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 has completed a Stanford Genetics Longevity Research certificate, a Stanford Medicine Nutrition Science certificate program and is currently enrolled in the Stanford Medicine GLP-1s & weight loss certification 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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“Your skin looks amazing, what did you do?”
I’ve heard it several times over the past few weeks. And it’s true: I just looked at videos and photos of myself from last year, and the difference is striking!
I already published a more general article a few weeks ago… this time, we’re zooming in on complexion and skin texture.

🔒 The rest is for paid subscribers. No sponsors, no ads: your subscription is what lets me read the studies, test on myself, and tell you the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Thank you for supporting this work 🙏

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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 has completed a Stanford Genetics Longevity Research certificate, a Stanford Medicine Nutrition Science certificate program and is currently enrolled in the Stanford Medicine GLP-1s & weight loss certification 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).

You measure your HRV every morning. You know your fasting glucose, your deep sleep minutes, maybe even your biological age. But the factor that 85 years of Harvard research ranks above cholesterol in predicting how well you’ll age doesn’t show up on any wearable. It builds silently, year after year, and only reveals itself decades later. The good news: you can start moving it in the right direction today.

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🔒 This deep dive is reserved for subscribers. Unlock the full article and you’ll get:

• The complete breakdown of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and the 148-study analysis linking social ties to a 50% greater likelihood of survival

• The biology behind it: how connection and isolation affect cortisol, inflammation, gene expression, sleep, and blood pressure

• The surprising link between your relationships and the vagal tone you already track

• An exclusive quiz to assess your own “connection score” and see where you stand

• A practical protocol to strengthen the longevity factor no app can measure

👉 Subscribe now to keep reading.

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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 has completed a Stanford Genetics Longevity Research certificate, a Stanford Medicine Nutrition Science certificate program and is currently enrolled in the Stanford Medicine GLP-1s & weight loss certification 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).

I love the Amish. I mean that sincerely, not as a quirky aside. I visit friends in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania every single year, and a few years back I even went on Fox TV as an “Amish expert” to talk about their culture. (Yes, I was wearing a wig for that interview. Don’t ask, it’s a long story involving a some genetic issues that led to me losing my hair. Photos below, judge me gently.)

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Now here’s why I’m writing about them today, and it has nothing to do with quilts or buggies.

Amish communities are small and tightly closed, most descend from a tiny handful of 18th-century founding families, outsiders essentially never join, and everyone marries within that same small circle, generation after generation.

This is exactly why Amish communities have some of the highest documented rates in the world of certain rare, and often devastating, inherited conditions: Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, maple syrup urine disease, glutaric aciduria, a lethal form of microcephaly, and elevated cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy in some groups. It’s a well-documented pattern, serious enough that specialized clinics for Amish genetic health exist in places like Lancaster County and Ohio.

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So when the founder effect hands you something protective instead of something devastating, that’s rare enough to stop and pay real attention to. This is the story of exactly that.

A family, a bleeding disorder, and a mystery that took decades to pay off

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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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Want to move again? Ready to shake off the sedentary stretch? Good for you. But watch out for the mistakes that send you right back to square one.

You stopped moving. Not out of laziness:

• a professional burnout that took over everything

• perimenopause or menopause that upended your sleep, energy, and motivation

• an illness

• a schedule so packed that exercise ended up at the very bottom of the list

This happens to hyper-capable, hyper-busy women who managed everything, except that one slot for themselves.

And then one day, you decide to start again.

You climb a flight of stairs and your legs protest.
You lose your balance putting your pants on standing up.
You can’t touch your toes anymore.

This is exactly the moment most women get it wrong.

Why your body doesn’t respond the way it used to

During perimenopause and menopause, the drop in estrogen accelerates bone loss: studies on the menopause transition show bone density decline speeding up sharply in the years around the final period, not gradually or in a straight line.

That same hormonal shift weakens muscle mass and changes how you recover from effort.

The good news: a recent clinical trial (STOP-EM, conducted in peri- and early post-menopausal women) shows that properly dosed strength and impact training protects both bone and muscle through this window.

Add months or years of inactivity on top of that, and balance (proprioception, your ability to sense where your body is in space) is the first thing to decline, often before you even notice it.

