The Longevity Evangelists: Who They Are and How Their Protocols Compare
Bryan Johnson, Dave Asprey, Peter Attia, Rhonda Patrick, and David Sinclair — their protocols compared side by side with practical takeaways.
Five people spending millions — or next to nothing — to live longer. Here's what they actually do, and what you can steal from each.
The Big Names in Longevity
The longevity space has exploded in the last few years. What was once fringe biohacking is now mainstream, driven by a handful of vocal evangelists who publicly share (and sometimes sell) their protocols. Some spend $2 million a year on their bodies. Others argue you can get 80% of the benefit for $50/month.
Let's break down the major players, what they actually do, and where the science backs them up.
1. Bryan Johnson — "Blueprint" 🔵
Who: Tech entrepreneur (sold Braintree/Venmo to PayPal for $800M). Launched Blueprint in 2021, dedicating his life to "not dying."
Philosophy: Remove human decision-making from health. Let data and algorithms dictate every aspect of diet, exercise, sleep, and supplementation. "Don't die" is the mantra.
The Protocol:
- Diet: Strictly vegan, ~1,977 calories/day. Meals are formulaic — "Super Veggie" (black lentils, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms), "Nutty Pudding" (nuts, berries, flaxseed, cocoa). Eats his last meal before 11 AM (extreme time-restricted eating).
- Sleep: In bed by 8:30 PM. Wears blue-light blockers after sunset. Tracks every metric. Aims for perfect sleep scores.
- Exercise: ~1 hour daily. Mix of strength training, HIIT, and flexibility work.
- Supplements: 100+ pills/day including rapamycin, metformin, NR (nicotinamide riboside), spermidine, ashwagandha, lithium, lycopene, and dozens more.
- Medical: Regular blood panels, MRIs, ultrasounds, DEXA scans, epigenetic age testing. Has done plasma exchange, gene therapy, and experimental procedures.
- Cost: ~$2 million/year (with a full-time medical team).
Biological age results: Claims to have reduced his epigenetic age by 5+ years, with the heart of a 37-year-old and the fitness of an 18-year-old (at age 47).
Criticism: Extreme, unsustainable for normal people, and some interventions lack strong evidence. The vegan diet is debated. The sheer number of supplements makes it hard to isolate what actually works.
2. Dave Asprey — "The Biohacking Godfather" ⚡
Who: Silicon Valley entrepreneur, author of The Bulletproof Diet and Super Human. Self-proclaimed "Father of Biohacking." Claims he will live to 180.
Philosophy: Use technology, supplements, and environmental optimization to hack biology. Emphasizes reducing inflammation and toxin exposure.
The Protocol:
- Diet: High-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb (evolved Bulletproof Diet). Famous for Bulletproof Coffee (coffee + MCT oil + grass-fed butter). Prioritizes grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish, organic vegetables. Avoids lectins, oxalates, and most grains.
- Sleep: Red light therapy before bed, sleep tracking, maintains cool bedroom, uses blackout curtains.
- Exercise: Minimal but intense — favors short, high-intensity sessions and vibration platforms (ARX, Vasper). Anti-chronic cardio.
- Supplements: NMN, NAD+ IV drips, glutathione, activated charcoal, collagen protein, prebiotics. Fewer pills than Johnson but heavier on IVs and therapies.
- Biohacking tech: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), ozone therapy, stem cell injections, neurofeedback (40 Years of Zen), red/infrared light therapy, cryotherapy.
- Cost: Variable — supplements ~$500-1,000/month. Advanced therapies can run tens of thousands per year.
Criticism: Some claims are ahead of the science. Heavy commercial interests (sells many of the products he recommends). The "live to 180" claim is seen as marketing.
3. Dr. Peter Attia — "Medicine 3.0" 🏥
Who: Physician, former surgical oncologist, host of The Drive podcast. Author of Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity (2023 bestseller).
Philosophy: "Medicine 3.0" — shift from treating disease to preventing it decades earlier. Focus on the "four horsemen" of chronic disease: heart disease, cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic dysfunction. Emphasizes evidence quality over biohacking hype.
The Protocol:
- Diet: No single dogma. Has practiced keto, now emphasizes adequate protein (1g per pound of lean body mass), controlled carbs based on metabolic health, and nutrient density. Uses continuous glucose monitors (CGM).
- Sleep: Considers it the most important pillar. 8 hours minimum. Tracks with devices. Treats sleep apnea aggressively.
- Exercise: The cornerstone. 4 pillars: stability, strength, aerobic efficiency (Zone 2), and peak aerobic output (VO2 max). Trains ~10 hours/week. Considers VO2 max the strongest predictor of longevity.
- Supplements: Conservative — focuses on vitamin D, omega-3 (EPA/DHA), magnesium, B vitamins. Has used rapamycin and metformin experimentally but with caveats.
- Medical: Aggressive early screening — coronary calcium scores, APOE genotyping, full lipid panels, cancer screening. Treats risk factors decades before disease manifests.
- Cost: Moderate to high — his practice costs ~$150K/year, but his public advice is achievable on any budget.
Criticism: Can be overly cautious for some (less "sexy" than biohacking). His concierge practice is expensive and inaccessible.
🔗 peterattiamd.com | 📖 Outlive (2023)
4. Dr. Rhonda Patrick — "The Science Translator" 🔬
Who: Biomedical scientist, PhD in biomedical science from University of Tennessee. Runs FoundMyFitness. Known for deep-diving into research papers and making them accessible.
