What is Bio-hacking and is its rise in popularity a reflection of a broken healthcare system?
- Suzee Tylee
- Sep 19
- 4 min read
What is Bio-hacking?
Biohacking is a broad term that generally means making intentional changes to your biology and lifestyle in order to optimize health, performance, and longevity.
It spans from very simple everyday habits to more advanced and experimental practices. People sometimes call it “DIY biology” or “self-optimization.”
Here are the main types:
Lifestyle & Nutritional Biohacking – adjusting diet, exercise, sleep, fasting, hydration, and stress management.
Examples: intermittent fasting, ketogenic diet, cold showers, meditation.
Technological Biohacking – using wearables and devices to track and influence the body.
Examples: continuous glucose monitors, sleep trackers, red light therapy, neurofeedback.
Supplemental / Chemical Biohacking – using targeted supplements, herbs, nootropics (“smart drugs”), or peptides to boost energy, focus, mood, or resilience.
Biological / Genetic Biohacking – more experimental and sometimes controversial, involving gene editing (e.g., CRISPR), stem cell therapy, or DIY biology labs.
At its core, biohacking is about taking control of your own biology rather than leaving it on autopilot, often blending science with self-experimentation to feel better, live longer, or push human potential.
Health Optimisation Summit.
Last weekend I attended the HOS Health Optimisation Summit in London. This is Europe's biggest and most pioneering Bio-hacking conference/ exhibition. The summit is organised and headed up by Tim Gray AKA as Tim Biohacker https://timbiohacker.co/
Speakers included Davinia Taylor founder of Willpowders - https://www.willpowders.com/
Barbara O'Neill, Dr Rangan Chaterjee
The Ultimate Human AKA as Gary Brecka
The summit was on for 2 days and i must confess after day 1 I was feeling rather cynical. A full day of watching people wired up to intrevenous drips, inserting themselves into various gas tanks and adorning redlight therapy masks , left me thinking that while bio-hacking might be the next big thing- there was something seriously amiss.
I couldnt help thinking about the people adorned with "health tracking wearables" and how something designed to offer freedom, health and wealth may ultimately be incarcerating some people. There were wearables that went around necks to clean the air breathed in through the nose. There were constant glucose monitors ( i am a fan of these for the record). There were machines sending vibrations throughout the body, machines to wear on your waist to attract parasites and machines that track heart rate variabilty and sleep.
Somehow I wondered whether the wearables whilst intended to connect people to their bodies, were somehow disconnecting them to their true nature and instrinsic knowing. I dont know about you but i certianly dont need a machine to tell me if I havent had enough sleep!.
Day 2 started with an incredible breathwork session provided by JJ Ruescas
https://jjruescas.com/ . Then onto a lecture by James Swanick whos tag line about the rise of sobriety has stayed with with me- "Big alcohol is terrified" - he stated at the falling sales of booze in the USA.
Other things I tried on day 2 included breathing pure hydrogen whilst drinking hydrogen water, buying blue light blocking glasses to help re-set biorhythms as well as stocking up on medicinal mushrooms. I also had a delightful encouter with Divinia Taylor whilst purchasing sachets of electrolytes.
Conclusion
As I sat reflecting on the way home to the sunny north, I realized my opinion on bio-hacking had shifted a little.
I think there are potentially high dangers of become obsessed with the concept- take a look at Bryan Johnson for example who spends 8 hours a day "optimising his health" https://www.instagram.com/bryanjohnson_/?hl=en
I also think that as far as "hacking your biology" goes- you cant beat a hug, free, imaginative play with a child or standing naked in a cold waterfall. All things I do regularly to optimise my wellness. I also feel that doing bio-hacking activites would be enhanced if it was done in community or with family rather than being somewhat isolationist.
But after attending the panel about the serious trouble that the British Healthcare system is in with https://draseemmalhotra.co.uk/- I now conclude that biohacking certainly has a place. Not only for the treatment of disease ( i recommend many modalities such as infra red saunas and hyperbaric oxygen therapy for those on a cancering journey) but for the prevention of disease. This is pertinent in a world where current stats suggest 1 in 2 of us will have to navigate cancer at some point in our lives. There is also a huge amount of long term issues from the covid vaccine rollout that bio-hacking might just mitigate. Couple this with the huge gap in health care provision in the UK with long waiting lists, failures in diagnosis and an over prescribing of harmful pharmaceuticals rather than an emphasis on diet and lifestyle. Perhaps this is why bio-hacking popularity is rising. Are the general public taking their health into their own hands? Surely this is a positive?
My only reservation is that yet again there is a financial divide and sadly some aspects of bio-hacking simply wont be accessible for many groups of society who need it the most. Thus perpetuating the economic and health gap we face in the UK.
If you are navigating a cancer or metabolic health journey and are keen to work 1 to 1 with me please book your free connection call now.
Very interesting information indeed! I personally would love to try some of these biohacking therapies, but like you say alas the monetary aspect may slow me down somewhat. James Swanick sounds fascinating. Of course breathwork is a free comodity, and a good old hug like you say. I'll definitely look into some of the practices though in more depth. Thanks for sharing this experience and information.