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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.

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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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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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Week of May 16, 2026 — ValBiohacker.com

⌚ Opinion — VO2 Max on Wearables: This Number Can Be Completely Wrong (And Send You Into a Panic for Nothing)

You just glanced at your Apple Watch or your Garmin. It reads: VO2 Max = 38. Or 42. Or 51. And you think: is that good? Should I be worried? Am I aging faster than I should?

Take a breath. That number may be completely off.

My personal example — and it’s a good one.

My Whoop shows a VO2 Max of 34. Thirty-four. On paper: borderline “poor,” firmly in the “keep an eye on this” category. Enough to alarm anyone who takes it at face value.

Except last year, I climbed a 6,500-meter mountain in half the expected time. And reached the summit... without being out of breath. So full of energy, in fact, that I danced at the top. Literally.

A VO2 Max of 34 doesn’t dance at 6,500 meters. The algorithm, however, doesn’t know that.

What a Wearable Actually Measures

True VO2 Max is measured in a lab — running flat out on a treadmill, wearing a face mask that analyzes your respiratory gases. That’s the gold standard. It’s demanding, expensive, and nobody does it before their morning coffee.

What your watch does is make an algorithmic estimate based on:
→ Your resting and active heart rate
→ Your age, height, and weight (which you entered)
→ GPS data from your workouts (when available)

In plain terms: your Garmin, Whoop, or Oura doesn’t measure your oxygen consumption. It guesses.
And for devices without GPS — like the Oura Ring or the Whoop, which don’t capture your real-world cardio output — the estimate relies even more heavily on generic statistical models. My Whoop’s VO2 Max of 34 is living proof.

How Wide Is the Margin of Error?

Independent studies comparing wearable estimates to lab measurements have found striking gaps:

→ Garmin: margin of error between ±3 and ±10 points depending on the model and user profile
→ Apple Watch: gaps exceeding 10 points in sedentary or overweight users → Whoop & Oura: no GPS, no direct measurement of cardiorespiratory effort in real conditions — their VO2 Max estimate is particularly rough, based almost entirely on resting heart rate and recovery data

A 10-point gap is the difference between “well-trained amateur athlete” and “sedentary, worth monitoring.” In other words: two people with the same real VO2 Max can see wildly different numbers on their wrists.

Why This Can Send You Into a Panic for Nothing

VO2 Max is a powerful longevity marker — multiple large studies confirm it. A low value is associated with higher cardiovascular risk. But when an algorithm spits out an alarming number on a Monday morning because you slept badly, you were stressed, or you forgot to update your weight in the app... you’re panicking over nothing.

I’ve personally heard from ValBiohacker.com readers in tears because their Apple Watch suddenly showed a VO2 Max drop of 6 points in a single week. After investigating: they had updated their weight in the app.

What You Should Actually Do

→ Use your wearable for trends, not absolute values. If your estimated VO2 Max rises steadily over 3–6 months, that’s a positive signal. If it suddenly drops, look for a logical explanation first (illness, poor sleep, profile data change) before spiraling.

→ Get a real test if you want a reliable number. Sports cardiology centers offer effort tests (CPET) starting at around $100–200. Once a year is more than enough to calibrate what your watch is telling you.

→ The markers worth tracking more than VO2 Max:

• Morning HRV (heart rate variability) — more stable, less influenced by noise

• Heart rate recovery after effort

• Recovery time between sessions

My N=1: I wear an Oura Ring and a Whoop — two of the most sophisticated wearables on the market. My Whoop shows a VO2 Max of 34. Which, according to official charts, puts me in the “worth monitoring” category.

Here’s the twist: I had the same test done at a clinic. Same result — 34. Full mask, treadmill, the whole lab setup. Identical number.

And yet last year, I climbed a 6,500-meter mountain in half the expected time. Reached the summit without being winded.
That’s what my “34” is worth — whether it comes from an algorithm or a laboratory.

What this proves: VO2 Max, even when measured correctly, doesn’t tell the whole story. It doesn’t capture mechanical efficiency, movement economy, effort management, altitude acclimatization, or mental strength. My body can do things the number doesn’t reflect.

When my Whoop or Oura shows something that concerns me, I first look at my HRV for the week, my stress levels, and my deep sleep. And I trust what my body does — not what a number predicts.

Don’t let an algorithm decide your health status.

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🥞 Brief — Pancreatic Cancer: A Breakthrough Scientists Had Almost Stopped Hoping For

For decades, pancreatic cancer was a near-certain death sentence. Only 3% of patients with metastatic disease survive past five years. Researchers themselves had nearly given up on finding a targeted treatment.

That’s over.

A new drug, daraxonrasib, developed by Silicon Valley biotech Revolution Medicines, has just demonstrated in a late-stage clinical trial that it doubles median survival in patients who had already failed chemotherapy: more than 13 months versus less than 7 months with chemo alone.

