Examining Notable Personalities with Age-Detecting Software for Their Anti-Aging Secrets

There are many well-known individuals who advocate for anti-aging and a healthy lifestyle. But how can we verify who among them is more effective? I think I’ve come up with a fairly original way: I took screenshots from videos of their presentations over the past few years and analyzed the age of the obtained photos using an age recognition system.

In this article, I used an age recognition system from the ToolPie service: https://age.toolpie.com/

I’ve been using this service for about a year.

There are other similar systems, but either they are not convenient, or it’s not possible at all to upload a third-party photo. I’ve tested this service multiple times on different acquaintances, and it shows good accuracy. I tried to choose photos taken head-on and with a straight head position. This is because, for instance, when the shot is taken from above, the system shows the age to be younger.

The age recognition system for photos is based on the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. First, the computer is trained on a large set of photos of people of different ages, then it uses this experience to estimate the age of a new person in a photo, analyzing their facial features and other signs.

The order of this list doesn’t follow any particular logic. I found information about these people on the internet in roughly this order based on queries related to anti-aging and rejuvenation.

So, here’s my list:

1. Aubrey de Grey: A biomedical gerontologist who co-founded the SENS Research Foundation, an organization dedicated to studying and defeating the diseases of aging.
2. David Sinclair: A professor at Harvard Medical School known for his work on understanding why we age and how to slow its effects.
3. Valter Longo: A biochemist known for his research into aging and life span, particularly his work on fasting.
4. Peter Attia: An anti-aging physician who runs a medical practice focused on health, longevity, and preventive medicine.
5. Andrew Weil: Known for his work in integrative medicine and his “Anti-Inflammatory Diet”.
6. Sara Gottfried: A Harvard-educated MD and author, known for her work on hormonal balance.
7. Joseph Mercola: A well-known figure in alternative medicine.
8. Ray Kurzweil: A futurist and an AI visionary at Google, known for his claims about the potential for life extension through a combination of supplements, diet, and future advancements in biotechnology.
9. Deepak Chopra: A man who believes that one can significantly impact their aging process through a combination of meditation, yoga, and a specific diet.
10. Sadhguru (Jagadish Vasudev): A guru who promotes holistic well-being, emphasizing inner transformation and mindfulness practices.

Here I begin analyzing the photos. I will provide links to each video, the year it was recorded, and screenshots from these videos. Then I will present the age determined from these screenshots minus the actual age, which will ultimately yield the rejuvenation age.

For instance, the first video from 2020, with an age determined to be 44 years, minus the actual age of 57 years, gives us -13 years – Aubrey de Grey appears to be 13 years younger than his actual age in this video.

1. Aubrey de Grey. Born: April 20, 1963

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWYBdrQPQjM – video from 2020: 44 (determined) – 57 (actual) = -13 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anyWHDrmZbg – video from 2022: 45 (determined) – 59 (actual) = -14 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg9v9ii2Kkk – video from 2023: 50 (determined) – 60 (actual) = -10 years
Average: -12.3 years.

Well, quite an impressive result, although in recent years Aubrey has been showing signs of aging. Or could this thick beard be preventing the artificial intelligence from accurately determining his age?

2. David Sinclair. Born: 26 June, 1969

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEz1P4i1P7s – video from 2019: 40 (determined) – 50 (actual) = -10 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2DxoqkGQJI – video from 2022: 39 (determined) – 53 (actual) = -14 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsUUgTPtwnc – video from 2023: 39 (determined) – 54 (actual) = -15 years

Average: -13 years (more detailed analysis)

Yahoo! It looks like this guy has halted his aging! Although his average result is within the margin of error compared to Aubrey de Grey, David’s trend over the last two years is impressive! Or is it significant that he is six years younger if he started rejuvenation when he was younger? In any case, I’ll be keeping an eye on him. And besides, he’s handsome! Let’s see what the next person has in store.

3. Valter Longo. Born: October 9, 1967

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNI8IlMhg3A – video from 2020: 47 (determined) – 53 (actual) = -6 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4GD5cKG1sE – video from 2022: 47 (determined) – 55 (actual) = -8 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PdKZPBen0w – video from 2023: 52 (determined) – 56 (actual) = -4 years

Average: -6 years.

Certainly, he’s doing better than most regular people, but it’s clear that Valter is not the frontrunner.

4. Peter Attia. Born: 19 March, 1973

I had to put in some extra effort to get good screenshots of him: he likes to wear a baseball cap when giving speeches. I’m not sure how such headgear might affect the age estimation result.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDFxdkck354 – video from 2017: 35 (determined) – 44 (actual) = -9 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExZ9JF69px0 – video from 2021: 44 (determined) – 48 (actual) = -4 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8VFTQ74bqo – video from 2023: 51 (determined) – 50 (actual) = +1 year

Average: -4 years.

