Biohacking, TRT & GLP-1: Where Optimization Makes Sense — and Where It Tips into Risk

Disclaimer: This article reports on the statements of biohacking coach Michael "Iron Mike" Steiner in the ungescriptet podcast (Ben, 2026) and contextualizes them scientifically. It is not medical advice. Prescription substances (TRT, GLP-1 agonists, trazodone) belong in clinical hands — self-medication carries legal and health risks. Off-label peptides from internet sources are not approved for human use in Germany.

We live in a society that demands constant performance. While classical medicine typically intervenes after disease breaks out, biohacking acts proactively — with hormones, peptides, and experimental molecules that were the realm of doctoral theses just a decade ago.

In the ungescriptet podcast with Ben, coach Michael "Iron Mike" Steiner offers deep insight into a scene where state-of-the-art pharmacology is used to optimize body and mind. This article walks through the main tools, contextualizes them scientifically, and names the limits where sensible prevention tips into risky self-experimentation.

The biohacking-tier pyramid

Before talking about needles, the honest macro view matters. What works where — and how much effort is appropriate?

Steiner enters mostly at tiers 4–7 — with private patients who can afford it. Editorial position of this site: build tiers 1–3 cleanly first; anything above only with clear medical indication and physician supervision.

The testosterone revolution: Steiner's view — and what the data shows

Steiner sharply criticizes German TRT practice: panel doctors default to Nebido (long-acting injection every 10–14 weeks), causing hormone-level sawtooth patterns — a few euphoric weeks, then a trough. His approach: microdosing with testosterone enanthate, subcutaneous several times per week, to simulate a stable level in the upper reference range.

That is not methodologically wrong — pharmacokinetics back him up. Frustration with Nebido as default is shared by many endocrinologists. What Steiner leaves out:

TRT vs. "running gear" — where Steiner draws the line

Steiner cleanly separates medical TRT (100–200 mg testosterone/week, correcting a deficit) from classical bodybuilding doping (1,000+ mg, plus other anabolics). For the latter, mortality risk is well-documented: cardiovascular complications, cardiac hypertrophy, strokes.

This line is editorially correct and should stand — it gets blurred too often in public discussion.

What TRT research actually said in 2023/2024

What's changed since 2023 — and isn't mentioned in the podcast:

TRAVERSE trial (Lincoff et al., NEJM 2023): 5,246 men with hypogonadism and elevated cardiovascular risk, 33-month follow-up on TRT vs. placebo. No increased cardiovascular risk under proper TRT. The FDA softened the warning labels on testosterone products in 2025 based on this.

That's an important update against the old "TRT causes heart attacks" narrative. But TRT remains not risk-free:

Editorial framing: TRT is not a lifestyle tool. It's a life decision. Once you substitute, endogenous production drops — discontinuing is possible but takes weeks-to-months of discomfort. From pure "optimization" motivation, without documented hypogonadism (levels repeatedly < ~12 nmol/L morning fasting + symptoms), TRT is medically unjustified — and ethically questionable.

GLP-1 agonists — from diabetes to lifestyle pharmacology

Steiner mainly discusses Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) and the phase-3 Retatrutide in the podcast. The framing there: miracle cure for the hunger problem.

What the data shows — by generation:

Steiner's 24% number is correct (Jastreboff 2023, NEJM). What he doesn't mention:

Risks on the other side:

• Pancreatitis — rare but documented. FDA warning since 2023.
• Gastroparesis (stomach paralysis) — rising case counts, lawsuits in the US.
• Medullary thyroid cancer — black-box warning in the US, animal data.
• Muscle loss in off-label use without protein focus + strength training — 25–40% of weight loss comes from lean mass. Using GLP-1 without parallel training means losing not just fat but muscle that bites hard in old age. See Exercise & longevity: the 5 pillars.
• Lifelong: in obesity patients, weight typically returns after stopping. Practically a lifelong commitment.