The target? A protein called KRAS, long considered “undruggable” — impossible to hit. Researchers described it as a “greasy ball” that no molecule could latch onto. For 40 years, the scientific consensus was that it couldn’t be done.

“Every time there was an advance, it led to another dumping of dogma. What everybody assumed was true turned out to be wrong.” — Adrienne Cox, University of North Carolina

What makes this breakthrough even more significant: KRAS is mutated in nearly all pancreatic cancers — but also in many lung and colon cancers, the three leading causes of cancer death. Dozens of similar drugs are already in trials.

The FDA has granted accelerated review. Approval is expected by end of 2026. The drug is not a cure — it eventually stops working, and its side effects can be harsh. But for patients who had no options left, this is a revolution.

Some scientists are already calling it the most significant oncology advance since immunotherapy, 15 years ago.

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😴 Alert — Don’t Sleep More Than 8 Hours a Night

I know what you’re thinking: “But I’ve always been told to sleep as much as possible!”

New study. New results. And they’re unambiguous.

A team from Columbia University analyzed the biological, lifestyle, and health data of more than 500,000 participantsenrolled in the UK Biobank — one of the largest medical databases in the world. Their tool: 23 biological clocks across 17 organs and systems.

The finding is striking.

The Sweet Spot: 6h24 to 7h48

Too little sleep (under 6 hours): already well-documented — cardiovascular risk, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension.

But too much sleep (over 8 hours) also accelerates biological aging — in the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system.

“Our study shows that too little and too much sleep are associated with faster aging in nearly every organ.”— Junhao Wen, assistant professor of radiology, Columbia University

The golden window: 6.4 to 7.8 hours per night. No more, no less.

What This Changes in Practice

Sleeping more than 8 hours isn’t just “unnecessary” — it’s potentially a warning sign, and a contributing factor in itself. A chronic long sleeper doesn’t outperform a 7-hour sleeper biologically. They age faster.

Bad news for weekend warriors who “catch up” on sleep: sleeping in until 10am after a tough week may be disrupting your biological clocks rather than restoring them.

Previous studies had found that consistent, quality sleep can extend life expectancy by nearly 5 years for men and more than 2 years for women. The new finding: “more is better” does NOT apply to sleep beyond 8 hours.

My Sleep Protocol N=1

→ Personal target: 7 to 7.5 hours of actual sleep (not time in bed — real sleep) → Fixed wake time, even on weekends — it’s the most powerful circadian anchor
→ If you wake naturally before your alarm, get up. Your body got what it needed.
→ If you regularly sleep more than 8 hours and still don’t feel rested: that’s not a luxury, it’s a symptom — thyroid, depression, sleep apnea, B12 deficiency... worth investigating.

Quality always trumps quantity. But quantity has an upper limit. It’s 8 hours.

Original publication: Nature, May 2026

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This content is informational and educational. It does not replace personalized medical advice.

Let’s keep going! Forza!

Valérie Orsoni

Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram : @valerieorsoni

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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Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzes pesticide residue data from the USDA and FDA — testing fruits and vegetables after washing, sometimes peeling, preparing them just as you would at home.

The goal is simple: figure out what's still on your food after you've done everything right.

In 2026, they tested 54,344 samples across 47 fruits and vegetables, screening for 264 different substances.
This is the primary source.
Everything below comes directly from that report.

The 2026 Dirty Dozen

Spinach holds the #1 spot for the second year in a row — more pesticide residues by weight than any other produce tested.

Two new entries this year: blackberries (tested by USDA for the first time in 2023) and green beans.

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What are CMR pesticides — and why do they matter more than residue counts?

The Dirty Dozen rankings are based on residue frequency and volume.

That’s useful. But in toxicology, the category of a substance matters as much as the quantity.

The most important classification to understand is CMR.

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The problem the Dirty Dozen doesn’t capture: oxalates

Spinach and kale top the 2026 list — but pesticide load is not their only issue. Both are among the highest oxalate-containing plants in existence.

Oxalates are natural defense compounds produced by the plant. In susceptible individuals — those with altered gut microbiome, intestinal hyperpermeability, or genetic predisposition — chronic excess intake can contribute to kidney stones, joint pain, systemic inflammation, and urinary tract irritation.

Raw consumption concentrates the problem: cooking partially reduces oxalate content.

The EWG data in 2026 now adds pesticide load on top of that existing concern.

My N=1 personal data

Since reducing my raw spinach and kale intake, I’ve tracked improvement in CRP markers and reduced post-training joint discomfort.
Tracked via continuous monitoring, confirmed across multiple testing cycles. Correlation isn’t causation — but combined with the 2026 EWG data, the signal is consistent enough to act on.

These foods still have real nutritional value

This is not an argument to stop eating vegetables. Spinach delivers folate, magnesium, lutein, nitrates for nitric oxide production, and vitamin K. Strawberries provide anthocyanins and vitamin C. Grapes contain resveratrol. The point is not that these foods are bad — it’s that dose, source, and preparation matter enormously. A food can be nutritionally valuable and problematic in excess or when sourced conventionally.

