By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert
Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is recently completed her Stanford Genetics Longevity Research certification program and is currently enrolled in the Stanford Medicine nutrition science program. She was named in the Top 50 Longevity Leaders by Life Spanning magazine and is currently the #1 on the Longevity Cup Leaderboard (chronological age -23 years).

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For years, I had a stubbornly high HbA1c paired with a fasted glucose that was consistently, boringly excellent, usually under 90 mg/dL. (right now, I have been able to lower it using a special technique, which I will talk about in a future post).

More than once, a doctor looked at that HbA1c and told me I was borderline diabetic, and most definitely pre-diabetic . And more than once, I went looking for an explanation that fit the story: I was on an expedition, so surely I’d been eating more sweets, more processed food, running on adrenaline and trail snacks. That had to be it. Right?

It wasn’t until I was at the YEARS Clinic in Berlin, sitting across from a genuinely impressive physician, Dr. Ann Netzler, that I got an answer that actually made sense, one that explained why, for some people, a high HbA1c doesn’t mean prediabetes at all.

I’ve since talked to several of my doctor friends about this. Not one of them had ever thought about HbA1c this way, or been taught to take the number with as large a grain of salt as it sometimes deserves.

So, without further ado, here’s what I found. I’m genuinely excited to share it with you. If you’ve ever been told you’re “borderline diabetic” on the strength of an HbA1c that didn’t match anything else in your bloodwork, expect to be blown away.

There’s a well-documented, if under-discussed, reason this happens: HbA1c doesn’t actually measure your blood sugar.

It measures

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By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert
Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is recently completed her Stanford Genetics Longevity Research certification program and is currently enrolled in the Stanford Medicine nutrition science program. She was named in the Top 50 Longevity Leaders by Life Spanning magazine and is currently the #1 on the Longevity Cup Leaderboard (chronological age -23 years).

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I usually refuse to join boards.

I receive invitations regularly, and most of the time, I say no.
Not because I am uninterested or unwilling to contribute, but because I have learned that saying yes to everything eventually means having no time left for yourself.

I may be good at multitasking, but I also need time off. Time for my private life. Time to think. Time to do absolutely nothing.

We tend to fear empty space in our schedules. We fill every available hour, as though constantly being busy were proof that we matter. I know this pattern very well. I have worked hard to stop living in permanent “go, go, go” mode and to learn how to slow down without feeling guilty about it.

So today, I protect my time carefully.

But when the Lifeboat Foundation invited me to join its Life Extension Board, I could not say no.

And, in the end, I didn’t join just one board. I joined three:

• The Life Extension Board

• The Business Board

• The Sustainability Board

Three subjects that may appear separate, but that I believe are deeply interconnected.

These are not abstract questions anymore.

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Safeguarding humanity

The Lifeboat Foundation is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization whose mission is to encourage scientific progress while helping humanity prepare for existential risks and the possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies.

That includes artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, biotechnology and robotics, but also pandemics, asteroid impacts, environmental collapse and other threats capable of affecting civilization on a global scale.

The organization does not take the position that technology is inherently dangerous. Quite the opposite: technology may be our most powerful tool for improving and protecting human life.

The same scientific advances that can cure disease, regenerate tissue, extend healthy lifespan or solve environmental problems can also create risks when they are developed carelessly, released prematurely or placed in the wrong hands.

The Lifeboat Foundation explores defensive strategies ranging from improved methods for combating viruses to safeguards surrounding nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and other emerging fields. It even considers long-term resilience solutions such as self-sustaining space settlements, should our defenses on Earth ever fail.

Some of those ideas may sound futuristic. In 2010, The New York Times introduced the organization through its work on threats involving artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, black holes and other scenarios that, at the time, probably seemed very remote.

Sixteen years later, conversations about uncontrolled AI, engineered pathogens, climate instability and technological misuse no longer feel like science fiction.

They feel urgent.

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The minds around the table

Another reason I accepted is the extraordinary range of people involved.

The Lifeboat Foundation’s advisory network includes scientists, physicians, economists, entrepreneurs, environmental experts, futurists, ethicists and technology leaders from around the world.

On the Life Extension Board, I join figures such as longevity researchers Aubrey de Grey, Nir Barzilai, Matt Kaeberlein, Brian Kennedy and Morgan Levine, as well as futurist and inventor Ray Kurzweil. The official board also includes many other researchers, physicians and innovators working on the biology and technology of human longevity. See the Lifeboat Foundation advisory boards.

The Business Board includes economist and technology scholar Erik Brynjolfsson, among many entrepreneurs, investors and leaders examining how ambitious scientific solutions can become economically viable.

The Sustainability Board includes oceanographer and explorer Sylvia Earle, environmental advocate and actor Ed Begley Jr., former NASA chief scientist Dennis Bushnell and paleontologist and conservationist Louise Leakey.

This diversity matters. No single discipline can address the scale of the challenges ahead.

Scientists need entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs need ethicists. Longevity researchers need environmental experts. Technologists need people willing to ask not only, “Can we build it?” but also, “Should we build it, how should we protect it, and who might be affected if it goes wrong?”

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Why these three boards make sense for me

The Life Extension Board is an obvious continuation of work I have pursued for decades.

I have been researching, testing and writing about longevity since long before the word became fashionable. My approach has always combined scientific evidence with real-life experimentation. I am interested not merely in adding years to life, but in extending the years during which we remain strong, lucid, mobile, curious and independent.

But longevity cannot exist in isolation.

That is why the Sustainability Board matters just as much to me. Human health depends on environmental health: the air we breathe, the water we drink, the quality of our food, the stability of our ecosystems and the resilience of the planet supporting us.

There is little point in adding decades to human lifespan if those decades are lived amid polluted air, contaminated water, collapsing food systems and increasingly unlivable environments.

And then there is the Business Board.

I have spent much of my life building companies and communities, turning ideas into programs and translating complex science into information people can actually use. Science cannot transform society if it remains confined to research papers, laboratories or small circles of experts. It needs responsible business models, communication, funding and execution.

This is where I believe I can contribute something specific: at the intersection of longevity science, entrepreneurship, public education and sustainability.

Saying yes to what matters

Joining an advisory board should never be about collecting another title for a biography.

I will continue to say no to many invitations. I need to. Preserving time, peace of mind and room to think remains essential to the way I want to live.

But protecting your time does not mean withdrawing from the world.

It means saving your yes for the things that matter most.

The Lifeboat Foundation’s mission is, quite literally, to help safeguard humanity. At a moment when science is advancing faster than our collective ability to anticipate all its consequences, I believe that mission is too important to ignore.

So this time, I said yes.

Three times.

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Valérie Orsoni

Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert
University of Hartford Hall of Fame
Top 50 Longevity Leaders (by Lifespanning Magazine)
Explorer: Skied to the South Pole, Climbed 45 peaks over 16k ft
Instagram : Valerie Orsoni
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026)
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — Miami (Jan. 2027)

By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert
Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is recently completed her Stanford Genetics Longevity Research certification program and is currently enrolled in the Stanford Medicine nutrition science program. She was named in the Top 50 Longevity Leaders by Life Spanning magazine and is currently the #1 on the Longevity Cup Leaderboard (chronological age -23 years).

For more than 50 years, I suffered from SIBO, gut dysbiosis, Giardia, Salmonella, and a long list of other digestive issues.

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Over the decades, I consulted some of the most respected experts in the world—from renowned heads of gastroenterology departments at major institutions to lesser-known researchers whose work I deeply admired.

Not one of them was able to heal me.

I tried virtually everything: antibiotics, elemental diets, herbal protocols, prescription medications, fasting, non-fasting approaches, carnivore diets, high-fiber diets, probiotics, prebiotics, and countless other interventions.

Nothing worked for more than a few days.

Then, using what I had learned through years of study, experimentation, and continuous education, I designed a protocol for myself.

Today, I have been symptom-free for more than 12 weeks.

Even more surprising: I can now eat foods that used to trigger symptoms almost immediately—and experience none.

This is still an N=1 experiment, and I remain cautious. My next goal is to continue documenting the results over time, refine the protocol, and eventually test it in a larger group.

But after half a century of frustration, I can honestly say that I am amazed by the results.

Here is the paper:

Valerie Orsoni Final Paper Sinus Gut Axis Paper

421KB ∙ PDF file

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Download

Let me know your thoughts after you have read it.

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Here is the video in case you did not see it:

Valérie Orsoni

Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert
University of Hartford Hall of Fame
Top 50 Longevity Leaders (by Lifespanning Magazine)
Explorer: Skied to the South Pole, Climbed 45 peaks over 16k ft
Instagram : Valerie Orsoni
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026)
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — Miami (Jan. 2027)

By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert
Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is recently completed her Stanford Genetics Longevity Research certification program and is currently enrolled in the Stanford Medicine nutrition science program. She was named in the Top 50 Longevity Leaders by Life Spanning magazine and is currently the #1 on the Longevity Cup Leaderboard (chronological age -23 years).

Twelve years ago, I added KPV to my peptide rotation.

Almost nobody in the wellness world had heard of it.

There were no Instagram protocols, influencer stacks or peptide clinics promoting it.

Just a handful of researchers in Minnesota and Milan studying a tiny three-amino-acid fragment that barely anyone outside immunology cared about.

And there was me, reading every paper I could find, sourcing it from a research supplier and watching very closely what happened in my own body.

Now, KPV is suddenly having its moment. In July 2026, an FDA advisory committee narrowly voted to recommend adding it to the list of substances compounding pharmacies may legally use. Overnight, the peptide almost nobody talked about became the peptide everyone had an opinion on.

But what does KPV actually do?
Why have I kept it in my cabinet for twelve years?
And why do I consider this quiet little peptide far more interesting than many of the heavily marketed ones?

Here is my honest assessment, based on twelve years of personal experience with KPV, more than twenty years of peptide use and the research I have actually read.

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By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert
Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of valbiohacker.com. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is recently completed her Stanford Genetics Longevity Research certification program and is currently enrolled in the Stanford Medicine nutrition science program. She was named in the Top 50 Longevity Leaders by Life Spanning magazine and is currently the #1 on the Longevity Cup Leaderboard (chronological age -23 years).

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July 26th, 2026 — ValBiohacker.com

🧬 Peptides: The FDA Decision That’s Freaking Everyone Out

“Turn off the TV” isn’t the only warning going around this week — “hide your peptides” is the one actually trending in biohacking circles right now.

On July 23-24, 2026, the FDA’s PCAC (Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee) met at White Oak to decide whether 7 of the community’s most-used peptides — BPC-157, KPV, TB-500, MOTS-c (7/23), then Emideltide, Semax, Epitalon (7/24) — get added to the 503A Bulks List, the roster of substances legally allowed in compounded prescriptions.

→ FDA briefing documents released ahead of the meeting recommend adding none of the 7 peptides
→ Cited reasons: insufficient characterization, thin human efficacy data, lack of safety data
→ Backstory: in April 2026, the FDA had already pulled these same peptides off the restricted-substances list, without moving them into Category 1 (permitted). They’ve been sitting in regulatory limbo ever since.

The real shock isn’t the decision itself, it’s the gap between what the community expected (roughly 14 of 19 restricted peptides returning to Category 1) and what FDA staff are actually recommending (zero).

⚠️ Caveat: this is an advisory recommendation, not a final ruling. Even a favorable committee vote would kick off a rulemaking process that typically takes 6 to 18 months before anything changes on the ground. Nothing shifts legally overnight — but the signal it sends to the compounding industry is immediate.

