LeBron James’ alleged $1.5 million biohacking routine – does it work?

Body control!

LeBron James, who turns 40 next month, reportedly takes down $1.5 million a year to keep his body in tip-top shape.

The Lakers superstar would not confirm or deny the $1.5 million figure — first shared by sportscaster Bill Simmons in 2016 — in Netflix’s new documentary series, “Starting 5.”

“I just laugh,” James said in the series, which premiered last month. “That’s a number I’m not going to divulge, but more importantly, I think the timing is right.”

The four-time NBA champion spends hours each day on his biohealing routine, which includes cryotherapy, red light therapy, hyperbaric chamber time, a mid-day nap and a high-carb diet and with little sugar.

The Post consulted Dave Asprey, an entrepreneur and author known as the “father of biohacking,” about James’ full-court press regime — and what exactly he’s doing with the $1.5 million.

“LeBron focuses a lot on recovery, which is essential if you want to perform at your full potential and live a long time,” Asprey said.

Cryotherapy

“Consistency is key,” James wrote on Instagram in 2020 as he showed off a single-chamber cryotherapy chamber that can cost upwards of $90,000.

Nearly a decade ago, Bleacher Report followed James as he entered a room that dropped from -110 degrees Celsius (-166 degrees Fahrenheit) to -150 degrees Celsius (-238 degrees Fahrenheit) in three minutes.

“It tricks the brain into thinking it’s freezing,” said the person who helped James with his session. “The brain triggers a systemic reaction in the bloodstream that creates anti-inflammatory proteins. These proteins are what reduce inflammation.”

Chronic inflammation, when your immune system remains activated long after an injury or threat of disease has passed, can lead to organ and tissue wear and tear and has been linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, liver disease and some types of cancer.

In addition to reducing inflammation, cryotherapy can also cause an endorphin rush, a boost in metabolism and energy, and a loss of 500 to 800 calories per treatment.

James has been known to alternate between a cold and a hot tub as well, constricting and dilating blood vessels to reduce inflammation and flush waste out of his muscles.

“Cold therapy has been part of my longevity strategy for years,” Asprey told The Post. “An ice bath, cold shower or cryotherapy session sends a powerful signal to your body to shed weak cells and become stronger and more resilient. This is definitely something you want if you plan to live a long time.”

Red light therapy

Low-level wavelengths of red light help repair James cells, reducing inflammation and relieving pain.

“Red light activates an enzyme called cytochrome c oxidase in your cells, which causes your mitochondria to make more ATP and generate more energy,” explained Asprey, who has a light technology company called TrueLight .

“It helps your cells work better and reduces inflammation, which is a major cause of aging,” Asprey added.

CNN reported in 2017 that James’ longtime trainer, Mike Mancias, has also tried to speed James’ recovery with an electrostimulation machine, air-inflated compression sleeves and a manual soft-tissue massage.

James is a fan of the Hyperice Normatec 3 Air Compression Boots. The Normatec 3 sells for $799 on Amazon.

Hyperbaric chamber sessions

Although his wife Savannah likens it to a coffin, James will fit into a 32-inch-diameter chamber for 90 minutes.

Pure oxygen is pumped into the pressurized space to improve blood flow and circulation and reduce swelling, pain and toxins.

“Studies show that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can increase circulating stem cells in your body,” Asprey said. “This is great for longevity because stem cells are responsible for repairing your tissues and keeping them young.”

The Vitaeris 320 portable hyperbaric chamber, which James used, retails for $23,000.

sleep

James is known to sleep eight or nine hours a night and naps two or three hours a day.

“This is the best way for your body physically and emotionally to be able to recover and get back to 100% as much as possible. Now, are you going to wake up and feel 100%? It’s been a few days, James said on a 2018 episode of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast.

“So some days you feel better than others,” he continued. “But the more and more and more time you get those eight — if you can get nine, that’s amazing. Sometimes I get 10 hours of sleep.”

James finds it easiest to sleep when the room temperature is 68 to 70 degrees, when it’s completely dark (no TV or smartphone light allowed), and when the “rain on leaves” soundscape is playing on his Calm app .

“High-quality sleep is really one of the best longevity tricks,” Asprey said. “But unless you’re an athlete, most people don’t need to take a midday nap if they sleep well at night. Focus on quality sleep at night and you won’t need to nap.”

Low-sugar, high-carbohydrate diet

James also told Ferriss that he eats as clean as possible throughout his life [NBA] season.”

He avoids sugary drinks, artificial sweeteners and fried foods in favor of gluten-free pancakes with berries for breakfast, an arugula salad with chicken for lunch and chicken parmesan with a rocket salad for dinner.

“So, I kind of remove the sugars, but I kind of increase the carbohydrates. Because you’re losing so many calories, you’re burning so many calories, burning all your energy during these games,” James said in 2017. “So I kind of get a lot of carbs because it gives you energy. It worked for me.”

Asprey said reducing added sugar promotes longevity because persistently elevated blood sugar levels can contribute to aging and chronic disease.

“The best longevity diet strategy is to focus on high-quality animal protein (aim for at least 1 gram per pound of ideal body weight per day), healthy saturated fats, and low-toxin carbohydrates,” Asprey said. , who developed Bulletproof. Diet.

James also likes to finish his dinner with a glass of cabernet. There are conflicting studies on whether any amount of alcohol is good for you.