r/technology • u/AdSpecialist6598 • Jul 08 '26

Society Bryan Johnson, the millionaire biohacker who wants to live forever, diagnosed with incurable autoimmune disease

https://www.techspot.com/news/113035-bryan-johnson-millionaire-biohacker-who-wants-live-forever.html
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u/Uncool444 Jul 08 '26

My teacher told us that the number one risk factor for developing an autoimmune disease is having an autoimmune disease. Once you develop one, your odds are developing another are wayyyyyyy higher than the general population. Some people are just prone to them I guess. Sounds like he's one of those.

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u/fondledbydolphins Jul 08 '26

Supposedly a good chunk of the human population has a significantly increased risk of developing autoimmune disorders and this has (supposedly, someone check me) been tied directly to a mutation that helped these peoples' ancestors survive the bubonic plague.

You survived the plague, but your bloodline will have overactive/trigger-happy immune systems.

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u/pomybara Jul 08 '26 edited Jul 09 '26

Yes, I have a gene called HLA-B27 that causes my immune system to overreact to certain bacteria in my mucosal barriers.

On the other hand, the method it uses to detect those bacteria isn’t specific enough. It homes in on a small part of the target bacteria which unfortunately is also similar to parts of my ligaments.

I, having been a former college athlete and national champion, am now completely housebound at 34. My medication’s list price is $120,000 / year. All it does is keep me from being in indescribable pain - they haven’t solved the crippling fatigue from my body spending all its energy trying to eat itself.

Personally, id take a few more tummy aches a year instead of this.

(Edit: for any other patients looking for support -

r/thritis
r/ankylosingspondylitis
r/autoinflammatory
r/psoriaticarthritis )

(Edit 2: I have now remembered that it's actually virus components that it reacts to not bacteria - but same idea. Edit 3: ok it's viruses and bacteria, goddamn this shit is complicated)

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u/Ill_News_2998 Jul 08 '26

I don’t know if you have any interest in Minecraft, but you should look up GoodTimesWithScar. He was also a college athlete that has a similar, if not the same, genetic mutation.

I know it’s random, you may not care. But as someone with my own chronic health issues I love to find people that also have my own issues and have found a way to get through life. Helps me feel less alone over the pain.

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u/pomybara Jul 08 '26

Hey, thanks for sharing this. I had never heard of GoodTimesWithScar before. I started watching him especially this video where he does a day in the life.

I've kind of been grappling with the "what am I supposed to do with the rest of my life" question and this video is giving me some inspiration that maybe there are still things I can do. Different than before maybe, but he's really accomplished a lot in spite of his limitations.

Thank you, friend, this helped me.