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Bryan Johnson, the tech entrepreneur and millionaire who became famous for infusing his son’s plasma into his blood in an effort to prolong his life, is now microdosing the popular weight-loss drug Zepbound (LLY-0.94%).
Johnson posted a thread on the social media site X this Thursday describing his new “longevity protocol.” While GLP-1s are primarily known as weight-loss medications, Johnson’s interest in the drug class that includes Zepbound stems from dozens of trials and new studies exploring their broader health benefits beyond weight loss.
“Robust evidence indicates that GLP-1 agonists have a rejuvenating and anti aging effect in obese people,” Johnson wrote. “More recent evidence suggests a potential for GLP-1 agonists in preventing age related disease in non-obese people too.”
For the next 12 weeks, he will be taking weekly doses of tirzepatide — the active ingredient in Eli Lilly diabetes and weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound — starting at 0.5 milligrams, a fraction of the recommended 2.5 milligrams starting dose. He will be monitoring for any benefits, side effects, and evidence of de-aging.
“Microdosing GLP-1-RAs represents a promising approach to leverage their potential longevity benefits while minimizing risks,” Johnson wrote.
Johnson is the founder and former CEO of the tech companies Kernel and Braintree (PYPL+1.56%). His net worth is estimated to be around $400 million.
He is also among a group of tech biohackers who are spending big money to attempt to slow down the aging process. Johnson famously follows a very strict diet and daily routine that includes taking over 100 pills a day. Additionally, Johnson has received a number of experimental treatments like shooting $25,000 worth of stem cells into his knees and a DNA editing procedure.
Now, he is betting that microdosing tirzepatide will help him with his goal of a longer life.
Johnson touted on X recent that recent studies suggest that GLP-1 meds could help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer and lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Tirzepatide belongs to the class of drugs known as GLP-1 or incretin medications, which was made popular by Ozempic (NVO-2.38%), Novo Nordisk’s diabetes treatment. These drugs mimic gut hormones that regulate blood sugar and reduce appetite.
