What is Longevity and Biohacking (and How Does it Impact Fertility)?

Everywhere we turn, there's a new longevity regimen promising to enhance quality of life. From red light therapy to supplements, the hope is we can biohack our way to a healthier, longer life–but can we? Are these practices backed by science? And what does living longer and healthier have to do with fertility? Here, we break down the science behind longevity and biohacking, and how it relates to fertility.

If longevity is the goal, biohacking is the way to get there. The term describes strategies and interventions that support mitochondrial function and slow cellular aging (two key drivers of aging). Biohacking exists on a spectrum: on the more accessible end, you have sleep optimization, dietary changes, and exercise. On the more experimental end, you have targeted longevity supplements, red light therapy, sauna, and cold plunging. The version most of us might want to engage with sits somewhere in the middle.

The body is a collection of cells, and an aging body reflects aging cells. Longevity research looks at how quickly cells are damaged versus how quickly they repair. Dysfunctional cells accumulate inflammation and toxic substances (like cytokines and reactive oxygen species) that impact neighbouring tissues and organs. These "senescent" (or "zombie") cells increase the risk of chronic disease the more they accumulate.

• Telomere length: The protective caps on chromosomes that shorten with each cell division. Shorter telomeres mean accelerated aging and increased disease risk—and they're modifiable by lifestyle. 
  
  

• Glucose, insulin, and HbA1c: Elevated insulin signals inflammation and promotes chronic disease. Symptoms often show up first as fatigue, weight gain, and fertility issues in both males and females.
  
  

• Inflammatory markers: Tests like C-reactive protein and homocysteine reveal systemic inflammation. High homocysteine, linked to poor methylation, is a risk factor for fertility issues, miscarriage, and pregnancy complications.

A healthy body is programmed for cellular cleanup (known as autophagy and apoptosis)—these are ways in which the body cleans up inflammation and toxic cell damage. The signals we input to enhance these processes matter. Here’s how we enhance our longevity regimen.

• NAD+: NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme found in every cell of the body central to energy metabolism, DNA repair, and cellular communication—and it declines with age. Research on NAD+ precursors is promising: one study found that supplementing with NAD+ boosters (including nicotinamide, vitamin B3, vitamin C, zinc, and green tea) increased whole blood NAD+ levels, reduced inflammation and cytokines, and shifted participants' biological age toward a younger profile.
  
  
• CoQ10: CoQ10 is a fat-soluble compound found in the mitochondrial inner membrane that is essential for cellular energy production (ATP synthesis) and functions as a potent antioxidant. Like NAD+, it declines with age, but unlike NAD+, it has a substantially larger body of evidence in reproductive medicine specifically, making it one of the most science-backed longevity supplements for those also thinking about fertility.
  
  
• Vitamin D: More recently, research found that 2,000 IU per day of vitamin D3 decreased the rate of telomere shortening. Its use has long shown benefit for reducing inflammation associated with chronic diseases, cancer, and even improving fertility—and this data points to why. 

The best biohacking practices? The basics. And the research doesn’t lie. It turns out, individuals with the greatest health span are those who combine diet, exercise, and sleep.

There's an anti-aging ketone body called beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) that, alongside NAD+, activates the anti-aging enzyme SIRT1, which helps regulate metabolism and reduces cellular aging. Individuals with high insulin levels may benefit from caloric restriction or intermittent fasting tailored to their insulin response to increase BHB and SIRT1. Restricting calories alone, though, can lead to the loss of lean muscle mass, so it’s important to also consider nutritional density while in a deficit, particularly whether you’re getting enough daily protein to maintain muscle mass. (The loss of lean muscle mass is linked to insulin resistance, which is exactly what you’re trying to avoid.) 

So what’s a good biohacking diet? Generally, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables (more on this soon), as well as legumes, fish, olive oil, and whole grains, has consistently been shown to improve lifespan and reduce age-related illness.

If exercise could be packaged into a capsule, we’d all be taking it. Both aerobic and resistance training support mitochondrial biogenesis (the creation of new mitochondria—the powerhouses of our cells, especially in eggs and sperm), reduce systemic inflammation, and maintain metabolic function. A variety of exercises (think: stretching, weight training, strength and resistance training, and aerobic exercise) has tremendous benefits on improving quality of life; but, when it comes to truly biohacking health, intense exercise (as opposed to longer bouts of exercise) may have a slight edge. 

Cellular repair is most active during deep sleep. Research points to a sweet spot of 7 to 8 hours. 

A recent, first-of-its-kind study looked at how the combination of diet, exercise, and sleep impacted healthspan, and found a 64% reduced risk of disease when combining 7 to 8 hours of sleep, more than 42 minutes of exercise per day, and a high-quality diet. They also found that small changes add up: just an additional 15 minutes of sleep, 1.6 minutes of exercise, and half a serving of extra vegetables per day decreased mortality risk by 10%. 

A handful of biohacking tricks are science-backed:

• Sauna use is arguably the most well-researched biohacking regimen. The effects seem to be dose-dependent (more frequent sauna use, like 4 to 7 times per week, is linked to reduced all-cause mortality). Sauna appears to enhance the physiological effects of exercise while promoting anti-aging processes. But men trying to conceive, listen up: you may want to reconsider your sauna use since heat exposure of the scrotum has a detrimental effect on fertility.
  
  

• Cold plunging has demonstrated stress reduction, improved sleep, and enhanced nervous system recovery up to 12 hours post-exposure. Here’s the thing, though: one study found cold exposure worsened menstrual pain. Whether or not this impacts female fertility is still up for debate—we need more research on its impact on female reproductive health. 
  
  

• Red light therapy (photobiomodulation) activates the same mitochondrial energy machinery central to longevity, with evidence supporting benefits for pain, hair density, skin and wound healing, and even cognitive function. We also see benefits on fertility, specifically when it comes to unexplained age-related infertility, sperm health, and pregnancy outcomes. Research is still emerging and promising!

For Females:

Mitochondria are responsible for bringing energy into the oocyte (the egg). When this process becomes dysfunctional, egg quality and quantity decline (often occurring naturally through the aging process). CoQ10 shows promise in reversing these effects, especially in women over 35 years old. 

NAD+ is also required for the energy demands of egg maturation, meiosis, and early embryo development. As NAD+ levels decline with reproductive aging, the energetic support available to developing eggs diminishes, which is thought to contribute to the rise in chromosomal errors (aneuploidy) seen in eggs retrieved from women in their mid-to-late thirties. (NAD + precursors may help—research is still in its infancy when it comes to female fertility, but animal studies have shown success in reversing poor egg quality.)

For Males:

Paternal age is increasingly recognized as a significant factor in reproductive outcomes. The mechanisms? Mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and DNA sperm fragmentation—hallmarks of aging. 

Sperm are uniquely vulnerable to oxidative damage because they are prone to oxidative stress and have very little natural antioxidant protection—meaning they get easily damaged and rely on mitochondria for support. When mitochondrial function is impaired (by aging, oxidative stress, or micronutrient depletion), sperm motility, morphology, and DNA integrity all suffer.

The longevity regimen that protects your telomeres also protects your eggs and sperm. You’re not only biohacking your health, you’re enhancing your fertility, every time you start or maintain healthy aging habits, like a whole-food diet, better sleep habits, daily movement, and the right targeted supplements.