What is total plasma exchange, the procedure that US billionaire underwent to remove toxins?

The US millionaire Bryan Johnson, who is committed to reversing the effects of ageing, recently had a procedure called Total Plasma Exchange (TPE), which he claims is a treatment for a number of ailments.

A variety of disorders can be managed and treated with this treatment, which has been increasing in popularity.

Here’s all we know about it.

Billionaire gets TPE procedure

Johnson stated in his most recent post on X that the entire plasma exchange entails taking a patient’s plasma and replacing it.

“TPE removes all of my body’s plasma and replaces it with Albumin. The therapy objectives are to remove toxins from my body. The evidence is emergent,” he wrote.

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He claimed that this was different from the previous year, when he took one litre of it and swapped it out for plasma from his “blood boy,” Talmage Johnson, who then gave his plasma to his father.

He claimed that his father’s biological clock slowed by 25 years for six months after he took one litre of his plasma. His father is 71 years old. The changes were noticeable, although it’s still unclear if this was caused by the plasma or the removal procedure.

Completed my first total plasma exchange (TPE). Removing all the plasma in my body and replacing with Albumin.

This is different from what I did last year: removing 1 L of plasma from my body and then replacing it with 1 L of plasma from my blood boy @talmagejohnson_ . I gave… pic.twitter.com/mrKsKt3zrg

— Bryan Johnson (@bryan_johnson) October 14, 2024

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The billionaire disclosed that it takes two hours to complete the Total Plasma Exchange, or TPE.

He proudly recalled that one of the clinic’s staff described his plasma as the “cleanest” they had seen in their nine years of TPE practice.

“The operator, who’s been doing TPE for nine years, said my plasma is the cleanest he’s ever seen. By far. He couldn’t get over it. When we finished, he couldn’t bring himself to throw it away. He was imagining all the good that it could do in the world,” Johnson wrote.

The tech mogul, who calls his plasma “liquid gold,” said that after getting a litre of his father’s plasma, his father’s rate of ageing slowed by 25 years. He also says that his plasma has lowered his epigenetic age by 5.1 years.

He also shared pictures of himself holding a bag filled with a straw-coloured liquid to document the experience.

About TPE

Total Plasma Exchange, as the name implies, involves substituting a different fluid—in this case, albumin—for the patient’s plasma.

The liquid component of blood called plasma transports waste, hormones, nutrients, and cells throughout the body.

The liver produces albumin, a protein that supports tissue function, transports nutrients, and keeps fluid balance. It is essential to medical treatments and stops fluid from leaking from blood vessels. Low albumin levels may be a sign of malnourishment, liver, or renal problems. Additionally, it is utilised in medicine for treatments like replacing lost blood volume or for certain medical procedures like plasma exchange.

This procedure, also known as therapeutic plasma exchange, aids in the removal of toxins, immune complexes, and autoantibodies from the bloodstream.

The process is often used in anti-ageing and regenerative medicine procedures.

Studies have indicated that TPE may have an effect on the management of blood problems, neurological conditions, and autoimmune diseases.

A study that was released by the American Society of Haematology described how well TPE works to cure diseases including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura1, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and myasthenia gravis1.

TPE’s adaptability and potential for saving lives have been demonstrated by its usage in critical care units to treat critically ill patients.

Removing toxins

Although TPE research is still in its early stages, it may be able to rid the body of pollutants. But there isn’t a clear connection to it.

TPE can lower the quantities of certain harmful compounds, such as specific medications and metabolic waste products, by filtering out the plasma.

The procedure can lower inflammatory markers including C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which are frequently increased in patients with severe infections or inflammatory diseases, according to a 2023 study by Romanian researchers.

This decrease in inflammatory markers may result in shorter hospital stays and better clinical outcomes.

It is anticipated that the uses of TPE will increase as medical technology develops.

Its potential to lower death rates has been demonstrated in previous trials, and ongoing research is investigating its utility in treating illnesses including sepsis.

Risks involved

• Low blood pressure

• Shortness of breath

• Metabolic alkalosis. This can cause a headache or seizures.

• Bleeding

• Higher risk for infection because your normal immune system proteins (antibodies) have been removed

• Too little calcium in the blood (hypocalcemia)

• Too little potassium in the blood (hypokalemia), when nonplasma replacement fluid is used

• Allergic reaction or disease transmission when donor plasma is used. Examples are hives or anaphylactic reaction.

Johnson’s ‘Project Blueprint’ regimen

Johnson is now the face of the extreme lengths to slow down the ageing process.

Under the supervision of a team of over 30 doctors, he follows a rigorous regimen called ‘Project Blueprint’.

This includes daily exercise, a vegan diet, and consuming over 100 supplements a day. His pursuit of youth costs him an estimated $2 million annually.

With inputs from agencies