[SINGAPORE] Helen Yang often tells her three young kids: “Don’t worry, Mummy won’t die before you grow up. Mummy will probably live to 200.” She says it to allay their natural fears of losing her – but a part of her genuinely believes it.
After all, she’s part of a growing number of biohackers in Singapore who believe in optimising health, extending lifespan and delaying ageing through science-backed strategies.
To them, the three traditional pillars of health – diet, exercise and sleep – are no longer enough. They want to track sleep quality and glucose levels, experiment with anti-ageing supplements, and embrace routines such as cold plunges, intermittent fasting and red light therapy.
Sceptics may frown at such extremes, but biohackers believe they will have the last laugh. Their clinical test results often show higher metabolism, lower inflammation and sharper cognitive function compared to their peers – evidence that their radical interventions are working, they say.
Yang, for instance, shows us the results of a recent body scan that puts her metabolic age at 26 – at least 15 years younger than her real age. “I’m in the best shape of my life,” she trills. “I’ve had three kids – but I’ve never felt better than I do now, even in my 20s and 30s.”
Even her husband, David Yang, has jumped on the biohacking bandwagon. Before they met, he didn’t even like to eat vegetables. But as a tech executive who thrives on data, he was won over by the numbers. Now, he readily experiments with supplements and therapies.
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The couple even rent a hyperbaric oxygen cocoon from wellness company O2genes at the cost of S$3,500 a month. Hyperbaric oxygen is believed to boost cellular repair, improve brain health and reduce inflammation, among other benefits.
“There’s a history of dementia and Alzheimer’s in our family – so my husband and I are determined to stay sharp and healthy for the sake of our children.”
Wellness, quantified
In Singapore, there are several hundred committed biohackers – if not thousands.
The invite-only WhatsApp group “Don’t Die SG” – inspired by American biohacker Bryan Johnson’s “Don’t Die” movement – has about 390 members who regularly exchange notes on supplements, performance trackers and the latest therapies.
But many biohackers prefer to quietly experiment on their own. They treat their bodies like ongoing science projects – tweaking diets, testing peptides or stacking interventions such as red light therapy with fasting – all in pursuit of more energy and sharper focus.
One such biohacker is Nicholas Lin, an entrepreneur who runs several outfits including a skin management and “gentle anti-ageing” brand called La Dermalogique with his girlfriend Tiffany Luo.
Having taken ice baths for 15 years – long before the trend hit the mainstream – Lin swears by various treatments, including microneedling (which he credits for reversing his male pattern baldness) and red light therapy (which promotes skin and muscle recovery).
Backed by test results showing his youthful physiology, Lin easily looks 10 years younger than his actual age. He’s in his 40s.
“I see this whole anti-ageing thing as a business in myself, where I’m the result of all the hard work. I track everything – my bloodwork, my sleep, my strength. If something’s not working, I change it. It’s not vanity, it’s self-optimisation.
“If I can’t get into peak shape or reverse something like hair loss – when there’s so much available research on how to do it – what does that say about me?”
He reads medical research religiously, takes 50 to 60 supplements daily and gets regular blood tests. His top five recommendations for busy people: glycine, creatine, collagen peptides, astaxanthin and vitamin D3 with K2.
For men, he recommends ZMA (a combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6), boron and tongkat ali. He says his “masculine energy”, which started to diminish in his 30s, has returned since he began supplementing.
“Most people don’t push themselves hard enough. They give up and opt for medication. But if you optimise your diet, your sleep, your hormones – everything – you can outperform your 20s even in your 40s. I’m living proof of that.”
Scepticism abounds
Although biohackers point to test results as proof their methods work, some of their practices still sit outside mainstream medicine.
Kamil Pabis, a longevity researcher at the National University of Singapore (NUS), leads regular meet-ups with longevity enthusiasts. He says: “Every time I walk into a store, I’m shocked by the claims on some of these supplements. They’re not necessarily nonsense – but many are highly exaggerated.”
A study conducted by NUS Medicine last year found that many anti-ageing supplements in Singapore contained significantly less of the active ingredients than claimed – or none at all. The study focused on supplements for nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and urolithin A (UA), two of the trendiest compounds in longevity science, touted for their potential to slow or reverse ageing.
Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA), which oversees health product safety and quality, does not routinely test every supplement for label accuracy. Nor do supplements require HSA approval before they can be sold. The burden falls on dealers to ensure product safety and honesty in labelling.
Still, the biohackers we spoke to say they research every brand before buying, and are willing to pay more for verified quality. At the end of the day, they say, their health metrics speak for themselves.
But even that may not be enough, says Alastair Hunt, co-founder of The Whole Health Practice, a health and fitness consultancy. “If someone’s taking a dozen supplements, working out, eating clean, and sleeping well, their metrics would look great. But how do they know what’s actually making the difference?
“If they’re changing everything at once – diet, exercise, stress – they’ll never really know what’s doing what. At best, they might be wasting money on supplements and therapies. At worst, it might be dangerous… There’s no shortcut for the basics. The work you put into your health in your 30s and 40s – sleep, movement, stress and diet – that’s what supports you in your 60s, 70s and beyond.”
Both sides now
To be sure, both sides are acting in good faith. Biohackers bring curiosity and experimentation. Health experts bring rigour and caution. Both claim to have science on their side.
Dr Josh Lim, founder of hyperbaric oxygen wellness cafe O2genes, says: “Biohacking isn’t about extremes or high-tech equipment. It’s about awareness, consistency and data-driven habits.
“For me, it’s about taking control of your health using science and intentional routines. I track VO2 max (oxygen consumption during exercise), sleep scores, energy – not just to live longer, but to live sharper and better.”
Dr Lim began his journey after losing a loved one to cancer. His daily protocol includes hyperbaric oxygen therapy, red light, cold exposure, breathwork and supplementation. “Good nutrition, exercise and sleep are foundational – but biohacking helps you go deeper at a cellular level and take full control of your mind and body.”
Similarly, biohacker Chua Jing Zhi wants to steer people towards a more proactive approach. “I’m a former commando who worked in counter-terrorism intelligence. I’ve seen how short life can be.”
Now as founder of AllSet, specialising in healthy ageing services, he says: “There’s no one-size-fits-all. Everyone’s physiology is different. The best approach is to experiment responsibly, track what matters and be open to changing course.”
He advocates curiosity over perfection. “You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be consistent, curious and compassionate with yourself.”
For him, the goal isn’t to live to 200 – it’s to live with clarity, control and intention. In a country with a rapidly ageing population, he and other biohackers are betting on a different kind of outcome.
Resources
Documentary:
Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever (Netflix, January 2025) – A much talked-about look at tech bro-turned-biohacker Bryan Johnson
Communities:
Don’t Die SG – A private WhatsApp group covering supplements, routines and talks. E-mail Chua Jing Zhi (wind@allset.sg) for access
Reddit – r/Biohackers: an active international community
Books:
Boundless by Ben Greenfield – A thick but readable biohacking bible
The Bulletproof Diet by Dave Asprey – Where it all began, with the “godfather” of biohacking
Outlive by Peter Attia – A science-first approach to longevity (Note: Attia is critical of aspects of biohacking)
Websites:
foundmyfitness.com – Dr Rhonda Patrick’s science-based advice
daveasprey.com – The original biohacker
bengreenfieldlife.com – Podcasts, articles and more
Instagram:
@biohackinghub_ – Bite-sized, practical info for healthier living
