Healthy and forever?

Biohackers have taken over social media. Self tracking, supplements, fasting, even genetic technologies promise longer life and better health. Startups raise millions, biohackers become influencers — but does any of this bring us closer to immortality?

Doctors point out that the main limits to healthy longevity remain simple: lack of sleep, low physical activity, stress, and harmful habits. Philosophers add that the cult of health as an investment in the future has replaced older ideas of eternal life. The question is not only how to live longer, but why we are so obsessed with it.

Biohacking, by definition, is hacking the body through science and technology to improve health and extend life. It promises shortcuts — a way to achieve what traditional methods cannot. Some approaches are extreme: measuring heart rate variability as a key to performance, or using pharmaceutical drugs to increase efficiency.

But most biohacking is less radical. It includes tracking health data, adjusting sleep and activity, experimenting with nutrition, using supplements, and applying temperature exposure. At its core is a simple belief: knowledge gives control.

Psychologists warn that excessive monitoring can backfire. It increases anxiety, lowers quality of life, and can turn into hypochondria. Even sleep trackers can worsen sleep when people become obsessed with the data. The same applies to orthorexia — an unhealthy fixation on healthy eating. In other words, even self-care can become harmful.

Experts also question how useful past data really is. Historical health metrics do not necessarily help treat future illness, just as past market data does not predict future trends.

Another major area is weight loss and nutrition, where influencers combine personal experience with emotional storytelling. However, doctors warn against miracle diets and quick fixes. Short-term results are often followed by weight regain. Sustainable approaches are slower but more effective long-term.

Supplements are another cornerstone of biohacking. The market is enormous, yet unlike medicines, supplements are not strictly regulated or tested for effectiveness and safety. In many cases, we simply do not know what they contain. Without a real deficiency, taking vitamins is often useless and can even be harmful.

More controversial methods include attempts to intervene directly in biology, such as plasma transfusions or experimental medicaments. While some show results in animals, there is little evidence for humans, and risks can be significant. Gene therapy and anti-aging medicaments remain experimental and far from everyday use. Even within the biohacking community, there is recognition that basics matter most. Sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and mental health consistently come before supplements.

The reality is simple: there is no magic solution. Medicine has dramatically increased life expectancy by protecting us from disease and external threats. But aging itself is not a disease , it is a natural process. There is still no cure for it.

Aging happens as damage accumulates in the body. Cells function less efficiently, tissues weaken, and visible and invisible signs appear. There is no single gene responsible, but multiple mechanisms working together. While we can slow some processes, we cannot stop them entirely. Genetics account for only about 10 to 15 percent of how we age. The rest depends on lifestyle. In theory, this gives us control. In practice, it also depends on resources: time, money, and the ability to live without constant stress. The most reliable longevity principles remain simple: no smoking, minimal alcohol, good sleep, stress control, regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, preventive medicine, and strong social connections. These are not exciting, but they work.

The story of Maria Branyas Morera, who lived to 117, reflects this. She followed a simple routine: Mediterranean diet, daily movement, mental activity, no smoking, and moderate lifestyle habits. Genetics played a role, but not a decisive one.

So why has biohacking become so popular? Part of the answer is social. In a competitive, market-driven world, health, youth, and energy are tied to success. People are encouraged to see themselves as resources to optimize. The idea of constant self-improvement becomes a norm.

This creates a shift: life becomes an ongoing project. The present is sacrificed for a better future. Biohacking becomes less about health and more about control, a response to uncertainty, anxiety, and the pressure to perform. That is why it resonates so strongly today. Health is no longer just a medical issue. It has become a social and economic marker of success. Which makes one question essential before following any trend: why do you actually need it?