This month, our focus is women and who better to address biohacking for females than the father of biohacking, Dave Asprey. I had to find out his top biohacks for women and how they differ from men.
STEPHANIE SHEHAN: What is your definition of biohacking?
DAVE ASPREY: Biohacking is changing the environment around you and inside you, so you have full control of your biology. It’s about choosing your state so you can perform at your best.
SS: What are the top biohacks you recommend for women, and why?
DA: Here are my top four biohacks specifically for women:
1. Make sure you’re recovering properly (sleep, nutrition, meditation, and other recovery modalities like red light therapy, cryotherapy, massage, etc.)
2. Get advanced labs and fix hormones as needed.
3. Follow an anti-inflammatory diet like The Bulletproof Diet.
4. Eat enough carbs.
These all take women’s needs and fluctuating hormone levels into account. Unlike men, women have a menstrual cycle and need enough nourishment and recovery for their bodies to feel safe. Since women are built to bear children, if they’re not getting enough recovery or enough food, their bodies will freak out and say “No, it’s not safe here. We don’t have enough resources to make a baby.” As a result, your reproductive system shuts down and you’ll feel anxious all the time.
SS: How do women’s biohacking needs differ from men's?
DA: Many biohacking books or health experts assume all bodies are identical. This isn’t true. The female body is designed to allow for childbirth and lactation. Men and women have different hormone levels, which means that they respond to diets differently. Women (between menarche and menopause) have active ovaries and go through menstrual cycles, so they need to consider fluctuations that happen throughout the month. Women are also more sensitive to dietary changes at the cellular level. As I mentioned above, if a woman doesn’t have enough energy and nutrients to grow a healthy baby, the shortfall alters or interrupts her menstrual cycle.
SS: Can you touch on biohacking specifically for women for metabolism and muscle building?
DA: Women should follow an anti-inflammatory diet. Don’t be afraid of getting bulky. Lift heavy weights and do sprints but make sure you recover as hard as you work out! If you want to build muscle and be lean, eat 1 gram of high-quality animal protein per pound of ideal body weight every day. Some good animal protein sources include grass-fed beef, lamb, pasture-raised eggs, and grass-fed dairy if you can tolerate it.
SS: How about hormones?
DA: Get your labs done regularly and work with a functional practitioner who specializes in women’s health. It’s important to get enough raw materials to support your hormones. These include minerals and vitamin DAKE (fat soluble vitamins D,A,K and E.)
SS: And of course, longevity - what recommendations do you have?
DA: If you want to live a long time, balance your hormones and keep inflammation low. You can do this by following a good diet and recovering properly. Build and maintain muscle because muscle is a predictor of longevity. Make sure you have a good support system – studies show people with stronger connections live longer. Also, manage stress, which is one of the main causes of rapid aging. The best way to do this is with a meditation practice or with neurofeedback (you can learn about science-backed ways to meditate more efficiently in my new book coming out May 20th - Heavily Meditated: The Fast Path to Remove Your Triggers, Dissolve Stress, and Activate Inner Peace.
SS: Anything exciting coming up specifically for women?
DA: My Biohacking Conference is happening in Austin (May 28-30). We will have speakers and experts there who specialize in women’s health as well as tons of exhibitors that support women. Check it out at biohackingconference.com. Also, my new book, Heavily Meditated, is coming out May 20th. In it, you’ll learn how to edit out the things in your subconscious that hold you back, so you have more energy to do the things that matter. This is especially important for women because studies show that women are more likely to store trauma than men.
Dave Asprey is the 4x NY Times bestselling author of Heavily Meditated, a Health Science and Biotech entrepreneur and the “The Father of Biohacking.” For more information about Dave visit daveasprey.com. For information about his upcoming biohacking conference, visit biohackingconference.com/2025.
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