My N=1: Personally, I’m not panicking. I’m sticking with my peptide protocols. If peptides stop being available in the US, I have very reliable sources in China (yes, let’s not kid ourselves — even the best US and European labs source their raw materials from China).

Final decision: 6 peptides got a YES, and 1 got a NO (Emideltide). More on this in the coming months.

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📺 TV Is Shrinking Your Brain (Literally)

“Turn off that TV, it’ll rot your brain” has been a household refrain for decades. A study just published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia gives it real scientific backing.

Researchers followed roughly 1,700 adults (average age 53) enrolled in the ARIC study between 1987 and 1989. They self-reported TV-watching frequency, then underwent brain MRI more than two decades later.

→ Heavy TV watchers (”very often”) showed smaller volumes in brain regions tied to early Alzheimer’s signs → Smaller frontal and occipital lobes (executive function and visual processing) → Greater white matter hyperintensity volume — a marker of small blood vessel disease linked to stroke risk and cognitive decline → Differences held even after controlling for physical activity, diabetes, BMI, smoking, and alcohol use

“For years we’ve focused on how much people sit. Our findings suggest we should also pay attention to what they’re doing while they’re sitting.” — David Raichlen, USC Dornsife

Here’s the twist: other sedentary activities showed no such association. So this isn’t just about sitting — it’s about something specific to TV watching, possibly the lack of active cognitive engagement, or its effect on circadian rhythm and sleep.

⚠️ Caveat: TV consumption was self-reported (less reliable than objective screen-time tracking), and there was no baseline MRI at study start — so this shows an association measured twenty years later, not a tracked change over time.

My N=1: I don’t watch TV, ever! Except in 3 occasions: World Soccer Cup (every 4 years), Super Bowl (once a year) and F1 (which I watch on my rowing machine or on my Peloton)

.

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💊 Statins: Big Pharma Wins Again

The new 2026 cholesterol guidelines don’t create more statin patients overall — they shift the typical profile toward younger, lower-risk adults. And that’s exactly the problem.

→ Per NHANES (2017-2023), 87.5 million U.S. adults (ages 30-79) are now statin-eligible
→ Of those, 21.5 million are newly eligible, with a notably lower 10-year cardiovascular risk than previously eligible patients (3.1% vs. 6.1%)
→ The key shift: adoption of the PREVENT risk equations, which produce lower risk estimates than the older model but also lower the treatment threshold (3-5% risk = “consider,” 5-10% = “recommended”)
→ Three JAMA studies agree: the overall eligible population stays roughly the same size, but its profile skews lower-risk, while higher-risk patients remain well short of their LDL targets

“This is a huge public health burden for a medical condition that should be highly treatable.” — JAMA editorial, Greenland & Lasser

⚠️ My take: the science on display here, recalibrated, on-paper-more-precise risk equations, mostly serves to justify expanding the statin market into younger, lower-absolute-risk people. The real conversation about individual long-term benefit-risk (muscle, metabolic, and cognitive side effects that are documented but consistently downplayed) is basically missing from the guideline debate. The fact that the first oral PCSK9 inhibitor (enlicitide) got FDA clearance the same week as these new guidelines probably isn’t just a scheduling coincidence

.

My N=1: I refuse to take statins despite elevated cholesterol numbers (a deliberate choice — I think the current guidelines are set too low). Statin side effects are not something to brush off.

🍉 Longevity Recipe — Watermelon-Coconut Ice Cream

This five-minute granita is my go-to summer dessert — and it’s not a random pick this week: watermelon is loaded with citrulline, a precursor to nitric oxide that supports vasodilation and endothelial function — exactly the territory you want to protect when you’re talking cardiovascular health (see the statin story above).

It also brings lycopene, a cardioprotective antioxidant. Coconut cream adds healthy fats, and stevia skips the blood sugar spike of a regular sweetened dessert.

→ Freeze 4 cups (about half a small watermelon) of watermelon flesh, cubed → Let sit at room temp for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly
→ Add coconut milk and a few drops of stevia ( you can also add some vanilla extract)
→ Scrape with a fork until you get a granita texture and voila ¡

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Let’s keep going! Forza!

Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram :
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026)
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — Miami (jan 2027)

Disclaimer: This article reflects one individual’s personal experience, research, and interpretation of scientific information. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Health conditions—whether metabolic, hormonal, digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, immune-related, or otherwise—can vary widely in severity and may require urgent or specialized medical care. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals before beginning, changing, or discontinuing any medication, supplement, lifestyle protocol, or therapeutic approach. Personal experiences described here, including mild or atypical presentations, are not representative of all clinical situations or of serious or acute medical conditions requiring immediate attention.

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Yes, you read me right — history. For the first time ever, the Biohackers World Conference came to New York City. Even more remarkable: to my knowledge, this was the first large conference dedicated to longevity and biohacking ever held in the Big Apple. And I got to be part of it.
ps: if you want to go to the next one in Chicago, use my code VALERIE30 to get 30% off your ticket!

Before I forget! There was a super Grand Giveaway! Thousands of gifts to win!

I was elated — stoked, really — to share the gifts of well-being with the community. In my prize basket :

A HeartMath sensor to master heart rate variability and cardiac coherence (a non-negotiable in my own daily routine, and I have been using it non stop for the past 140 days!)), a MitoGlow red light therapy mask for skin and mitochondrial love (which I use daily), NADH patches from BioBloom — the very ones I use myself, and supplements from Zell Nova, clean and made in the USA (my brand).

And because tools are only half the equation, I added something personal: two free longevity coaching sessions with me, so the winners can turn these gifts into a real, sustainable protocol. Want to be coached by me? Head to the About section of ValBiohacker.com and scroll down, then choose your program.

Watching people win modalities and tools that can genuinely change their health span trajectory? That’s my kind of joy.

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My Talk: The First Documented Case

I was humbled and thrilled to be invited back on stage — my fifth Biohackers World after Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles (twice). Each time, I bring a completely new subject, and this time it wasn’t about me at all.

It was about my dad.

Twenty years ago, he was given six months to live. Today, at 85, he is thriving — to our knowledge, the first documented case of someone overcoming his condition. I walked the audience through his journey and the exact modalities we used to put him back on his feet. The feedback afterward was overwhelming. To everyone who came up to me after the talk: you made my day.

If you want the slides I use during my presentation let me know in the comment section and I will share them.

Why I Keep Coming Back

This community is a beautiful one. We reunite with old friends, meet new faces, and welcome excited “baby biohackers” alongside deeply knowledgeable veterans. That mix — without judgment — is the soul of this conference.

Here are the humans and discoveries that made this edition unforgettable.

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Dr. Nathan Bryan — The Nitric Oxide Pioneer

My usual suspects, Susan and Dr. Nathan Bryan from N1O1, were there with their super powerful nitric oxide products. Dr. Bryan has spent 25 years making seminal discoveries in nitric oxide research — he was recruited to the University of Texas Health Science Center by Nobel Laureate Ferid Murad himself, and his company Bryan Therapeutics is developing nitric-oxide-based therapies for heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and diabetic wounds. He is, quite simply, the international reference in this field.

My personal ritual: at the end of each conference day, I hop on a vibration plate with Nathan to help my lymphatic system recover from hours of standing in place. Highly recommended.

Susan is always here, supporting the brand and helping us, biohackers, reach higher levels of performance. Thank you for being part of my life! And yes, we keep on chatting between the conferences because she is such a beautiful human.

Get N1O1 products with a cool discount here ==> My Fave with Promo Codes

Lea Llovio — The “Doc Whisperer”

My dear friend, Lea, is a Conscious Wellness™ thought leader and the master of bridging the spiritual and physical dimensions of our health journey. She’s the one top doctors and global change makers call when no one else can identify what’s blocking progress or healing. Her framework — The Dance between Scientific Medicine and Spiritual Medicine™ — is practical, results-driven, and unlike anything else out there

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Arabica Cunegin — Leela Quantum Tech

Arabica (with a huge smile 24/7) is a transformational mindset and spiritual coach with over a decade in healthcare, and General Manager at Leela Quantum Tech — one of the brands I love testing each time we gather. Her work invites people to return to their inner wisdom and live in alignment with their deepest truth

What I Tested (and Loved)

The Vision Suit. I finally got to try one, and boy did I love the torture (I must be a bit of a masochist!). One 15-minute session left my muscles sore for days. Verdict: I am most definitely getting one.

CodeOne genetic testing. I finally did my genetic testing to get 100% customized supplements. Founder Kim Ressler is such a solar human — you just want to work with her! Oh, and when I received my reports? Not your run of the mill “eat more salmon and move”, but a very VERY detailed analysis of which gene variants are impacting your life and how this or that supplement could support my health. Cannot wait to try their formula next (in the works).
Get your CodeOne with a cool discount here ==> My Fave with Promo Codes
Seems Kim and I got the memo “Dress in white!”.

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BrainTap. I test-drove the famous device from Dr. Patrick Porter, and what a great tool. I got one for myself and cannot wait to see how my brain evolves with daily use. Fun fact: during my neuro check, my brain showed up all blue — apparently so rare (and excellent) that I ended up interviewing Dr. Porter about it. His insights are coming soon on my Instagram, stay tuned.

AuraO3. Kera Lynn showcased her beautiful modality (I want one at home!!!). Kera is the co-founder of Aura O3 and creator of the Ascension Therapy System — a multidimensional approach centered on nervous system regulation, cellular communication, and restoring the body’s natural alignment. Her path into this work is rooted in lived experience, and it shows. I tried it last time in LA and really wanted to try it again this time…but no time….so in Miami it will be!

The Experts in the House

Dr. Sogol Ash — the master of NAD⁺ and concierge medicine, and a pure ray of sunshine. If you’re curious about concierge medicine, she is the person to talk to.

Dr. David Karli — talk about an expert in regenerative medicine. He knows his subject like no other and is fascinating to listen to. One of the earliest physician leaders in PRP and bone marrow cell therapies, he has treated thousands of patients worldwide — elite athletes, executives, high performers — and now works at the convergence of stem cells, exosomes, systems biology, and longevity science. His practice is in Florida, and he’s been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and ESPN. He also hosts the Make Me Good podcast. I am most definitely paying him a visit very soon and maybe he should get me on his podcast? Tell me in the comment what you think about that.

And you cannot meet Dr. Karli without Matt Dillon being around. The fashion expert who has. passion for longevity (and who is also adjust my OOTD just before I step on the stage!). If you missed it, there is a cool video of Matt teaching me how to walk elegantly (apparently I walk like a hippo :)))

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Claire Martinsen from BioBloom — my dear friend was there explaining everything you need to know about NADH and other compounds that are truly changing my life. I diligently use her NADH patches and NADH injectables depending on my needs.
Get $150 off the patches or injectables with a cool discount here ==> My Fave with Promo Codes

Andrew Daye — this mental performance coach and award-winning speaker made us breathe and become better versions of ourselves. His zone of genius: turning complex neuroscience into practical tools that sharpen focus and regulate stress on demand. His story is remarkable — raised in a trauma-filled household, told by teachers he’d be dead by eighteen, he became an international speaker instead. From chronic asthmatic to half-marathoner. His clients range from Olympic athletes to Fortune 500 teams.
I definitely need his expertise for my next expedition!

