, provide people with a wealth of data about their bodies, allowing them to tweak their health and improve athletic performance.
People may want to hack their biology for various reasons, such as to:
- have control over their health
- explore new and unusual ideas
- fix what they perceive as flaws
- try and extend their lives
Nootropics:
- One popular form of biohacking is a group of substances called nootropics, or “smart drugs.”
- Nonprescription nootropics include tablets, supplements, drinks, and foods.
- They contain substances that may help boost brain performance. Examples include creatine and caffeine.
- Prescription nootropics are medications that have stimulant effects, which doctors may prescribe for medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Wearable technology:
- Wearable tech, such as smartwatches, head-mounted displays, and afitness-tracking bands, re common pieces of modern technology.
People may use them to:
- track aspects of their health and use the data to make improvements
- reach fitness and health goals
- track reproductive health cycles
Types of biohacking:
- There are various forms of biohacking. The three most popular types are DIY biology, nutrigenomics, and grinders.
DIY biology:
- DIY biohacking, which some people also call garage biology, involves experts in scientific fields sharing biohacking techniques and information with people who are not experts.
- This allows more people to conduct experiments on themselves outside of a constrained environment.
- DIY biology generates more ideas, freedom, inclusivity, and improvisation.
DIY biology includes various fields of biohacking, including:
- microbiology
- nutrition
- biomedical and synthetic biology
Nutrigenomics:
- Nutrigenomics is another biohacking type that focuses on how food interacts with people’s genes.
- Likewise, it explores how a person’s genes affect their body’s response to food.
- A person can send a DNA sample to a specialized laboratory, where their genetic makeup is analyzed.
- Then their healthcare team can use the results to create an optimized nutrition plan.
- This may involve avoiding certain foods linked to conditions they are genetically predisposed to.
Grinders:
- Grinders are biohackers who consider themselves pioneers of human augmentation.
- This type of biohacking typically involves devices implanted under the skin, and the use of technology to perform body modifications.
Syllabus: Prelims