What the Clean Fifteen tells you

The EWG also releases a Clean Fifteen — the 15 fruits and vegetables with the lowest pesticide residue loads, even in conventional form.
These are worth knowing: avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, onions, papaya, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, honeydew melon, kiwi, cabbage, mushrooms, mango, sweet potatoes, watermelon, and carrots. Building variety around these — while going organic on the Dirty Dozen — is a practical, cost-effective protocol.

Organic everything is ideal.

Organic everything is also not always realistic.

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What I recommend — practically

• 1 Go organic for the top 4 on the list. Spinach, kale, strawberries, and grapes are the highest priority. This is where the residue load and CMR risk intersects most clearly with daily consumption frequency.

• 2 Cook spinach and kale instead of eating them raw. Cooking reduces oxalate content partially and breaks down some water-soluble residues. The raw green smoothie daily habit is not a biohack — it’s a liability if your sourcing isn’t clean.

• 3 Stop eating the same “superfoods” every single day. Rotation matters. Thirty-plus different plants per week is a meaningful target — for microbiome diversity and to avoid chronic accumulation of the same residue profiles.

• 4 Build your base around the Clean Fifteen. Avocados, asparagus, onions, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, cabbage, kiwi — these are nutritionally dense, low-residue, and almost never discussed. Use them as the foundation.

• 5 Washing reduces but does not eliminate residues. The EWG data is collected after washing. That number is what remains. Peeling helps for some fruits. For leafy greens, it’s not an option — sourcing is the only real lever.

  The Ultimate Guide to Biohacking & Longevity is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The bottom line

The EWG 2026 report is a primary data source — 54,344 samples, 264 substances, prepared the way you’d actually eat them. Spinach and kale at the top is not a fringe finding. It has been consistent for years.

The CMR angle is the piece most media coverage misses. Residue count is one metric. The mechanism of harm — carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic — is a different and more actionable one. That’s the question to ask about everything on this list.

Real biohacking is not about finding the perfect superfood. It’s about reading the actual data — and updating your protocol when the data changes.

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Let’s keep going! Forza!

Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram : @valerieorsoni

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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Week of May 8, 2026 — ValBiohacker.com

💉 Breaking News — Russia Launches an “Anti-Aging Vaccine”: Reality or Propaganda?

Vladimir Putin, 73, is obsessed with longevity. No secret there. He’s been credited with deer antler baths, a spartan diet, and hours of daily swimming. But this week, he crossed a new line: ordering the creation of “the world’s first anti-aging gene therapy drug” — backed by a staggering budget of more than 2 trillion rubles — roughly $26.4 billion.

“What just a few years ago seemed like an incredible future is now becoming reality.” — Tatiana Golikova, Russian Deputy Prime Minister

How Does It Work?

The project targets the RAGE receptor (Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products) — a well-documented cellular mechanism linked to biological aging. Denis Sekirinsky, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Science, explained it plainly at a conference in Saransk:

“The RAGE gene is a receptor whose activation triggers cellular aging. Blocking it, on the contrary, can extend the cell’s youth.”

The project is led by the Institute of Aging Biology and Medicine, under the national program “New Technologies for Health Preservation,” launched in 2025 at Putin’s direct instruction. Expected production: between 2028 and 2030.

My Biohacker Take 🔍

Let’s be clear. What’s being called a “vaccine” here is actually experimental gene therapy. No human trials have been conducted yet. RAGE receptor research is real and scientifically serious — but going from animal models to a ready-to-use drug is a long road full of obstacles.

What IS real, however:
→ The geopolitical motive: average life expectancy for Russian men is 67 years (vs. 76.5 in the US). This is a national demographic crisis.
→ The personal obsession: sources close to the Kremlin describe this as the “fixation” of Mikhail Kovalchuk, Putin’s longtime ally at the Kurchatov Institute, “who dreams of eternal life and the ‘Russian genome.’”
→ The global competition: Russia is watching U.S. advances in regenerative medicine closely and wants a seat at the table.

Will this vaccine ever exist? Maybe. Will it be a game-changer by 2030? Highly unlikely. But it highlights something essential: the longevity race is now a matter of national policy.

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📱 Health Tech — Google Buries Fitbit. Welcome to the Google Health Era.

It’s official as of May 7, 2026: Google launched the Fitbit Air — and along with it, completed the full merger between the Fitbit ecosystem and the Google brand. The Fitbit app becomes Google Health. Fitbit Premium becomes Google Health Premium. And the tracker itself has… no screen.

Fitbit Air: The Tracker That Nearly Disappears

The Fitbit Air looks like nothing Fitbit has made before. No screen. No buttons. A small 5.2-gram plastic pebble that snaps into a band and fades into the background. Everything lives in the app.

