The first step in any science experiment or project is the process of collecting data by observing the subject we are studying. This data is then used to establish a baseline and to draw a hypothesis on. Part of the challenge with science around human biology, anti-aging and longevity research is that we still have little data to operate on.
To that end proactive individuals have started collecting as much data on themselves as they can get their hands on. There are companies that have been formed to facilitate this process as well but an outdated regulatory framework still makes that a challenge.
Stanislav Skakun (as discussed in a recent interview interview with Elena Milova) has been collecting data on a monthly basis from his blood draws for the past several years. He is now tracking around 900 bio-markers. Each of these markers gets a new data point through a blood test at least once every 4 months. He has been doing this for several years. Here are some of his key findings:
1. Start collecting data today (yesterday). The more the better. This doesn’t automatically give you any actionable insights but it’s the first step to be able to do so down the road.
2. Look in the direction of your overall energy and emotions. Stanislav finds that often his mental state of being is a good indicator and is impacted by the state of biological markers (such as levels of nutrients, hormones, neurotransmitter, iron levels, anemia etc.). He thinks mental states such as depression can be treated with the right set of supplements that are tailored specifically to the individual.
3. Establish what controls your energy levels, and start experimenting with uptakes of supplements. This should be a slow and methodological process. He doesn’t like to share what specific supplements he takes because it’s personalized to his genome, the environment he lives in, the kind of work he performs, etc. Over the years he found several areas where he could improve his well being that way.
4. Use the gained energy to further your research. He advises to re-invest any energy gains into further pursuit of collecting more data and analyzing it. This works similarly to compounding interest in finance.
Stanislav also elaborates on the prospects of commercialization of “health care” (vs. sick care - that we currently have today: we seek treatment only when we get sick). Proactiely taking care of your health is a type 2 decision, with a long term horizon. We are wired and have evolved to plan and think about the near term future (type 1 decisions), what will we eat for breakfast, what will we do tomorrow, not to plan ahead 10 or 20 years into the future. We don’t naturally plan in decades. This means that the total addressable market for a service in this space is currently small. Companies that offer such services have a hard time attracting customers.
