Biohacking and You

How People are Taking Medicine into their own Hands

The 21st century is here and though we have inherited some of the technological marvels that were predicted, many and more are still in the distant future. We have our cordless communicators (cellphones), and remote navigation and directions (map apps), and even our version of the Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy (Wikipedia). The future, however, is looking more cyberpunk by the day, and perhaps nowhere is that more clear than with the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

Biohacking is becoming more and more common and has moved beyond the tricks used by athletes and gym rats. Now, it’s becoming a method of self-diagnosis, treatment, and body-enhancement.
  • Treating chronic fatigue, pain, or digestive issues with supplements and peptides
  • Tweaking diets, either to be paleo, keto, vegetarian, or vegan, while also getting the nutrition from protein powders, amino acids, and vitamins.
  • The much maligned practice of injecting hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone, as done by athletes and body builders
  • Harnessing kratom to wean away opioid addiction
  • Treating pain with CBD, THC, and cannabis oils
  • Using electronics to monitor health and bodily activity (e.g. Fitbits, fancy watches, or custom circuits)
  • Creating homemade tinctures and teas from medicinal mushrooms and herbs
  • And testing their genetics or bodily functions with kits available online

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I’m a physics postdoc, writer, and photoshopper who likes to send cats into space.

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Ryan Walraven, PhD

I’m a physics postdoc, writer, and photoshopper who likes to send cats into space.