The result: you restart at the exact moment your body is least equipped to absorb a shock.

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The 3 mistakes that sabotage the comeback

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1. Too fast. You pick back up at your old pace, as if the months off changed nothing. Except your tendons, ligaments, and nervous system can’t keep up with that tempo anymore. This is the classic recipe for the sprain, the strain, or the tendinitis that benches you again three weeks later, usually more discouraged than when you started.

2. Too heavy. You come back with the loads or distances you used to handle. A deconditioned muscle hit with a pre-break load doesn’t “catch up” to its old level, it gets injured. In extreme cases, an intense, unaccustomed effort after a long break can trigger rhabdomyolysis (acute muscle breakdown): rare, but documented in people who jump back into intense exercise with no transition.

3. Too intense. You go straight into HIIT or a full-throttle group class, because “no time, might as well make it count.” Except during a hormonal transition, your recovery capacity is already stretched thin. Stacking a maximal training stress on top of that adds up as fatigue instead of building anything. The result: soreness that lasts a week, total burnout, and a reset back to zero.

The common thread in all three: they start from a good intention (”I want to get back to my old level fast”) and produce the opposite effect.

The right method: think in stages

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I’ve climbed more than 45 high-altitude summits and done polar expeditions. In the mountains, you never gain altitude all at once: you climb in stages, let your body acclimate, and that’s precisely what lets you go further, faster, safely, afterward. Getting back into exercise follows the exact same logic.

In practice:

→ Start with mobility and balance before strength or cardio: these are the first capacities you lose, so they should be the first you rebuild.

→ Increase volume or intensity gradually, never both at once.

→ Aim for consistency (2 to 3 short sessions a week) rather than intensity in a single session: the body responds to regularity, not to heroics.

→ Soreness that clears in 48 hours is normal. Soreness that stops you from moving for a week is a sign you went too far, not proof that it worked.

How to actually ease back into a fitter life

You don’t need a comeback plan that looks impressive on day one, you need one that’s still running in six months. That means giving your body a real on-ramp instead of a cliff edge.

Start with two weeks of mobility and balance work alone, nothing else: ankle circles, single-leg stands while you brush your teeth, hip openers, a few minutes of stretching before bed. It looks too easy. That’s the point, you’re rebuilding the sensors before you rebuild the engine.

From there, add short strength sessions, bodyweight first (squats, wall push-ups, glute bridges), twice a week, with a full day of recovery in between. Only once that feels genuinely easy, not “I can push through it” easy, do you add load, distance, or intensity, and even then, change only one variable at a time.

Track how you recover, not just how you perform: if you’re bouncing back within a day or two, you’re in the right zone. If you’re wiped out for a week, you jumped a stage. There’s no prize for getting there fastest. The only version of this that works is the one you’re still doing a year from now.

If you recognized your own situation in this article, that’s probably where to start.

And remember….you can do it!

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Valerie 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

🎙 HealthSpan Summit — Los Angeles (2–4 oct. 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium — El Salvador (8–9 nov. 2026)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — Miami (Jan. 2027)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — San Francisco (13-14 Mar 2027)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — Chicago (8-9 May 2027)
🎙 Corsica Longevity Week — Corsica (12-19 June 2027)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — Los Angeles (10-11 Jul 2027)
🎙 Biohackers World Conference — New York (18-19 Sept 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).

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Warning: It took me 2 weeks to finalize this article. It’s a bit technical….so I had to get all the pieces in place :) Hope you enjoy the analysis!

Every few months, a genuinely good longevity paper gets swallowed by a bad headline. This time it’s a molecule called IU1, and the claim making the rounds is that it “could extend the human lifespan to 250 years.”

As a biohacker and longevity expert I could not not investigate. And what I learned is mind blowing.

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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 holds a certificate from the Stanford Genetics Longevity Research Lab, 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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Imagine a head separated from its body.

It has no heart. No kidneys. No reproductive organs. Almost no digestive system.

And yet, it keeps moving forward.

A few hours later, it even starts eating again. Then a wound closes. A heart reappears. A new body gradually forms beneath the head. Three weeks later, the animal is whole again.

