I Did Mushrooms for Science, Pt. 1

Bryan Johnson| 00:09:29|Mar 19, 2026
Chapters9
The host announces the plan to take 5 g of magic mushrooms and searches for signs of rejuvenation or longevity using a broad set of biomarkers.

Bryan Johnson undertakes a 5 g psilocybin journey while tracking 249 biomarkers with Kernel Flow, sharing honest fears, hopes, and a glimpse into longevity research.

Summary

Bryan Johnson uses a 5-gram magic mushroom dose as a scientific probe, aiming to detect longevity signals across 249 biomarkers. He explains that blood biomarkers are easy to measure, but brain metrics are far trickier, hence his use of Kernel Flow, a brain-scanning wearable described as a pulse oximeter for the brain. Johnson notes he’s lived with the project for seven years and has prepped a full blood panel, brain activity data, cortisol, and vascular markers to capture any changes before, during, and after the experience. He acknowledges nervous anticipation, citing anecdotes from followers about intense journeys, while emphasizing the potential for psychedelics to influence longevity rather than simply yield a recreational trip. Throughout, he reflects on identity, meaning, and the possibility that such experiences could fundamentally alter who he is, with moments of vulnerability and resolve. The video frames psychedelic research as a frontier for long-term health, not just short-term mood shifts, and Johnson closes with a hopeful message about human evolution and collective well-being. It’s a rare window into the overlap of high-stakes science and personal transformation.

Key Takeaways

  • Kernel Flow is being used to measure brain activity during psychedelics and is described as a wearable brain scanner, positioned as a tool for real-time data collection.
  • Johnson plans daily Kernel Flow measurements for a week post-dose, alongside full biomarker panels and vascular markers, to track recovery and potential longevity signals.
  • A full blueprint advanced panel (six pages) will be used for blood biomarkers the day after dosing, illustrating the depth of the study.
  • The dose is described as 4.67*5.35 g, with the 5 g total dose including other alkaloids beyond psilocybin, suggesting synergistic effects.
  • Johnson openly discusses the risk of a “bad trip” and the existential questions about identity, meaning, and potential lasting change after a radical psychedelic experience.

Who Is This For?

Essential viewing for researchers and enthusiasts interested in psychedelic-assisted longevity research and quantified self experiments, especially those curious about how brain and biomarker data could inform long-term health outcomes.

Notable Quotes

"“This most likely is the most measured psychedelic trip in the history of the human race.”"
Johnson highlights the unprecedented scale of biomarker measurement during the trip.
"“Kernel Flow is basically a brain scanner that is like a bike helmet.”"
Explanation of the wearable tech used to monitor brain activity during the session.
"“Psychedelics don't make things younger. New York… I trust you in really hard circumstances.”"
Johnson contrasts longevity goals with traditional views of psychedelics and acknowledges external concerns.
"“It's the most spectacular time to be alive in history.”"
A closing reflection tying scientific exploration to a broader era of human potential.

