\n\t\t\t\t\tDr Karan Rajan talks about the three supplements he consumes for a healthy life and shares his verdict on popular biohacking methods\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n
Type the words \u201chealth tips\u201d, \u201clongevity\u201d or \u201cbiohacking\u201d into social media search bars and inevitably you will plunge down a rabbit hole of bad advice, weirdness, and lies. But if you\u2019re lucky you\u2019ll land on the account of NHS doctor Karan Rajan. He\u2019s one of the good guys, with over 10 million followers who watch his videos for no-nonsense, science-backed advice on everything from endometriosis to chia seeds.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re all looking to find ways to live a longer, healthier life<\/a>, \u2013 but Dr Rajan says there\u2019s no point spending a fortune on new-age tech or handfuls of supplements if you don\u2019t get the basics right.<\/p>\n \u201cBiohacking and longevity lend themselves to the idea that there is some secret recipe, or a single tablet, or one intervention that you can do which will unlock this new evolution for humans,\u201d he says. \u201cBut the unsexy truth is that you have to have the basics dialled in before you start exploring these fringe benefits. Essentially, you can take all these weird supplements, but if you\u2019re not sleeping well, if you\u2019re not getting enough fibre<\/a>, if you\u2019re not moving and strength training, then these other things won\u2019t paper over the cracks.\u201d<\/p>\n To prove his point, he tells how in 2018 he was diagnosed with high cholesterol and mild fatty liver disease, despite going to the gym regularly and leading what he assumed was a healthy lifestyle. <\/p>\n A look at his diet showed the problem. He was eating almost 200g of protein a day (the recommended amount for men is 55g), with a high-saturated fat intake, and just 10g a day of fibre.<\/p>\n \u201cThe high-saturated fat and low fibre was a cocktail that was causing metabolic dysfunction, which manifested as high cholesterol,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Now Dr Rajan consumes 30-plus grams of fibre a day and has reversed his cholesterol markers.<\/a><\/p>\n But he admits that even some of the more fringe supplements popular with online influencers, such as NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a coenzyme found in every living cell) and NMN (Nicotinamide mononucleotide, a form of vitamin B3 taken to boost levels of NAD+), which are supposed to boost cellular health, may be worth investigating.<\/p>\n \u201cWhenever I look at fringe products I think about the risk-benefit ratio. What is the benefit that you could achieve from this and what is your risk? Overall, things like NMN or NAD+ are well tolerated. Mechanistic data exists for them. There are some animal studies that suggest they may be robust for longevity. However, in humans the data is lacking.\u201d<\/p>\n Here he offers his expert opinion on the health trends that really will extend your life<\/a> \u2013 and those not worth bothering with.<\/p>\n The three supplements I take<\/p>\n Famous biohacker Brian Johnson reportedly gulps up to 111 supplements a day.<\/a> Dr Rajan recommends a much more sensible approach.<\/p>\n \u201cBased on meta-analysis, randomised control trials and my own body, I take Vitamin D, algae omega three, and sometimes when my sleep isn\u2019t quite dialled in, I like to take magnesium,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Fibremaxxing <\/p>\n This viral wellness trend involves people loading meals and snacks with high-fibre foods such as chia seeds, lentils, whole grains, vegetables, and seeds to maximise daily fibre intake.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s probably the safest and most beneficial trend I\u2019ve seen on social media,\u201d says Rajan. And although 30g of fibre a day is a target<\/a>, it shouldn\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you increase your fibre intake by just ten grams a day, you already lower your all-cause mortality risk by 10%,\u201d he continues. \u201cThe Hadza tribe in Tanzania eat upwards of 100g of fibre a day, and they have some of the lowest chronic disease risk profiles that we see in any cohorts across the world.\u201d<\/p>\n A plant-based diet<\/p>\n \u201cMost studies done over several years, looking at huge cohorts of people, point to a diet high in plant-rich foods as being most associated with longevity,\u201d says Rajan. Mediterranean-style diets seem particularly beneficial.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t have to eat like a Sicilian uncle,\u201d he continues. \u201cIncorporating things like olive oil and plants high in antioxidants and polyphenols, like berries or darker fruits, and vegetables like beetroot, can maximize chronic disease reduction.