No, this isn’t science fiction. It’s the astonishing power of a small sea slug called Elysia cf. marginata.

In 2021, Japanese researchers described this phenomenon of “extreme autotomy” in Current Biology: some young individuals voluntarily shed almost their entire body, then regenerate a new one. The decapitated body can still move for a while, but it never regrows a head and eventually dies. The head, however, survives and rebuilds everything it’s missing.

Evolution has been running experiments for hundreds of millions of years. It has created animals capable of regenerating a limb, repairing their heart without scarring, resisting radiation, continuously renewing their stem cells, or living two centuries while keeping cancer at bay.

We obviously won’t become sea slugs, hydras, or whales. But we can study their mechanisms, identify the molecules and biological pathways that make them extraordinary, and then try to reproduce them in humans.

And this transfer is no longer just theoretical. In several cases, it has already begun.

In several cases, it has already begun — and the results are fascinating!!!

A little further down in this article, I share a still-overlooked peptide that reproduces one of the longevity mechanisms of one of these animals (and yes, I inject it myself, of course!).

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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).

Faire warning: This is a very long article with tons of resources. Hope you will like it!

I get this question more than any other, and it almost always arrives in the same shape: what’s the one thing?

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There isn’t one. But there is a hierarchy, and almost nobody publishes it honestly — because the things at the top are unglamorous and cheap, and the things people want to sell you sit in the middle.

Here is the real ranking, built from twenty years of reading the literature and testing on myself. I’ll tell you what has human randomized trials behind it, what has plausible mechanism and no human data, and what is being sold to you on the strength of a mouse study and good graphic design.

I’m also going to tell you about a $10 serum.

It contains one of the best-documented collagen-stimulating compounds in cosmetic science, at a concentration most brands don’t bother with. The prestige labels sell you the same active for ten times the price, in nicer packaging, with a longer story attached.

This one is better. I’ll name it below.

(I ordered ten bottles before publishing this. I’d rather look paranoid than watch it sell out :)

Fair warning: The single biggest lever in this article is

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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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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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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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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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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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✅ SUCCESS

1. At-Home Sedimentation Rate (SR) Measuring — Cor Health

What it does:

This tool allows at-home measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), a well-established marker of systemic inflammation.

Why it matters long-term:

Inflammation is not something you “feel” until it’s too late. Being able to track trends over time—without waiting for lab appointments—adds real power to prevention. This helped me correlate lifestyle, travel, mold exposure, training load, and recovery with inflammation spikes.

I have been testing myself super regularly, but also my family and friends :)

Who it’s for:

People serious about longevity, chronic inflammation, autoimmune terrain, or environmental exposure tracking.

Who it’s not for:

Anyone looking for instant gratification instead of trend analysis.

Get yours with a super discount here : Val’s Faves with Discount Codes

2. Daily HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) — Oxy Health Vitaeris

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What it does:

HBOT increases oxygen availability under pressure, enhancing tissue oxygenation, mitochondrial efficiency, angiogenesis, and cellular repair.

Why it earned its place:

Used consistently, HBOT improved recovery from intense training, long-haul flights, sleep deprivation, and heavy cognitive load. Oxygen is not a “hack”—it’s a fundamental biological lever, and HBOT amplifies it safely when used correctly.

Who it’s for:

Athletes, frequent travelers, people optimizing recovery, brain health, or inflammation.

Who it’s not for:

Those expecting overnight miracles without consistency.

Get yours with a super discount here : Val’s Faves with Discount Codes

3. CAROL Bike

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What it does:

Uses AI-driven resistance to deliver extremely short, maximal-effort sprints designed to stimulate VO₂ max and cardiovascular adaptation.

Why I kept it (despite skepticism):

As someone with decades of endurance training, accepting that 5 minutes could rival 45 was… uncomfortable. But VO₂ max is one of the strongest predictors of longevity, and this delivered a potent stimulus with minimal joint stress and time commitment.

Who it’s for:

Busy high performers, aging athletes, anyone focused on cardiovascular longevity.

Who it’s not for:

People who hate intensity or don’t respect recovery.

Get yours with a super discount here : Val’s Faves with Discount Codes

4. Oura Ring

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What it does:

Tracks sleep stages, readiness, body temperature trends, HRV, and recovery using overnight biometric data.