What it tracks:
→ 24/7 heart rate
→ Blood oxygen (SpO2)
→ Skin temperature
→ Sleep (stages and duration)
→ Heart rhythm + AFib alerts
→ Activity, calories, steps

Key specs:
→ $99.99 (ships May 26)
→ 7-day battery, full charge in 90 minutes, 5 minutes = 1 full day of use
→ 12 grams with band attached

Google Health Coach: Gemini AI Enters Your Health Stack

The most important part of this launch isn’t the hardware — it’s the software. The Google Health Coach, powered by Gemini, reads your Readiness score, sleep data, and workout load to give you plain-language daily guidance: “Push hard today” or “Your body needs recovery.” It builds adaptive fitness plans and responds conversationally to follow-up questions.

Subscription pricing: → Google Health Premium: $9.99/month or $99.99/year → Included in Google One AI Pro and Ultra plans

What This Means for You

If you’re already a Fitbit user, the transition is automatic. Your data history is preserved. The interface changes, AI is added.

If you’re choosing between Fitbit Air and WHOOP: WHOOP has longer battery life, faster data sampling (26x per second), and a more clinically established recovery scoring system. But WHOOP requires a monthly subscription — Fitbit Air gives you core tracking features with no mandatory subscription.

My take: if you want a discreet, affordable tracker with built-in AI coaching — Fitbit Air is a serious option. If you’re a serious athlete and recovery is your obsession — WHOOP still has an edge. So I am keeping my WHOOP!

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🦠 Health Brief — Hantavirus: What Is It, and Should You Really Be Worried?

Over the past few days, “hantavirus” has been flooding the news. The cruise ship MV Hondius, traveling from Argentina to Cape Verde with 147 passengers and crew, was placed in isolation after several confirmed cases on board — three deaths, two lab-confirmed cases, five suspected.

Before panicking, here’s what the science actually says.

What Is Hantavirus?

Hantavirus belongs to the Hantaviridae family. It circulates primarily among wild rodents — voles, deer mice, rice rats — in whom it causes no symptoms. First identified during the Korean War in the 1950s, it was classified by the WHO in 1987.

How is it transmitted? → By inhaling dust contaminated with infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva → By direct contact with those materials (broken skin, eyes, mucous membranes) → NOT through human-to-human respiratory transmission — except for one specific strain, the Andes virus, endemic to South America

Symptoms: Initial phase (3–5 days): fever, intense fatigue, muscle aches, headaches — flu-like. Can progress to severe pulmonary (HCPS) or kidney involvement.

There is no specific antiviral treatment. Care is supportive.

Should You Be Worried?

The WHO has clearly stated that the risk of spread outside the ship is low. Here’s why:

→ Human-to-human transmission is extremely rare — only the Andes strain has documented person-to-person spread. All other strains have none. → Hantavirus is not a new virus — it has circulated for decades and remains rare. → It is not COVID — no widespread airborne transmission, no community chain spread.

In the US and Europe, hantavirus cases are sporadic and mostly linked to rural exposure to rodents.

What You Can Do

→ If you live rurally or have a basement, attic, or storage space: never dry-sweep areas potentially contaminated by rodents. Dampen the area first before cleaning.
→ Wear an FFP2/N95 mask when cleaning infested spaces
→ Use waterproof gloves when handling any suspicious debris
→ See a doctor promptly if you develop fever and flu-like symptoms after potential rodent exposure

Bottom line: The MV Hondius situation is serious and still under investigation. But at this stage, there is no reason to talk about an epidemic or pandemic potential. Stay informed, stay calm.

🧬 Good News Science — Vitamin B12: Far More Than a Vitamin — A Key to Healthy Aging

We knew vitamin B12 for its role in red blood cell formation and nerve health. But a new study from Cornell University, published in the Journal of Nutrition, suggests its influence goes much deeper.

“This is the first study that shows B12 deficiency affects skeletal muscle mitochondrial energy production.” — Dr. Martha Field, PhD, Cornell University

What the Study Found

Dr. Martha Field’s team used mouse models and cell cultures to observe what actually happens inside the body when B12 levels drop. The results:

→ Weaker muscles and lower muscle mass in aged mice deficient in B12
→ Impaired mitochondrial energy production in muscle cells — our cellular powerhouses underperform
→ B12 supplementation
→ measurable improvement in muscle function → Identification of early biomarkers that can detect nutritional stress long before classic deficiency symptoms appear

Why This Matters for You

Sarcopenia — the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength — is one of the leading causes of lost independence in older adults. Until now, exercise was essentially the only proven intervention to slow it. This study opens a concrete, accessible nutritional pathway.

Worth noting: up to 20% of the population may be B12-deficient, with even higher rates among older adults, vegetarians, vegans, and people on certain medications (notably metformin).

Dietary sources of B12:
→ Meat and organ meats (liver tops the list)
→ Fatty fish, shellfish
→ Eggs, dairy
→ Fortified foods (some nutritional yeasts, plant milks)

Supplementation: Methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin forms are better absorbed than standard cyanocobalamin.

