Economics/Class Relations

Investing to live forever

February 3, 2024 • 4 min read
with Dan DeFrancesco
Happy weekend! When it comes to supplements, it’s tough to sort what’s worth taking from what has a negligible impact. A scientist who studies the biology of aging shared the six supplements he takes daily.

Speaking of longevity, today’s big story looks at investors backing companies hoping to reverse the aging process.

What’s on deck

But first, do you really want to live forever?

 
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The big story

Live long and prosper

Rich people tend to win most battles, but one opponent remains undefeated: Father Time. 

No one can outrun aging, even if you have a bottomless bank account. But it’s not as if people haven’t tried.

Tech billionaires, in particular, have become obsessed with the idea. From Jeff Bezos to Peter Thiel and Sergey Brin, the concept of slowing, stopping, or even reversing aging is the ultimate challenge.

The most public with their efforts is Bryan Johnson. The 46-year-old tech entrepreneur has the heart of a 37-year-old and the skin of a 28-year-old, thanks to his extensive daily routine that costs up to $2 million a year.

To get a better perspective on how the rich think about living longer and healthier lives, Business Insider’s Hayley Cuccinello spoke with four longevity investors.

For many investors, the motivation isn’t to cheat death. Personal experiences with health struggles or the death of a loved one drive them. The idea isn’t to increase the years in their life; it’s to increase the life in their years.

Dustin Giallanza

The ultrawealthy’s investment push into biotech doesn’t come without risks. 

Deep pockets simultaneously bring plenty of opportunities to try experimental medicine and draw out snake-oil salesmen. Hayley spoke with one investor whose fund has six advisors to vet pitches and includes a due diligence procedure with more than 200 criteria.

There’s also the question of what these investors will do with their findings if they strike gold.

The interest in a drug or procedure that could truly slow down or stop the aging process would be off the charts. The meteoric rise of the weight-loss drug Ozempic likely represents a fraction of the buzz from anti-aging medicine.

 
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3 things in
Travel
Anja Nordvaalen
1. Life in the northernmost town on Earth. The author lives in Longyearbyen, a small Norwegian town about 650 miles from the North Pole where the sun doesn’t shine for weeks on end. She describes working, exercising, and relaxing during the polar night.

2. Book the right room for your next cruise. According to an employee who’s worked on cruise ships for six years, ocean-view rooms can be worth it, especially for passengers who get seasick. But they can also come with obstructed views, so be careful which one you book.

3. Take a look inside Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. Business Insider’s Brittany Chang set sail on the world’s largest — and most hyped — cruise ship. She offers a glimpse into the massive ship’s pools, thrill rides, and many neighborhoods.

 
 
3 things in
Careers
Namthip Muanthongthae/Getty Images
1. An employee’s work wife threw her under the bus for a raise. They used to meet daily to talk about life, work, and relationships, the author writes. Then, her closest workplace confidant betrayed her.

2. A TikToker apologized for slamming a Gen Z worker who skipped an 8 a.m. meeting for a fitness class. The new hire said they wouldn’t attend a meeting before their shift started, drawing ire from a social-media personality. It’s the most recent example of how the younger generation is shaking up the workplace.

3. Return-to-office mandates aren’t making companies more productive. A new study found that dragging employees back to the office doesn’t necessarily increase productivity or performance. Plus, research from Gartner found that top workers are more likely to want to quit when their companies have strict RTO policies.

 
 
3 things in
Life
Nina Subin; Rebecca Zisser/BI
1. A wife and mother opened her marriage after nine years of monogamy. Molly Roden Winter, the author of the newly released book “More: A Memoir of Open Marriage,” said that a “freedom-to-do list” helped her wade into non-monogamy.

2. Health advice from an 83-year-old neurosurgeon and triathlon runner. Start slow, Dr. Joseph Maroon tells people who want to be as fit as him. “You don’t have to start with a triathlon,” he said. “Just start with a walk.”

3. Lessons in sobriety. The author said that drinking almost cost her her job. Since giving it up, she’s found that sobriety has taught her accountability, self-awareness, and how to find humanity in those around her.

 
 
 
In other news

 
The Insider Today Saturday team

Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, editor, in London. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York.

Get in touch

insidertoday@insider.com

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