Can You “Hack” Your Body?

Dear Reader,

When I was 18 and had just started college, I developed an obsession with my diet and sleep. I did not have any serious health issues to begin with, just a slightly disturbed sleep and daytime fatigue. My anxiety, though, was through the roof.

I even saw a local functional medicine specialist, who ran several tests, including one to check potential food sensitivities. The test found that I was “sensitive” to eggplant, chickpeas, eggs and even rice. The specialist asked me to avoid these foods and to completely cut out gluten and dairy, which I dutifully did. None of it really helped though, since my core issue was anxiety, not something physiological.

Not everyone can say the same. 

Puushkar Arora, who is 26 and works in tech, told me that two years ago he developed acute stomach pain. He saw multiple doctors, including leading gut specialists.

“But no one could diagnose me accurately,” he said. 

Eventually, he met Yohan Tengra, a biohacking specialist, who ran a battery of tests and prescribed close to 30 supplements. Within a year, Puushkar says his symptoms improved by about 50%. When I asked whether this could have been a placebo, he said he is open to that possibility. At the same time, he pointed to changes in his blood markers, which he believes back up his experience.

Like Puushkar, many Indians are turning to biohacking and functional medicine. People in the field often use the two terms interchangeably. In practice, biohacking can range from lifestyle and diet changes to self-directed experimentation with supplements.

Market research firm Grand View Research estimates the Indian biohacking market was worth just over $1 billion in 2024, and expects it to more than triple by 2030. That growth spans wearables, genetic testing kits, supplements, drugs and mobile apps, all built around the promise of more personalised control over health.

Doctors trained in modern medicine, however, are deeply skeptical.

“Functional medicine isn’t recognised by the National Medical Commission. I cannot recommend patients to go for that,” said Dr Sudhir Kumar, head of the department of neurology at Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad.

He also pointed to weak regulation and a lack of accountability in the field, warning that the risks of misdiagnosis can be serious.

So why are so many Indians turning to biohacking anyway? And why do biohackers and modern medicine doctors so often butt heads? 

To learn more, check out the latest episode of The Signal Brief.

You can find The Signal Brief on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Thank you once again for listening and supporting us. We’d love to hear from you; write to us at [email protected] or find us on Instagram or X at @thesignaldotco.

Best,
Kudrat
on behalf of The Core

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