Gary Brecka's Biohacking Protocols: The Tests Behind the Hype

Gary Brecka went from being a mortality risk analyst for life insurance companies to one of the more polarizing figures in wellness — which tells you something about what happens when someone who's spent decades predicting how people die starts telling people what to do about it.

His approach centers on something most doctors don't routinely test: genetic methylation, specifically the MTHFR gene mutation, and how it affects everything from mood to cardiovascular risk. He's also big on heavy metals, organic acids, and the argument that most chronic illness traces back to nutrient deficiencies that specific tests can identify.

Here's what he tests, what the science actually says, and what it costs in Austin.

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Protocol #1: MTHFR Genetic Test

What it is: MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) is an enzyme involved in processing folate and converting it to its active form. Certain variants — C677T and A1298C are the main ones — reduce this enzyme's efficiency, which can affect homocysteine metabolism, B-vitamin processing, and theoretically a wide range of downstream functions.

What Brecka says: He argues MTHFR mutations are dramatically underdiagnosed and underlie a wide range of conditions from depression to cardiovascular disease. He's not entirely wrong that the mutation is common — estimates put carriers at 40–60% of the population for at least one variant. Where he goes further than mainstream medicine is in the breadth of conditions he attributes to it.

The nuance: Most people with MTHFR variants do fine with adequate folate intake. The variant isn't destiny — but it's worth knowing, especially if you have a family history of cardiovascular disease or have unexplained elevated homocysteine.

In Austin, an MTHFR genetic test runs $50–$200 depending on the panel. Direct-to-consumer options like 23andMe include it in the raw data. Functional medicine labs can run a more targeted panel.

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Protocol #2: Heavy Metals Panel

What it is: Blood or urine testing for elevated levels of heavy metals — lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and others. Exposure happens through food (especially fish), old paint, contaminated water, certain occupations, and some supplements.

Why it matters: Heavy metal toxicity is real and underdiagnosed in populations with high fish consumption or occupational exposure. Chronic low-level exposure is associated with cognitive effects, kidney damage, cardiovascular risk, and immune disruption.

What to know: Hair mineral analysis (which Brecka sometimes references) is considered less reliable than blood or urine testing by mainstream toxicologists. If you're testing, blood testing for recent exposure and urine testing for longer-term body burden are the validated approaches.

In Austin, a heavy metals blood panel runs $75–$200 at functional labs. This is one of the tests being added to the MarketCare procedures database — search heavy metals testing in Austin → as more providers come online.

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Protocol #3: Organic Acids Test (OAT)

What it is: A urine test that measures metabolic byproducts — markers for mitochondrial function, B-vitamin status, neurotransmitter metabolism, yeast/bacterial overgrowth, and oxidative stress. It's a functional map of what's happening inside cells, not just in the bloodstream.

Why Brecka uses it: The OAT can catch nutrient deficiencies and metabolic dysfunction that standard blood panels miss — specifically because it measures what cells are doing with nutrients, not just whether those nutrients are present in the blood.

The science: OAT is used clinically in integrative and functional medicine, but the evidence base varies considerably by marker. It's not standard-of-care testing, but many functional medicine providers find it clinically useful.

In Austin, an organic acids test runs $150–$350 through functional medicine providers and specialty labs. It typically requires a practitioner to order.

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Protocol #4: Methylated B Vitamins

This is the intervention that follows from the testing. If MTHFR variants are affecting your ability to convert standard folate and B12 into their active forms, the fix is supplementing with the pre-converted (methylated) versions directly.

• Methylfolate (5-MTHF) instead of folic acid
• Methylcobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin (the cheap form of B12)

Cost: $20–$50/month for quality methylated B-complex supplements. Available at most health food stores and online. This is one of Brecka's protocols with a relatively solid rationale for people with confirmed MTHFR variants.

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Protocol #5: Hydrogen Water

Brecka is one of the more prominent advocates for hydrogen-infused water — the argument being that molecular hydrogen acts as a selective antioxidant, neutralizing harmful reactive oxygen species without blunting beneficial ones.

The science: There's legitimate research on hydrogen water, mostly from Japanese groups, with some positive signals for inflammation and metabolic markers. The evidence is preliminary and the effect sizes are modest. It's not fringe, but it's also not established.

Cost: Hydrogen water tablets run $30–$60/month. Dedicated hydrogen water generators are $100–$500. Not something Austin cash-pay labs handle — this is supplement territory.

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Do It in Austin

Brecka's protocols span a range — from well-validated (homocysteine, heavy metals if you have exposure risk) to more speculative (organic acids, hydrogen water). The MTHFR test is genuinely worth running once, especially with a cardiovascular family history.

The lab work piece — MTHFR, heavy metals, homocysteine — is available through Austin's functional medicine and integrative providers.

• Browse integrative providers in Austin →
• Search heavy metals testing →
• Search functional lab work in Austin →
• Compare bloodwork prices →