Jonathan Ramalho — founder of The Longevity Network and director of one of the most urgently needed documentaries in our space: Beyond The Pill, currently on its global premiere tour with a cast including Wim Hof, Prof. Tim Spector (ZOE), Marisa Peer, and UFC fighter Michael Page. Jonathan’s own story gives the film its power: a journey from a London psychiatric ward — following an ayahuasca-triggered psychosis and a schizophrenia diagnosis — to a complete, reverse-engineered recovery built on four pillars: Food, Mood, Move, Sleep. His model replaces the Sick Care paradigm with Recovery → Performance → Prevention

Colette Schnabel — the “Biohacking Mama” (follow her on IG!) is a respected voice connecting cutting-edge science with real-world application. She works with LumiVitae on strategic partnerships, serves as Casting Director for the documentary sHEALed, and advises longevity centers and wellness destinations worldwide. Her own journey overcoming chronic pain, anxiety, and trauma is what makes her mission so authentic. I was so jealous of her beautiful Hyperoptics glasses that I had to get a pair! (and you can get yours with a super promo code here ==> My Fave with Promo Codes)

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Klaudia Balogh — no event would be complete without this powerful and unstoppable longevity journalist. After moving to America from Europe and falling into every health trap imaginable (weight gain, a PCOS diagnosis, all the fads), she transformed her frustration into a mission: helping others stop settling for feeling “just fine.”

Sam Tejada — Saturday’s Emcee, Founder and CEO of Liquivida®, and a nationally recognized voice in preventative wellness. Under his leadership, Liquivida has evolved from an IV therapy pioneer into a state-of-the-art longevity destination. Cannot wait to test drive it!

And I got interviewed by Lauren Lowrey, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and primary evening news anchor at WSMV 4 Nashville (NBC) with more than 20,000 hours of live television under her belt. She now coaches founders and innovators to communicate authentically beyond the script.

The Visionaries Dinner

The night before opening day, the Visionaries Dinner gathered sponsors and speakers for the third time — a beautiful moment to reconnect with my crew and meet new humans. Olia and Mick also offered a glimpse into the future of BWC, and boy is it growing (and yes, it’s coming to San Francisco yeahhh). They’ve even launched a Longevity Science Academy — a great opportunity for practitioners ready to take the next step in this booming market.

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Doing the Thing That Scared Me

I’m known for saying you should do one thing a day that scares you in order to grow. Well... I did.

When Olia, co-founder of the conference, asked me if I’d like to Emcee the entire Sunday, I said YES without thinking twice. Then I realized: I had never done this. EVER.

Oh well. I pulled up my big girl panties and took the stage Sunday at 9am. I didn’t try to emulate the Emcees I’d seen before — the “Good morning NY, I can’t hear you, LOUDER!” style — because that’s not me. Instead, I joked with the audience and tested their longevity with mini challenges, like a 20-second single-leg balance hold. I had a blast.

Let’s be honest, though: a full day of Emceeing is draining and demands total commitment from morning to night. For an ADHD lady like me, this was quite the exercise! And…I loved it! It made me feel “useful”.

But….at the end of the day, one of the stage producers told me it was “okay, but being a speaker is not the same as being an Emcee.” At first, I let that lukewarm feedback bring me down. Then I reframed: A) he’s probably used to Oscar-style Emcees jumping around and warming up the house, not my more natural style, and B) everyone is entitled to their opinion. As long as the room was filled with people eager to learn, I had done my job. And yes — the room was FULL, standing room only. That put a smile on my face.

Thank you, Olia, for this opportunity. I grew.
Oh, and as I am putting the final touches to this article, I got contacted by an event organizer who asked me if I would like to Emcee at his event…seems I did a good job after all.

Winding Down

I spent Sunday night at a quiet dinner with Lea Llovio (the queens of photos have ZERO photo of just us 2!), chilling, reliving our past two days over a high-protein (fish), low-carb (veggies with a touch of rice) meal. The perfect way to close a perfect weekend.

Until next time... I’ll miss you in Chicago, but I hope to see you in Miami in January — and of course, in San Francisco. Yeah!
ps: if you want to go to the next one in Chicago, use my code VALERIE30 to get 30% off your ticket!

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Valérie Orsoni

Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert
University of Hartford Hall of Fame
Top 50 Longevity Leaders (by Lifespanning Magazine)
Explorer: Skied to the South Pole, Climbed 45 peaks over 16k ft
Instagram : Valerie Orsoni
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026)
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — Miami (Jan. 2027)

Disclaimer: This article reflects one individual’s personal experience, research, and interpretation of scientific information. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Health conditions—whether metabolic, hormonal, digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, immune-related, or otherwise—can vary widely in severity and may require urgent or specialized medical care. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals before beginning, changing, or discontinuing any medication, supplement, lifestyle protocol, or therapeutic approach. Personal experiences described here, including mild or atypical presentations, are not representative of all clinical situations or of serious or acute medical conditions requiring immediate attention.

By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert

Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is currently enrolled in Stanford Medicine’s longevity research certification program.

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I left home on April 1st and was on the road until July 1st — three months of travel, no fixed base, moving through different countries, climates, and time zones.

So I made a bet with myself: what if I flipped that? What if, instead of treating travel as time to endure, I used it as a base to build something better than my baseline — not just avoid the damage, but come back healthier than I left? I wanted to know if the usual excuses (I’m traveling, I can’t control my food, I’m jet-lagged, there’s no gym) were actually true, or just convenient.

Here’s what I did differently for 90 days:

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By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert

Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is currently enrolled in Stanford Medicine’s longevity research certification program.

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By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert

Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is currently enrolled in Stanford Medicine’s longevity research certification program.

What the world’s most measured human teaches us about biomarkers, nutrition, autoimmune disease—and why the biggest health lessons often come from unexpected diagnoses.

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Imagine spending approximately $2 million every year trying to become the healthiest human on Earth.

Every bite of food is measured.
Every workout is optimized.
Every hour of sleep is tracked.
Blood tests.
MRI scans.
CT scans.
DEXA scans.
Microbiome analyses.
Continuous glucose monitoring.
Wearables measuring everything from heart-rate variability to sleep architecture.

If anyone could detect disease early, you would expect it to be Bryan Johnson.

Which is exactly why his recent announcement surprised so many people.

“I have an autoimmune disease,” Johnson wrote on X. “My stomach is eating itself.” Despite years of unprecedented medical monitoring, he revealed that he has autoimmune gastritis—a disease in which the immune system slowly destroys the stomach’s acid-producing cells.

The first clue? Not pain. Not fatigue. Not dramatic symptoms.

Just one stubborn biomarker that refused to cooperate.

For years, Johnson’s ferritin—a protein that reflects the body’s stored iron—stayed persistently low.
But his hemoglobin and hematocrit, the values doctors typically use to diagnose anemia, looked normal.
That combination made the problem easy to dismiss, again and again, because it didn’t fit the pattern anyone was trained to flag.
The body drains its iron reserves first to protect circulating hemoglobin, which means it’s entirely possible to be meaningfully iron deficient while every “standard” number still looks fine.

That single laboratory value eventually led physicians to test for anti-parietal cell antibodies (Johnson’s came back at 103 U/mL, well above the threshold that gives this test roughly 93% sensitivity and 98% specificity), then to a bi-directional endoscopy, and finally to biopsies that confirmed the diagnosis.

Most headlines focused on the disease—the striking image of a stomach “eating itself.” I think they’re missing the real story.

Because Bryan Johnson’s diagnosis isn’t primarily about Bryan Johnson.

It’s about every one of us.

Here are seven of them.

Lesson 1: A Trend Is Worth More Than Any Single Number

One of the things I’ve learned after decades of tracking my own biomarkers is that trends matter far more than isolated values. A single low ferritin reading is a data point. A ferritin that stays low, visit after visit, year after year, is a signal—and signals deserve a different kind of attention than noise.

Johnson’s ferritin didn’t dip once and recover. It stayed low, persistently, for years. That’s the pattern that should stop a clinician (or a self-tracker) in their tracks: not the number itself, but its refusal to move.

🧬 Biohacker’s Note A “normal” laboratory value isn’t necessarily optimal. But the opposite is also true. An abnormal value isn’t something to suppress without understanding why it’s abnormal. The number is often the messenger—not the problem itself.

Lesson 2: “Normal” Hemoglobin Can Hide an Iron Problem

This is the detail that let Johnson’s condition hide in plain sight for so long. Ferritin measures stored iron. Hemoglobin and hematocrit measure circulating iron. Because the body protects circulating hemoglobin at almost any cost, it will quietly deplete its reserves—ferritin—long before hemoglobin ever budges.

That means a person can be genuinely iron deficient, even heading toward anemia, while every test a routine physical orders comes back “fine.” Gastroenterologists who specialize in this condition now argue that anyone with persistently low ferritin, treated or not, deserves a closer look—not just a repeat prescription for iron pills.

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Lesson 3: When a Biomarker Won’t Normalize, Get Curious—Not Anxious

When one biomarker refuses to normalize, I become curious—not anxious.

Anxiety makes people either obsess or avoid.
Curiosity makes people ask better questions: What else could explain this? What haven’t we tested? Who else should be looking at this data?

That distinction matters because autoimmune gastritis is, by every account from the physicians who study it, notoriously insidious.
It can stay silent for decades, sometimes announcing itself only through symptoms that seem to belong to a completely different system—fatigue, weakness, neurological complaints—rather than anything resembling a stomach problem.
A single strange lab value, followed patiently over time, is often the only early warning available.

Lesson 4: Autoimmune Diseases Rarely Travel Alone

🔬 Biohacker’s Note Autoimmune diseases often travel together. If someone is diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis, physicians commonly consider evaluating for other autoimmune conditions such as autoimmune thyroid disease, depending on the clinical context. One diagnosis is often a reason to look for its neighbors—not a reason to stop looking.

Lesson 5: Blood Work Can Point the Way, But It Can’t Close the Case

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I’ve changed my protocols countless times over the past forty years. That’s not inconsistency. That’s what following evidence looks like. And the evidence, in Johnson’s case, eventually required more than a blood draw.

Ferritin and antibody tests can raise suspicion, but the gold standard for diagnosing autoimmune gastritis is still an upper endoscopy with biopsies of the stomach lining, taken from more than one location. No wearable, no at-home panel, and no amount of quantified-self dashboarding replaces that step.
Biomarkers are a compass.
They tell you where to look.
They rarely tell you, on their own, exactly what you’ll find.

🧬 Biohacker’s Note Autoimmune gastritis carries a real long-term cost beyond iron deficiency: it disrupts vitamin B12 absorption (raising the risk of pernicious anemia) and is linked to a higher risk of gastric neuroendocrine tumors and stomach adenocarcinoma. This is why ongoing endoscopic surveillance—not just iron repletion—is part of long-term management.

Lesson 6: Even the Most “Optimized” People Skip Routine Screening

Here’s a detail worth sitting with: Johnson mentioned he was “48 years old and overdue” for the colonoscopy that was part of his eventual workup.

Guidelines have recommended colon cancer screening starting at age 45 since 2021—a full five years earlier than the previous standard.

Even someone spending millions of dollars a year on biomarker surveillance can still fall through a gap created by a guideline change he simply hadn’t registered.

Myth vs. Reality

MYTH: Low ferritin simply means you need more iron.

REALITY: Sometimes. Sometimes it’s blood loss. Sometimes it’s poor absorption. Sometimes it’s celiac disease. Sometimes it’s autoimmune gastritis. Sometimes it’s something entirely different. Always ask why.

The lesson isn’t that Johnson made a mistake.

It’s that optimization and routine preventive care are not the same project, and one doesn’t automatically cover for the other.

The most sophisticated wearable in the world won’t remind you that a screening age changed five years ago.

Lesson 7: Be Careful With the Story You Tell About Your Own Body

Johnson has publicly speculated that his condition might trace back to a childhood diet heavy in fast food, sugary cereal, and soda.

