Key Points:
- The results are in, and Johnson’s cellular NAD⁺ levels are the same after switching from NR to NMN.
- It took only 9 months for Johnson to reduce his biological age by 26 years based on his NAD⁺ measurements.
- The verdict is still out on whether NMN or NR is superior, as both appear to provide similar benefits.
Recently, Bryan Johnson — a successful entrepreneur worth an estimated $400 million — has made headlines by revealing his results from swapping blood with his son and father. Although Johnson’s day job includes his roles as the CEO of Kernel and OS Fund, he’s making waves for his personal mission to slow down aging. His journey has involved investing millions of dollars into a project he calls Blueprint and doing things like transfusing himself with young blood (from his son).
While Johnson has announced that he will cease the blood transfusions due to them having no age-reversing effect, he will by no means be terminating Blueprint. In fact, he attributes the blood transfusion failure to his already incredibly thorough Blueprint routine.
“’Young [blood] plasma exchange may be beneficial for biologically older populations or certain conditions. Does not in my case stack benefit on top of my existing interventions,” Johnson said.
Blueprint traces Johnson’s path towards a longer life and invites others to join. Johnson bases his routine on the latest scientific findings, continually adapting it based on new information. For example, he recently cut down his Brazil nut consumption to just a quarter of a nut daily due to high selenium levels. Because his approach is rooted in the forefront of aging biology research, Johnson is essentially a living experiment in longevity.
As part of this human experiment, Johnson has switched from nicotinamide riboside (NR) to nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), both of which are known to increase NAD⁺ levels that naturally decrease with age. Limited human studies compare NMN and NR directly, but Johnson’s self-testing offers some intriguing findings.
Johnson’s NAD⁺ Levels Reflect his Biological Age
Johnson initially took 750 mg of NR daily but then switched to NMN for 90 days. After the switch, he stated, “They basically work to get my intracellular NAD to level age 16 equivalent.” How did he determine this? By conducting comprehensive measurements, including home tests for NAD⁺ levels by a company named Jinfiniti. The results showed that Johnson’s NAD⁺ levels were about 54.6 µM, similar to a 16-year-old’s. In comparison, his initial levels were more typical of someone aged 55 to 90.
The tech mogul didn’t always lead a healthy lifestyle. During the early days of building his company, Braintree, he developed unhealthy habits. This experience sparked a realization of the importance of self-care and led him to his pursuit of slowing the aging process.
The concept of reversing age is grounded in the distinction between chronological age — the number of years we’ve lived — and biological age, which comprises health indicators from biological measurements. For instance, having NAD⁺ levels similar to a 16-year-old can be likened to having the biological age of a 16-year-old.
Johnson likely has the most comprehensive understanding of his own biological age, as he measures more biological metrics than anyone else in the world. After following his Blueprint routine for 9 months, he’s been able to reverse several indicators of his biological age.
NMN vs NR?
A frequently asked question Johnson encounters is: “NMN or NR?” Based on his measurements, both appear to elevate NAD⁺ levels equally. However, it’s still uncertain which is superior due to the lack of comparative human studies. One recent study compared NMN- and NR-containing formulations designed to burn fat and found that both NMN and NR had similar effects. So, it seems both could be equally effective in fighting aging.
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