Have you ever been there? You look at your to-do list that may as well be a mile long, and you work to psych yourself up for it, “Come on. You’ve got this! No problem at all!” Then as soon as you look back at your to-do list you find that your pep talk wasn’t as effective as you had hoped. You know there has to be a way to make this easier, but what is it?
The answer to your productivity challenges is biohacking. And we have compiled a list of the seven best biohacking courses to give you the information you need to allow you to retrain your brain for better effectiveness:
- Ultimate Biohacking Academy
- The Top 10 Strategies to Optimize Brain Function
- Superhuman Productivity: Become Ultra Productive
- Biohacking Secrets: Boost Your Physical & Mental Health
- The Alchemist’s Guide to Biohacking
- Biohacking Your Brain’s Health
- Biohacker’s Fortified Immunity
BONUS: Genes and the Human Condition (From Behavior to Biotechnology)
Working Smarter - Biohacking Courses Online
Allan F. Morgensen said it best in the 1930’s, “Work smarter, not harder.” Before you can actually work smarter, first you need to figure out what’s getting in your way. These courses are designed to help you determine whether:
- there is really a brick wall you need to break down, or
- it’s actually just a stacked pile of Styrofoam blocks painted to look like a brick wall that you can easily blow over
1. The Ultimate Biohacking Academy
Anthony DiClementi’s seven-week academy is offered for $1,997 and suggests a three-phase approach to effectively identifying your personal Biohacks:
- Identify the root cause that prevents you from living an “optimal life.”
- Fix the issue with “proven-and-tested, science-backed Biohacks.”
- Optimize your daily practices to “help you become the greatest expression of yourself.”
Anthony’s proprietary self-diagnostic in-depth approach to biohacking your life is delivered in seven modules:
Biohacking Your Battery. During this session you will study the basics of your personal biology. You’ll also learn some of the academy’s best biohacks, suggested daily routines, and nutrition tips.
Biohacking Your Body. During this session you’ll learn about supplements and what having deficiencies in certain vitamins will do to your body. You’ll also learn about UBA’s best practices around:
- Anxiety
- Cognitive Disorders
- Depression
- Diabetes and other Blood Sugar Disorders
- Digestive Disorders including GERD, IBS, and IBD
- Heart Disease
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Weight Loss and Food Sensitivities
Biohacking Balance. This session is about getting your body back into balance. You’ll have a chance to discover information about:
- Heavy Metal Toxicity
- Heavy Metal Detox Protocols
- Suggested Daily Routines
- The Best Infrared Sauna for Weight Loss and Detoxification
- The Biohacker Bath Recipe
Biohacking Your Breath. This session will discuss how various parts of your health can contribute to halitosis and what you can do about it.
Biohacking Your Biomarkers. This section will discuss various blood and genetic tests you should consider so you can fully understand where your health is. You will also learn some strategies for getting from where you are to where you want to be.
Biohacking Your Blood. This session goes further into learning about your blood test results and their contribution to:
- Autoimmune Disorders such as Epstein Barr, Chronic Fatigue, and Viral Infections
- Best Practices for “Tonifying and Purifying” your blood
- Impacts of Electromagnetic Fields
- A Bonus Session of How to Get Rid of Grey Hair
Biohacking Your Brain. In your final session you will get information to tie everything you’ve learned together. This session will address:
- Your Personal Emotional and Internal Blocks
- Your Genetic Variations
- Neurotransmitters and Gut Health
- How Your Genetics Work with Your Mood, Detoxification, and Energy
- Micro-dosing Guides and Resources
This academy uses an accountability approach, so you will be asked to complete an accountability project during each session. Although there aren’t testimonials available on the website, it claims to have helped “millions of entrepreneurs and business professionals optimize their body, performance, and longevity.”
2. The Top 10 Strategies to Optimize Brain Function
This $30 course has been designed by Michael Lara, M.D. Dr. Lara is a board-certified physician trained at Stanford, Harvard, and the UCLA School of Medicine. He specializes in mood and memory disorders, as well as overall wellbeing. He is known to present his findings to peers and general audiences at national conferences.
Dr. Lara takes a total-health approach to Biometrics. The 11 Biohack segments in this course include:
- Introduction. 16:12 minutes. During the introduction Dr. Lara will provide the course overview and syllabus.
- Feed Your Brain. 17:24 minutes. This segment discusses which diets are effective for preserving cognitive function and protecting against memory loss.