Questions This Video Answers

  • How can Kernel Flow be used to track brain activity during psychedelic experiences?
  • What biomarkers are most promising for signaling longevity effects after psilocybin?
  • What safety considerations does Bryan Johnson discuss when taking a 5-gram dose of magic mushrooms?
  • Can psychedelics contribute to longevity outcomes beyond mood and PTSD treatment?
  • What does a six-page blueprint panel for blood biomarkers include in this kind of study?
PsychedelicsPsilocybinKernel FlowBiomarkersLongevityQuantified SelfNeuroimagingPsychedelic Therapy
Full Transcript
So what we're doing today is I'm going to take 5 g of magic mushrooms. And so what we're exploring is there was some recent evidence showing that there was interesting effects in both mice and also human cells. And so we are casting this really wide net of can we catch anything that demonstrates some kind of rejuvenation or longevity effect. We've measured 249 biomarkers. For example, getting a blood draw is pretty straightforward, but measuring your brain is really challenging. So, this is kernel flow. And so, think of it like a pulse oximter for the brain, a wearable for the brain. I've been doing this every day for the past week. Then, I'll do it at the peak of the mushroom experience, and then I'll do it afterwards. Some people are asking, are you nervous? Yes, I'm nervous based upon what I've read in your responses that those of you who have done this or something similar have said that even one or two or three g is a significant experience and five is just next level. It's it's unimaginable. So, yes, I'm nervous. All right, let's do this. Okay, you guys ready? Cheers. Cheers. Don't die. Hello. Hey, Talage. I don't know if you're watching the live stream, but your dad just took the 5 g of magic mushrooms. How are you feeling today? I haven't felt anything yet. So, probably have 10 minutes until take off. So, I just want to call and tell you I love you and I'll see you in a couple hours. I love you, too. I'll see you on the other side. Love you, Tom. Bye. This most likely is the most measured psychedelic trip in the history of the human race. I don't think any human before me has measured 249 biomarkers before they took magic mushrooms. Good to move forward. Yes. On our blood draw tomorrow, we've got basically our full panel of markers across the board. It's a big one. It's blueprint advanced panel. It's six pages. Yeah. If your game I love this. We'll have wearable data plus cortisol plus we'll have kernels. We'll have brain activity. Cool. I think we should do a kernel pretty much daily for a week after psilocybin. I'll start it today and then I'll measure vascular markers on Friday just to see if there's any kind of change. Colonel flow is what I spent 7 years of my life building. It's basically a brain scanner that is like a bike helmet. And one of the things we're looking at is what changes in the brain when you do psychedelics. So, we basically invented the coolest technology in the world to take with you to do brain measurements. People think about magic mushrooms as a fun thing to do, like a fun psychedelic trip, or recently they've been looking at this for like PTSD or depression, but no one's thought of psychedelics in the form of uh longevity. So, if society reframed its understanding of psychedelics to longevity, it might be a big deal cuz psychedelics fix broken things. Psychedelics don't make things younger. New York. I didn't realize that this side of the country had this kind of aesthetic. I trust you in really hard circumstances. But my primary concern would be that you have a bad trip. Yeah, my phone's been blowing up with messages of people who have been expressing concern that there have been founders that have done journeys and then they come back and check out. Yes. They don't find meaning anymore. They want to go off-rid and so like if I crash out then it leaves um a hole to some extent. And you're prepared for that to potentially walk away from it all like by taking this by doing this. I don't know. I don't know what 5 g means. I don't know what to anticipate. Yeah, everybody is unquestionably confident that I'm going to emerge as a different human. So, it's a total dose. So, it's 4.67* 5.35. Correct. But it seems to track more with the whole mushroom weight. So, meaning all of the other alkaloids are playing a role. They're likely playing a synergistic role. It's combinatorally explosive the you know the complexity of how they would interact and how they would interact at the you know neurochemical level. What's your guess about what's going to happen? I mean I feel like you can play in probabilities, right? Do you have the genetic proclivity to go crazy? What does the data say about people taking 5 g of shrooms consistently? What environment are you taking? What is your pre-existing health condition? What's your mental state? Yeah, a lot of people are suggesting I'm going to lose it during the session or even after as well. Probably. I think both. I don't know. People are basically guessing that it's going to be it's going to overwhelm me and it's going to have consequences which I can't anticipate. Oh, interesting. Expecting radical change. Interesting. Interesting. What what is your take on that all? I don't know. I don't know how to anticipate this. Kind of the biggest moment in your life. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like my intuition is that this is a moment. Like this is I can't quite get my head around it, but it feels bigger than I can comprehend. I don't know why. I don't know what what was a foot, but it definitely feels like that to me. I wonder if this is a a different force that I've not contended with before. I mean, I wonder I wonder if this force is just fundamentally more powerful than my concept of me or of my desires or my will or my wants. I wonder if it'll like rewrite me. So, I'm like, actually, you're just you're just someone that doesn't resist. I just can't imagine you not like absorbing all this energy and just like immediately propelling it back like yeah rolling with it like you are you yourself are light and so I feel like the light of this extra energy is just like additive. Yeah, I do feel like I have this internal struggle all of the time. I don't feel like I'm running the show. I just feel like something else runs me and I find out after the fact. This is also true when I was depressed, when I was, you know, really considering suicide, when I'd lay down on the floor at night and be like, I'm done. Like, I can't move. I can't get up. I can't talk. But somehow it just happens. So, yeah, I have this really weird relationship. So, I think there's a version of me doing this which I don't control. That's fun hearing that sound. I haven't heard you leaves crack like that really for a long time. I think this is what I remember hearing as a kid. I really wish all of you well. And I really sincerely mean that, you know, like I've been in really dark places in my life and um you know, there are people who pull up for you in life that are there for you and um you know, without judgment and are soft and supportive and strong and I really wish all of you well in life. Genuinely, I think that this is like a really special moment as us as a species that we are transforming into something else and it's this really wild time to be alive. It's the most spectacular time to be alive in history. So yeah, I think that we can do something special together. And um I hope that everyone, you know, in in whatever you're doing in life right now that you feel strength and comfort and um love. So cheers to you and wish you all the best. All right, guys. I will see you on the other side.

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