Why it changed my habits:

I didn’t need more data—I needed better sleep decisions. Oura helped me connect light exposure, dinner timing, stress, travel, and supplements with real sleep outcomes. That alone justified its place.

Who it’s for:

Anyone serious about sleep, recovery, and circadian health.

Who it’s not for:

People who obsess over scores without changing behavior.

Get yours with a super discount here : Val’s Faves with Discount Codes

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5. Hydrogen Therapy — Axiom H2 (Water + Inhalation)

What it does:

Delivers molecular hydrogen, a selective antioxidant that reduces harmful oxidative stress without blocking beneficial signaling pathways.

Why quality mattered:

Low-end hydrogen bottles don’t deliver therapeutic concentrations. Professional-grade systems changed everything. Hydrogen supported recovery, inflammation control, mitochondrial efficiency, and travel resilience—especially via inhalation.

Who it’s for:

Those dealing with oxidative stress, inflammation, heavy training, or frequent travel.

Who it’s not for:

Anyone tempted by cheap gadgets instead of verified output.

Get yours with a super discount here : Val’s Faves with Discount Codes

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6. NADH / NAD⁺ Support — BioBloom US (Patches & Injectables)

What it does:

Supports cellular energy, mitochondrial function, and DNA repair by replenishing NAD⁺ levels, which decline with age.

Why delivery method mattered:

After years with NR and NMN, transdermal patches—and injectables when appropriate—provided faster, more noticeable effects by bypassing digestion. Energy, resilience, and cognitive clarity improved measurably.

Who it’s for:

Advanced biohackers focused on aging biology and cellular energy.

Who it’s not for:

Beginners skipping foundations like sleep, nutrition, and stress control.

Get yours with a super discount here : Val’s Faves with Discount Codes

❌ FAILS

7. WHOOP

What it does:

Tracks strain, recovery, and sleep via a subscription-based wearable.

Why it failed in real life:

Unreliable without signal, non-transferable annual membership, and overly generous sleep scoring made it incompatible with serious measurement—especially during travel and field testing. Did not work while I was in the middle of Tanzania, without a signal for 3 weeks. Stop synchronizing all data after 3 days.
Also, as a woman who likes to change my style, having the same bracelet over and over does not fit my life: Red Carpet event? Cannot wear. Going out to a meeting wearing a sleeveless dress? Looks “weird” and “mismatched”, etc….

I tried to give it to my dad after a 3-mont test. I learned that my prepaid year membership was NOT transferable. This qualifies as a scam in my books.

Lesson:

If data can’t be trusted everywhere, it can’t be trusted anywhere.

8. CGM (Stelo / Dexcom)

What it does:

Estimates interstitial glucose levels continuously to infer blood sugar trends.

Why it failed for me:

Repeated discrepancies versus finger-prick testing created misleading narratives. Data noise without context is worse than no data at all.

Ex : reading on Stelo: 183, reading on the finger-prick device, 139.
Fasted glucose with a regular blood test: 76. Every morning for 15 days with the Stelo? 110 ! That’s pre-diabetic!

Lesson:

Measurement precision matters more than measurement frequency.

🧭 My 2026 Biohacking Roadmap

2026 is not about adding more tools—it’s about refining signal, reducing noise, and going deeper.

🔬 What I will continue

• Daily HBOT

• Hydrogen therapy (inhalation + water)

• NAD⁺ optimization with NADH (targeted, not constant)

• Sleep optimization with Oura

• Inflammation tracking via SR

🧪 What I will test next

• Libre 3 CGM (to reassess CGM accuracy)

• Deeper mitochondrial function markers

• Expanded brain resilience & neuroinflammation tools

• More precise VO₂ max and cardiovascular aging metrics

• Expand on my peptide usage

• Try more of the HOCATT

• Increase my usage of N1o1 nitric oxide and monitor specific markers

❌ What I will avoid

• Trend-driven wearables without validation

• Tools that increase anxiety instead of insight

• Subscription models that lock users without flexibility

🧠 Final Word

Biohacking is not about gadgets.

It’s about biology, consistency, and humility in front of data.

Some tools earn their place.