It’s a compelling narrative—cause and effect, wrapped up neatly.

But the gastroenterologists and pathologists who study this disease have been candid that there’s no specific evidence linking early diet to autoimmune gastritis; one called the theory “highly speculative.” The actual cause remains unknown, likely some combination of genetic susceptibility, environmental triggers, and chronic inflammation.

I’ve always believed in food diversity. Reading about Bryan’s diagnosis made me even more convinced that dietary monotony deserves much more scientific attention. Notice the nuance: I’m not claiming it caused his disease. I’m saying it made me reflect on a broader scientific question. That’s exactly how a scientist thinks—curious about the pattern, honest about what’s actually been proven.

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What This Story Changed For Me

Not what I already do. What Bryan Johnson’s diagnosis made me think about.

It made me think about how much of medicine still depends on someone—a patient, a doctor, a pathologist—refusing to let an unexplained number go.

Johnson had extraordinary resources on his side.
Most people don’t have a team combing through years of lab trends.
And yet even with all of that, the diagnosis still took years, because the disease is genuinely hard to catch, and because “normal” hemoglobin is a reassuring number that can quietly mislead.

It also made me think about what happens after the diagnosis.
There’s no cure for autoimmune gastritis.
Current treatment mostly means correcting the iron deficiency, watching for vitamin B12 deficiency, and undergoing regular surveillance for the cancers associated with the condition—which is precisely why Johnson says his team is now looking at experimental approaches, CAR-T therapy among them, still early and unproven for this disease.
As one researcher who studies the condition put it, no one can fully “biohack” their way out of disease, or out of death. Measurement extends the runway. It doesn’t cancel the flight.

A Checklist Worth Keeping

• If ferritin runs persistently low—even once “corrected” with supplementation—ask whether the underlying cause was ever actually identified, not just treated.

• Don’t let normal hemoglobin or hematocrit talk you out of investigating low ferritin further. They measure different things.

• If you have one autoimmune diagnosis, ask your physician whether screening for related autoimmune conditions makes sense for you.

• Know your screening ages. Colon cancer screening now starts at 45 for most people—not 50.

• Treat an unexplained, persistent lab abnormality as a question, not a nuisance to normalize away.

• Be skeptical of tidy causal stories about your own body, especially the ones you tell yourself.

Your body almost never starts by screaming.

It starts by whispering.

The question is whether you’re listening.

ps : Interestingly, this announcement also comes as Bryan is launching a premium longevity concierge service. Whether the timing is purely coincidental or simply reflects a particularly eventful period in his journey is impossible to know and I will let you (and the future few months) be the judge of it.

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References after my signature.

Valérie Orsoni

Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert
Instagram : Valerie Orsoni
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026)
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 Healthspan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)

Disclaimer: This article reflects one individual’s personal experience, research, and interpretation of scientific information. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Health conditions—whether metabolic, hormonal, digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, immune-related, or otherwise—can vary widely in severity and may require urgent or specialized medical care. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals before beginning, changing, or discontinuing any medication, supplement, lifestyle protocol, or therapeutic approach. Personal experiences described here, including mild or atypical presentations, are not representative of all clinical situations or of serious or acute medical conditions requiring immediate attention.

References

• Todd, S. “Bryan Johnson’s diagnosis shines light on hard-to-detect disease.” STAT News, July 8, 2026. statnews.com

• “How did Bryan Johnson end up with an autoimmune disease?” Northeastern Global News, July 6, 2026. news.northeastern.edu

• “Autoimmune Gastritis: All about the ‘incurable’ condition Bryan Johnson is diagnosed with.” The Week, July 7, 2026. theweek.in

• Lenti, M.V., et al. “Autoimmune gastritis.” PMC, National Institutes of Health. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5065578

• “Autoimmune gastritis, with or without pernicious anemia: epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical management.” PMC. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8414617

• “Relevance of pepsinogen, gastrin, and endoscopic atrophy in the diagnosis of autoimmune gastritis.” PMC. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8913737

• “Iron deficiency workup reveals high incidence of autoimmune gastritis with parietal cell antibody as reliable screening test.” ScienceDirect. sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0037196318300532

• “Frontiers | Autoimmune gastritis: a comprehensive review of pathophysiology, risk stratification, and management.” Frontiers in Immunology, 2026. frontiersin.org

By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert

Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is currently enrolled in Stanford Medicine’s longevity research certification program.

I’m writing to you from Paris. It’s 4 p.m. I pushed back every upcoming article to share this one urgently.

My hotel window looks out over a boulevard where the asphalt shimmers. The thermometer reads 39°C (102°F). Tonight it will stay at 25°C (77°F) minimum — which means my body won’t be able to drop below 37.5°C before 3 a.m., and my deep sleep will be nearly nonexistent.

Most people think they’ve handled the heat wave because they drank two liters of water and avoided running at noon. They’re wrong — and it’s not their fault. The official recommendations stop right where the biology keeps going. What I’m going to describe in this article are the mechanisms that extreme heat triggers deep inside you — in your mitochondria, your epigenome, your microbiome, your cardiovascular system, your blood sugar, and your HRV. Silent mechanisms. Mechanisms that age you.

And above all, I’m giving you a concrete plan to keep this heat wave from turning into silent accelerated aging — because extreme heat doesn’t just make you uncomfortable: it changes the expression of your genes.

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1. Heat accelerates your biological age — this is no longer a theory

In 2025, a study published in Science Advances analyzed the impact of extreme heat on the biological age of older adults using an epigenetic clock — a tool that measures the true age of your cells via DNA methylation. The results are unequivocal: exposure to extreme temperatures produces deep, lasting alterations in that methylation, particularly in genes tied to inflammation, metabolism, immune function, and cellular repair.

What’s even more troubling: these changes persist after the heat wave. Your body “memorizes” the thermal stress in a way that can turn out to be counterproductive for future biological challenges. A study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, covering more than 900 adults, showed that people exposed to high temperatures over several months had blood cells that appeared biologically older than their chronological age.

To put things in perspective: an accelerated biological age is an early predictor of cancer, dementia, and diabetes. A heat wave isn’t just uncomfortable — it changes the expression of your genes.

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2. Your mitochondria overheating — the engine that burns out

Extreme heat is a direct attack on the power plant of every cell in your body. At the cellular level, it induces massive oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein misfolding, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. The result: an overproduction of free radicals (the infamous ROS — reactive oxygen species) and a collapse in cellular energy production.

These imbalances don’t stay confined to the cell. They activate major inflammatory pathways — notably NF-κB and the NLRP3 inflammasome — and can trigger programmed cell death (apoptosis and pyroptosis). In parallel, vascular endothelial function is compromised: nitric oxide (NO) availability drops, vascular oxidative stress rises, and thrombosis risk climbs.

Bottom line: during a heat wave, every cell in your body is in survival mode, not performance or repair mode. It’s the exact opposite of what you’re trying to optimize as a biohacker.

3. Your gut is on fire — and nobody’s talking about it

Heat weakens the intestinal barrier. Animal studies have shown that thermal stress significantly changes the composition of the microbiome: the genera Lactobacillus and Bacteroides — the allies of your metabolic and immune health — decrease, while pro-inflammatory strains like Clostridium increase.

But that’s not all. When the intestinal barrier weakens, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) — fragments of bacterial cell walls — pass into the bloodstream. This is what’s called endotoxemia. And that endotoxemia triggers low-grade systemic inflammation: unexplained fatigue, brain fog, heightened pain sensitivity, hormonal disruption. The kind of silent inflammation that, accumulated over years, builds the terrain for chronic disease.

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The combination of heat wave + prolonged fasting + dehydration is particularly aggressive for the microbiome. If you practice intermittent fasting like I do (16:8), be careful to maintain robust electrolyte hydration during your fasting window, and don’t extend your restriction window during heat peaks. In fact, during a heat wave, my body naturally refuses to fast, and I start eating around 10 a.m. I listen to it.

4. The heart, the kidneys, the vessels — three organs under maximum pressure

When the temperature rises, your cardiovascular system triggers an emergency protocol: it redirects blood toward the skin to release heat by convection, which forces the heart to speed up. This is no small thing.

The kidneys are on the front line: they struggle to conserve water, which creates chronic renal stress during long heat waves. Epidemiological studies link intense heat episodes to spikes in kidney failure. And the blood itself becomes concentrated: hematocrit rises, viscosity increases, thrombotic risk is real — especially if dehydration is poorly compensated.

What many people don’t realize: dehydration isn’t just a question of water volume. When you sweat, you lose sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium — electrolytes essential to nerve conduction, muscle contraction, and heart-rhythm regulation. Drinking plain water without remineralizing means diluting even further what’s left.

5. Your blood sugar goes haywire — even if you’re not diabetic

Here’s something my Stelo CGM (Dexcom) lets me observe directly: high-heat days generate glycemic instability that most people never detect because they don’t measure.

Two mechanisms clash and create a dangerous oscillation: on one side, thermal stress stimulates the production of cortisol and adrenaline — hormones that raise blood sugar. On the other, heat dilates the blood vessels and speeds up glucose absorption, which can cause reactive hypoglycemia. The result: spikes and crashes that exhaust the pancreas, promote inflammation, and degrade metabolic flexibility.

If you follow a ketogenic or low-carb protocol like I do, you’re partially protected: your glycemic regulation is more stable at baseline, and you produce ketone bodies that supply backup fuel to the brain in case of metabolic stress. But even in ketosis, monitoring stays useful. A heat wave is a test of your metabolic flexibility under real-world conditions.

6. Your sleep sabotages your HRV — and therefore your longevity

This is the vicious cycle of the nighttime heat wave. To enter deep sleep, your body has to lower its core temperature by about 1°C. When it’s 30°C in your bedroom, that process is blocked or severely slowed. No thermal descent = no deep sleep = no recovery.

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The direct consequence: nighttime cortisol stays elevated, melatonin is reduced, and you wake up with a collapsed HRV. My Oura Ring and my WHOOP show it to me unambiguously: after every heat-wave night, my heart rate variability plunges by 15 to 25 points. And a chronically low HRV is a marker of accelerated aging, failing autonomic regulation, and systemic inflammation.

Sleep is when your body activates its cellular repair processes, its clearance of brain waste (the glymphatic system), its hormonal regulation. One night of bad sleep at 39°C does more biological damage than you’d imagine.

Heat-wave night protocol: bedroom below 22°C if possible (fan + lightly dampened sheets if you have no A/C), glycine 5g before bed to ease thermoregulation, magnesium bisglycinate for the parasympathetic nervous system, and if available, an extremity-cooling protocol (cold feet and hands help the body regulate its core temperature) — ice baths for the feet and hands, for example.

I add a Pulsetto session to support my HRV every day (code ORSONI for 10% off).

7. The epigenome that “memorizes” the heat wave

This is perhaps the most counterintuitive point — and the most important for anyone who thinks in terms of longevity.

Thermal stress doesn’t end when the heat wave ends. The heat-induced alterations to DNA methylation can persist long after temperatures return to normal. In the biology of aging, this is called “maladaptive epigenetic memory”: where short-duration stress builds resilience, chronic or extreme exposure creates a lasting biological imprint that the body struggles to erase.

This is the fundamental difference between controlled hormesis — like brief sauna exposure, at 80°C for 15–20 minutes in a prepared context — and heat that is endured, constant, uncompensated, at 40°C for days. The first makes you more robust. The second silently accelerates your biological clock.