- Extinguish Inflammation. 17:11 minutes. Next you will learn how inflammation leads to cognitive function decreases along with which nutrients will help reduce inflammation.
- Mind Your Mitochondria. 9:52 minutes. No, not hypochondria – Mito In this section you’ll learn about these organelles that fuel our cells and are critical for effective brain function.
- Get Your Zzzs. 10:28 minutes. If you’ve ever wondered how to get better sleep, this module will discuss how to do just that.
- Get Your Blood Sugar Under Control. 18:24 minutes. Learn how to manage and maintain your blood sugar levels to defeat the early onset of cognitive decline.
- Don’t Just Sit there – Move! 7:45 minutes. This section will discuss the benefits of standing, walking, and all-around body movement.
- Why Long, Slow Cardio is Out, and High-Intensity Interval Training is In. 6:51 minutes. During this module, you’ll learn how high-intensity exercise stimulates the formation of new neurons and how to make the most out of your workouts.
- Practice Mindfulness. 4:04 minutes. There is a lot of buzz about mindfulness, but there are many different approaches to this practice. In this section, you’ll become more aware of your self-talk and how to create a non-judgmental awareness.
- Mind Your Microbiome. 5:56 minutes. During this session you’ll learn about probiotics and how gut health can improve cognitive function.
- Supplement Strategically. 14:34 minutes. Everywhere you turn someone is telling you about the supplements that you should be taking. During this module Dr. Lara will teach you that there are actually only 4-5 supplements that are key to effective brain function.
Dr. Lara also offers a free course called Let Food Be Thy Medicine.
3. Superhuman Productivity: Become Ultra Productive
This $9.99 course created by Leon Chaudhari is described as a masterclass for experts and beginners alike. The premise of this course is to understand the concept of superhuman productivity and how to become ultra-productive.
There are 69-various lectures included in this course. They include:
The Welcome. 4:.01 minutes. This will explain what you can anticipate with this course, the five main productivity killers for most people, and how superhuman productivity is defined.
Productivity Tools: Increase Your Daily Productivity. 58:27 minutes. In this module you’ll learn about various tools you can use to help your daily organizational processes and effectiveness.
Productivity Basics: Increase Your Productivity Starting Today! 1 hour 47:42 minutes. During these lectures you will become more aware of distractions that prevent you from being as productive as you think you are being. The value of morning exercise will also be discussed.
Advanced Productivity Hacks: Ensuring Long-Term Productivity. 4 hours 2:56 minutes. This module starts with learning about how nature demonstrates productivity. Afterall, the parable of the ant and the grasshopper isn’t just for children. Among other things, you’ll also learn about:
- What drinking enough water will do to improve your productivity
- How public commitments can help you become ultra-productive
- How losing can make you better
- The way colors influence your productivity
- How to create an effective vision board
- The influence of food on your productivity
- The art of setting deadlines
- The difference between the urgent and the important tasks
- How offline work can make you more productive
Closing. 2:03 minutes. This section will wrap up the lectures.
Mr. Chaudhari describes his passion as “teaching people like you everything I know about:
- business development
- online marketing
- automation
- drop shipping
- personal development
The website also provides customer feedback and testimonials.
4. Biohacking Secrets: Boost Your Physical & Mental Health
The course “Discover the Life-Changing Hidden Secrets of Biohacking” offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to empower individuals to unlock their full potential and achieve optimal well-being. Developed by Professor Paul Cline, Ed.D., and Entrepreneur Sandor Kiss, this course promises to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to transform their minds, bodies, health, and longevity. By delving into the realm of biohacking, students can expect to learn innovative techniques and practices that can bring about remarkable mental and physical benefits.
Through this course, Professor Paul Cline and Entrepreneur Sandor Kiss aim to provide students with the tools they need to live their best lives. Biohacking, a discipline that combines biology, technology, and self-experimentation, holds the key to optimizing human performance and well-being. By exploring various biohacking methodologies, students can discover how to enhance their mental clarity, improve their physical fitness, and extend their lifespan. With a focus on practical applications and evidence-based strategies, this course offers a transformative learning experience that may empower individuals to achieve remarkable results and unlock their full potential.
Student feedback and testimonials are provided near the bottom of the website, as are additional courses available from these instructors.
5. The Alchemist’s Guide to Biohacking
This $49 course says it will help you “Learn to control your environment for health, longevity, and wellbeing.”
