Dave Asprey: 4 wellness trends that can sabotage your health

Blood boys. Butthole sunning. Body modifications. 

There’s no stunt too bizarre for biohackers obsessed with extending their lives — but that doesn’t mean you have to turn yourself into a human guinea pig to get healthy.

The Post sat down with Dave Asprey, the self-proclaimed “Father of Biohacking,” to get the inside scoop on the longevity fads flooding your feed that could seriously backfire if you’re not careful. 

Fasting faux pas

Asprey is a fan of intermittent fasting. Heck, he literally wrote the book on it. 

But even the longevity guru says too much of a good thing can wreak havoc on your body.

“People think, ‘Intermittent fasting is good, therefore, more is better,’ but you can break your metabolism like that,” he warned. 

When you fast for too long, Asprey explained, it can cause your levels of the body’s stress hormone, called cortisol, to spike. That’s when the trouble starts. 

First, Asprey said, your sleep takes a hit. People often find themselves waking up more frequently during the night and missing out on deep rest. 

Next, women’s menstrual cycles can go haywire, while men may start waking up without a “kickstand” — and yes, that’s exactly what you think it means.

Hair thinning is next on the list — and neither sex is safe from that one.

“Your body will be stressed all the time,” Asprey warned. “You’ve got to fast the right way for the state of your body.”

So before you skip your next meal, take a beat. Asprey recommends factoring in your workout routine, sleep quality and any stress already piling up — or your quest for longevity might just leave you burnt out and balding.

Polar problems 

Cold plunges are also popular in the biohacking world, but Asprey said too much time in the tub can leave you more stressed than refreshed. 

Just like with fasting, staying in frigid water too long can put serious strain on the body — and send your cortisol levels through the roof.

“Women need less cold plunge time and maybe even slightly warmer water than men,” Asprey said. 

And if you’re hoping to ice-bath your way to a six-pack, think again.

“Cold plunges don’t make you shredded,” Asprey said. “They reduce inflammation, they train resilience, but you’re not going to drop 20 pounds sitting in an ice bath.”

Tripping troubles 

“I go to Burning Man. I’m not opposed to psychedelic use,” Asprey joked. 

In fact, his upcoming book Heavily Meditated (out next month) devotes an entire chapter to the subject, and his brain-optimization retreat, 40 Years of Zen, offers psychedelic-assisted neurofeedback training with ketamine.

But don’t mistake him for a free-for-all trip advocate. Asprey’s main concern: excessive psychedelic use.

“I see people getting high every weekend with no integration and no therapeutics,” he said. “That’s not how to do it, especially if you’re in your 20s.”

This approach, Asprey warned, can take a serious toll on the brain. But when used consciously — whether for trauma intervention or even microdosing — he said psychedelics have the potential to offer real psychological benefits.

“You have amazing brain capacity,” Asprey said. “Don’t blow it out spending every weekend on psychedelics, but do some growth work.”

Not-so-superfoods 

Of all the buzzy wellness trends out there, Asprey said one of the biggest problems are so-called superfoods that he argues are actually bad for you. 

“Everything that no one would eat ten years ago is suddenly a superfood. That doesn’t make any sense,” Asprey said. 

“If they were super foods, they would be at the top of the list in traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda — and they’re not for a reason,” he added.

Take quinoa, for example. 

While it may be a darling of the health-food world, Asprey said that if it’s not properly prepared, it’s tough to digest and can wreak havoc on your gut.

And it’s not just what’s on your plate. 

“In studies, lavender oil in as little as six weeks can increase man boobs, so I do not like lavender oil, especially on children or on young adults,” Asprey warned. “It’s medicinal. It’s not just for whatever.”

His parting advice? Don’t blindly trust the label.

“Don’t use something if you don’t know what it does — just because you heard it was good,” Asprey said.