\u201d<\/p>\n (He adds that for extra longevity, focus on reducing ultra processed foods<\/a>, increasing fibre and reducing saturated fat.)<\/p>\n Checking your gut health <\/p>\n Actively taking steps to improve gut health is another easy longevity win. <\/p>\n \u201cAre you eating a wide diverse range of foods? Are you eating enough fibre? Are you eating enough prebiotics?\u201d says Rajan.<\/p>\n He also advises self-monitoring gut health<\/a> by checking your poo for any significant changes. <\/p>\n \u201cOne way to look at how you\u2019re doing is to check your stool every time you go. It\u2019s free data,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Social interaction <\/p>\n \u201cA lot of longevity data and research suggests that for brain health, for reducing the risk of mental health conditions such as dementia<\/a>, and for general wellness, connecting with other people and going out in nature are important,\u201d says Rajan. <\/p>\n Sleep<\/p>\n \u201cMake sure that you\u2019ve got some consistency in your sleep. You don\u2019t need to obsess over it, however,\u201d advises Rajan.<\/p>\n Walking \u2013 7,000 steps a day <\/p>\n While 10,000 steps a day is commonly held as the goal to aim for, Dr Rajan suggests that even lower levels of activity will be beneficial. <\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have to aim for that target. There are newer studies suggesting that you get most of the benefits of 10,000 steps at 7,000 steps a day<\/a>. So, 7,000 seems to be the sweet spot, and any more movement that you\u2019re doing now if you\u2019re not moving much is good.\u201d<\/p>\n Red light therapy <\/p>\n This uses low-level wavelengths of red or near-infrared light to supposedly stimulate cellular activity, promoting healing, reducing inflammation<\/a>, and improving skin health.<\/p>\n \u201cGood evidence for tissue repair, locally. Ongoing research and trials for systemic effects for longevity are needed however.\u201d<\/p>\n Cryogenic preservation<\/p>\n This involves freezing a person\u2019s body<\/a> or brain at ultra-low temperatures after death in the speculative hope that future technology may one day revive and cure them.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a weird, wild, and wacky concept. There is no evidence that we can safely reverse a human or any mammal from a cryo-preserved state. Cryopreservation is a complete gimmick at this current stage of science.\u201d<\/p>\n Hyperbaric oxygen therapy<\/p>\n This involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber to increase oxygen levels in the blood and tissues, which may promote cellular repair.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s some good data to show it can help in specific use cases, such as severe anaemia, wound recovery, and diabetic<\/a> foot. But for longevity we need ongoing research and trials.\u201d<\/p>\n I.V. vitamin drips<\/p>\n This involves administering cocktails of vitamins intravenously. <\/p>\n \u201cIn someone who is deficient in certain vitamins<\/a> they can help. However, there is no equivocal data to suggest that they can help someone who is non-deficient in those vitamins or minerals.\u201d<\/p>\n Faecal microbiome\/faecal microbiota transplants\/poop transplants<\/p>\n This involves transferring stool from a healthy donor into the gut of a recipient to restore a balanced microbiome. It is being explored for its ability to rejuvenate the gut ecosystem, possibly improving metabolic health<\/a>, reducing age-related inflammation, and enhancing overall resilience.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is grounded in science. We know it works for specific cases. If someone has a clostridium difficile infection, which is a nasty bacterial infection of the colon, and if it\u2019s resistant to traditional medical therapies, we can give them a poop transplant, and they can see a reversal and regression of symptoms. It can be very effective at modulating someone\u2019s gut microbiome. Some people have experimented with DIY poop transplants and taken poop transplants from close family members, and anecdotally, it seemed to have worked.\u201d<\/p>\n Parasite cleanses <\/p>\n This practice uses herbs, supplements, or diets to try to eliminate intestinal parasites from the body.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is probably the worst social media trend I\u2019ve seen. These are often just a high-dose laxative or a cleanse with various herbal supplements and can be dangerous for gut microbiome health<\/a> and health in general. In the Western world, unless you are consistently eating undercooked or rotten meat, or you\u2019re drinking well water, or you\u2019re constantly eating food from the soil, it\u2019s very unlikely that you\u2019ll have a parasitic infection. And certainly, being asymptomatic for a long period of time with a parasitic infection is also not very common.\u201d<\/p>\n