Biohackers prove snake oil ain't what it used to be

Snake oil gets a bad rap.

Today, we use the term as a catch-all pejorative for any fraudulent, untested medicine or supplement. But the original snake oil — brought to the States in the 1800s by Chinese railroad workers — actually worked.

Before snake oil was 'snake oil'

Derived from the Chinese water snake and rich in omega-3 acids, it was effective in treating arthritis and bursitis. The workers would apply the oil on their joints after a hard day's work, often sharing this remedy with their American counterparts.

As the reputation of Chinese snake oil spread, local entrepreneurs sought to create their own versions. Lacking a supply of Chinese water snakes, they turned to rattlesnakes. Lacking any evidence of rattlesnake oil's healing properties, they turned to marketing.

The "snake oil salesman" was born.

Organ meat royalty

The Neil Armstrong of this space was a man by the name of Clark Stanley, also known as the Rattlesnake King. The ex-cowboy claimed that he had discovered the medicinal properties of rattlesnake oil from Hopi healers. But his new oil, totally devoid of any medicinal properties, was utterly useless and unable to cure any ailments.

Fast forward to today, and instead of the Rattlesnake King, we have the Liver King, a fraud of epic proportions. For the uninitiated, the Liver King is Brian Johnson, not to be confused with the other biohacking Bryan Johnson (you know, the guy who swaps blood with his son for kicks).

So-named because of his advocacy for raw liver as a cure for certain medical conditions, the bearded behemoth didn't let the lack of scientific verification of his claims keep him from amassing a huge, cult-like following.

The money was pretty good, too, especially after he launched his line of "Ancestral Supplements," which reportedlyreached upwardof $100 million in annual revenue.

But the fall soon came. After months of vociferous denial, Johnson eventually confessed to what anyone with a functioning brain already knew. It wasn't so much the organ meat that gave him his impressively ripped physique as it was the anabolic steroids.

Not all of the charlatans within the biohacking community — an eclectic mix of muscular meatheads and soft-spoken academics — are as easy to spot.

Resvera-troll

Which brings us to David Sinclair.

In 2003, the biologist shot to fame for his work on resveratrol, a polyphenol found in certain plants and fruits. Perhaps, he suggested, resveratrol could reverse aging in humans. Ever since, he has been banging on about the many ways in which this polyphenol can help humans add years to their lives.

It can’t. It’s all a lie.

You see, the problem with Sinclair is that he has a nasty habit of using the results of studies carried out on mice, rats, worms and even yeast, and then sneakily assuming these results apply to humans.

If you happen to be a rodent, for example, resveratrol can work wonders, relieving you of depression and even changing your physiological makeup for the better.

If you happen to be a human, however (as Sinclair's employer Harvard has pointed out), resveratrol offers zero health benefits — absolutely none.

A decade ago, scientists at John Hopkins University School of Medicine carried out a comprehensive study, gathering information from approximately 800 individuals aged 65 and above, all of whom consumed a diet naturally rich in resveratrol.

The objective was simple: to determine the levels of metabolized resveratrol present in the participants' urine, with the expectation of observing higher levels among those who were in better health.

Surprisingly, a significant correlation between consumption of the polyphenol and good health was entirely absent. The study revealed no connection between resveratrol levels and lower occurrence of heart disease, cancer, or mortality. In short, although previous animal and cell studies had suggested potential benefits of resveratrol, the assumptions about its effects on humans proved to be both premature and painfully wrong.

Nevertheless, Sinclair to this day would have you believe that resveratrol is just one of many elixirs that you should be consuming on a regular basis.

And not just any old resveratol. Like any good snake oil salesman in modern day America, Sinclair also offers a selection of his own exorbitantly priced supplements. Among these products is Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a nucleotide that he claims addresses age-related weight gain. Yet again, however, the science disagrees. NMN works great in nonhuman animals but not so much in actual humans.

A few good biohackers?

The biohacking community is full of disingenuous hucksters, from the aforementioned Brian Johnson to the other aforementioned Bryan Johnson, a man who sells sexed up, overpriced olive oil to gullible fools.

Then, there is Dave Asprey, the "father" of biohacking, who sells "bulletproof" coffee. Will consumption of this expensive brew help you live longer? Not on your life.

All of these smooth-talking placebo peddlers are capitalizing on our fear of death, fully cognizant of the fact that there are millions of people around the world who are willing to spend as much money as it takes to avoid going six feet under.

In truth, there are very few respectable individuals within the biohacking space.

People like Dr. Peter Attia and Gary Brecka, the man who saved Dana White’s life, are perhaps two of the more credible individuals.

But even they will tell you that when it comes to a happy and healthy life, it's hard to beat a sensible diet, regular exercise, and a solid sleep routine. Anyone pushing more than that deserves a healthy heaping dose of skepticism.