The woman in a relationship with one of the world’s best-known biohackers has opened up about their unusual romance. Kate Tolo, 30, says she felt relieved when her partner Bryan Johnson was diagnosed with a stomach condition, because it showed her that the man trying to turn back the clock is not invincible.
Johnson, 49, is a technology entrepreneur famous for his mission to slow down and reverse biological ageing. He has spent huge sums chasing the body markers of an 18-year-old, and he hopes to reach 150.
A very unusual routine
His daily protocol is famously extreme. He takes more than 100 supplements a day, finishes eating by 11.30am, and tracks his night-time erections as a measure of heart health.
Tolo’s interest in his work goes back nearly ten years. She is Australian, the daughter of Bosnian immigrants, and moved to the United States at 20 to build a career in fashion. She rose to senior manager of global design operations at The North Face, leading a team of 70.
She later joined Johnson’s health technology company, Blueprint, after the two clicked straight away during a Zoom interview. He has since described the bond as two people "oddly from entirely different worlds but somehow the same person".
Work and love tangled together
The couple kept their relationship quiet for a long time, even though Tolo worked at Blueprint. Johnson only confirmed it towards the end of last year. Asked whether she sees herself as his girlfriend, his business partner or another Blueprint test subject, Tolo said: "It all bleeds into one."
She admitted that mixing the two roles has not always been smooth.
Their arrangement also comes with some unconventional rules. One major restriction is about to be lifted, and Tolo is looking forward to the day she can finally share a bed with him.
The diagnosis
Johnson recently revealed that he has autoimmune gastritis, a condition in which, as he put it, his stomach is literally "eating itself". He blames hypothyroidism that runs in his family rather than his health regime. There is no cure, though he says he and his team are working to "solve it".
Tolo’s first reaction surprised even her. "I was actually relieved when we found out because I was thinking he’s not invincible and there’s gonna be something," she said. She suspects he has had the slowly progressing illness for decades, with his careful habits keeping it in check.
A rulebook rewritten
Johnson once said a girlfriend could never be his "number one priority". Recent comments suggest that has changed. When Tolo went to Australia for a week, he admitted: "I miss Kate so badly that I physically hurt."
He went on to say that his emotions were stunted, his thoughts were cloudy and his mood had dipped. One follower joked, "Bryan, this is how you’ll die." Johnson replied: "I think you are right."
For now, the couple carry on with their experiment in love, work and longevity, with a new health challenge to tackle together.
Image credit: Youtube/The Diary Of A CEO
Source: The Mirror US
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