"Claimed Link to Potential Cognitive Decline Treatment"
Criticism Raised Over Insufficient Evidence So Far
A 40-something millionaire in the United States is causing controversy after receiving a blood transfusion from his 17-year-old biological son as a treatment for rejuvenation. Experts are warning that this is an unproven, unscientific treatment method that could be medically dangerous.
According to foreign media including the New York Post on the 22nd (local time), American IT entrepreneur Brian Johnson (45) received a blood transfusion from his son to reverse his biological age to that of an 18-year-old. Brian claims he is receiving plasma donations to regain youth, but critical responses such as "unscientific," "disgusting," and "obsessive" have poured in.
In recent months, he has received multiple plasma transfusions from anonymous young donors. In April, he took his 17-year-old biological son Telmaze to a medical facility in Dallas, Texas, where Telmaze lay in bed for several hours while having up to 1 liter of blood drawn. This amount is said to be one-fifth of Telmaze’s total blood volume. The plasma separated from Telmaze’s blood was then injected into Brian. On the same day, Brian also drew his own blood, separated the plasma, and injected it into his 70-year-old biological father.
Brian’s medical team claims this procedure is related to the potential treatment of cognitive decline. They explain that this act might help prevent Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s. Brian stated, "We start with evidence first" and added, "We do not act based on vague hopes for rejuvenation or longevity."
Together with doctors, Brian is investing in a project called 'Project Blueprint' to find ways to slow aging or reverse biological age. He also announced that he will be the subject of experiments himself, seeking medical diagnoses and treatments including diet, sleep, and exercise.
There have been previous experiments under the name of 'rejuvenation therapy' involving blood exchange between young and old mice, but human studies have been extremely rare. Experts warn that this could be medically risky. Charles Brenner, a biochemistry expert in Los Angeles, said, "We do not know enough to confirm if this is an effective human treatment," and added, "I find this disgusting, completely lacking in evidence, and relatively dangerous."
Meanwhile, according to media reports from January, Brian follows a vegan diet of less than 2,000 calories daily, goes to bed at the same time every day, and consistently adheres to an exercise regimen. It was reported that Brian’s heart is currently diagnosed as 37 years old, his skin as 28, and his lung capacity and stamina as 18.
Regarding his obsession with youth, Brian said the cause was "severe mental and physical stress endured before selling my company." At that time, Brian was known to suffer from overweight and severe depression due to excessive work.
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