My N=1 recommendation: if you’re over 50, eat little or no meat, or take metformin — get your serum B12 tested. It’s a simple, inexpensive blood test, and the implications for your muscle vitality and longevity could be significant.

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Let’s keep going! Forza!

Valérie Orsoni

Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram : @valerieorsoni

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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It’s time to put anti-aging creams under the microscope — and what I’m about to tell you might save you a small fortune.

Let me start with a confession.

I’ve published 56 books on health and longevity. I’m enrolled in the Longevity Researcher Certificate program at Stanford Medicine. I’ve been tracking my own biomarkers since 1998.

And I still buy anti-aging creams. Well, sometimes. Not often — but it happens.

Not because I’m naive. Because I understand exactly what they do — and what they will never do. What I’m going to explain today will probably cost you less money and deliver better results.
And I’m going to share my own ultra-effective skincare routine. Brace yourself — I’m 100% certain you won’t guess what I actually put on my skin. And no, it’s not snail slime. Well, not only.

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It’s simple. Fast. And actually healthy.

For years, I did what everyone does.

I drank water. A lot of water.

And I thought that was enough.

Spoiler: it wasn’t.

⚠️ The problem no one explains

You’ve been told:

👉 “Stay hydrated.”
👉 “Drink 2 liters a day.”

But no one tells you this:

👉 Hydration is not just water.

It’s a balance between:

💧 Water
🧂 Sodium
🥑 Potassium
⚡ Magnesium

Without that?

👉 You dilute your minerals
👉 You stress your nervous system
👉 You reduce your performance

And sometimes…

👉 you actually dehydrate yourself by drinking too much water

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🧠 Why electrolytes matter (biohacker version)

Electrolytes are what allow your body to:

• transmit nerve signals

• contract muscles

• maintain energy

• regulate heart rhythm

• optimize recovery

👉 In short: without them, your system struggles.

And if you are:

• athletic

• low-carb / keto

• fasting

• stressed

• or simply active

👉 your needs increase dramatically

🚫 The problem with most electrolyte products

Most commercial formulas are:

• loaded with real sugar

• or sweetened with questionable alternatives (maltitol, xylitol, erythritol…)

• full of artificial flavors, preservatives, and dyes

👉 Which is why I make my own.

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💡 Final thought

Don’t fall for overpriced “sports” drinks.

They all rely on these same basic electrolytes—and often add marketing fluff to justify the price.

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Let me know in the comments what you think of this recipe—and if you want more like this.

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

Upcoming Talks
🎙 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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Today, this scenario is becoming a clinical reality — at least in part.

A new category of blood tests, known as MCED tests (Multi-Cancer Early Detection), promises to radically transform how we screen for cancer.

Here’s a breakdown of what exists, what works, and what you can concretely do right now.

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I inject it once a week.

Not because it’s trending in the biohacking world — but because the data, both scientific and from my own body, are compelling enough for me to consider MOTS-c one of the most fascinating peptides in my longevity toolkit.

Personally, with MOTS-c, at identical food intake, my blood sugar runs 20 points below my baseline without it. I’m honestly stunned that no endocrinologist is talking about this.

Alright, I’ll tell you everything: how it reduces visceral fat, lowers blood sugar, and does something even more surprising…

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SCIENCE · EPIGENETICS & CELLULAR REPROGRAMMING Restoring Vision — From Mouse to Human: Sinclair Reaches the Clinical Stage

Research published by Dr. David Sinclair’s lab (Harvard Medical School) in Nature (2020) demonstrated that partial epigenetic reprogramming could restore visual function in aged mice. The study targeted retinal ganglion cells — non-regenerative neurons — across two models: induced glaucoma and natural aging.

The central hypothesis: aging is not an irreversible corruption of DNA, but a loss of epigenetic information — potentially recoverable. And for the first time, this hypothesis is being tested in humans.

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SCIENCE · BRAIN-MACHINE INTERFACE · CHINA, MARCH 2026 Neuracle NeuCyber-I: First Invasive BCI Approved Outside the United States

In March 2026, China’s NMPA (National Medical Products Administration) granted market authorization to Neuracle Medical Technology for its NeuCyber-I system — the first invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) commercially approved outside the United States.

The clinical indication targets patients with partial paralysis of spinal cord origin.

Compared to Neuralink’s N1 (intracortical electrodes, single-neuron resolution, launched by Elon Musk), Neuracle’s ECoG approach offers lower invasiveness and better chronic tolerability — at the cost of lower spatial resolution. Both paradigms now coexist as two distinct points on the invasiveness/performance trade-off curve.

• Voluntary grasping of objects in partially tetraplegic patients

• Signal-to-action latency under 200ms in routine use

• Signal stability maintained over 12 months in trials

We are no longer optimizing the human body. We are entering its reprogramming.

