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I have some bad news...

Bryan Johnsonautoenpublicupdated

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Diagnosis and condition

  1. He says he has been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition in which immune cells are attacking his stomach, affecting stomach acidity and nutrient absorption.
  2. The condition was discovered after a bidirectional endoscopy, including both colonoscopy and upper endoscopy.
  3. He connects the diagnosis to hypothyroidism diagnosed at age 21, explaining that thyroid and stomach autoimmune issues can be linked.
  4. He explains that the condition can prevent iron absorption, leading to nutritional deficiencies, anemia, and increased cancer risk.

How it was found

  1. He had low iron and low ferritin for 11 years, but other blood markers were normal, so the issue was not treated as urgently before.
  2. After revamping his medical care team, doctors re-examined the low iron problem and became concerned because iron supplementation had not worked.
  3. Doctors worried low iron could indicate bleeding from a colon polyp or cancer, so they scheduled a colonoscopy immediately.
  4. The colonoscopy looked visually excellent, with the doctor rating his colon around the 95th percentile, but visual inspection did not reveal the autoimmune condition.
  5. Biopsies taken from the stomach found the condition, showing that it could hide even when visual inspection appears normal.

Reaction to the news

  1. He says he feels energized by the diagnosis because knowing now gives him a chance to act before worse outcomes such as cancer develop.
  2. He contrasts standard disease management with a more ambitious approach using AI and biotech, saying his team wants to try to solve the condition despite there being no known cure.

Planned research approach

  1. He had one million immune cells sequenced from a large blood draw to identify the immune cell signatures involved.
  2. He plans a second live stomach biopsy to match stomach cells with immune cell data and identify the rogue immune cells attacking his stomach.
  3. Once the rogue immune cells are identified, his team hopes to design ways to stop their attacks.

Public response and broader goal

  1. He says public reactions have included concern, humor, and irony about the 'Don't Die' guy having an incurable disease, and he welcomes the discussion.
  2. He says his team feels ready for the challenge and sees this as a shift from fine-tuning the body to tackling diseases that create mortality risk.