That’s why intervention isn’t optional. A heat wave isn’t a parenthesis to “endure.” It’s an active biological stressor that leaves traces.

8. My biohacker protocol during a heat wave

Here’s what I put in place concretely, not theoretically:

Active hydration — not just water. Water + electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) every 90 minutes. I target 35–40 ml/kg/day during high heat, with special attention to sweat losses. I add hydrogen water (AxiomH2) in the morning on an empty stomach and mid-afternoon to counter the peak of thermal oxidative stress.

Real-time biological monitoring. My Stelo CGM lets me observe heat’s real impact on my blood sugar, hour by hour. My Oura Ring and my WHOOP give me my HRV, my basal temperature, and my sleep quality. This data doesn’t lie — and it tells me when my body is in recovery vs. in a stressed state.

Anti-heat-wave supplement stack:

• Creatine (10g/day, 5g of it for brain function): neuroprotective in situations of thermal stress, also supports muscular thermoregulation

  

• CoQ10 (400mg, ubiquinol form): direct mitochondrial support, particularly important when the mitochondria are under oxidative stress

• Resveratrol (600mg): sirtuin activation in the face of thermal stress, systemic antioxidant

  

• Magnesium bisglycinate (400mg in the evening): nervous-system relaxation, sleep preparation

• Liposomal vitamin C (2g): antioxidant cofactor, vascular support

Training windows. Zero intense activity between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. My strength or high-intensity cardio sessions get moved to 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. Heat adds a thermal stress on top of the metabolic stress of exertion — the combination massively increases allostatic load. I keep gym sessions if the gym is air-conditioned.

Sleep: an active battle. The coolest bedroom possible. Glycine 5g + magnesium before bed. Reduced light exposure starting at 8 p.m. so as not to disturb melatonin further.

If your HRV is in free fall several mornings in a row, that’s a signal: reduce the intensity of your workouts, increase protein (especially the repair amino acids), and prioritize the restorative over the performance.

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For peptide users: BPC-157 and TB-500 are especially relevant during a heat wave for their role in cellular repair and the modulation of systemic inflammation. If you use peptides, this is a period where protocol continuity takes on its full meaning. I get mine from two very clean US suppliers (available on valerieorsoni.com).

The heat wave as a test of your biology

Biohackers have an advantage that 99% of people don’t have: they measure. They observe. They adapt.

This heat wave isn’t just a weather constraint to endure.

It’s a real, documented biological stressor that temporarily — and, if you don’t respond, lastingly — changes your epigenome, your microbiome, your mitochondria, and your cardiovascular system.

The good news: the tools exist. The knowledge exists. And you, reading valbiohacker.com, have access to both.

Hydrate intelligently. Measure what’s happening in your body. Protect your sleep like a precious asset. And remember that every heat-wave day where you actively intervene is a day you get ahead of the aging that others are accumulating without even knowing it.

Forza!

Let’s keep going! Forza!

Valérie Orsoni

Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert
Instagram : Valerie Orsoni
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026)
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)

Disclaimer: This article reflects one individual’s personal experience, research, and interpretation of scientific information. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Health conditions—whether metabolic, hormonal, digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, immune-related, or otherwise—can vary widely in severity and may require urgent or specialized medical care. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals before beginning, changing, or discontinuing any medication, supplement, lifestyle protocol, or therapeutic approach. Personal experiences described here, including mild or atypical presentations, are not representative of all clinical situations or of serious or acute medical conditions requiring immediate attention.

By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert
Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is currently enrolled in Stanford Medicine’s longevity research certification program.

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Week of July 5th, 2026 — ValBiohacker.com

🧬 mRNA Against Multiple Sclerosis: The Real Science Behind the Viral “71% Remission” Claim

You may have seen this image floating around: an Australian researcher, an mRNA therapy, and a shocking number — 71% complete remission in MS patients. Except that number doesn’t appear in any published study.

I checked. No clinical trial, no peer-reviewed publication mentions that percentage. It’s viral content manufactured for social media — but the real story behind it is actually more interesting than the fake one.

What’s Actually Happening

There are two serious mRNA approaches currently in development for MS, and neither does what the image claims.

Approach 1 — Targeting the virus, not myelin directly. Moderna is developing mRNA-1195, currently in Phase 2 trials. Contrary to what the infographic suggests, this therapy doesn’t “reprogram” immunity against myelin — it aims to prevent reactivation of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), now identified as a major triggering factor in MS. The logic: neutralize the dormant virus, and you may reduce disease activity upstream.

Approach 2 — Antigen-specific tolerance. An approach closer to what the image describes does exist in preclinical research: mRNA platforms encoding myelin proteins, designed to “re-educate” immune cells to tolerate myelin instead of attacking it. Results in animal models of autoimmune encephalomyelitis are promising — but no human clinical trial has been published on this specific approach yet.

⚠️ The nuance that matters: we’re talking about ongoing Phase 2 trials and preclinical research here — not a validated treatment. The gap between “encouraging results in mice” and “71% remission in humans” is enormous, and that’s exactly the kind of gap viral infographics love to erase. If MS affects you or someone you love, be wary of unsourced miracle claims — and stick to primary sources (ClinicalTrials.gov, Moderna, peer-reviewed publications).

My N=1

I don’t have MS, so there’s no personal protocol to share here — but this topic is a good reminder of why I fact-check every shocking number before passing it along. My rule of thumb: whenever a percentage looks too clean (71%, 95%, “complete cure”), I go find the source study. Nine times out of ten, it doesn’t exist as presented.

📌 Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06735248 (mRNA-1195, Moderna, Phase 2); Nature Reviews Bioengineering, 2026.

🔬 The cGAS-STING Gene: Why Some Families Avoid Chronic Disease for 13 Extra Years

What if some families’ longevity isn’t luck — but a single genetic switch we’re only now starting to understand?

Presented June 16, 2026 at the European Society of Human Genetics conference in Gothenburg, a study from the Leiden Longevity Study (Netherlands) just identified what may be one of the strongest mechanisms ever found behind familial longevity.

What’s Behind It

Researchers analyzed the genomes of 212 “long-lived” families — sibships of nonagenarians sharing both parents. Comparing their genetic profiles to control groups, they identified 4 genomic regions enriched for longevity-related genes, narrowing the search field from 20,000 to 350 candidate genes.

The result: 12 rare genetic variants associated with better long-term health. The most striking one affects the cGAS gene (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase), a protein that normally triggers an inflammatory response when it detects DNA “out of place” in the cell — an antiviral alarm signal that becomes hyperactive with age and fuels inflammaging, the chronic low-grade inflammation that accelerates aging across nearly every system in the body.

The identified variant makes the cGAS protein less stable, and therefore less reactive — dampening activation of the downstream STING pathway without weakening overall immune defenses. The real-world result for carriers: onset of cardiometabolic disease (type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular issues) delayed by roughly 13 years compared to controls, even with comparable lifestyles.

⚠️ The caveat to keep in mind: this variant is rare and was only identified in two families in the study — we’re far from a generalizable “miracle gene” for the broader population. These results were also presented at a conference; full peer-reviewed publication and replication in other cohorts are still pending. And carrying this variant doesn’t excuse anything — lifestyle remains the most actionable lever for the vast majority of us who don’t have it.

My N=1

I obviously can’t edit my genome — but the cGAS-STING pathway can be influenced by lifestyle, particularly by reducing oxidative stress and circulating damaged mitochondrial DNA (one of cGAS’s natural triggers). My protocol: 16:8 intermittent fasting five days a week, zone 2 training four times a week (to limit cellular debris accumulation), and tracking my heart rate variability on my Oura Ring as an indirect proxy for systemic inflammation. It’s not hard science on cGAS specifically, but it’s consistent with everything we know about reducing inflammaging.

📌 Sources: Annual Conference of the European Society of Human Genetics, Gothenburg, June 16, 2026; ScienceDaily, June 21, 2026; Leiden University Medical Center (Prof. Eline Slagboom, P. Putter).

🍓 Fisetin: The Strawberry Senolytic Finally Tested in Humans

What if the most promising compound for clearing your “zombie cells” wasn’t a chemo drug — but something already sitting in your fruit bowl?

We’ve covered the Dasatinib + Quercetin senolytic duo before. Fisetin plays in the same league — but with a much gentler profile, and it just crossed the threshold into serious human clinical trials.

The Mechanism

Fisetin is a natural flavonoid found in strawberries (its richest source), apples, grapes, and onions. Like synthetic senolytics, it works by disabling the anti-apoptotic survival pathways that let senescent cells — those “zombie cells” that stop dividing but keep secreting a toxic inflammatory cocktail (the well-known SASP) — persist in tissue.

A 2025 University of Colorado Boulder study compared fisetin’s effectiveness against two reference senolytic approaches: targeted genetic clearance of senescent cells (GCV) and the synthetic drug ABT-263. The verdict: no statistically significant difference between all three approaches in reducing frailty and improving grip strength (a recognized longevity biomarker) in aged mice.

On the human side, clinical translation is finally accelerating — there are now 32 active clinical trials on ClinicalTrials.gov specifically targeting fisetin, several published in 2025-2026, covering vascular function in older adults, physical recovery in breast cancer survivors, and frailty in multimorbid adults aged 70 to 90.

⚠️ The catch you need to know: fisetin suffers from very low bioavailability and rapid metabolism — the effective dose used in trials (roughly 20 mg/kg/day for 2 consecutive days) is far higher than what you can get from diet alone. Human trials are still few and small; we don’t yet have solid long-term efficacy data, nor a clear answer on optimal dosing for chronic versus intermittent supplementation.

My N=1

I do intermittent fisetin cycles — two consecutive days per month at a high dose, rather than daily intake, following the “hit-and-run” logic used in senolytic trial protocols (the idea being to clear senescent cells, then let the body regenerate, rather than maintaining constant exposure). I pair this with year-round consumption of organic strawberries — not for the therapeutic dose, but for the background effect. My tracking marker: my Oura HRV recovery in the days following each cycle, which is consistently improved.

📌 Sources: Murray et al., 2025, University of Colorado Boulder; ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06133634, NCT06431932, TROFFi study); Geroscience, Dec. 2025.

🍓 Longevity Recipe: Anti-Inflammaging Strawberry-Pomegranate-Turmeric Bowl

A recipe designed to flood your body with compounds that act directly on the pathways covered in this issue: fisetin (senolytic), ellagic acid (anti-SASP), curcumin (NF-κB / cGAS-STING pathway).

Why this recipe? Strawberries are the most concentrated dietary source of fisetin — this issue’s featured senolytic. Pomegranate delivers ellagic acid, a precursor to urolithin A and a suppressor of the inflammatory SASP. Turmeric acts on the NF-κB pathway in synergy with the cGAS-STING modulation documented in the Leiden study. Black pepper (piperine) boosts curcumin bioavailability by up to 20-fold.

Ingredients (serves 2): → 10 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and halved → Seeds from ½ pomegranate (or ⅓ cup pure, unsweetened pomegranate juice) → 1 tsp turmeric powder → 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper → 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (to solubilize the fat-soluble curcumin) → 1 tsp manuka honey (optional — anti-inflammatory properties) → A few fresh mint leaves → 1 oz walnuts (omega-3s, anti-inflammaging effect)

Instructions:

1. Arrange the strawberries and pomegranate seeds in a bowl.

2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, turmeric, black pepper, and honey. Whisk into a smooth dressing.