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JOURNAL · N=1 EXPERIMENT My 72-Hour Fast: Discipline, Hypoglycemia, and the Reality of the Body

I am someone who is always hungry, and who deeply loves eating. This fast was not about weight loss or mental clarity. It had a specific reason: attempting to improve a SIBO that has followed me since childhood, after exhausting antibiotics, herbs (berberine, ginger, Iberogast), supplements, and advanced protocols — without lasting results.

0 → 18H Simple phase. Body in transition mode, no notable difficulty.

18 → 24H Real difficulties: insomnia, waking in the night with hunger, feeling cold, blood sugar dropping to around 60 mg/dL. Nothing clinically alarming — but a very concrete physical reality.

24 → 26H I’m hungry. I understand that for some people this is easier, but honestly — I’m seeing chickens everywhere!

26H → 36H Sleep was very hard to come by because I was hungry despite meditating — it was rough. Woke up at 2am starving. This is normal for me as I deal with nocturnal hypoglycemia that I usually manage with chromium at night, but I hadn’t taken any supplements.

36H → 48H Multiple very low glucose alerts, down to 50 mg/dL. My physician friends were telling me it was impossible to continue, especially since I was about to leave on a long transatlantic trip with all its temptations and physical stress. I was a bit lethargic and above all, freezing cold. Really cold. I turned the heat on. I really hope this torture produces results. I ran out of cortisol strips but it must be through the roof. They’re arriving in a few hours so I can continue tracking. Urine analysis: significant ketones in urine (logical).

48H → 60H On the plane, I slept — he who sleeps, dines :) Woke up to the smell of pastries and other temptations… Resist, prove that you exist!

60H → 72H… 80H Racing through airports to make my connection, arriving in Paris at midnight… I’ll eat tomorrow morning… so the fast ended up lasting longer than planned.

VERDICT No immediate response. I didn’t get the so-called mental clarity everyone talks about. It was actually worse — I made crazy mistakes like forgetting all my electronics when leaving for a 3-month trip, giving the wrong address to Uber, etc.

Well… I’m lying… because… yes, one immediate result: ALMOST NO SYMPTOMS. But a fundamental reminder: the body doesn’t always respond the way you expect, and simple solutions are rarely sufficient on their own.

I’m thinking of repeating 36-hour fasts, as those felt less cortisol-damaging. You have to listen to your body — push yourself, yes, but not to the point where cortisol explodes. My cortisol strips were unambiguous: prolonged fasting is not for me.

And for those who say “yes, but you need to do it in a calm setting, away from everything”… honestly, that’s just not my thing :) — I don’t have many disconnected moments, and when I do, I’d rather be scuba diving in Bora Bora than on a farm somewhere not eating, lol. Besides, doing this long fast while traveling actually helped — it kept my mind occupied. Staying home would have made it much harder.

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The Real Question Is No Longer “How to Live Longer”

Between scientific breakthroughs and personal experiments, one thing becomes clear: longevity is entering a new phase. More technological. More complex. And potentially more disorienting.

The real question is no longer simply: How do we live longer? But: How do we navigate intelligently what is coming?

And you — are you ready for this transformation?

What do you think of these advances? Are we collectively ready for this kind of mutation of life itself? Have you ever fasted more than 24 hours? If so, how long — and what were the effects? What do you think of Professor Sinclair’s discoveries and the first brain “prosthetic”?

Let’s keep going! Forza!

Valérie Orsoni

Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram : @valerieorsoni

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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Scroll down to see my own Vit D lab results.

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When data contradicts intuition

This week, I did what I do every three to four months: I wore a continuous glucose monitor (like the Dexcom G7), simply to make sure my choices are still aligned with my goals.

A ritual that has become almost routine.

And yet.

While testing an elemental diet protocol—particularly inspired by the work of Dr. Michael Ruscio—my blood glucose spiked to 216 mg/dL.

A number that surprises. Even unsettles.

At first, you question it. Then you analyze.

The formulation of these preparations relies on rapidly absorbed carbohydrates—often around 30 grams per serving, typically in the form of maltodextrin or something similar. So the spike isn’t abnormal. It’s actually entirely predictable.

This is not a mistake.

It’s a choice.

And that’s exactly where things get interesting.

Because at the same time, this protocol clearly improves digestive comfort.

What you gain on one side, you seem to lose on the other.

This is no longer about optimization.

It’s about trade-offs.

Between glycemic stability and gut relief, the answer isn’t obvious.

It never is.

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The illusion of the perfect protocol

Biohacking sometimes sells a very appealing idea:

a solution that improves everything, all at once.

In reality, the body doesn’t work that way.

Every intervention affects multiple systems.

Improving one may destabilize another.

What this experience reminds us is that no protocol—no matter how well designed—is universal.

And more importantly, none are neutral.

Plasma: two worlds that never meet

In a completely different area, I wanted to explore a more accessible version of a practice often discussed in longevity circles: plasmapheresis.

It has its critics—I’ll address that another time.

