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The Healf Source
Bryan Johnson’s DON’T DIE: Is This The Future Of Longevity On Netflix?
Written by: Eleanor Hoath
Written on: January 8, 2025
If there was ever a way to jumpstart your longing for longevity in 2025, it would be watching a Netflix documentary on new years day outlining “how not to die”. It’s opened many a conversation as we begin our wellbeing journeys of the year, but is DON’T DIE the blueprint for human immortality or is it a cautionary tale of obsession?
Who is Bryan Johnson?
Bryan Johnson is an ex-tech entrepreneur and pioneering biohacker renowned for creating Blueprint, a comprehensive protocol designed to optimise health and reverse the effects of ageing. By leveraging cutting-edge science and technology, Johnson meticulously tracks and enhances his body's performance to achieve peak health and longevity, setting a new standard in the field of personal wellness.
The rise of biohacking reflects a cultural shift towards greater personal responsibility for health and wellbeing. With advancements in science and technology, individuals are increasingly empowered to experiment with diet, technology, and lifestyle interventions to enhance their physical and mental performance. This is a movement that is resonating strongly in today’s society, where longevity, productivity, and self-optimisation are held in high regard, and biohackers like Johnson are at the forefront of this transformative trend.
While hailed by some as a pioneer in longevity science, Johnson has faced criticism for the obsessive nature of his methods and the accessibility of his approach, given its reliance on advanced technology and significant financial resources. These debates add depth to his quest and provoke thought on the broader implications of personal health optimisation.
What is DON’T DIE about?
DON’T DIE, the highly anticipated Netflix series was live for viewers to watch on January 1st 2025 - pretty fitting for the ‘new year wellbeing plans’. Following the ex-tech entrepreneur and now-biohacker Bryan Johnson on his extraordinary mission to reverse ageing and unlock the secrets of human longevity. The documentary really dives deep into Johnson’s rigorous Blueprint protocol, where cameras have captured his extreme lifestyle changes, cutting-edge scientific experiments, and futuristic technologies designed to optimise health and extend life.
Through a compelling narrative, the series highlights Johnson’s collaborations with leading experts in fields such as genetics, regenerative medicine, and nutrition. The episode explores groundbreaking experiments - from advanced biometric tracking to tissue rejuvenation therapies - while meticulously documenting the measurable impact on his body. Viewers witness Johnson’s unwavering commitment to his quest, as well as the broader implications for science, technology, and the future of human health.
By combining personal ambition with scientific discovery, the intention of the episode is to offer a unique glimpse into the emerging world of longevity science, appealing to anyone curious about the potential to reshape the human lifespan.
What’s the difference between DON’T DIE and other health documentaries?
At its core, the series is built around an extraordinary premise: Bryan Johnson offering himself up as a living experiment in the pursuit of reversing ageing. His unwavering commitment to subjecting his body to extreme lifestyle protocols, cutting-edge technologies, and groundbreaking therapies adds a deeply personal dimension to the narrative, setting DON’T DIE apart from other health documentaries like The Game Changers or Heal.
By documenting Johnson’s meticulous adherence to his Blueprint protocol and the measurable results it delivers, the series combines cutting-edge production quality with compelling storytelling. What makes it especially engaging is how it balances Johnson’s personal journey with the broader implications of his experiment, making the science accessible without losing its depth. From sharing his personal experience with religion and, candid interviews, and clear data visualisations, DON’T DIE captures the imagination while showcasing the sacrifices and triumphs involved in pushing the boundaries of human health.
What is Bryan’s focus for Blueprint?
Johnson’s Blueprint is structured around core pillars that collectively aim to optimise health and slow the ageing process. Each pillar represents a category of focused intervention, meticulously tracked and adjusted for maximum impact.
- Dietary Precision: Johnson follows a calorie-controlled, plant-based diet designed to provide essential nutrients while minimising inflammation.
- Targeted Supplementation: A tailored regimen of supplements supports his unique biological needs, based on continuous biomarker analysis.
- Rigorous Workouts: Daily routines combine strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and mobility work to enhance overall physical performance.
