Biohacker Bryan Johnson Diagnosed with Autoimmune Gastritis After Years of Intensive Health Monitoring

Tech entrepreneur and biohacker Bryan Johnson disclosed on July 1 that he has been diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis, a chronic autoimmune disease of the stomach that currently has no approved cure. Johnson, 48, said the condition had likely been progressing unnoticed for more than a decade, even as he followed his "Project Blueprint" protocol, which involves a tightly controlled diet, extensive medical testing and a team of specialists aimed at slowing aging.

Johnson explained that persistent low ferritin levels – a marker of stored iron – were the only early clue. Repeated blood tests showed depleted iron stores while other blood counts remained normal, leading previous doctors to dismiss the issue. After a colonoscopy ruled out internal bleeding, a bi-directional endoscopy and biopsies of his stomach confirmed early-stage autoimmune gastritis.

The disease causes the immune system to attack the stomach’s acid-producing cells, eventually impairing absorption of nutrients such as iron and vitamin B12 and increasing the risk of anemia and stomach cancer. Johnson, who has managed hypothyroidism since his early twenties, said the diagnosis linked a long-standing pattern of low ferritin to an autoimmune process that may have begun years earlier.

While current treatment focuses on managing symptoms with vitamin B12 and iron supplementation, Johnson said he intends to pursue experimental therapies and assemble a research team to explore potential cures. He expressed optimism that advances in biotechnology and artificial intelligence could eventually change how autoimmune diseases are treated.

"Good news. I’m going to try and solve it. Will share all," Johnson wrote.

He concluded by urging people to monitor their health proactively, noting that the absence of symptoms does not equate to good health.