I’ve already experienced it in a therapeutic setting a few months ago.

In that context, the cost can reach $10,000 to $12,000.

Hardly accessible.

So I turned to a more “real-world” alternative.

From the very first attempt, reality hits.

As an O− blood type—highly sought after—I was offered (almost pressured into) a full donation: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets.

I declined.

Why?

Because I’m traveling in a few days and need my immune system (white blood cells).

I’m also training for my next mountain expedition, so I need my red blood cells.

As for platelets, they’re often requested, but since I’m borderline, they usually end up not taking them anyway.

A few days later, I went to a specialized center, [name withdrawn to avoid issues with the center] intending to donate only plasma.

And then—another contrast.

The location?

A “rough” neighborhood. Let’s call it what it is: a ghetto.

The waiting room was full of people who looked completely drained—not in the sense of illness, but in the sense of survival.

Some stood in groups around a leader. It felt like a scene out of a drug trade movie.

The organization was raw.

Even with an appointment, you wait in line like everyone else.

And then it became clear why the room was full of exhausted, low-energy people.

Let’s say it simply: people who are very poor.

Talking to them, I quickly understood that the vast majority were being paid. I say “majority” politely—99% would be more accurate.

For context, you can earn up to $750 per month.

There is even, apparently, a form of plasma trafficking, where some individuals are forced to give up 50% of what they earn to someone controlling the system.

Yes—extortion.

This isn’t what shocked me.

Given the setting, I wasn’t expecting a luxury clinic experience.

No.

What struck me was the gap.

On one side: precision medicine, expensive, exclusive, reserved for the wealthy.

On the other: a body economy, where plasma becomes a resource—and where you are allowed to donate every few days. Yes, every few days!!!

Between these two realities, there is almost nothing.

And that may be the real issue.

Where does ethics fit into all of this?

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What these experiences really say

These two situations—very different on the surface—tell the same story.

Biohacking is not a discipline of certainty.

It’s a practice of observation.

Measure. Test. Adjust.

And accept that some answers are neither simple nor immediate.

A protocol can be relevant without being optimal.

A strategy can be effective while remaining imperfect.

What matters, in the end, is not the method.

It’s the understanding you gain from it.

Adjusting without overreacting

For now, my decisions are simple:

Limit liquid carbohydrates that are rapidly absorbed—even when labeled “therapeutic.”

Continue exploring slower, more stable digestive alternatives.

And above all, avoid drawing conclusions from a single data point.

The body cannot be reduced to one number.

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An open question

If you were faced with this kind of dilemma—improving one parameter at the expense of another—how would you decide?

Would you prioritize short-term relief or long-term balance?

Immediate effectiveness or long-term stability?

I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts.

To conclude

There is a temptation in biohacking to want to optimize everything.

But true mastery may begin elsewhere.

In the ability to observe without rushing.

To understand without oversimplifying.

And to accept that some answers take time.

One last note

And if you’re wondering what I did about the plasma…

I left.

The moment I heard comments like “did you see her car?” and “she looks wealthy,” I thought: let’s not push my luck. And no, I was not dressed in Chanel. I was dressed being simple : old jeans, ruined sneakers, no make up…nada….

After all, Oakland is considered one of the murder capitals of the U.S., and I was in one of the roughest neighborhoods—where people have been killed for less than $200.

So no, I did not donate my plasma. Would you have done it?

Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram : @valerieorsoni

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.

Reassessing your supplement protocol is a biological necessity — not a whim

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I reassess my supplement protocol every single month.

I spend about 4 hours over a weekend doing so. This does not include the time spent reading and analyzing studies throughout the month.

This approach may surprise some people, but it is based on a very simple biological reality:

👉 The human body is not a static system.

Needs evolve depending on:

• environmental stressors (toxins, infections, travel, mycotoxins)

• inflammatory status

• gut permeability

• mitochondrial function

• autonomic nervous system balance

• and the adaptations induced by the supplements themselves

  

  

A protocol that made perfect sense three months ago can become useless, excessive — or even counterproductive — today.

To those who believe that “eating well is enough,” my answer is twofold:

First, our soils are severely depleted, meaning the foods we eat today are far less nutrient-dense than they once were.

Second, while a perfectly balanced diet allows you to live a normal life, a balanced diet plus intelligent supplementation allows you to live an optimal life.

The physiological reasons behind changes in my protocol

Monthly adjustments are mainly driven by three situations:

1. A therapeutic objective has been reached

Example: targeted work on mycotoxins, which becomes unnecessary once biomarkers return to normal. I still have the OTAs to take care of though.

2. Controlled exploration of new molecules

Some emerging supplements show interesting mechanisms of action (mitochondrial, inflammatory, neuro-immune). I choose to test them in a measured, monitored, and controlled framework.

3. Conditions poorly or insufficiently addressed by conventional medicine

Or situations where I aim to avoid treatments with heavy side effects, when structured alternatives exist.