The course is created by Leon the Alchemist, who self-identifies as a
- Certified Master Herbalist
- Biohacker
- Engineer
- Smart Company 30 Under 30 alum
Who wants to “let nature take center stage in an approach to … modern human optimization.” He provides a personal testimony of:
- Increasing his memory
- Mental performance
- Boosting energy levels
- Sleeping deeper
This course promises 60 Biohacks that you can begin using immediately that will let you “live a richer, more powerful, incredible, and more energy-filled life than you ever thought possible.”
6. Biohacking Your Brain’s Health
This free course is offered by Emory University and has been created by Karima Benameur, M.D. Dr. Benameur is an assistant professor at the Department of Neurology within the School of Medicine.
Testimonials from previous students claim that this course is not only for academics or professionals, but also “for a common man trying to improve mental and physical health.”
The website suggests that it will take about 12-hours to complete the entire course.
This course has four modules that cover:
Nutrition and the Brain. 50 minutes. This module covers information about the history of nutrition studies and the impact of nutrition on the brain. The lectures are delivered via:
- 13 videos
- 5 readings
- 2 quizzes
Exercise and the Brain. 40 minutes. During this session you will learn about the psychology of exercise and the difference it makes between a healthy and an impaired brain. This session includes:
- 7 videos
- 2 readings
- 2 quizzes
Meditation and the Brain. 64 minutes. During this session you’ll learn about the neuroscience regarding meditation and the effects mindfulness and meditation have on your brain’s activity and structure. This module includes:
- 8 videos
- 3 readings
- 2 quizzes
Sleep and the Brain. 26 minutes. This final module will cover the impacts of sleep and sleep deprivation on your brain’s function. It will also cover ways you can improve your sleep and, therefore, improve your brain’s health. During this final module you will review:
- 6 videos
- 3 readings
- 2 quizzes
The website offers over 100 reviews on this course and shows an overall satisfaction rating of 4.6 out of a possible 5 stars.
7. Biohacker’s Fortified Immunity
This course is European based, so its fees are discussed in terms of Euros. This 47€ course created by Dr. Olli Sovijärvi of Finland and two colleagues. The course claims it will focus on:
- Improved Health
- Factual Research
- Helping You Make Best Choices
The course’s eight sections will cover:
1. Introduction and preparation. This section will introduce you to:
- Various Infectious Diseases
- How you can Prepare for Infectious Diseases
- How you can react to them
2. Basics of the Immune System and Defense Mechanisms. This module will cover:
- Introduction to the Immune System
- Innate and Adaptive Immunity
- Factors Affecting Immunity
- Biochemical Defense Systems
3. Nutrition and Micronutrients Important for the Immune System. This session will discuss:
- Why Food Quality is Important
- Top 3 Micronutrients and Their Recommendations
- Foods to Add to Your Diet
4. Best Adaptogenic Herbs, Supplements, and Gut Supporting Nutrients. This section covers:
- Immune System Supporting Herbs and Spices
- Immune System and Gut Supporting Supplements
5. Foods, Substances, and Other Factors that Weaken the Immune System. During this module you can learn:
- The Impacts of Smoking and Alcohol on Immunity.
- Which Foods Weaken Immunity
- Paracetamol and NSAIDs
6. Technological Tools Against Pathogens and Stress Adaptation. Here are some of the highlighted topics of this section:
- Light Technologies
- Heat and Cold Exposure
- Air Purification and Disinfection Technologies
7. Environment, Practices in Contamination, and Recommended Practices in Public Places. This module discusses:
- Detecting an Infection and Symptoms
- Air Travel During a Pandemic
- Recommended Practices in Public Places
8. Laboratory Testing and Self-Quantification. During this final session you can learn about:
- Measuring the Condition of the Immune System
- Self-Quantification and Infections
What is Biohacking?
Now that you’ve seen that there are several ways you can learn how to effectively Biohack, let’s learn a little more about exactly what Biohacking is.
What is the Definition of Biohacking?
According to the Online Cambridge Dictionary, Biohacking has two similar meanings and could be called “do-it-yourself biology” it is defined as:
- Scientific experiments with biological material, especially genes, done by people who are not official experts or scientists, either as a hobby or in order to make money or commit crime.
- Attempts to improve the condition of your body and mind using technology, drugs, or other chemical substances such as hormones.
To break it apart, Dictionary.com defines bio as:
- A combining form meaning “life” occurring in loanwords from Greek.
Taking it a step further, let’s define what Merriam-Webster says a hack is:
- A usually creatively improvised solution to a computer hardware or programming problem or limitation.
