The Octogenarian Biohacker Pursuing Rejuvenation Therapies

At 87, Helga Sands is challenging conventional notions of aging, investing significantly in experimental therapies and supplements aimed at extending her healthspan. Her pursuit highlights a growing trend of proactive longevity seeking, even among older generations.

A Quest for Extended Lifespan

Helga Sands, born in 1938, is embarking on a quest to significantly extend her lifespan. Next month, she plans to travel to Panama for a “rejuvenation cocktail” costing £300,000, a treatment currently unavailable in the UK. This investment is part of an estimated £500,000 she has spent over the past five years on anti-aging therapies. Sands expresses a firm desire to continue living, stating, “I want to keep living because I still have so much to live for. I’m not slowing down but speeding up. This is a new life.”

A Regimen of Biohacking

Sands’ approach to longevity is multifaceted. She currently manages an estimated 70 supplements daily and employs unusual personal care practices, including washing her hair with sheep shampoo and sleeping on silver-threaded sheets, intended to reduce inflammation. She too undergoes regular injections of microscopic molecules derived from amniotic fluid.

Her therapies include dasatinib and quercetin – anticancer and antioxidant compounds – which she adds to her shampoo and smoothies. She also undergoes blood filtration infused with ozone, costing £400 per session and receives injections of two trillion exosomes derived from stem cells harvested from amniotic fluid, costing £2,000 every three months.

The KHL Foundation and Rejuvenation Therapies

Sands co-founded the KHL Foundation with Kenneth Scott (born 1942), dedicated to making scientifically grounded rejuvenation therapies accessible to individuals over 60. The KHL Foundation operates as a Panamanian legal entity, focusing on therapies available now and willing to operate across borders to enable access. The foundation emphasizes real-world outcomes and personal data, with both founders actively undergoing the therapies they support. Originally known as Viva Sparkle, the organization has shifted its focus to rejuvenation.

Developing a Rejuvenation Cocktail

In collaboration with an American lab in Houston, Sands and her partner, Ken, have invested £300,000 in developing a “rejuvenation cocktail” comprised of klotho (for enhancing brain function), follistatin (for building muscle mass), and SIRT1 (to boost energy levels). They hope to eventually produce this therapy at scale and offer it to others through their rejuvenation start-up.

Navigating Regulatory Hurdles and Risks

Many of the therapies Sands utilizes are not approved by the British medicines regulator, requiring her to purchase products online from countries like India and the US and self-administer them. Experts, such as Ilaria Bellantuono, a professor at the University of Sheffield, caution that the safety and effectiveness of these therapies have not been rigorously tested in humans and should be avoided. Sands, however, remains undeterred, stating she is “absolutely” prepared to take the risk.

A Lifetime of Experience

Born in 1938, Sands’ life has been marked by significant historical events. She fled Nazi Germany as a child and later traversed Europe with her family, evading gunfire from the Soviets. She has lived in the US, Paris, and London, working in finance and becoming one of the first female directors in fixed income at Nomura. She retired in 1997 and has since dedicated herself to researching and pursuing longevity therapies.