Now that’s a trend: despite good initial data, this guy is clearly doing something wrong. And it’s important for us to figure out what. A negative result is also a valuable experience.

5. Andrew Weil. Born: June 8, 1942

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYmb0DYRQKQ – video from 2011: 62 (determined) – 69 (actual) = -7 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcSr7hueQOo – video from 2021: 56 (determined) – 79 (actual) = -23 years
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TlS3OQ7jwaI – video from 2023: 65 (determined) – 81 (actual) = -16 years

Average: -15.3 years.

Despite the variation in results over the years, this is the best overall result so far. It might be, though, that this is a feature of the model when applied to older individuals. We’ll note down the anti-inflammation and continue our observations.

6. Sara Gottfried. Born: February 23, 1967

Here is the first woman on my list. We need to be especially attentive here because cosmetic procedures may strongly influence the results. Of course, men could also take advantage of this, but it’s likely more common for women. In any case, cosmetics are important too, and her experience is very interesting. So, let’s take a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BImf6R97UiE – video from 2019: 41 (determined) – 52 (actual) = -11 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_DgxuZtgDs – video from 2021: 37 (determined) – 54 (actual) = -17 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrFT6N7KaL0 – video from 2023: 34 (determined) – 56 (actual) = -22 years

What a result! Such consistent rejuvenation! Even if it’s due to cosmetics, most women would want to know the secret of such makeup!

On the other hand, here is a video from the same year, and the result is not as astonishing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxzpB-ZZomQ – video from 2023: 42 (determined) – 56 (actual) = -14 years (photo)

Average: -16 years.

But even with this result, the average age of rejuvenation will be -16 years, which is a record. However, the impact of cosmetic procedures is undeniably playing a role here.

7. Joseph Mercola. Born: July 8, 1954

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsRBYKsdshQ – video from 2019: 54 (determined) – 65 (actual) = -11 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1e45Rhz0wE – video from 2020: 53 (determined) – 66 (actual) = -13 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4QlWWt_lW4 – video from 2023: 63 (determined) – 69 (actual) = -6 years

Average: -10 years.

Joseph started well, but something seems to have knocked him off track in the last year. Nonetheless, I respect him for his public stance.

8. Ray Kurzweil. Born: February 12, 1948

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybb052CNE3I – 2018: 54 (determined) – 70 (actual) = -16 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbKNbMgRbJA – 2021: 58 (determined) – 73 (actual) = -15 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SLnP8zikXI – 2023: 59 (determined) – 75 (actual) = -16 years

Average: -15.7 years.

Ray consistently maintains a good result, but at this rate, he risks losing this game of time and might not live to see the immortality he predicts.

9. Deepak Chopra. Born: October 22, 1946

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHmnPVApfFE – 2018: 52 (determined) – 72 (actual) = -20 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJp9MwjkTrI – 2020: 51 (determined) – 74 (actual) = -23 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znV8nSd2odg – 2023: 56 (determined) – 77 (actual) = -21 years
Average: -21.3 years.

Deepak demonstrates the best average result of those examined! However, there’s a chance that the age recognition model might be slightly off with Indians. Or perhaps Deepak really is doing many things correctly. We’ll verify this with the next example.

10. Sadhguru (Jagadish Vasudev). Born: September 3, 1957

Even though Sadhguru is not directly involved in anti-aging, I decided to include him in my list because he teaches about life, and I’m curious to see if his teachings help to stay young.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vOwBb-w0Qc – 2018: 36 (determined) – 61 (actual) = -25 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvIbG6zMbME – 2021: 30 (determined) – 64 (actual) = -34 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VkIJKuDyMQ – 2023: 28 (determined) – 66 (actual) = -38 years
Average: -32.2 years.

This is simply incredible, I can’t believe it!!! This guy is visibly aging much slower than even David Sinclair. A man at 66 looking like he’s 28! I didn’t intend to hype him up and didn’t purposely put him at the end, I just remembered him last. It seems strange that when you look at him, he appears older, but the age recognition system somehow displays him as very young. It would be interesting to shave him and do a new test 🙂 There’s also some doubt about whether we can trust Indian birth records? But in any case, there is evidence of rejuvenation over the recent years.