- An act or instance of gaining or attempting to gain illegal access to a computer or computer system.
- A clever tip or technique for doing or improving something.
So, with all of those definitions in mind, Biohacking is basically a clever tip or technique for doing or improving life.
Pros and Cons of Biohacking
As with anything in life, there are those who are huge fans and supporters of biohacking and there are also those on the opposite side of the spectrum.
Pros of the Biohacking Subculture
Although it may sound like a new term the reality is that you have been practicing biohacking for years. Anytime you make any small or incremental changes to improve how you feel or behave, you are essentially performing Biohacks.
There are times that biotechnologists use some of the experiments that biohackers have conducted to move biotech research in a new direction.
Another thing that effective biohacking can do for you is bring you into a healthier state. With productive biohacking you’re likely to be:
- Eating better
- Sleeping better
- Moving more
- Improving your nutritional intake with better supplements
It’s a definite win.
Cons of Biohacking
There are some that take a one-size-fits-all approach to biohacking. They assume that if your genetic testing says you’re predispositioned to X then Y will solve the issue for you. That’s not necessarily accurate.
The danger of this kind of approach is that not everyone’s biological makeup responds the same way to dietary changes and habits. If the approach doesn’t take into consideration the entire person to include various components such as:
- Approach to exercise, historical, and current overall physical activity levels
- Stress levels, how the individual reacts to and addresses stress
- Weight levels – is the person over-weight, under-weight, have an eating disorder?
There are also concerns that some biohacking subcultures – grinders in particular, unwittingly (or perhaps even deliberately) put themselves at odds with the law by using harmful biological chemicals or implants.
Recommendations for Safe Biohacking
Did you know that you probably participate in a form of biohacking every morning? Caffeine is considered to be a form of biohacking because studies have found it to be a proven productivity booster.
Several of the courses that are described talk about the need for good sleep. One thing you can do right away is to eliminate your electronics’ blue light from your sleeping area.
Alternatively, the blue light you get from natural sunlight is another Biohack that you have already been using. That natural vitamin D gives you a natural mood boost.
To safely begin new steps in your biohacking journey, you first need to know where you are. Here are a few basic things you can do to gather some starting data:
1. Practice mindfulness for at least 10-minutes per day.
Taking time to intentionally meditate and be mindful about your:
- Emotional state
- Senses and how aware you allow yourself to be of them
- Thought patterns and changing negative thoughts to positive
2. Use a fitness tracker and keep a daily journal of your results.
Fitness trackers will provide you with data about:
- How far you’ve walked, run, etc.
- Your average heart rate
- How many calories you’ve burned
3. Keep a dietary journal.
By recording what you eat – everything you eat and drink you’ll be able to see where you are using food for any other reason than to optimally fuel your body.
4. Keep an experiential journal.
When you track what you’re experiencing, how it’s landing on you, and how you’re feeling about it, you’ll be able to identify patterns that you may be able to address and handle differently.
5. Keep a sleep journal.
There are apps you can use to help you track your sleep time, muscle activity, etc. As you gather information for your journal, make sure you document:
- When you go to bed
- When you get up
- How you feel when it’s time to get up
- Do you need an alarm, or do you wake without one?
- How many times are you up/awake during your sleep cycle?
6. Be accountable to someone you trust.
Share your results with someone who will not only empathize with you but will also pull you along when you’re not feeling as strong. You don’t want this to be someone who will enable you toward unhealthy solutions, but rather will say something like, “I understand. Yeah, it stinks. Now, what are you going to do about it?”
7. Consider taking one of the biohacking courses we discussed in this article.
It’s important to learn the basics of how genetics might play into your biology and which supplements will work best with your physiology.
8. Enlist the support of a specialist or your family physician.
Various blood tests can provide a wealth of information as to where you are as you begin and as you continue to progress in your journey. Your health professional will most likely be interested in walking this journey to better physical, mental, and emotional health along with you.
The Bottom Line About Biohacking
The more that’s learned about it, the more it’s found that the non-extremist forms of biohacking are healthy practices that you have likely been exposing yourself to over time.
Everything from the supplements you take to enhance your brain function to the performance bands that athletes wear to help protect their muscles is a form of biohacking.
Don’t let the first half of the word scare you because you’re just “not that into science.” Similarly, don’t let the last half of the word keep you away because you hear so much about computer hackers. Also consider checking out Barrel Saunas for another tool for biohacking.
Remember when you practice biohacking, you are doing nothing more than improving your life.
