Opinion: Longevity seekers misunderstand a fundamental truth about biology
The human organism is far too complex and unpredictable to program like a computer and optimize for longevity.
It’s easy to feel as though you’re doing something wrong these days if you don’t know your VO2-Max and how many hours of REM sleep you get each night, or if you’re not taking a dozen different supplements and scrutinizing every morsel of food that makes its way into your mouth. “Biohackers” and other longevity seekers — with their many podcasts, YouTube channels, and X accounts — would have you believe that if you diligently measure your every bodily function and meticulously tailor your nutrition and exercise regimens, you can reprogram your body to live longer and evade dreaded diseases, just as a computer can be programmed to perform virtually any desired task.
As a doctor, I hear these bold claims and worry that my patients will feel they have somehow failed if they develop a serious disease. As a biotechnology executive, I have a healthy respect for the power of biology — and our inability to control it precisely.