Philosophy: Evidence-first. Emphasizes micronutrients, heat/cold stress (hormesis), and the molecular mechanisms behind lifestyle interventions. Less about protocols, more about understanding why things work.
The Protocol:
- Diet: Nutrient-dense, not dogmatic. Emphasizes sulforaphane (from broccoli sprouts), omega-3s, and micronutrient adequacy. Eats a wide variety of colorful vegetables. Uses time-restricted eating (roughly 10-hour window).
- Sleep: Emphasizes morning sunlight exposure for circadian rhythm, avoids blue light at night, and values sauna before bed.
- Exercise: Regular aerobic exercise + resistance training. Not as structured as Attia's programming but consistent.
- Supplements: Vitamin D (5,000 IU), omega-3 (fish oil), magnesium, sulforaphane extract, NMN, and vitamin K2. Moderate list, well-researched.
- Signature practices: Regular sauna use (4-7x/week, 20 min at 174°F+) — cites studies showing 40% reduced all-cause mortality. Cold exposure (cold showers, cold plunge).
- Cost: Low — her recommendations are the most accessible and affordable of the group.
Criticism: Sometimes goes deep into single studies before meta-analyses confirm findings. Can be information-dense for casual followers.
5. Dr. David Sinclair — "The Aging Researcher" 🧬
Who: Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research. Author of Lifespan: Why We Age — and Why We Don't Have To (2019).
Philosophy: Aging is a disease, and it can be treated. Focuses on the "Information Theory of Aging" — the idea that aging is caused by loss of epigenetic information, and this loss can potentially be reversed.
The Protocol (publicly shared):
- Diet: Practices intermittent fasting (skips breakfast, often one major meal/day). Emphasizes plant-rich diet, minimal sugar.
- Exercise: Regular walking, some high-intensity. Not the cornerstone of his approach.
- Supplements: NMN (1g/day — NAD+ precursor), resveratrol (1g/day with yogurt for fat absorption), metformin (prescription), vitamin D, vitamin K2, quercetin, spermidine, TMG (trimethylglycine).
- Key research: Epigenetic reprogramming using Yamanaka factors (OSK). His lab demonstrated age reversal in mouse optic nerve cells, restoring vision. Published landmark papers on NAD+ and sirtuins.
- Cost: Supplements ~$100-200/month.
Criticism: The resveratrol/NMN debate is ongoing — some researchers question the human evidence. His supplement company (Tru Niagen competitor) creates conflict of interest concerns. The epigenetic reprogramming work is still largely preclinical.
🔗 lifespanbook.com | Harvard Sinclair Lab
Protocol Comparison: At a Glance
| Area | Bryan Johnson | Dave Asprey | Peter Attia | Rhonda Patrick | David Sinclair |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diet | Strict vegan, calorie-controlled | High-fat, low-carb | High protein, flexible | Nutrient-dense, varied | IF, plant-rich |
| Exercise | 1hr daily | Minimal, intense | 10hrs/week (cornerstone) | Regular, moderate | Light |
| Sleep | Extreme optimization | Tech-assisted | #1 priority | Circadian-focused | Not emphasized |
| Key supplement | Rapamycin | NAD+ IVs | Vitamin D + omega-3 | Sulforaphane | NMN + resveratrol |
| Signature move | 100+ pills/day | Bulletproof Coffee | VO2 max training | Sauna (4-7x/week) | Epigenetic research |
| Evidence level | Mixed | Mixed | High | High | Mixed-High |
| Monthly cost | $150K+ | $500-5,000 | $50-500 | $50-200 | $100-200 |
| Accessibility | Very low | Medium | High (advice) | Very high | High |
What They All Agree On
Despite their differences, there's remarkable overlap in what all five consider non-negotiable:
- Sleep is foundational — every single one prioritizes it
- Exercise matters — especially strength training and some form of cardio
- Reduce inflammation — through diet, supplements, or both
- Minimize processed food and sugar — universal agreement
- Vitamin D — nearly all supplement it
- Omega-3 fatty acids — widely recommended
- Time-restricted eating — some form of fasting appears in all protocols
- Regular health monitoring — blood work, at minimum
What This Means For You
You don't need Bryan Johnson's budget. The 80/20 of longevity — the stuff that gives you most of the benefit — is surprisingly cheap and simple:
- Sleep 7-9 hours consistently
- Exercise — zone 2 cardio + strength training, 4-5x/week
- Eat whole foods, high protein, lots of vegetables, minimal sugar
- Basic supplements: Vitamin D, omega-3, magnesium, creatine
- Time-restricted eating (12-16 hour overnight fast)
- Get regular blood work — know your numbers
- Manage stress — chronic stress accelerates every aging pathway
The fancy stuff — rapamycin, NAD+ IVs, stem cells, plasma exchange — is the experimental 20% that may or may not pan out. Start with the basics. They're proven, they're free (or nearly), and they work.
Sources & Further Reading
- Bryan Johnson's Blueprint: blueprint.bryanjohnson.com
- Dave Asprey: daveasprey.com | Super Human (2019)
- Peter Attia: peterattiamd.com | Outlive (2023) | The Drive podcast
- Rhonda Patrick: foundmyfitness.com | FoundMyFitness podcast
- David Sinclair: lifespanbook.com | Lifespan (2019) | Harvard Sinclair Lab
- Longo, V. (2016). The Longevity Diet. Penguin Books.