How biohackers are trying to upgrade their brains, their bodies — and human nature

Wouldn't it be great if we could hack our body's system and get it to work the way we want it to on a biological level? We all dream of being the healthiest version of ourselves, and finding a way to make it happen without having to sacrifice the stuff we love in order to do it.

Although the term biohacking may be unfamiliar to you, you've probably heard of some popular methods people have used in an effort to enhance their bodies. If you've ever heard of dopamine fasting, meditation, or CRISPR, you've heard of biohacking.

All of these things are very different of course, but they all do the same thing. They are all in an effort to enhance the human body, and find ways to make it better.

 Biohacking, sometimes known as DIY biology, covers everything from complete insanity to medical advancements backed by scientific research. With so much falling under the label, how do you tell if biohacking is right for you?

No studies? Proceed with caution

If you want to try intermittent fasting, dopamine fasting, or try something new with your diet, there's nothing wrong with cautious experimentation on yourself. If you plan to mess with your diet or exercise program, speak with your doctor first. Even if it is just temporary or seems harmless, if you have a health condition you didn't know about or are taking a medication too much of a certain food type can interact with, you may endanger your health.

Pay attention to how you feel during and after your experimentation. Don't feel good or don't feel any different? Don't do it.

Science backed biohacking? Read those papers.

Before you drop hundreds or thousands of dollars on a trip to an infra-red sauna, read the science that promotes it. Sometimes the scientific research has only been conducted in mice, or has been conducted on a very narrow selection of people. What's appropriate for a diabetic person isn't always what's appropriate for a healthy person, and there are also differences as simple as that between men and women.

It's okay to be skeptical, especially if the people pushing their biohacks have something to gain from doing so. On the other hand, biohacking is currently ahead of the science. We only just now know how much meditation benefits the brain, yet people have been doing it for thousands of years without any research backing it at all.

People have been searching for ways to enhance their bodies since the beginning of time, and though we no longer search for sacred treasures that will give us immortality, biohacking is perhaps the next closest thing.

Biohacking can be best summed up as, “Better living with the help of science.” If what you are trying to do measures up with that philosophy, than you may have found a road to a richer and more enjoyable life. Whether you go as far as inserting a chip under your skin so you don't have to take your house keys with you, or just make meditation a daily part of your life, biohacking can be an interesting approach to improving your life.