Biohacking in 2026: Science or Scam?
The website Biolongevity states: “Biohacking is the practice of using science, technology, and targeted lifestyle interventions to optimize your body and mind. This rapidly growing field combines principles from neuroscience, genetics, and biochemistry to improve energy levels, cognitive function, and overall well-being.”
I want that too! If there’s a “hack” for well-being and longevity, I’m in. Just like pitting cherries with a chopstick or cutting steak fries with an apple slicer, hacks are all the rage.
The idea is simple: find a shortcut to make life easier. What’s not to love? Create extra time for the important things—like social media and Netflix—but let’s not go there today.
When it comes to health, the reality is that there are no hacks. Many bold claims come from good-looking influencers promoting unproven, untested, poorly regulated, and sometimes even unsafe practices. Opinions are not science.
The hard truth is that science takes time—a lot of time. It requires careful study to understand how the body works, what causes disease, and which associations we can truly rely on. Science constantly evolves, moving us closer to the truth. Science is its own worst enemy because as soon as a ‘breakthrough” is announced, dozens of scientists attack the conclusions and immediately try to prove them wrong. That is how it works. If the conclusion stands the test of time, we tentatively call it a ‘truth’ – but it is ONLY TRUE, until someone comes along with a better explanation and the cycle starts all over again. This makes it complicated to understand and we all know that BS Baffles!
My new colleague Karina Inkster, the founder of NO Bullshit Vegan podcast has written a nice detailed article about this topic. Feel free to ingest and digest her writings and enjoy her podcasts. (Why “biohacking” usually isn’t evidence-based)
So where do I fit in? Why should MY opinion matter? Grey hair, decades of study and some letters added to my name gives me the ability to simplify the science and to give you advice based on the best available evidence we have today. Sure, it could change tomorrow but only when it comes to the finer points and tweaks, not in the fundamentals.
The founding principles guiding what we should eat to maximize our healthspan and lifespan are clear and have been around for ages. No hacks needed.
By simply examining the places where populations routinely live long healthy lives - essentially free of the chronic disease we accept as inevitable, observation teaches us these principles as the patterns emerge. I call them my favorite “F” words.
Eat real Food (not ultra-processed products), be calorie Frugal, eliminate high Fat foods, be a Fibre Fiend (never eat foods without fiber), and stay Fit (keep moving doing things you love to do).
No shortcuts. No hacks. Just practice the fundamentals consistently. You can have sustained success moving towards healthy longevity: Increasing your healthspan and lifespan.