- Recovery Focus: Emphasis on rest days and recovery techniques such as Red Light Therapy ensures long-term cellular level repair.
- Data-Driven Adjustments: Over 100 biomarkers are tracked regularly, from hormone levels to organ function, to fine-tune interventions in real-time. Johnson is shown connected to many health trackers as well as wearable trackers throughout the programme.
- Quantifiable Results: Every change is guided by measurable outcomes, ensuring progress aligns with scientific evidence.
- Sleep Optimisation: Advanced tracking tools monitor sleep quality and duration, allowing for adjustments that maximise recovery and cognitive performance.
- Restorative Practices: Johnson integrates therapies such as meditation, cold exposure, vagus nerve stimulation and light therapy to promote cellular repair and resilience.
- Cognitive Health: Mindfulness, focus exercises, and stress management techniques are key components of his approach.
- Consistency Above All: The regime’s effectiveness relies on an unwavering commitment to routine and precision. With a regular sleep and wake time each day and meals being weighed and planned to the decimal.
By uniting these pillars, Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint presents an evidential radical approach to longevity, challenging conventional norms and offering a new frontier in health optimisation.
What’s the verdict? Should we follow suit?
DON’T DIE has sparked diverse reactions from critics, reflecting its provocative subject matter and the polarising nature of Bryan Johnson’s mission. Roger Ebert highlighted the show’s ability to raise “questions about our assumptions that are provocative and worthwhile,” showcasing its capacity to challenge conventional thinking.
However, not all responses are favourable; Vocal Media criticises the documentary for taking “a rather cowardly approach to letting you make up your own mind about Bryan Johnson and his potential grift.” R.W. Richey of We Are Not Saved echoes this sentiment, describing the film as “a narcissistic dialogue around ideas that are either annoyingly fractured or wholly unrealistic.”
On the other hand, user reviews on platforms like IMDb offer a more positive perspective, with one reviewer praising it as “a really well-crafted documentary” that showcases Johnson’s extreme lifestyle and bold vision. Whilst nutritionist Harriet Renkin states “I was pleasantly surprised by the documentary. It was refreshingly open and honest, with the focus on Bryan’s personal experimentation himself rather than promoting his lifestyle should be followed by everyone: a common theme of influencer and health-based documentaries. His protocol and supplement stack is impressive, though I feel the lack of social integration stands out as a downside.”
“Pushing boundaries in any field requires a certain level of ambition and fanaticism - dismissing someone who is in pursuit of extending human longevity due to their personality seems foolish”
Erik Hanson, Viewer of DON’T DIE
These varied perspectives underline the cultural fascination with longevity and Johnson’s role as both a pioneer and a controversial figure in the space. Whether viewed as inspirational or excessive, DON’T DIE undeniably ignites conversation about the future of health and ageing.
To conclude, we know DON’T DIE is more than just a documentary; it’s a bold exploration of what the future of health might hold. By chronicling Bryan Johnson’s radical journey, the series raises profound questions about the possibilities and limitations of longevity science.
Will the innovations showcased in the show - like advanced biometrics, regenerative therapies, and meticulously designed protocols - become mainstream tools for extending human life? Or do they represent an elite pursuit, out of reach for most?
Johnson’s story serves both as inspiration and caution. His relentless commitment to reversing ageing pushes the boundaries of what we believe is possible, yet it also highlights the sacrifices and challenges that come with such an extreme lifestyle. For viewers, it’s a chance to reflect on what longevity truly means: Is it about defying death entirely, or simply about living better for longer? In the end, DON’T DIE leaves us pondering the ultimate question: can we truly cheat death, or should our focus be on the quality, not just the quantity, of our years?
This article is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The views expressed in this article are the views of the expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Healf
Eleanor Hoath is a Registered Nutritional Therapist (DipNT, mANP, mBANT) specialising in gut, skin and women’s health. She is the Editor of The Healf Source and founder of Well Nourished Nutrition Ltd.
Passionate about holistic wellbeing and balanced living, Eleanor combines evidence-based nutrition with a practical, approachable style to help people feel their best through content.
Based in London, she is dedicated to empowering individuals to nurture their health and understand the root cause of their symptoms from the inside out.