Editorial position: For clinical obesity (BMI ≥ 30, or ≥ 27 with comorbidities), GLP-1 agonists are a medical breakthrough and belong in the toolkit. For lifestyle use ("I want to look leaner") the pharmacology effort is disproportionate to a lifestyle problem — and pushes muscle loss into the future. Anyone on GLP-1 must couple it with strength training + high protein intake.

Peptides & experimental molecules — the wild-west zone

Steiner names three substance groups currently hyped in the biohacking scene. Here the data thins out:

BPC-157

"Body Protection Compound" — supposedly potent for tendon healing, gastric mucosa, anti-inflammatory.

Reality: Almost all data comes from rat studies. There are zero phase 2/3 human trials. BPC-157 is not approved; all supply comes from "research chemicals" in underground pharmacies — no quality control, no guarantees for purity, sterility, or correct sequence. Self-experiment at your own risk — and not available at any German pharmacy.

Thymosin Alpha-1

Real drug (Zadaxin), approved in some countries for hepatitis B/C immunomodulation. Off-label use for Long Covid and chronic fatigue is debated — evidence is anecdotal to early-phase, controlled trials missing.

SLU-PP-332 ("Exercise in pill form")

ERR agonist (estrogen-related receptor) — simulates aspects of endurance training (fat oxidation, mitochondrial biogenesis) in mouse studies. Important to clarify: No human data, no pharmacy in the world stocks this compound. What's sold online as "SLU-PP-332" is unverifiable — Russian roulette with mitochondrial biology.

General caveat on the peptide scene: Polypharmacy (multiple experimental peptides + hormones + neurotransmitters simultaneously) has zero safety data. Interactions unknown, long-term systemic consequences unknown. Anyone doing it is the experiment — not the experimenter.

Sleep hacks: trazodone vs. magnesium

Steiner recommends trazodone in microdoses (25 mg) for sleep extension. Trazodone is an older serotonergic antidepressant whose sedating side effect gets used off-label.

Editorial framing: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) explicitly does not recommend trazodone as a first-line sleep aid for chronic insomnia — evidence is weak, daytime drowsiness, priapism (rare but dangerous persistent erection), and cardiac QT prolongation are documented risks. Trazodone is a prescription antidepressant, not a lifestyle tool.

Better alternatives for sleep problems (in this order):

1. Sleep hygiene basics + circadian alignment — see Sleep science: chronotypes & melatonin myths
2. Magnesium glycinate before bed — see Magnesium glycinate
3. Rule out sleep apnea if snoring + daytime fatigue
4. Trazodone etc. only after steps 1–3 have failed, with medical supervision

What actually matters: the foundation

Both Steiner and the scientific consensus agree on these — and here lies the only uncomplicated section of the topic:

These four building blocks cost ~€30–50/month combined, are decades-researched, and deliver healthspan effects against which any peptide pales.

The two-class medicine — and the actual costs

A point Steiner addresses honestly: high-level biohacking is expensive. Concretely (German-speaking-region private-payer estimates):

That's the reality of the emerging two-class medicine. Middle-class users will rarely afford the full setup — which deepens social inequality in health status. Important to know: 80% of the effects are in tiers 1–2 (lifestyle + basic supplements) and are achievable for under €50/month.

Conclusion — editorial

Steiner is methodologically right about a lot: German TRT practice is conservative, microdosing is pharmacokinetically superior, the GLP-1 class is a medical breakthrough. What's missing in the podcast: the controlled caveats — risks, lifelong commitments, off-label realities, quality-control gaps.

The honest hierarchy for anyone serious about "optimization":

1. Perfect lifestyle — sleep, strength training, Zone 2, nutrition, social connection. Cheap, highest leverage.
2. Basic supplements at deficiency-correction level — lab first, then targeted.
3. Drugs at clear indication — metformin for insulin resistance, TRT for documented hypogonadism, GLP-1 for obesity. Always physician-supervised.
4. Off-label and peptides — only with eyes wide open, evidence read, risk consciously taken.
5. Experimental molecules — leave it to the professional self-experimenters. You're not the lab rat.

Anyone skipping step 1 and jumping straight to step 4 is buying a label. Anyone who has steps 1–3 dialed and adds step 4 with judgment is genuinely optimizing.