Others don’t.

👉 You’ll find my validated favorites and exclusive promo codes on ValerieOrsoni.com.

The long game always wins. 🧬

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Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 | Longevity Expert

Instagram : @valerieorsoni

My fave brands + super promo codes here ==> ValerieOrsoni.com

🎙 Longevity Leadership Conference – Verizon Innovation Lab, Los Angeles - Mar 18–19, 2026)
🎤 Biohackers World Conference & Expo, Los Angeles (Mars 28-29, 2026)
🎙 HealthSpan Summit, Los Angeles (Oct 2–4, 2026)
🎙 Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium (El Salvador, Nov 8–9, 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.

Be warned: This is a very long article with a ton of information. Enjoy your reading!

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Picture this: You’re standing in your living room, using a device the size of a glucose meter. Ten minutes later, you have a precise measurement of systemic inflammation coursing through your body—the same test that, until recently, required a lab appointment, a phlebotomy needle, and 48 hours of waiting.

In July 2025, that test showed my inflammation at 24 mm/hr—not dangerous, but silently accelerating my biological aging. Four months later? 4 mm/hr. Ultra-optimal. My body is now aging at 72% of the normal rate.

Because unlike most inflammatory markers that give you a vague sense of “inflammation,” ESR provides precise, actionable, trackable data that correlates directly with longevity.

Let me show you why this matters, what affects it, and exactly how I hacked mine.

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As I mentioned in the intro, they’re said to repair skin, stimulate collagen production, erase wrinkles, and even “rejuvenate cellular youth.”

In the biohacking world, exosome injections are a thing — yes, really.
So why not cross over from injections to beauty creams? Many actives can work both through injection and transdermal application… so why not exosomes?
I dug into the subject for you.

So… do they work or not?

Read more

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For the first time ever, scientists have shown that we can actually increase the brain’s production of acetylcholine — the neurotransmitter of attention, learning, and plasticity — through targeted brain training.

And the result? Participants’ brains produced as much acetylcholine as those of people 10 years younger. That speaks directly to my biohacker’s mind (well, brain).

Because yes — for a biohacker, this is groundbreaking.
Let’s dive in and find out how we can replicate this study in the comfort of our home!

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But what if I told you that you can improve it by 12% in just a few weeks, without spending hours sweating on a bike (like, 3 x 5 min per week!).

That’s exactly what I’m going to test.

🚲 My Starting Point

I just received my CAROL Bike, a workout bike unlike any other.
It’s the first one to offer REHIT (Reduced Exertion HIIT) at home — a method that, until now, was only available in laboratories.

At the moment, my VO₂max is 41, which is already excellent for my age (55).
But my goal is clear: reach 46–47 ml/kg/min, about a 12% increase — exactly what the CAROL Bike’s REHIT protocol promises.

💡 Why VO₂max Matters

VO₂max (maximal oxygen consumption) measures how much oxygen your body can use during intense effort.

The higher your VO₂max, the more efficient your cardiovascular and respiratory systems are.

It naturally declines by about 10% per decade after age 30.

Research shows that a 10% increase in VO₂max can reduce mortality and morbidity risk by 15%.

And according to scientific data cited by CAROL Bike, the REHIT protocol can increase VO₂max by 12% in 8 weeks— the equivalent of reversing 10 years of cardiovascular aging!

🧮 What’s a “Good” VO₂max by Age and Gender?

The following values come from the Cooper Clinic (Dallas) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) — the most widely used references in research and fitness testing.

💡 Quick guide:
🟢 Average — general population, no specific training.
🔵 Good to excellent — active lifestyle, healthy heart.
🟣 Athletic — endurance athlete, disciplined biohacker… or, well, your favorite coach 😄

➡️ For a 55-year-old woman, a VO₂max of 27–30 is average, 34–38 is excellent, and >39 is outstanding.
So with 41 ml/kg/min, I’m already in the athletic category for my age group — proof that consistency and effort pay off 🎯

🔬 What Is REHIT?

REHIT (Reduced Exertion High-Intensity Training) is an optimized form of HIIT:

• Two 20-second all-out sprints

• Separated by recovery phases

• The whole session lasts under 5 minutes, done 2–3 times per week

👉 This protocol triggers a powerful metabolic response — activating mitochondria, boosting EPOC (post-exercise oxygen consumption), and improving cardiovascular capacity faster than traditional cardio.

