When 42-year-old entrepreneur Jason Milner strapped on his custom hyperbaric oxygen chamber for the 90-day “Immortality Protocol,” he hoped to push the boundaries of human longevity. Milner, who claims to have invested over \$2 million into a suite of antiaging technologies, emerged from the regimen with more questions than answers—especially after a harrowing medical scare on Day 47 that nearly landed him in the ICU.
Milner’s journey began at the cutting-edge Longevity Labs in downtown Miami, where staff outfitted him with a bespoke hyperbaric chamber, cryogenic cooling system and IV infusion pumps. In a detailed interview with Forbes, he explained mid-conversation that “oxygen levels at two atmospheres can theoretically rejuvenate cells by boosting mitochondrial function,” citing a 2019 study in Nature Communications that showed improved tissue repair in mice. But human data remains scarce.
“Put your cells on steroids—the promise of hyperbaric therapy is real, but side effects can be brutal.” —Dr. Michael Schwartz, @HarvardMed Feb 14, 2025 https://twitter.com/HarvardMed/status/1846012345678901234— Harvard Medicine (@HarvardMed) Feb 14, 2025
For the first three weeks, Milner reported feeling “electrified energy surges” and fewer signs of chronic fatigue. Yet on Day 47, he woke at 3 a.m. dizzy and gasping for air. Longevity Labs physician Dr. Sofia Ramos rushed him to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where Milner was diagnosed with oxygen toxicity—a life-threatening buildup of free radicals in his lungs and brain. As CNN Health noted, high-pressure oxygen poses a known but underreported risk when protocols push beyond established limits.
“I went from feeling invincible to fearing I wouldn’t walk out,” Milner told The New York Times, recalling that moment mid-sentence. Doctors placed him on mechanical ventilation for 24 hours to mitigate swelling. “I realized I’d been so blinded by promise that I ignored every red flag,” he admitted.
“One in 1,000 hyperbaric sessions ends in toxicity—rare but catastrophic.” —@DrKathleenLee, https://twitter.com/DrKathleenLee/status/1846023456789012345Jul 6, 2025— National Hyperbaric Assoc. (@DrKathleenLee) Jul 6, 2025
Milner spent two weeks recovering under close observation at home, where his oxygen chamber sat idle. He reflected on his broader antiaging investments—stem cell infusions in Switzerland, daily NAD+ drips, bespoke peptide injections, and a handful of experimental senolytic drugs smuggled from overseas. According to Bloomberg, such an arsenal can easily exceed \$2 million over a few years.
While recuperating, Milner turned to online forums like Reddit’s r/longevity, where biohackers dissected his case. One user wrote, “He treated his body like a test tube—didn’t safeguard against oxidative stress,” sparking a flurry of replies debating whether his protocols lacked adequate antioxidant support. Another posited, “He should’ve cycled oxygen exposure to avoid free radical overload.”
Public reaction has been fierce. Disability rights groups, led by the National Disability Rights Network, condemned hyperbaric therapy as a luxury risk that could worsen inequities in healthcare access. In a scathing open letter quoted by The Washington Post, they argued that “capitalizing on fear of death while endangering patients is ethically reprehensible.”
“Biohackers sipping from the fountain of youth need a reality check—your body isn’t a petri dish.” —@EthicsForumUSA https://twitter.com/EthicsForumUSA/status/1846034567890123456Jul 7, 2025— Ethics in Medicine (@EthicsForumUSA) Jul 7, 2025
Yet Milner’s supporters under #LiveForever rallied, praising his willingness to “put skin in the game” for longevity science. One post mid-thread from longevity researcher Dr. Priya Mehta read, “Yes, he erred, but high-risk is where breakthroughs happen—think early spacewalks.” Her tweet, widely retweeted, framed Milner’s case as a necessary gamble in life-extension research.
Yes, he erred, but high-risk is where breakthroughs happen—think early spacewalks. https://twitter.com/DrPriyaMehta/status/1846045678901234567Jul 8, 2025— Dr. Priya Mehta (@DrPriyaMehta) Jul 8, 2025
Since his discharge, Milner has scaled back his regimen. In a mid-interview with VICE, he admitted, “I’m now focused on mimicking the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen through pharmacological agents and genetic tweaks, not raw pressure. My lungs can’t afford another episode.” He has enlisted a team of molecular biologists at Salk Institute to explore gene therapies that simulate HIF-1α activation—one of the pathways triggered in hyperbaric conditions.
Leaked emails obtained by Reuters reveal that Longevity Labs had already started drafting a liability waiver emphasizing “risk of pulmonary toxicity, seizures, and vision changes.” One internal memo, dated July 10, called for “enhanced neurological monitoring”—a recommendation that was never implemented. Critics seized on these omissions as proof that profit often trumps patient safety.
Regulators have taken notice. The FDA announced on August 1 that it will convene a panel of experts to review “the appropriateness of off-label hyperbaric therapy for healthy individuals,” according to a statement posted mid-sentence by Twitter. That tweet signaled a rare crackdown on biohacking practices previously left unexamined.
FDA to review hyperbaric use in healthy adults—policy may shift by year’s end. https://twitter.com/FDA/status/1846056789012345678Jul 31, 2025— FDA (@FDA) Jul 31, 2025
Meanwhile, Milner has relocated to Zurich, where he plans to undergo genome-wide screening through LifeCodexx, a private genomics firm, to identify rare variants that could predispose him to oxygen toxicity. In a mid-discussion post on LinkedIn, he wrote, “If I knew my genetic Achilles’ heel, I could tailor the therapy safely.” That post spurred comments from geneticists cautioning that many variants remain of “unknown significance.”
As Milner reevaluates his path, he has become an unlikely symbol of both promise and peril in the longevity quest. He hopes his ordeal will spur a more rigorous framework: “Pioneers must be protected by science, not driven by hype,” he told NPR mid-narrative.
Critics argue that real progress requires large-scale clinical trials, not one-off stunts. In an editorial for The Atlantic, bioethicist Dr. Rebecca Goldstein wrote, “If we don’t set guardrails now, we’ll perpetuate a system where the wealthy can gamble with their lives under the guise of science.” That warning, nestled between personal testimonials from patients helped by legitimate hyperbaric therapy, underscores the need for balance.
As Milner’s biohacking saga continues, his message resonates: “I’m still chasing the endgame—living free from age-related disease. But I’ve learned that the cure can’t be worse than the illness. Innovation without safety is just a gamble with your mortality.” Whether his next chapter yields breakthroughs or cautionary tales, Milner’s 90-day oxygen odyssey serves as a vivid reminder that the quest to “live forever” demands both imagination and humility.
