Florida men Jeff Bezos and Tom Brady are biohackers. Are you? You might be

Biohacking.

The term may be fairly new and unless you're on social media a lot, you may be unfamiliar with it, but chances are you're applying at least a few of its techniques to improve your health, especially if your goal is to live a longer, healthier life.

Here's what you should know about biohacking.

What is biohacking?

In its most simple terms, biohacking is a do-it-yourself aging-reversal trend that covers everything from improving brain function to losing weight faster.

Biohacking involves making incremental changes to your body, diet, and lifestyle to improve your health and well-being, according to Medical News Today.

Proponents take their health into their own hands using a variety of tools, techniques and lifestyle approaches to resolve health issues and improve performance.

It's popular with several big names, ranging from NFL star Tom Brady to actress Brooke Burke and Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos for its life-enhancing potential, according to the New York Post.

What biohacking techniques are there?

Biohacking includes a wide range of methods and experimentation, ranging from extreme dieting and fitness programs to blood transfusions and stem cell infusions.

Others try techniques from blue light blocking glasses, to cryotherapy, to deuterium-depleted water.

Some proponents take between 70 to 150 supplements each day.

And according to The New York Times, some have even taken “gene editing into their own hands.”

Some types of biohacking have been around for years, such as intermittent fasting.

Smartwatches and Fitbits are examples of technology-based biohacking used by many to monitor and improve their health.

Gene editing at home? People are actually doing some gene editing at home. Here's why experts warn against it

Why do people get into biohacking?

Melanie Avalon said she used biohacking to lose weight and resolve chronic health issues.

Wanting to share her findings, Avalon wrote “What When Wine: Lose Weight and Feel Great with Paleo-Style Meals, Intermittent Fasting, and Wine” and launched two top iTunes podcasts, “The Melanie Avalon Biohacking Podcast,” and “The Intermittent Fasting Podcast,” with author Gin Stephens.

Biohacking advice: The Melanie Avalon Biohacking Podcast offers biohacking advice

Does biohacking work?

Because there is little regulation of biohacking and many people do not report their findings, it is difficult to say what percentage of biohacking is successful, according to Medical News Today.

While there are large online communities of people who share their findings, there is no way to determine the accuracy of many of their DIY experiments.

Common biohacks

Some common biohacking techniques compiled from several websites include:

• Intermittent fasting: Eating between certain times and fasting in the periods in between.

• Cold water therapy: Immersing yourself in water at a temperature typically below 59 degrees.

• Caffeine: Used to help increase alertness and productivity and feel more focused.

• Blood testing: Monitoring blood biomarkers such as glucose, cholesterol and hormones to optimize health.

• Meditation: Practicing mindfulness techniques to calm the mind and improve focus.

• Nootropics: Taking supplements or drugs to enhance cognitive functions such as memory, creativity and motivation.

CEOs and celebrities among those who are biohackers

Business Insider said some CEOs used biohacks to boost workplace productivity and their overall health, trying such things as wearing electrodes while they sleep to drinking bone-broth breakfasts or enzyme injections.

Tom Brady's diet and fitness habits included a minimum of eight hours of sleep. He doesn't consume gluten, dairy, trans fat, sugar, coffee, GMOs, MSG, or overly processed foods, according to Eat This, Not That. He's also an advocate for supplements and has done transcendental meditation.

Other celebrity biohackers cited by Eat This Not That include:

Brooke Burke, who has dubbed herself "a biohacking bit of a geek." "I'm always looking for the best ways to promote optimal living and anti-aging. What I love about Tru Niagen, and not to get too out there with the tech side, but it helps promote increased levels of NAD+. Burke is told Sports Illustrated staying hydrated, knowing the right ways to work out her body, getting sufficient fuel, and showing her skin TLC are all incredibly important. She starts her days off with some time in the sauna, a cold plunge, and a "longevity smoothie."

Jack Dorsey, reportedly takes ice baths, meditates, and makes use of a barrel sauna.

Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber revealed they go for IV treatments with NAD+, an anti-aging compound.

The most zealous biohackers, like tech billionaire Bryan Johnson, 45, and real estate magnate Ari Rastegar, 41, have pushed their anti-aging experimentation to the max, undergoing scientifically unproven procedures like blood transfusion and stem cell infusions, respectively, in hopes of turning back the hands of time.

Is biohacking dangerous?

It can be.

Dr. Jennifer Wider, a women's health expert, said some forms of biohacking can have negative side effects or interactions with medications.

She also cautioned against relying too much on self-diagnosis or self-treatment without consulting a medical professional, according to Marca.com, a sports information website.

"Biohacking can be beneficial for some people if done correctly under medical supervision," Wider said. "But it can also be dangerous if done incorrectly or without proper knowledge."

"Biohacking is not a magic bullet," Wider said. "It's important to remember that everyone's body is different and what works for one person may not work for another."

Who is known as the father of biohacking?

Dave Asprey, founder of Upgrade Labs and Bulletproof Coffee, has called himself the father of biohacking.

"In his quest to become superhuman, the 'Father of Biohacking' Dave Asprey has tried some pretty out-there techniques: running electricity through his brain, injecting stem cells into his reproductive organs and sleeping in a bath of ice packs (that last one left him with first-degree burns over 15% of his body)," according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Biohacking popular on social media

The hashtag #BioHacking has garnered nearly 573 million views on TikTok and almost 1 million on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Biohacking: What is it, dangers, techniques, does it work?