The secret behind the CAROL Bike is its AI system and instant resistance adjustment.
It adapts the load within milliseconds to push you to your maximum effort threshold — safely, without overtraining.

Traditional bikes just can’t respond that fast — which is why true REHIT is hard to replicate elsewhere.

For everyone who tells me they can “do REHIT” on their Peloton or another bike — you can mimic it, yes, but not achieve the same precision or results.

📈 My 8-Week Protocol

I’ll be sharing my progress each week:
my metrics, my sensations, and the adjustments I make to stay in the optimal progress zone without overdoing it.

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🧠 What the Science Says

A study on the CAROL Bike shows an average 12% increase in VO₂max in just 8 weeks.

Post-exercise metabolism (EPOC) remains elevated much longer than after a regular cardio session.

Independent user reports also confirm similar gains (+12% in about 10 weeks).

And most impressively — it takes 90% less time than traditional cardio!

I’ll admit — I was skeptical at first.
But after reviewing several credible studies and feedback from sports medicine doctors, I thought: only fools never change their minds.

So I reached out to CAROL to test their bike transparently and document my results.

This two-month experiment was inspired by their “Most Innovative Exercise Bike 2022” award — and I’m ready to see if it lives up to the hype.

⚙️ Why Other Bikes Can’t (Yet) Do This

• Instant resistance: most bikes can’t adjust load within milliseconds.

• Adaptive AI: CAROL continuously analyzes your power and adjusts each sprint.

• Integrated safety: the system manages intensity peaks without pushing beyond your limits.

🌿 In Conclusion

I’m starting this 8-week experiment to boost my VO₂max by 12%, with a clear goal — going from 41 to 46–47.

If the promise holds true, it will prove that we really can rejuvenate our cardiovascular system… in just 5 minutes, 3 times per week.

I’ll be sharing my results weekly — VO₂max curve, recovery, sleep, heart rate, and of course, my full biohacker experience 💪

💬 And if you want me to show you how to measure your VO₂max at home, let me know in the comments 👇

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Valérie Orsoni
Biohacker since 1998 • Longevity Expert
👉 @valerieorsoni on Instagram
👉 LiliWarrior.com — 100% recycled, non-toxic activewear (hurry, and grab what you like, we will soon close our US-based operations, keeping Europe and Asia, because of the tariffs that do not allow us to be profitable anymore).

🎙 Speaking engagements:

• Biohackers World Conference, Miami — Nov 1–2, 2025

• Reclaiming Health & Longevity Symposium, El Salvador — Nov 11–12, 2025

• Longevity Leadership Conference, Los Angeles — Mar 18–19, 2026

• Sommet de l’Hypersanté, Paris — Mar 21–22, 2026

• HealthSpan Summit, Los Angeles — Oct 2–4, 2026

🧬 When it comes to longevity and youthfulness, biohackers tend to focus on cold plunges, peptides, mitochondrial optimization, and NAD+ boosters.

But one surprising (and often overlooked) accelerator of aging?

Cheating on your partner.

In this article, we explore how betrayal behavior contributes to premature aging at the hormonal, neurological, mitochondrial, and even genetic levels.

As always, we ground this in science, not speculation.

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You might be thinking: “I’m not a biohacker.”
And yet… if you’ve ever taken a step back during a stressful situation, if you’ve chosen health, adaptation, resilience — then just like Molière’s Monsieur Jourdain spoke prose without knowing it, you’re already doing biohacking without even realizing it 😉

🔥 The core principle? Reducing inflammation. Always.

The ultimate goal of a biohacker is to reduce systemic inflammation as much as possible — because it’s the root of nearly every chronic illness, from accelerated aging to immune dysfunction.

And guess what?
➡️ Acute stress, especially emotional, is the #1 source of inflammation.
So: staying calm, no matter what happens, is a powerful cellular hack.

🚨 The Incident

While I was giving a talk at the SUPYoga Festival in Marseille — on the topic “Running as Therapy? Endorphins, Dopamine & Biohacking” — just a few hundred meters away, my father’s car was broken into.
He had come to join me for the event.