So, what do we have? By my voluntary decision, I select the following individuals for further study:

• David Sinclair – good results over time and in general, he appeals to me (I’m straight, just in case).
• Andrew Weil – also very good results.
• Peter Attia – I choose him for the worst results among those considered. To understand what he might have done wrong.
• Sara Gottfried – she will be interesting to a female audience.
• I could have chosen Deepak Chopra, but he overlaps with Sadhguru, and Sadhguru has higher metrics, so we keep Sadhguru.

Now, let’s try to compare their approaches with each other.

David Sinclair’s approach is purely scientific. Unlike Peter Attia, Sadhguru and others, who focuses more on lifestyle factors like diet and exercise, Sinclair emphasizes the importance of genetic and cellular mechanisms in aging. He’s particularly invested in the development of medicines that can mimic the effects of diet and exercise at the cellular level. Sinclair is more interested in how the manipulation of certain genes and cellular processes can potentially reverse aging. Perhaps he has already invented some magic pill, but we can’t rely on that yet, so we need to find another example to emulate. Read more about his approach here: David Sinclair’s Anti-Aging Essentials and Lifestyle

Andrew Weil, Sara Gottfried, and Sadhguru advocate for a holistic approach to health and wellness, emphasizing the importance of both physical and mental wellbeing in anti-aging and rejuvenation. Each of them underscore the importance of good sleep hygiene, stress management techniques, and avoiding harmful habits like smoking or excessive alcohol consumption. They all promote a balanced diet and regular physical activity as crucial components of any anti-aging regimen.

Dr. Sara Gottfried’s approach to anti-aging and rejuvenation is unique as it emphasizes hormonal balance and its crucial role in aging. She specifically focuses on women’s health and the unique biological and hormonal differences that affect their aging process. Beyond medical treatments, she also advocates for lifestyle interventions such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, good sleep, and stress management. She has a strong belief in the mind-body connection and promotes practices like yoga and mindfulness meditation. Lastly, she uses genetic testing to create more personalized anti-aging strategies, integrating traditional medical knowledge with a more holistic perspective of health and wellbeing.

Dr. Peter Attia, our outlier, focuses on “healthspan” – a life free of chronic diseases and full of vitality. He is known for his rigorous personal experiments with diet, physical exercises, and various biohacking methods. He has a strong focus on physical fitness and has participated in extreme endurance events. His training regimen is intensive and meticulously tracked. Attia practices intermittent fasting and follows a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, known as a ketogenic diet. He has also experimented with prolonged fasts. Could it be that his workouts and fasting are excessive?

Unlike Peter Attia’s more rigorous, science-backed methodologies, Weil places greater emphasis on lifestyle changes, natural remedies, meditation, and proper nutrition. His strategies focus more on overall well-being and mental health in addition to physical health.

On the other hand, comparing Weil to Sadhguru, an Indian yogi and mystic, shows some similarities in their focus on holistic wellness and mindfulness practices. But Sadhguru’s approach is deeply rooted in spiritual traditions and yoga practices of India, which can be considered more esoteric compared to Weil’s more Western-oriented, integrative medicine approach.

The key factors identified from the different approaches of David Sinclair, Andrew Weil, Sara Gottfried, Peter Attia, and Sadhguru include:

• Cellular Mechanisms and Genetics: As emphasized by Sinclair, understanding and manipulating our genetic and cellular mechanisms might hold the key to reversing aging.
• Holistic Health: Advocated by Weil, Gottfried, and Sadhguru, this approach emphasizes the importance of physical and mental wellbeing, incorporating lifestyle changes, stress management, good sleep hygiene, and avoiding harmful habits.
• Hormonal Balance: Gottfried highlights this as a crucial factor, especially in women’s health. Maintaining hormonal balance can significantly affect the aging process.
• Diet and Exercise: A balanced diet and regular physical activity are universally acknowledged as crucial components of any anti-aging regimen. The type of diet and intensity of exercise can vary, as seen in Attia’s approach of a ketogenic diet and rigorous physical regimen.
• Mind-Body Connection: Practices such as yoga and mindfulness meditation, as emphasized by Sadhguru and Gottfried, can play a significant role in maintaining overall health and wellbeing, thus contributing to anti-aging.
• Biohacking and Personal Experimentation: Attia’s approach showcases the potential of personalized regimens based on self-experimentation. However, it also raises the question of whether extreme regimens might be counterproductive.

As expected, we didn’t find any magic pill or single miraculous approach, but now you, along with me, can choose the most suitable example to emulate and follow. Because now we certainly know whose approach truly works.

Whom else would you like to analyze in a similar manner? Write in the comments, and I will conduct such a review. Alternatively, if you have already conducted such a review yourself, please share the link. It will be very interesting to explore. Thank you!