Biohacking Weekly 29: Risky Wellness Trends, the Biomarker of Aging and Micropoisons

This is Biohacking Weekly — a curated news roundup designed to help you increase your longevity and improve healthspan. Here’s what caught our attention this week.

Contents

1. How poor sleep can worsen PMS
2. Four wellness trends to avoid
3. The return of organ meats
4. A simple test that could predict if you'll live to 100
5. Gary Brecka warns of ‘micropoisons’ in common cooking oils

1. 🥱 Poor Sleep Quality Intensifies PMS Symptoms in Young Women

A recent study published in Scientific Reports has revealed a significant link between poor sleep quality and the severity of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms among young women.

The research, conducted in Iran's Qazvin province, involved 252 participants who completed assessments on their sleep quality and PMS symptoms. Findings indicated that nearly half of the participants experienced severe PMS symptoms, with poor sleep quality correlating strongly with heightened levels of anger, anxiety, sensitivity, depression, and fatigue.

Interestingly, the study noted that the number of sleeping hours did not significantly impact most menstrual symptoms, suggesting that sleep quality, rather than quantity, plays a more crucial role in PMS severity.

Read the full research on Nature.com

2. ⚠️ Four Popular Wellness Trends to Avoid

Some wellness trends, though widely promoted as beneficial, may have unintended consequences if taken to extremes. It's important to approach these practices with balance and awareness of individual needs.

• Intermittent Fasting Overload- While intermittent fasting can support metabolic health, excessive fasting may elevate cortisol levels, disrupt sleep, and contribute to hormonal imbalances or hair thinning. Fasting protocols should be tailored to personal factors such as stress levels, lifestyle, and physical activity.
• Extended Cold Plunge Sessions - Cold exposure is known for its anti-inflammatory effects, but spending too long in freezing temperatures can place undue stress on the body. Prolonged sessions may raise cortisol and offer limited weight loss benefits. Shorter durations and slightly warmer temperatures may be more appropriate, particularly for women.
• Unsupervised Psychedelic Use-Psychedelics are gaining attention for their potential mental health benefits, but recreational use without professional guidance can pose risks to brain health. Therapeutic use should ideally be conducted in a controlled environment under the supervision of trained professionals.
• Misleading 'Superfoods' -Certain foods marketed as "superfoods" may not always be beneficial. For example, improperly prepared quinoa can be difficult to digest, and some essential oils—like lavender—have been linked to hormonal disruptions in rare cases. It's important to research and understand how such foods interact with the body before regular use.

Read the full article on New York Post

3. 🔥 Organ Meats Are Making a Comeback—And for Good Reason

A recent review in the journal Nutrients shines a spotlight on a forgotten superfood: organ meats. Liver, heart, kidney, and spleen aren’t just old-school cuts—they’re packed with essential nutrients modern diets often lack. These nutrient-dense foods contain significantly more vitamin A, B12, iron, and zinc than typical muscle meat, making them ideal for anyone focused on energy, immunity, and optimal cellular function.

But here’s the catch: not everyone wants to cook or eat liver. That’s where convenient whole-food supplements like Primal Collective Multi Organ Capsules come in. This ancestral nutrition in capsule form helps you tap into the benefits of offal without the hassle, supporting vitality, endurance, and nutrient density.

Read the full research article on MDPI

4. 👊 How Your Hand Strength Predicts Longevity

A major study featured in BBC Future reveals that grip strength is not just about muscle power; it reflects the overall functioning of your nervous, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems. In fact, it’s so reliable that some scientists are calling it a “biomarker of aging.”

People with lower grip strength have been found to have a significantly higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and even early death. It also correlates with frailty, cognitive decline, and a faster biological aging process.

This is particularly eye-opening because grip strength is easy to test at home. A simple squeeze of a tennis ball or using a handheld dynamometer for 15–30 seconds gives a surprisingly accurate snapshot of your internal health.

Even more importantly, grip strength can be improved with resistance training—especially exercises like farmer's carries, pull-ups, or using grip-specific tools.

Read the full article on BBC

5. 🍳 Gary Brecka Raises Concern Over Common Cooking Fats

Gary Brecka, a wellness expert and biohacker, has recently voiced strong concerns about the health implications of seed oils. In a discussion on "The Joe Rogan Experience," he labeled seed oils as "micropoisons" and a "chemical nightmare," attributing these descriptors to the industrial processes used in their production.

Brecka highlighted that the extraction of oils from seeds like canola, corn, and soy often involves chemical solvents such as hexane and sodium hydroxide, which he claims are neurotoxic and carcinogenic.

He advocates for a shift toward more stable, minimally processed fats like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and grass-fed butter—options that are more in line with the body’s natural biochemistry.

Read the full article on the New York Post

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This Week’s Product Spotlight:

🔥 Bioptimizers Sleep Breakthrough - A non-melatonin formula designed to support deep, natural sleep and easier mornings. The capsules provide key cofactors that help your body produce melatonin naturally while also supporting other pathways linked to sleep onset and quality. Available in both capsule and powder form to suit your nightly routine.

🔥 Primal Collective Multi Organ Capsules - Grass Fed Multi Organ Meat Capsules offer a concentrated source of vitamin A, B12, iron, and CoQ10 from grass-fed liver, heart, kidney, and spleen. Backed by research, organ meats outperform muscle meat in nutrient density. Freeze-dried for purity, no cooking required.

🔥 Bioptimizers Mushroom Breakthrough - A functional mushroom and collagen blend featuring potent extracts of Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Cordyceps, and Reishi, and designed to promote neurogenesis, immune resilience, and sustained mental clarity. Convenient and easy to mix powder is available in three delicious flavours: Chocolicious and Salted Caramel.