3. Pour the dressing over the fruit and gently toss.

4. Top with crushed walnuts and fresh mint leaves.

5. Eat immediately — fisetin and curcumin oxidize quickly once mixed.

My N=1 tip: I make this bowl on the mornings following my monthly fisetin supplementation cycles — the idea being to add a dietary reinforcement layer during the “clearance” phase. And honestly, it’s also just delicious after a mountain hike.

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Let’s keep going! Forza!

Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram :
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026)
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)

Disclaimer: This article reflects one individual’s personal experience, research, and interpretation of scientific information. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Health conditions—whether metabolic, hormonal, digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, immune-related, or otherwise—can vary widely in severity and may require urgent or specialized medical care. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals before beginning, changing, or discontinuing any medication, supplement, lifestyle protocol, or therapeutic approach. Personal experiences described here, including mild or atypical presentations, are not representative of all clinical situations or of serious or acute medical conditions requiring immediate attention.

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Ticks and red meat allergy? You’ve probably heard about it — and yet the epidemic is gaining ground and accelerating.

There’s no obvious link between the two — except that there is one, and it has a name: alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), also called “red meat allergy” or “tick bite meat allergy.” It’s one of the strangest food allergies in existence, and it is literally exploding right now.

In this complete deep-dive I’ll walk you through what’s happening around the world (the whole planet is affected), how to drastically reduce your risk, why people are blaming Bill Gates for this epidemic, and — above all — the promising avenues for getting out of it.

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People often ask me what I do to keep my skin looking healthy despite spending thousands of hours scuba diving, climbing mountains, crossing deserts, sleeping in airplanes, facing freezing temperatures, harsh UV exposure, dry cabin air, and extreme altitude. Here are the 13 practices that have made the biggest difference for me.

For context, I am not a dermatologist.

I am a biohacker.

That means I test, measure, learn, adjust, and test again.

These are the strategies that have worked for me.

The goal has never been perfection.

The goal has always been healthy, resilient skin that can withstand a life of adventure.

P.S. I haven’t included the Botox® injections I’ve been receiving for the past 30 years, as they don’t really contribute to skin “glow”—they simply help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

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1. I Only Use Clean Beauty Makeup

The skin is our largest organ.

Many conventional makeup products contain ingredients I prefer to avoid, including endocrine disruptors, certain preservatives, synthetic fragrances, and compounds that can trigger irritation in sensitive individuals.

Because I wear makeup frequently for conferences, television appearances, photoshoots, and interviews, I pay close attention to what goes on my skin.

The goal is simple:

Less inflammation.
Less irritation.
Less unnecessary chemical exposure.

Healthy skin starts with what you stop putting on it.

2. I Never Cleanse My Face With Water

This is probably the habit that surprises people the most.

The only water that touches my face is when I swim, scuba dive, shower normally, or get caught in the rain.

I never splash water on my face as part of a skincare routine.

Why?

Because excessive washing can strip the skin barrier and remove protective lipids that help maintain hydration.

Instead, I use gentle cleansing products designed to remove makeup, pollution, and debris without disrupting the skin’s natural protective mechanisms.

My skin feels calmer, less tight, and less reactive than when I used traditional cleansing routines.

3. No Sunscreen for Very Short Outdoor Exposure

This one will be controversial.

If I am stepping outside for five or ten minutes, I typically do not apply sunscreen.

Why?

Because brief sun exposure is part of our evolutionary history and can support vitamin D production and circadian rhythm regulation.

The key word is brief.

I’m talking about walking to the car, getting coffee, or spending a few minutes outdoors.

Not sunbathing.

Not lying by the pool.

Not spending an afternoon hiking.

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4. Always Sunscreen Beyond 15 Minutes

Once exposure extends beyond approximately fifteen minutes, sunscreen becomes non-negotiable.

I spend a tremendous amount of time outdoors:

Mountain climbing.
Hiking.
Scuba diving.
Exploration.

UV exposure is one of the most powerful accelerators of skin aging.

Collagen breakdown.
Pigmentation.
Wrinkles.
Loss of elasticity.

Protecting your skin from excessive UV damage is probably one of the highest-return investments you can make for long-term skin quality.

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5. Cryopreserved Stem Cells Microneedled Into The Skin

One of the most advanced interventions I use involves cryopreserved stem-cell-derived products combined with microneedling.

Microneedling creates thousands of tiny channels in the skin.

These channels may improve the penetration of growth factors and regenerative compounds.

The goal is to support repair processes, collagen production, and tissue renewal.

This is not an everyday treatment.

It’s something I use strategically.

The recovery and glow I observe afterward are remarkable.

I use the ACORN cryopreserved stem cells. I am an unconditional fan of their technique and protocol. I have done 3 treatments so far and my next one is planned for in 10 days, as soon as I return to San Francisco !

I talk about it in this article

6. Injectable GHK-Cu

GHK-Cu is one of my favorite peptides.

This naturally occurring copper peptide has been studied for its potential role in wound healing, tissue remodeling, collagen production, and skin rejuvenation.

As we age, natural levels decline.

I personally use injectable GHK-Cu as part of my broader longevity and regenerative strategy.

The improvements I have observed involve:

• Better skin quality

• Improved texture

• Enhanced recovery

• Healthier overall appearance

It has become one of my staple biohacks. I use the peptides from SOMA PEPTIDES (get yours at a discount here valerieorsoni.com)

7. I Never Do Face Yoga

Another controversial one.

Face yoga is incredibly popular.

But personally, I avoid it completely.

My concern is simple:

Many facial wrinkles are formed by repetitive muscular contractions.

If we spend decades creating expression lines through repeated movement, why would adding thousands of additional facial contractions necessarily improve the situation?

Some people swear by face yoga.

I don’t.

For me, less repetitive facial strain makes more sense.

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8. I Never Get Facials

I know.

This sounds almost criminal coming from someone who cares about skin.

But I rarely, if ever, get facials. And only if it is HIGHLY technical as I can do my own scrubs and apply sheet masks.

Many facials involve excessive manipulation, irritation, exfoliation, or products that don’t align with my personal approach.

I prefer technologies and treatments that stimulate regeneration rather than temporary inflammation.

My philosophy is:

Support the skin.

Don’t assault it.

9. I Make My Own GHK-Cu Cream

One of my favorite DIY biohacks.

I take GHK-Cu powder from a vial and mix it directly into a simple, non-greasy cream.

That’s it.

No fancy branding.
No luxury packaging.
No miracle marketing.

Just the active ingredient I want.

This allows me to control the concentration and apply it exactly where I want it.

Simple often wins.

10. Radio Frequency Every Other Day

I use a Tripollar radio-frequency device every other day.

Radio frequency works by delivering controlled heat into deeper skin layers.

The objective is to stimulate fibroblasts and encourage collagen remodeling.

Collagen is the structural framework that keeps skin firm and resilient.

As collagen declines with age, sagging becomes more noticeable.

Radio frequency is one of the non-invasive tools I consistently use to support skin firmness.

The only limitations of this device?: You cannot charge it and need to sit next to an outlet while using it.

11. Galvanic Current Every Other Day

On alternating days, I use my NuFACE device.

Microcurrent technology delivers very low electrical currents that mimic the body’s own bioelectrical signals.

Some users report improvements in muscle tone, facial contour, and overall appearance.

Personally, I love the immediate effect.

It’s one of the few interventions where I often notice a visible difference right after treatment.

For someone who spends a lot of time on camera, that’s valuable.

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12. Red Light Therapy Every Day

If I had to keep only one skin biohack, this might be it.

I use red light therapy daily with my Mito Red Light devices (get yours at a discount on ValerieOrsoni.com, this is where I list the best deals I can find for you). They just came out with their newest face mask called MITOGLOW.

Red and near-infrared light have been studied for their ability to support mitochondrial function, cellular energy production, collagen synthesis, and tissue repair.

The beauty of red light therapy is that it doesn’t simply cover up problems.

It works at the cellular level.

Over time, I have noticed:

• Better skin quality

• Faster recovery

• Improved glow

• Healthier appearance overall

It has become as essential to me as brushing my teeth.

13. I Take 20 Grams of Hydrolyzed Collagen Every Day

People spend fortunes on anti-aging creams while forgetting that skin needs building materials.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and accounts for approximately 70–80% of the dry weight of the skin.

Beginning in our twenties, collagen production declines naturally. For women, this process accelerates significantly around menopause.

Every day, I take 20 grams of hydrolyzed collagen containing 10 different collagen types, with a molecular weight below 2,000 Daltons.

Why?

Because smaller peptides are generally easier for the body to absorb and utilize.

Collagen is not just important for skin. It is found throughout the body, including:

• Skin

• Tendons

• Ligaments

• Cartilage

• Bones

• Blood vessels

• Hair follicles

• Nails

For skin specifically, collagen contributes to:

• Elasticity

• Hydration

• Firmness

• Structural integrity

• Recovery

Numerous studies have demonstrated improvements in skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkle appearance following consistent collagen supplementation.

I often tell people that collagen is not a Botox replacement.

It’s more like supplying bricks to a construction site.

If your body lacks the raw materials needed to maintain connective tissue, rebuilding becomes difficult.

My rule is simple:

20 grams every single day.

No breaks.
No cycling.
No excuses.

Among all the supplements I take, collagen remains one of the few that simultaneously supports skin quality, joint health, connective tissue integrity, recovery, and healthy aging.

Final Thoughts

People often assume glowing skin comes from expensive creams.

In my experience, the opposite is true.

The biggest wins come from:

• Protecting the skin barrier

• Managing UV exposure intelligently

• Supporting collagen production

• Improving cellular energy

• Minimizing unnecessary inflammation

• Using regenerative technologies strategically

• Being consistent for years, not days

The reality is that I spend far more time preventing damage than trying to repair it.

After decades of scuba diving, mountaineering, world travel, extreme environments, and outdoor adventures, that philosophy has served me remarkably well.

The secret to glowing skin isn’t finding a miracle cream.

It’s creating an environment where your skin can thrive.

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Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert
Instagram : Valerie Orsoni
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026), speaker and Emcee
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)

Disclaimer: This article reflects one individual’s personal experience, research, and interpretation of scientific information. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Health conditions—whether metabolic, hormonal, digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, immune-related, or otherwise—can vary widely in severity and may require urgent or specialized medical care. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals before beginning, changing, or discontinuing any medication, supplement, lifestyle protocol, or therapeutic approach. Personal experiences described here, including mild or atypical presentations, are not representative of all clinical situations or of serious or acute medical conditions requiring immediate attention.

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For more than 50 years, I suffered from SIBO, gut dysbiosis, Giardia, Salmonella, and a long list of other digestive issues.

Over the decades, I consulted some of the most respected experts in the world—from renowned heads of gastroenterology departments at major institutions to lesser-known researchers whose work I deeply admired.

Not one of them was able to heal me.

I tried virtually everything: antibiotics, elemental diets, herbal protocols, prescription medications, fasting, non-fasting approaches, carnivore diets, high-fiber diets, probiotics, prebiotics, and countless other interventions.

Nothing worked for more than a few days.

Then, using what I had learned through years of study, experimentation, and continuous education, I designed a protocol for myself.

Today, I have been symptom-free for more than 12 weeks.

Even more surprising: I can now eat foods that used to trigger symptoms almost immediately—and experience none.

This is still an N=1 experiment, and I remain cautious. My next goal is to continue documenting the results over time, refine the protocol, and eventually test it in a larger group.

But after half a century of frustration, I can honestly say that I am amazed by the results.

Let’s keep going! Forza!

