Lord Mayor reveals unusual morning habit
The Mayor of Brisbane has revealed he drinks olive oil from a shot glass every morning because he is “interested in biohacking” and believes it will help him live longer.
Adrian Schrinner outlined the routine during a quick Q&A Wednesday when asked if there was anything residents would be surprised by if they followed it for a week.
He explained that he drank 30 to 60 milliliters of high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil from shot glasses immediately after waking up for health reasons.
“I’m kind of interested in biohacking,” Schrinner said.
“I want to live to see my children grow up. It’s a very stressful job, so you need certain things… to survive.”
Biohacking is a general term for strategies to improve physical health and well-being through lifestyle changes, and many of its proponents have gained huge online followings.
Health experts contacted by this imprint said there is strong evidence that consuming olive oil as part of a balanced diet is linked to longer life and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
“I don’t know if I could extend this to olive oil doses, which is something everyone should be doing, but Adrian clearly … understood that there was good evidence,” said Lauren Ball, professor of community health and wellbeing at the University of Queensland.
“Everything falls within the range of good choices… In general, anything that encourages integrating good choices related to health and well-being into our daily lives is a good thing, as long as it is not dangerous, harmful or excessive.”
He added that drinking olive oil directly can cause nausea.
The event, held at the Star casino on Queen’s Wharf, was attended by hundreds of people from the construction and development industry and was hosted by the Property Council of Australia.
During the Q&A, Schrinner described the Kangaroo Point Bridge as the project he is most proud of, but said he has not yet determined what he wants his legacy to be as Mayor.
He also suggested – almost jokingly – that he was unlikely to attend the 2032 Olympic Games opening ceremony when asked where he planned to sit for the night.
“You’ll probably get a better view at home… in front of the TV.”
This followed a speech in which he touched on federal tax changes to negative gearing and capital gains relief for housing, arguing they would harm Brisbane residents.
Start your day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
