For Anna Asprey and siblings Cole and Madison Brecka, childhood was punctuated by neurofeedback sessions, supplement regimens, and rigorous fitness protocols, a far cry from typical upbringing.
These are the children of biohacking pioneers Dave Asprey and Gary Brecka, individuals who have dedicated themselves to optimizing human performance and longevity. Now adults, Anna, Cole, and Madison are reflecting on their unique childhoods and forging their own perspectives on health and aging.
Anna Asprey, daughter of Dave Asprey, recalls early mornings filled with neurofeedback training and evenings where bedtime routines involved meticulously avoiding artificial light to protect her circadian rhythm. Her father, a prominent biohacker, explained complex biological concepts like chemical reception binding even to a five-year-old. "He didn’t just want me to understand what was going on, but why and how it was relevant to me," Anna, now 19, told The Post.
Cole Brecka, son of Gary Brecka, remembers being likely the only high school freshman in Florida taking BPC-157, an experimental peptide now popular in the fitness community for its potential tissue repair benefits. His father would provide detailed protocols for electrolytes, trace minerals, and amino acids before games, a stark contrast to teammates consuming processed snacks. "Then I’d look over at the guy next to me and see he’s eating a Lunchable and drinking a soda and that’s his pre-game warm up," Cole recalled.
Madison Brecka, Cole's older sister, noted that while her father emphasized exercise, her parents' approach was educational rather than punitive. "A lot of people think it’s almost like stimulating an eating disorder. But it was more about, ‘I want to see you work out. I want you to make these routines into habits for adulthood, and your reward is that I pay for your car,’" Madison explained. Her father, Gary Brecka, gained prominence through his podcast "The Ultimate Human" and has connected with figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Joe Rogan.
While their fathers pursued extreme longevity goals—Dave Asprey aiming for 180 years and Gary Brecka suggesting 120—their children are adopting more nuanced perspectives.
"I don’t want to live to 180,” Madison stated. “I want to be the grandma that dies peacefully at 100 in her bed, but she was so healthy and capable up until like that day.” Cole echoed this sentiment, prioritizing quality of life over sheer duration: “I don’t want to live long just to live long, but I want to make the years that I am on this earth as maximized as possible.”
Anna, now a university student interested in botany, continues practices like meditation and brain training. Cole co-founded H2Tab Hydrogen Tablets and completed an ultramarathon challenge. Madison, after overcoming a health crisis, founded a biotechnology-focused skincare brand, EUCLASÉ.
Despite occasional pushback during adolescence, such as Cole’s resistance to injections and Madison’s period of drifting from her health principles in college, all three value the foundation their parents provided. "When people first hear about biohacking, they usually think, ‘Oh, that must have been restrictive,'" Anna said. "But for me, it actually created freedom and autonomy by giving me the knowledge I need to look after myself and the tools to feel the way I want to feel."