Business Daily – "Biohacking: Where Fad Meets Finance?"

BBC World Service | Air date: February 11, 2026
Host: Michelle Fleury

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Michelle Fleury explores the soaring world of biohacking—an industry straddling the line between health fad and high finance. She dives deep into what’s fueling biohacking’s rise, the promises and perils of "optimizing" oneself, and whether the industry is built on science or hope. Featuring passionate practitioners, skeptics, and industry experts, the episode unpacks how biohacking is moving from fringe practice to multi-billion dollar mainstream movement—despite little scientific proof that it can actually extend life.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Defining Biohacking and Its Allure (01:18 – 02:12)

• Biohacking: Ordinary people attempt to "upgrade" their bodies and brains by manipulating sleep, diet, supplements, and gadgets aimed at slowing aging and boosting performance.
• The field is booming—worth an estimated $17 billion—with luxury brands and influencers heavily invested.
• High-end gyms, such as Equinox, are launching $40,000 longevity memberships.

2. Meet the Lollie Family: Biohacking Influencers (03:13 – 06:19)

• The Lollies: A family marketing themselves as the "Biohack Yourself Family," sharing their journey of medical setbacks leading to radical self-experimentation.
  • Anthony Lollie’s turnaround from morbid obesity.
  • Heavy focus on self-monitoring, supplements, gadgets, and routines—even for their children.
  • Their biohacking has become both a personal mission and a lucrative business: “They are the marketing arm of an industry that is rapidly moving from tech bro fringe to upper east side made mainstream.” (05:38, Fleury)
  • The industry is reframed as essential, much like the cell phone's evolution:

    “It’s a lot like when the cell phone was first invented … Now it’s a necessity.” – Anthony Lollie (06:08)

3. Inside a High-End Biohacking Facility (06:41 – 10:25)

• Michelle visits "Midtown Biohack," run by Chuck Morris, who was driven to biohacking after a health crisis.

• Experiencing Treatments:

  • Red Light Therapy:

    “It’s not a jolt, it’s more of a vitamin shot in your brain.” – Chuck Morris (07:25)

  • PEMF Pad (Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields):

    “Wherever you feel that pins and needle scratchy feeling, that means there’s a lot of inflammation in that area.” – Chuck Morris (08:06)

  • Electric Exercise: A quick, intense muscle contraction powered by electrical current produces results without exertion.
    Memorable moment:

    “That was a hundred crunches in ten seconds. And I was just lying here relaxing.” – Michelle Fleury (09:05)
    “That’s the biohack.” – Chuck Morris (09:05)

• The Business Model: Chuck pitches it as accessible luxury, aimed not just at athletes but "industrial athletes" (i.e., office workers).

  “If you think that biohacking requires you to be super wealthy or the top 1%, I want to crush that. The price point here is equal to three personal training sessions a week...you reallocate that same money and you get 10 times the scenario.” – Chuck Morris (09:38 - 10:25)

4. The Science vs. the Hype: Dr. Nir Barzilai on What’s Real (12:41 – 19:00)

• Dr. Nir Barzilai: Director of the Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
  • Warns that much of what’s marketed as biohacking is unverified, and even potentially risky.

    “They’re using maybe unconventional or unproven treatment that could be also dangerous.” – Dr. Barzilai (02:12, reprise at 14:38)

  • Distinguishes between medically sound biohacking (like lowering cholesterol) and extreme, unproven interventions.
  • Critiques the industry:

    “Most of the things that are marketed out there—we don’t know if they’re safe, and we don’t know if they’re safe in combination. That’s a problem.” – Dr. Barzilai (15:27)

  • Emphasizes lack of double-blind, controlled clinical trials:

    “If you don’t have that, it’s hope. It’s not even a promise.” (16:06)

5. Hope, Stats, and the 'Gold Rush' for Longevity (18:02 – 19:29)

• Personal “Data”: Teresa Lollie cites "longevity Olympics" rankings and advanced metrics for tracking biological aging.

  • “He (Brian Johnson) does have a higher chance of potentially hitting that 150.” – Teresa Lollie (18:33)

  • Yet, as Fleury notes, whether these numbers mean anything for real longevity is unknown:

    “We don’t actually know if Theresa’s score means she’ll live longer. We won’t know until the clock actually stops, but the markets aren’t waiting for the results.” (19:29)

• Industry Implications:
  • The biohacking market is rapidly expanding, selling hope and "the upgrade," despite a lack of time-tested proof.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:12 | Dr. Nir Barzilai | “Using maybe unconventional or unproven treatment that could be also dangerous.” | | 05:38 | Michelle Fleury | “They are the marketing arm of an industry that is rapidly moving from tech bro fringe to upper east side…” | | 06:08 | Anthony Lollie | “It’s a lot like when the cell phone was first invented…Now it’s a necessity.” | | 07:25 | Chuck Morris | “This is red light therapy for your brain…it’s more of a vitamin shot in your brain.” | | 09:05 | Michelle Fleury | “That was a hundred crunches in ten seconds. And I was just lying here relaxing.” | | 09:05 | Chuck Morris | “That’s the biohack.” | | 09:38 | Chuck Morris | “If you think that biohacking requires you to be super wealthy…I want to crush that.” | | 14:38 | Dr. Nir Barzilai | “So biohacking is not a curse word…what confuses us is those biohackers that are very intensive.” | | 15:27 | Dr. Nir Barzilai | “Most of the things that are marketed out there—we don’t know if they’re safe, and we don’t know if they’re safe in combination.” | | 16:06 | Dr. Nir Barzilai | “If you don’t have that, it’s hope. It’s not even a promise.” | | 18:33 | Teresa Lollie | “He does have a higher chance of potentially hitting that 150.” | | 19:29 | Michelle Fleury | “We are currently living through a biological gold rush…built on the one thing you can’t actually verify until it’s too late: How much time do you have left?” |

Key Segment Timestamps

• 01:18 – 03:13: Introduction to biohacking and industry overview
• 03:13 – 06:19: The Lollie family’s journey and influencer status
• 06:41 – 10:25: Visit to Midtown Biohack, treatments and the business pitch
• 12:41 – 17:12: In-depth discussion with Dr. Nir Barzilai on real science vs. hype, dangers and missing research
• 18:02 – 19:29: Teresa Lollie, longevity metrics, and the industry’s commercialization

Takeaways

• Biohacking is big business, with glamorous marketing, expensive memberships, and promises of longevity—but robust science is often lacking.
• Influencers like the Lollie family serve as cheerleaders and proof points for the “hope” biohacking sells.
• Experts caution against unproven interventions, emphasizing that hope does not equal evidence—and that safety is still an open question.
• The industry continues to expand rapidly, capitalizing on our universal desire for more time.

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