In broad daylight. In a busy, touristy area.
The car was locked, nothing visible… and yet: the back window was smashed, the trunk forced open, and his suitcase was stolen.

💼 What was in that suitcase?

• All his clothes for our upcoming biohacking retreat in Tunisia

• His biohacking devices (Apollo Neuro, HeartMath, Oura Ring, etc.)

• And most of all… the STEMREGEN I had been waiting impatiently to test and document!
  On top of that, our original plan was to leave the car at the airport with my non-essential bags safely hidden in the trunk…

🤯 A few possible reactions…

🧟‍♀️ Drama Queen Mode:

"This is a disaster. The trip is ruined. I’m losing it!"

😩 Victim Mode:

"Why us? It’s always us. Only our car was hit!"

🧠 Biohacker Mode:

"Okay, this isn’t fun. But what’s the upside? What can I let go of? How do I avoid that cortisol spike I really don’t need?"

✨ What I chose to see:

• My dad wasn’t hurt — the most important thing

• His credit card, which he had left in the car, was not taken

• His breathing device, inside a small bag in the trunk, was also untouched

• Our flight, originally scheduled for 9 a.m., was delayed to 5 p.m. → leaving us time to buy what we needed

• A dear friend, Caroline (co-organizer of the festival and of CoWellness), kindly offered to store my car and excess bags for the week — women supporting women in action 💪

🎯 Being a biohacker doesn’t mean being happy bad things happen.

It means choosing to put things in perspective.
It means refusing to feed stress that serves no purpose other than to inflame your body and cloud your mind.

It also means reconnecting to what really matters:

If my only “drama” is a stolen suitcase while others are facing war, persecution, or survival... do I really have the right to spiral?
My answer is no.

Plus — we have the means to buy another swimsuit, a pair of linen shorts, some fins, and continue our journey.
Human connection > stolen things.

💞 My Evening Meditation: The 5 Circles of Love

To close this chaotic day, I meditated with a ritual I often use:

1. ❤️ I send love to my inner circle — my son, my partner, my parents

2. 💕 To my closest friends

3. 🤝 To people I regularly interact with (neighbors, shop owners, online friends…)

4. 💫 To those I barely know but who need support

5. 💔 And finally, to those who have hurt me — the most difficult, but also the most healing

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🧬 In moments of acute stress, my go-to biohacks:

To help the body return to balance:

• ✅ Liposomal Vitamin C (LiveOn): powerful antioxidant and cortisol buffer
  → "Effects of ascorbic acid on cortisol response to physical stress," Brody et al., Psychopharmacology, 2002 – PMID: 12373496

  

• ✅ Hydrogen-rich water with my MitoRedLight bottle → reduces oxidative stress
  → Ohsawa et al., Nat Med, 2007 – PMID: 17486089

  

• ✅ HeartMath coherence breathing (use code ORSONI for 25% off)

• ✅ Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana)

• ✅ Warm foot bath + Epsom salt

• ✅ Nature walks + 10 minutes of sunlight without sunscreen

• ✅ And of course… writing, gratitude, and sharing

🌍 And now?

I’m publishing this article.
Letting the thoughts settle.
And heading off with my dad for a week of biohacking in Tunisia, light-hearted and full of perspective.

(I am wearing my Apollo Neuro, my Oura Ring, my LiliWarrior 100% recycled sunglasses, and you can see my MitoRedLight hydrogenated water bottle).

A few thieves won’t ruin our father-daughter time.

Oh, and I almost forgot…
The day before the break-in, I received absolutely incredible news…

🎤 I’ve officially been invited to speak at RAADfest!

The RAADfest is the longevity and biohacking event of the year.
👉 No speaker can pay to be on stage.
👉 You must be invited, recognized for your expertise and contribution.
It’s basically the Holy Grail of biohackers — and I’ll be there 🙌✨
(And yes, the invitation message was amazing…)

Forza! 💪
Now tell me — what was your last biohacker response to a stressful moment?

Valérie Orsoni
Founder – ValBiohacker.com | Longevity Explorer | Biohacker since 1998
Follow me on Instagram @valerieorsoni