Biohacking is all the rage these days, with countless “experts” sharing their tips and tricks to optimize health and wellness. But with so much information out there, how do you separate fact from fiction? Today, we’re cutting through the noise to get to the truth about biohacking.

Enter Dave Asprey, known globally as “The Father of Biohacking.” An acclaimed health science entrepreneur, Dave is the founder of Bulletproof Coffee and Danger Coffee, a four-time New York Times bestselling author, and the host of an award-winning, top 100 podcast, The Human Upgrade. Most recently, he launched the 5-day intensive program for upgrading the brain, 40 Years of Zen, an exclusive retreat that combines neuroscience, nutrition, and neurofeedback practices. His mission? To empower people to lead happier, more conscious lives using biohacking techniques and technology to improve both body and mind.

We asked Dave Asprey to debunk the top 5 myths in health and wellness and to reveal what really works. Discover insights from the master himself, aimed at helping you make informed decisions on your wellness journey.

When I was 14, I was diagnosed with arthritis in both of my knees. By the time I reached my mid 20s, I weighed 300 lbs, was sick, tired, and at high risk of having a heart attack according to my doctor. I was young chronologically but my body was aging rapidly. Despite doing everything “right” such as exercising 6 times a week for 2 hours a day and only eating chicken salads (with no dressing), I still had a 46” waist. I realized that my doctor wasn’t going to help me so I decided to take matters into my own hands. 

I joined an anti-aging non-profit called the Silicon Valley Health Institute and was blown away by the 70- and 80-year-olds in the organization who were in better health and wellness than most 20 year olds. I learned from these elders that the tools that make old people young again, make young people kick ass. These tools became the basis of what is now known as biohacking, a term I coined that’s now in the dictionary. It means “taking control of the environment around you and inside you so you have full control of your own biology”. Biohacking allowed me to successfully lose 100 pounds, increase my IQ, and reverse my biological age. I spent a million dollars hacking and experimenting to find out what works so that you don’t have to. Here are five myths about health and longevity and what works instead:  

Myth #1: Plant-based is the key to longevity 

You may have seen wellness gurus pushing a vegan diet as the key to longevity. The issue is that a plant-based diet is loaded with toxins that make you weak. Oxalic acid, for example, is an anti-nutrient found in spinach and kale that forms razor sharp crystals in your body. These crystals deposit themselves in your joints and tissues and cause a wide range of issues. Ouch. Other toxins in plants like phytic acid prevent your body from absorbing minerals. This is a problem because minerals power every single chemical reaction that happens inside your cells. Without minerals, your body doesn’t work. The solution is a diet rich in grass-fed animal foods and low-toxin plants. You can learn more by checking out my book, The Bulletproof Diet.  

Myth #2: You can get all of your nutrients from diet alone 

Today, our soil has far lower levels of minerals than it used to.  Because of this, the food we eat is much less nutrient-dense than it used to be and it’s much more difficult to meet your vitamin and mineral needs through diet alone. As a result, many people are deficient in one or more vitamins or minerals. Deficiencies can lead to chronic disease and accelerated aging. To combat this, I take vitamin DAKE (fat soluble vitamins D,A,K, and E) as well as a mineral complex every day, made by my company, Suppgrade Labs.  

Myth #3: To get results, you must work out for hours 

This was something I believed to be true for a long time. I used to spend hours on the treadmill. Now I only work out for 20 minutes per week and I’m ~7% body fat. The trick is to do the right types of exercise that send a brief but intense signal to your body. One example is REHIT (reduced exertion high intensity training), which we use at my human performance facility, Upgrade Labs. It involves 2, 20 second all-out sprints on an AI-powered bike. It’s designed to improve your cardiovascular fitness as much as a 45 minute run – in just 5 minutes! 

Myth #4: More fasting is better 

I have always been a big fan of fasting. But lots of people do it wrong. Believe it or not, more isn’t always better, especially when it comes to fasting or a ketogenic diet. Over-fasting can stress your body out, throw your hormones out of whack, and age you quicker than you’d like. That’s why I wrote a book about how to fast the right way. It’s called Fast This Way. Some days, it’s okay to have breakfast, just make sure it’s not full of sugar. If you’ve just traveled across the world, if you’re at the wrong time in your cycle, if you just lifted heavy, or if you’re just super stressed, it’s better to skip the fast.  

Myth #5: Biohacking and longevity are one-size fits all 

Here’s the truth – what works for me isn’t going to work for you. Your biology is unique and your goals are probably different than mine. You have a personal longevity recipe based on your specific goals, your overall state and your current state. This is the reason I just launched an exciting, cutting-edge tool powered by AI that makes personalized recommendations on different biohacks, supplements and more that people can do to improve their health and wellness, based on wearables and lab data.  You can now order labs and get the data you want without having to go to the doctor or deal with an insurance company.  We tell you exactly what to do based on your personal biology and your goals. The core idea is to provide people with the information to be their own health advocate. You can sign up at upgradehealth.com.