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Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert
Instagram : Valerie Orsoni
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026), speaker and Emcee
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)

Disclaimer: This article reflects one individual’s personal experience, research, and interpretation of scientific information. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Health conditions—whether metabolic, hormonal, digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, immune-related, or otherwise—can vary widely in severity and may require urgent or specialized medical care. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals before beginning, changing, or discontinuing any medication, supplement, lifestyle protocol, or therapeutic approach. Personal experiences described here, including mild or atypical presentations, are not representative of all clinical situations or of serious or acute medical conditions requiring immediate attention.

By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert
Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is currently enrolled in Stanford Medicine’s longevity research certification program.

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Week of June 14th, 2026 — ValBiohacker.com

🧠 Your Gut Microbiome May Be Aging Your Brain

What if the bacteria living in your gut were the hidden enemy of your cognition?

That’s the provocative conclusion of a Harvard study published in February 2026 by Dr. Lee Rubin’s lab (Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard / Broad Institute of MIT). The findings are counter-intuitive — and they could reshape the way we approach brain health after 50.

What the researchers did:

Aged mice were given a cocktail of antibiotics (ampicillin, neomycin, vancomycin, and metronidazole) for 30 days to deplete their gut microbiome. The result? Their brains started behaving like those of young individuals.

What concretely changed:

→ Significant improvement in memory and learning ability (novel object recognition test)
→ Higher levels of neuronal activation
→ Increased neurogenesis — the production of new neurons
→ Reduced chronic brain inflammation
→ Lower burden of senescent cells in the brain

⚠️ What this does NOT mean:

These results do not mean probiotics are useless or harmful. The study was conducted in aged mice under conditions of total microbiome depletion — a scenario that cannot be directly extrapolated to humans. What’s really at issue is the progressive accumulation of pro-inflammatory bacteria with age, at the expense of beneficial species that produce protective metabolites like butyrate.

The real message:

An aged microbiome doesn’t just “lack” good bacteria. It actively produces metabolites that accelerate brain aging.

Microbiome composition starts shifting as early as mid-life. Pro-inflammatory species proliferate, crowding out the ones that produce neuroprotective compounds. The good news: this opens the door to targeted interventions — not necessarily antibiotics, but strategies aimed at restoring a “younger” microbiome through diet, prebiotics, or fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT).

What to take away for practice:

→ Daily fermentable fibers (inulin, FOS, resistant starch) to feed beneficial species
→ Limit microbiome disruptors: long-term antibiotics, ultra-processed foods, alcohol
→ Keep a close eye on FMT and postbiotic research — this field is moving fast

📌 Reference: Gasperini et al., 2026 — bioRxiv (pre-print). Funded by NIH/National Institute on Aging + Simons Foundation.

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💊 Rapamycin & Longevity: The Largest Human Trial Ever Just Launched

The most promising molecule in geroscience is finally being tested at human scale.

For over 15 years, rapamycin has fascinated longevity researchers. It is, to date, the molecule that most consistently and reproducibly extends lifespan in mice — across sexes, doses, and independent laboratories. But what about humans?

The mechanism, briefly:

Rapamycin inhibits mTORC1, a central protein complex that regulates cell growth, metabolism, and aging. At low, intermittent doses, it does not suppress the immune system — it may actually rejuvenate it by restoring immune functions that aging progressively erodes.

Where does the human data stand?

The PEARL Trial (AgelessRx, 48 weeks, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled, n=114 participants, average age ~60) delivered in 2025 the first controlled data on healthy adults:

→ Improvement in lean muscle mass
→ Improvement in bone mineral density
→ Favorable trend on visceral fat
→ Satisfactory safety profile at tested doses (5 and 10 mg/week)
→ No significant difference in adverse events vs. placebo

⚠️ Important caveat: the compounded rapamycin used in the trial had roughly 3× lower bioavailability than the commercial form (sirolimus). This limits interpretation of the efficacy results.

The big news from April 2026:

The largest human rapamycin trial ever conducted has just been launched. Designed to answer the fundamental questions still unanswered — what dose, what duration, which patient profile benefits most — this trial aims to generate the large-scale, long-duration, deeply phenotyped human data the field has been missing.

The honest verdict as of today:

The animal data is remarkably consistent. The early human data is encouraging but insufficient to support firm clinical recommendations.

Off-label use is growing rapidly in longevity clinics, but without standardized dosing or established long-term safety data. If you’re considering rapamycin, this is a decision to make with a specialized physician, with full awareness of the current level of evidence.

What to watch:

→ Results of the 2026 large-scale trial (duration, deep phenotyping)
→ Comparison of rapamycin vs. GLP-1 + rapamycin in combination
→ Development of mTOR analogs with improved selectivity profiles

📌 References: PEARL Trial — Moel et al., Aging, April 2025; Healthspan.com, April 2026.

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🧫 Senolytics: “Killing” Your Zombie Cells to Rejuvenate Your Tissues

Your body is accumulating cells that refuse to die — and that poison everything around them.

Senescent cells are cells in a permanent state of cell cycle arrest. They no longer divide, no longer function normally, but remain present in tissues and continuously secrete a toxic cocktail of pro-inflammatory cytokines, remodeling enzymes, and lipid mediators. This behavior is called the SASP (Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype).

The result: a silent, chronic low-grade inflammation that builds with age, accelerating the progression of neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, metabolic, and joint diseases.

Two drug classes on the rise:

→ Senolytics: actively eliminate senescent cells by triggering apoptosis
→ Senomorphics: don’t kill the cells, but inhibit SASP secretion

The most studied duo: Dasatinib + Quercetin (D+Q)

Dasatinib is an FDA/EMA-approved cancer drug (chronic myeloid leukemia). Quercetin is a natural flavonoid found in onions, capers, and apples. Together, they disable the anti-apoptotic survival pathways that allow senescent cells to persist.

Striking preclinical results (aged mice):

→ 36% reduction in post-treatment mortality
→ 65% reduction in risk of death
→ Attenuation of physical frailty
→ Delayed onset of age-related diseases
→ Improved metabolic function (insulin sensitivity, adipose tissue inflammation)

The first human clinical trials:

Early-phase clinical trials have targeted conditions with a strong senescence component:

→ Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) — confirmed improvement in physical function
→ Diabetic kidney disease — reduction of senescence markers in tissues
→ Systemic sclerosis — reduction of SASP in skin biopsies

⚠️ What to know before you think about “trying” this:

Dasatinib is a chemotherapy drug with real side effects.
Quercetin as a standalone supplement has highly variable bioavailability. Clinically tested protocols use short intermittent cycles (e.g. 3 days/month), not daily intake.

No trial has yet been conducted on healthy individuals for prevention purposes.

What comes next:

Research is now moving toward more selective senolytics with fewer off-target effects. Nanoparticle-based approaches specifically targeting lysosomal β-galactosidase (overexpressed in senescent cells) are showing promising preclinical results.

Clearing zombie cells could be one of the most impactful anti-aging interventions of the next decade — if human trials confirm what mice have been showing us for 10 years.

What to take away for practice:

→ Dietary quercetin: red onions, capers, organic apples with skin (most bioavailable form)
→ Intermittent fasting and caloric restriction: activate clearance of dysfunctional cells via autophagy
→ High-intensity exercise: reduces accumulation of senescent cells in muscles
→ Monitor ongoing trials at clinicaltrials.gov (search: “senolytics”)

📌 References: Zhu et al., Nature Medicine; Kirkland et al., Mayo Clinic; Islam et al., Aging Cell, 2023; Maurer et al., Aging Cell, 2024.

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Let’s keep going! Forza!

Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram :
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026)
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)

Disclaimer: This article reflects one individual’s personal experience, research, and interpretation of scientific information. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Health conditions—whether metabolic, hormonal, digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, immune-related, or otherwise—can vary widely in severity and may require urgent or specialized medical care. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals before beginning, changing, or discontinuing any medication, supplement, lifestyle protocol, or therapeutic approach. Personal experiences described here, including mild or atypical presentations, are not representative of all clinical situations or of serious or acute medical conditions requiring immediate attention.

Share

By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert

Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is currently enrolled in Stanford Medicine’s longevity research certification program.

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What Is It, Exactly?

Heavy legs — that sensation of fatigue, pressure, sometimes swelling or a dull ache in the lower limbs — is not simply a matter of discomfort.

It is the signal of a venous and lymphatic system under strain.

Physiologically, we are talking about chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) at varying degrees of severity.

Over time: varicose veins, edema, hyperpigmentation, and in severe cases, venous ulcers.

Venous stasis also creates fertile ground for the activation of NF-κB and the NLRP3 pathway — those who have been following me for a while will recognize these players in chronic low-grade inflammation.

Heavy legs are therefore not an isolated condition: they are part of the broader picture of systemic inflammation.

Let’s move on to my plan for addressing this highly disruptive phenomenon.

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By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert
Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is currently enrolled in Stanford Medicine’s longevity research certification program.

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Week of June 1st, 2026 — ValBiohacker.com

🧬 Science — A Naked Mole-Rat Gene Extends Mouse Lifespan by 4.4%

We can’t choose our species. But perhaps we can borrow some of its secrets.

The naked mole-rat (okay, let’s be honest—it isn’t exactly beautiful 😊) is one of nature’s greatest oddities. This wrinkled, nearly blind rodent can live up to 41 years—roughly ten times longer than mice of similar size. It almost never develops cancer. It appears remarkably resistant to chronic inflammation. Scientists have studied it for decades, trying to understand why its biology seems to play by entirely different rules.

This week, researchers at the University of Rochester took a major step forward: they successfully transferred a longevity gene from naked mole-rats into ordinary mice—and the mice lived longer, healthier lives.

The Mechanism: High-Molecular-Weight Hyaluronic Acid

The gene is responsible for producing high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (HMW-HA).

You’re probably familiar with hyaluronic acid as the superstar ingredient in anti-aging skincare products. But what naked mole-rats produce is entirely different: it is roughly ten times more concentrated and significantly larger at the molecular level.

This molecule appears to act as a cellular shield:

→ Protects cells against cancer-causing mutations
→ Reduces chronic inflammation—the silent fuel of aging
→ Supports gut microbiome integrity

Results in the Modified Mice

→ +4.4% increase in median lifespan (+12.2% increase in maximum lifespan)
→ 34% lower cancer incidence in older mice
→ Healthier intestines, reduced systemic inflammation, and significantly lower frailty scores

“Our study demonstrates that it is possible to transfer a longevity mechanism from one species to another. Our next goal is to transfer it to humans.”

— Vera Gorbunova, Professor of Biology and Medicine, University of Rochester

What This Changes (and What It Doesn’t Yet)

Let’s be clear: we’re not on the verge of an HMW-HA longevity pill (unfortunately!).

These findings involve mice genetically modified from birth. Translating this approach to humans will require years of research and clinical trials.

What makes this study exciting is the proof of concept: species-specific longevity mechanisms may be transferable. This opens an entirely new branch of aging biology.

My N=1 Take

The standard hyaluronic acid found in supplements and cosmetics is NOT the same as the HMW-HA produced by naked mole-rats.

Don’t confuse the two.

What’s actionable today? Reducing chronic inflammation through nutrition, sleep, and movement. That’s the closest thing to an HMW-HA protocol available in 2026.

Original publication: Nature (2023), confirmed and highlighted by ScienceDaily (May 2026)

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🔬 Paradigm Shift — Aging Isn’t a Defect. It’s a Loss of Coordination.

For decades, aging research searched for the molecule, gene, or mechanism that “causes” aging.

The assumption was simple: find the enemy and defeat it.

In April 2026, the 2nd World Congress on Targeting Longevity in Berlin asked a radically different question:

What if aging isn’t a breakdown—but a loss of orchestration?

