Biohacking: how to “tap” the brain to optimise its functions

The concept of biohacking is not exactly new, but the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence and other technologies has driven its practice and exponentially improved its scope.

Hannes Sjoblad, co-founder of the biohacker network Bionyfiken – a non-profit organisation that brings together biologists, hackers, body modification artists and others – defines biohacking as the application of ‘hacker ethics’ to biological systems.

Imagine a hacker in the early 2000s trying to double the speed of a computer back then. Biohacking would try to improve what biology and nature has granted us with the help of small technological hacks of our body. For example, the implantation of an intelligent insulin monitoring system, a pacemaker, or bionic eyes.

At SHA Wellness Clinic a kind of healthy biohacking is practised to intervene in bad nutrition habits, poor sleep and rest patterns, or preconceived ideas about oneself and one’s willpower to achieve lifestyle changes.

In the case of brain biohacking, an advanced diagnosis of the patient is performed, which provides the information necessary to find out which areas are worth hacking with new habits or intervened, always based on biomarkers, such as body composition or body mass index, telomere length, blood pressure, heart rate, resting oxygen saturation, basal blood glucose levels, cholesterol, glycosylated haemoglobin, or C-reactive protein.

“At SHA, a genetic, cognitive stimulation, and energy health assessment is carried out to draw up a biological profile of the patient that includes almost 100 determinants of premature ageing, in addition to an oxidative stress levels profile, the prescription of nutrition plans, supplements and physical exercise, as well as natural and medical therapies,” explains Professor Bruno Ribeiro, head of the Cognitive Stimulation and Brain Health unit.

With this information, state-of-the-art technology, and experienced professionals, it is possible to “cheat” biology. One of the latest additions to this department are two neurocognitive stimulation helmets that represent a qualitative leap in improving the brain’s creative and executive capacity.

The applications of biohacking are diverse, depending on the philosophical outlook of its practitioners. Some aim to improve human capabilities, others to extend disease-free life. There are also those, like businessman Bryant Johnson, who want to regain their 18-year-old strength, vitality, and sharpness. Johnson is 45 years old and has spent two years and at least two million dollars on this mission.

In 2015, a group of researchers at Science for the Masses in California used Chlorin e6 (Ce6), a well-known anti-cancer therapy that later proved useful in improving eyesight to 50-metre night vision without glasses.

Always, the idea of biohacking is to optimise human capabilities and, in the case of the brain, it is a sure way to fight stress, anxiety, and mental fatigue. This improves cognitive performance, the ability to associate, memory, and even vocabulary.