Hi,
I’m writing to share about 9 new posts on the blog that may be of interest:
1) Huberman’s journaling suggestion – “the Pennebaker method” – This article explores a journaling method that takes 2 hours total, split over 4 sessions, and was found in studies to:
- Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Improve the body’s response to viral illness (!)
- Increase memory and improve brain function
– There can’t be too many zero cost things you can do for 2 hours that can (potentially) deliver all that. The article describes the method (protocol) and the science behind it.
2) Bryan Johnson’s Supplements – Why he takes all 40 supplements (over 100 pills) – it’s fascinating to follow along and try to learn from the experiments that Bryan Johnson is doing to slow aging and rejuvenate his body.
With this in mind, we decided to try and break down every supplement he takes by its potential function. Separating out the “heavy hitters” from the “nice to haves”. Fortunately, for many of them, Bryan had spelled out in various places on the internet why he takes them. However, for others, we had to use a bit of guess-work.
3) Bryan Johnson’s Skincare Routine & Products – In addition to slowing aging on the inside, Bryan is also attempting to improve his external aesthetic through the use of skincare products. This article describes what we know of his routine.
Spoiler: for those without a skincare routine, there may be some new info. However, for those already deep in the weeds on skincare, most of what he’s doing is standard and par for the course.
4) Bryan Johnson’s Prescription Drugs – While the above article looked at what over-the-counter supplements Johnson takes, this article looks specifically at his prescription drugs. Specifically:
- Acarbose
- Metformin
- Rapamycin
- 17-alpha estradiol
He previously experimented with exogenous testosterone and hGH, but has now discontinued them.
5) Drugs from the ITP (Intervention Testing Program) that successfully extended lifespan and those that failed – when digging into it, all of the “heavy hitting” prescription drugs that Bryan Johnson is experimenting with stem from successful ITP trial results. This article looks at what the ITP trials are, how they started, and what results they’ve uncovered. One of the most surprising aspects is the drugs that failed to extend lifespan in mice, namely:
- Metformin
- Resveratrol
- Nicotinamide Riboside
- Fisetin
- Aspirin
- Methylene Blue
If you’re not intimately familiar with the intervention testing program, there may be some new info here. However, if you’re already familiar, or recently listened to Peter Attia’s December podcast with the Richard Miller – you might want to skip it.
6) How Dana White (of the UFC) reduced his high blood pressure through reducing his homocysteine levels – Gary Brecka, whose company helped Dana White “get healthy” was recently on the Rogan podcast. He explained how Dana White previously had dangerously high blood pressure (160/110), and why homocysteine was contributing to that.
If homocysteine isn’t already on your radar, then this post may be of interest. The good news is that, for most people, fixing elevated homocysteine is as simple as adding methylated B6, B9 & B12 vitamins to the diet.
7) Peter Attia’s Top 5 Most Important Blood Tests – Peter describes the 4 horseman of chronic disease as:
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
- Neurodegenerative diseases (such Alzheimer’s disease)
- Type 2 diabetes and related metabolic dysfunction.
This article looks at the 5 blood tests Peter described in 2020 as his most important. They cover heart disease risk, metabolic syndrome, alzheimer’s disease risk – and potentially impact all 4 horsemen mentioned above.
Although 2020 was some time ago, we haven’t seen him cover the exact topic since. Most likely, many of these blood tests, such as APOE, Lp(a) and ApoB, are still high on his priority list.
8) Dark Chocolate and Heavy Metals – How Bad Is the Problem? – People often say that dark chocolate is healthy, in part due to it having less sugar than milk chocolate, and a high polyphenol count. However, few people talk about the lead and cadmium it contains. This article deep dives into the data around these two heavy metals. I’ll leave readers to draw their own risk-based conclusions on how much dark chocolate to consume, but this article certainly gives pause for thought.
9) Microplastics in Coffee Cups: Uncovering the Hidden Dangers Lurking in Your Morning Brew – So, dark chocolate has some flaws, but what about coffee? This article delves into the existing research around disposable coffee cups, microplastics, and other leaching chemicals. It may make you think twice about using disposable cups regularly.
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That wraps up the list of new articles.
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Warm regards and happy new year,
John