Researchers working on mitochondria, microbiome science, systems biology, cellular senescence, and comparative genomics gathered around a new conceptual framework:

Aging as the progressive loss of coordination between biological systems.

What Changes in Practice?

Instead of trying to repair one organ or block one molecule, this new approach focuses on the communication between systems:

→ Mitochondrial signaling that regulates inflammation
→ The gut-brain axis that shapes aging trajectories
→ Metabolic environments that drive tissue repair and regeneration

The keyword repeated throughout the conference:

Long-term biological resilience — the ability of living systems to maintain coordination over time.

“Aging behaves more like a loss of coordination among systems than as an isolated defect. Understanding this dialogue may be more important than targeting individual pathways.”

— Marvin Edeas, Founder of the World Mitochondria Society

Why This Matters for You

This paradigm shift helps explain why so many “miracle solutions”—a single supplement, a single therapy, a single intervention—often produce modest results in clinical trials.

Aging is systemic.

The response must be systemic as well.

This reinforces what I’ve been saying for years:

Effective biohacking is not about pulling one lever.

It’s about optimizing the entire ecosystem:

→ Sleep
→ Nutrition
→ Movement
→ Microbiome health
→ Stress management
→ Social connection

Source: EurekAlert / World Mitochondria Society, April 2026

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☀️ Summer Alert — TikTok, Tanning, and Skin Cancer: The Silent Trap

Summer is approaching.

And with it comes a viral trend that has dermatologists genuinely concerned.

The visual effect may be trendy.

The damage is permanent.

“These tan lines are a form of burn. They leave scars—sometimes invisible—but they damage the skin’s DNA.” — Le Parisien

The Numbers Instagram Filters Don’t Show

→ More than 5.4 million skin cancers are diagnosed every year in the United States
→ About 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with UV exposure
→ Melanoma rates among young adults have risen significantly over the past several decades
→ Nearly 8,000 Americans die from melanoma each year

The Bigger Problem

A survey conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology found that 59% of Gen Z respondents still believe that:

→ “A tan is healthy”
or
→ “A base tan prevents sunburn”

These myths continue to spread widely through social media.

The Biohacker Truth About Sun Exposure

I am not anti-sun.

Properly dosed sunlight is one of the most powerful health tools available.

Benefits include:

→ Vitamin D production, essential for immunity, bone health, and cancer prevention
→ Nitric oxide release, supporting cardiovascular health
→ Serotonin production, influencing mood, motivation, and energy
→ Melatonin regulation through circadian rhythm calibration

But all of these benefits occur within approximately 5–20 minutes of exposure, depending on your skin type—not through burning.

A sunburn is not healthy sun exposure.

A sunburn is tissue damage.

My Summer N=1 Protocol

→ Morning sunlight exposure (before 11 a.m.): 10–20 minutes without sunscreen, followed by protection
→ SPF 50 daily whenever exposure exceeds 20 minutes—even on cloudy days
→ No intentional tanning: tanned skin is skin that has experienced DNA damage
→ Annual dermatologist screening, especially if you have numerous or atypical moles

⚠️ If you have children or teenagers spending time on TikTok, this may be one of the most important conversations you’ll have this summer.

A severe sunburn before age 18 approximately doubles the risk of melanoma later in life.

Sources: French National Cancer Institute (INCa), Santé Publique France, Skin Cancer Foundation (May 2025), American Cancer Foundation

Stay curious. Science is moving fast — and so is the fight against aging.

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Let’s keep going! Forza!

Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram :
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026)
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)

Disclaimer: This article reflects one individual’s personal experience, research, and interpretation of scientific information. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Health conditions—whether metabolic, hormonal, digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, immune-related, or otherwise—can vary widely in severity and may require urgent or specialized medical care. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals before beginning, changing, or discontinuing any medication, supplement, lifestyle protocol, or therapeutic approach. Personal experiences described here, including mild or atypical presentations, are not representative of all clinical situations or of serious or acute medical conditions requiring immediate attention.

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By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert

Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is currently enrolled in Stanford Medicine’s longevity research certification program.

This is not a typical article. It’s the story of my father — his health trajectory, the verdict he received, and how he beat it. To the best of our knowledge, he may be the first documented case of severe emphysema reversed to this degree.

He no longer needs a CPAP machine to sleep. He no longer requires supplemental oxygen at night. His oxygen saturation holds at 96–97% without any assistance.

He is 85 years old.

I’m telling this story — his treatments, including everything outside the conventional system — with his full consent. Not to give you medical advice. I’m not a doctor. But because thousands of people receive the same sentence every year, walk home, and give up. I couldn’t stay silent.

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By Valérie Orsoni — Biohacker & Longevity Expert
Valérie Orsoni is a biohacker, author of 56 books, and founder of biohacker.fr. She has been tracking her biology through N=1 self-experimentation protocols since 1998. She is currently enrolled in Stanford Medicine’s longevity research certification program.

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Week of May 24, 2026 — ValBiohacker.com

Three groundbreaking studies are rewriting everything we thought we knew about aging — from reversing it at the cellular level, to predicting its sudden acceleration, all the way to identifying a gene that may protect your brain for life.

🔥 Scientists Found a Way to Rejuvenate Your Cells by 30 Years — And It Actually Works

Researchers at the Babraham Institute have achieved a major breakthrough in aging research by reversing the biological age of human skin cells by approximately 30 years using a technique called maturation-phase transient reprogramming.

The mechanism relies on controlled exposure to Yamanaka factors — a set of transcription factors long associated with cellular reprogramming. The key innovation lies in the timing: by limiting exposure to exactly 13 days, researchers kept the cells in a rejuvenated state without triggering full dedifferentiation into pluripotent stem cells. This preserves the cell’s specialized identity while removing accumulated molecular damage.

The functional results were measurable and significant. Treated fibroblasts demonstrated:

• Increased collagen production compared to untreated aged cells

• Faster wound healing in experimental models

• Restored gene expression profiles consistent with younger cellular populations

What distinguishes this work from earlier reprogramming approaches is the preservation of cell-type specificity — a crucial barrier for any viable therapeutic application. The ability to reset epigenetic markers of aging without erasing cellular function opens a credible path toward targeted tissue rejuvenation therapies.

The research is still in its early stages, but the mechanistic precision demonstrated here represents a major advance in translational aging science.

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🔥 Your Body Does Not Age Gradually — Scientists Discover It Ages in Two Sudden Bursts

A 2024 Stanford University study published in Nature Aging has disrupted the conventional view of aging as a slow, linear process.

According to geneticist Michael Snyder and colleagues, humans experience two abrupt and dramatic molecular transitions — one around age 44 and another around age 60.

The study followed 108 adults over several years, analyzing more than 135,239 biological features — including RNA, proteins, lipids, and microbiome data — generating over 246 billion data points.

The scale of this molecular analysis is unprecedented in longitudinal aging research.

The findings are striking. Approximately 81% of all molecules studied showed significant changes during one or both of these phases:

• Mid-40s transition: Changes concentrated in lipid, caffeine, and alcohol metabolism, cardiovascular markers, and skin and muscle function

• Early-60s transition: Disruptions in carbohydrate metabolism, immune regulation, kidney function, and persistent cardiovascular changes

Notably, the mid-40s shift was observed equally in men and women, ruling out menopause as the primary driver — a finding that deserves deeper investigation.

The study’s sample size remains a limitation, but the mechanistic implications are profound: age-related disease risk may not accumulate steadily, but instead intensify suddenly at predictable biological thresholds.

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🧬 Scientists Have Identified a “Longevity Gene” That May Protect the Brain From Alzheimer’s

Researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging have uncovered why some individuals may be genetically protected against Alzheimer’s disease — and the answer appears to lie in a specific variant of the APOE gene (apolipoprotein E), a major regulator of fat and cholesterol metabolism in the brain.

The APOE gene exists in several variants with radically different implications:

• APOE4 — significantly increases Alzheimer’s risk

• APOE2 — associated with a substantially lower risk, with a newly better-understood protective mechanism

Using human brain cells derived from stem cells, the research team investigated why APOE2 carriers appear more resistant to neurodegeneration. The findings point to two distinct cellular advantages:

• Improved DNA repair capacity in neurons

• Greater resistance to cellular senescence — the process by which cells gradually lose function and accelerate tissue aging

Together, these mechanisms suggest that APOE2 does not merely passively reduce disease risk — it actively maintains neuronal integrity at the molecular level, potentially delaying or preventing the damage cascade associated with Alzheimer’s progression.

While translating genetic discoveries into therapeutic interventions remains a long road ahead, understanding APOE2’s protective mechanisms opens a promising pathway toward genetically targeted neuroprotective therapies.

And if, like me, you are hyper-active and wondering how to increase APOE2… I have bad news for you.

You cannot naturally “increase” APOE2. The variant you carry is genetically determined — you are born either APOE2, APOE3, or APOE4. It is not a protein you can stimulate the way you can boost vitamin D through sunlight exposure.

And if you want to know whether you carry the “right” gene…

There are several ways to determine your APOE profile:

1. Medical genetic testing (prescription-based)
   This is the gold-standard test — a simple blood draw or saliva sample analyzed in a laboratory. In France, it is generally reserved for genetic counseling or research contexts and is not yet routinely prescribed in standard checkups. Alzheimer’s diagnosis remains primarily clinical, and APOE genetic testing is typically limited to highly specific research or familial early-onset cases.

2. Consumer genetic tests
   Services such as 23andMe or MyHeritage DNA include APOE typing in their analyses. These tests are available without a prescription but should be interpreted cautiously and ideally alongside a healthcare professional.

3. March 2026 breakthrough — Roche blood test
   Roche has just received CE marking for Elecsys ApoE4 — the first immunological blood test capable of rapidly identifying APOE4 carriers without traditional DNA sequencing. This represents a major step toward democratizing screening.

One important note: Learning that you carry APOE4 can generate significant psychological stress, despite the absence of any guaranteed preventive intervention at this stage. Knowing your genetic profile can be useful — but it should always be accompanied by proper medical guidance.

Stay curious. Science is moving fast — and so is the fight against aging.

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Let’s keep going! Forza!

Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram :
My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com
My made-in-the-usa, clean, no fillers supplement line ==> ZellNova

🎙 Life Summit— Berlin (29-30 mai 2026)
🎙 Corsica Biohacking — Corsica (6-13 juin 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (juin 2026)
🎙 RAADFest— Sedona (4-6 septembre 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)

Disclaimer: This article reflects one individual’s personal experience, research, and interpretation of scientific information. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Health conditions—whether metabolic, hormonal, digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, immune-related, or otherwise—can vary widely in severity and may require urgent or specialized medical care. Always seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals before beginning, changing, or discontinuing any medication, supplement, lifestyle protocol, or therapeutic approach. Personal experiences described here, including mild or atypical presentations, are not representative of all clinical situations or of serious or acute medical conditions requiring immediate attention.

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Headlines are piling up, notifications are blowing up, and the COVID-19 comparisons are flying everywhere. Should we panic? Let’s take a clear-eyed look at a virus that’s been around a lot longer than most people realize.

Since the MV Hondius cruise ship incident in May 2026, the word “hantavirus” has been on everyone’s lips. But should we actually be worried?

As always, the answer lives in the data — not in the fear. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of a virus that has existed far longer than you might think.

And at the end, I’ll share my personal preventive protocol rooted in science — and frankly, I can’t understand why nobody is talking about this approach, even though it’s approved by regulatory bodies in many parts of the world… including Europe and the USA.

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