Everyone’s Looking for the Next Big Biohack—Dr. Terry Dubrow Thinks They’re Missing the Point

Longevity has become a full-time hobby for a lot of people. Between the peptides, stem cells, therapeutic plasma exchange, supplements…it can be a little overwhelming. According to plastic surgeon and Botched star Dr. Terry Dubrow, many of us are spending so much time chasing the next breakthrough that we’re overlooking the habits that actually do the thing.

Dubrow, who describes himself as being obsessed with what he calls “preservation longevity,” admits he’s fascinated by emerging science. He explains on The Art of Being Well that he loves experimenting with peptides and eagerly waiting to see what artificial intelligence could unlock for medicine. Still, he believes those cutting-edge tools should come after the basics—not before them.

He wants you to think of your health like a daily responsibility. “You should treat this as a job. A job of preserving yourself and staying alive because you’re basically renting your meat body,” he says. The people who’ll benefit most from tomorrow’s breakthroughs are the ones taking care of themselves today.

Longevity Biohack: Dr. Terry Dubrow Shares the Biggest Longevity Mistake to Avoid

Wellness trends can wait if the basics aren’t covered

If your social media feed has convinced you longevity depends on avoiding seed oils or worrying endlessly about microplastics, Dubrow thinks it’s worth zooming out first. He acknowledges there’s still plenty that researchers are learning about those topics, but believes they’re often treated as urgent while far more impactful habits get ignored. “When people talk about seed oil, microplastics, these are the people who are having 33 margaritas,” he jokes.

But things like walking every day, eating enough protein, building muscle, managing body weight, and getting quality sleep all have decades of research behind them. And while those habits aren’t nearly as flashy as the latest wellness controversy, they’re the ones he believes deserve the most attention.

Your body doesn’t care if you’re motivated today

Dubrow doesn’t believe longevity comes from occasional bursts of motivation. He recommends treating movement as a non-negotiable part of daily life, kind of like you’re paying rent on your body. Aim for around 7,500 steps a day, do resistance training a couple of times a week, and make sure your body does something every day, and you’ll be good to go.

And he’s not perfect himself. Sleep is still his biggest struggle—he even calls himself “the worst sleeper of all.” He also dabbles in the occasional alcoholic beverage, saying he enjoys “a vodka soda” and doesn’t believe every healthy lifestyle has to eliminate life’s pleasures.

It’s realistic. Instead of trying to optimize every hour of the day, he prioritizes habits he knows he can repeat for years.

The best time to experiment is after your foundation is solid

Dubrow isn’t anti-biohack—in fact, he’s probably tried more wellness trends than most people ever will. He lights up talking about peptides, GLP-1 medications, creatine, stem cells, and the future of longevity medicine. He and his wife Heather even launched a YouTube channel dedicated to testing new wellness interventions on themselves.

But rather than relying on anecdotes, they’re tracking blood work, imaging, memory testing, and other biomarkers before deciding whether something is actually worth the hype. If you’re going to experiment, treat it like an experiment. Know where you’re starting, monitor what changes, and work with providers who can explain exactly what you’re taking and why.

He’s preparing for the medicine of tomorrow by taking care of himself today

One of the biggest reasons Dubrow stays disciplined has to do with what he believes is coming next. He’s convinced artificial intelligence will dramatically accelerate medicine over the next few years, potentially changing how we diagnose disease and even slow aging. That’s exactly why he’s so focused on staying healthy now.

“You’ve got to find your best health. You’ve got to find your best self. You’ve got to get it together because if you don’t, you won’t be able to use all the new things that are just about to happen,” he says.

So whether AI transforms medicine in two years or ten, Dubrow isn’t waiting around for the future to arrive before taking his health seriously. Build the habits you can control today, then let tomorrow’s breakthroughs do what they’re designed to do.

To hear the full conversation, listen to The Art of Being Well wherever you get your podcasts.

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