This protocol is personal, experimental, and monitored

The protocol presented here is strictly my own.

It is:

• not a recommendation

• not a model to replicate

• not medical advice

It is an individual case, based on:

• specific medical history

• specific symptoms

• biomarkers that are regularly tracked

I share it solely because so many of you ask me what I take, why I take it, and how.

Prescription molecules: framework and precautions

This protocol intentionally includes prescription-only molecules, known for their powerful systemic effects.

Example: colchicine

It is used here to modulate chronic inflammation, notably via inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, which is now well documented in inflammatory, metabolic, and neurodegenerative conditions.

👉 But colchicine is not benign:

• it can impact pancreatic function

• it requires regular lipase monitoring

In my case:

• a moderate elevation in lipase led to an initial 75% dose reduction

• that reduction was accompanied by a rebound in inflammatory markers

• a subsequent adjustment to 50% of the dose was then implemented

This is exactly how any serious approach should work:

observe → measure → adjust → reassess

Formulation logic: absorption and digestive load

One often overlooked aspect: the form of supplements.

Whenever possible, I favor:

• powders

• liquid forms

• transdermal forms

Objectives:

• reduce digestive burden

• improve bioavailability

• avoid excessive capsule ingestion (currently ~80–100/day)

“What about your liver? Your kidneys?” — a biological answer, not an emotional one

This question comes up often — sometimes sarcastically — often from people sipping cocktails or enjoying processed foods.

My answer is simple:

👉 I measure.

• Liver function

• Kidney function

• Inflammatory markers

Everything is tracked and documented.

And most importantly:

I publish the results — unfiltered, no storytelling, no spin.

Supplement quality: a central issue

The scientific literature is clear:

👉 Supplement quality varies enormously.

That is why:

• I detail my choices on valbiohacker

• I am using as much as I can my own products though my line is very short on ZellNova.com (made in the USA, no fillers, clean).

  

  

Few products, but:

• verified manufacturing chains

• maximum traceability

• coherence with a serious biohacking approach

April protocol: intentionally restricted access

The detailed protocol (timing, dosages, combinations, prescription molecules) is placed behind a paywall.

Not out of elitism.

But to avoid:

• superficial reading

• misuse

• and, above all, dangerous misinterpretations

👉 Only those truly committed to understanding can access it.

In this protocol, you will not see the BioBloom NADH patches I use twice per week.
Nor will you see the SomaPeptides peptides I use under fairly complex protocols.
Follow the links to access the exclusive discounts I negotiated for you.

Those require a dedicated article.

If peptides interest you, head to the PEPTIDES section on valbiohacker.com

Why this protocol is heavily modified this month

The past six months were focused on mycotoxins (I eliminated all of them except one originating from tea, spices, alcohol, and coffee).

As a result, for April I reduced all binders (chelators) to zero except for charcoal which I am keeping in the morning.

I also aimed to eradicate salmonella without antibiotics, which I successfully achieved based on my latest test results.

Therefore, several supplements are no longer necessary (like oregano oil).

I have also removed all biofilm disruptors for now as I am embarking on a long 3-month trip and I cannot take every single supplement.

Here is my updated list:

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I keep repeating my subtitle because it’s IMPORTANT and ignored!

Here’s what nobody tells you first. GLP-1 — glucagon-like peptide-1 — is not a pharmaceutical discovery. It’s a hormone your body produces on its own, naturally, and has been doing so forever.

It’s secreted by the L-cells of your small intestine at every meal. It regulates your blood sugar, sends a satiety signal to your brain, and slows digestion to prevent glucose spikes.

It does exactly what Ozempic and Wegovy claim to do.

The difference? Your endogenous GLP-1 is degraded within minutes by an enzyme called DPP-4. The drugs have been chemically modified to resist that degradation — maintaining pharmacological levels far beyond what your biology naturally produces.

Chronic stress elevates cortisol and inhibits GLP-1 secretion. Excess sugar and ultra-processed foods deplete the microbiome that stimulates its production. Sleep deprivation disrupts the circadian rhythm of this hormone. Sedentary behavior reduces receptor sensitivity.

Modernity breaks the machine, and the pharmaceutical industry sells the spare part.

The global GLP-1 market was valued at $62.83 billion in 2025. It’s projected to reach $180 billion by 2035. Around 10 million Americans were on GLP-1s in 2025 — a number expected to hit 25 million by 2030. This is one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical markets in history.

This is not a moral judgment — it’s context that helps explain why emerging side effects aren’t making headlines the way they should.

In this article, we’ll do three things.

First, show you how to push your body to naturally rebuild its GLP-1 production — yes, it’s possible, and the science is solid.
Second, document the risks being hidden from you, some of them very serious and potentially irreversible.
Third, share pathways emerging from the literature to wean off GLP-1s — this is information from scientific literature, not medical advice: any decision to modify or stop a treatment must be made under medical supervision.

Let’s go.

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