Actualités Watchman

You may have caught a glimpse of yourself in a store window and barely recognized the person staring back — shoulders rolled forward, head jutting ahead of your body, upper back curving where it used to stand tall. That gradual hunch has a name: kyphosis. And it’s far more common, and far more preventable, than most people realize.

Kyphosis is a condition characterized by an excessive forward curve in your upper spine, meaning your back rounds and your posture shifts into a hunched position. The first signs are often rounded shoulders, a forward head, or stiffness in your upper back. In more advanced stages, it brings pain, fatigue, and even breathing difficulty as the curve compresses your lungs.

The Cleveland Clinic notes that severe forms affect up to 20% to 40% of adults over age 60, and the angle of the spine increases by about 3 degrees each decade.1 By the time the mirror shows you a hunched back, the curve has usually been forming for a decade or more. Another layer makes this even more relevant. Poor posture and weak back muscles accelerate the process.

Hours spent sitting, looking down at devices, or neglecting upper-back strength shift your spine forward long before any diagnosis appears. Over time, these daily habits combine with bone loss and aging to reshape your posture. This raises a direct question: if the curve builds gradually from these factors, what specific changes actually slow it down or stop it from worsening?

Daily Habits Shape Your Spine More Than You Think

A report by Harvard Health Publishing examined how lifestyle, aging, and bone health interact to drive the forward curvature of your spine.2 Instead of framing kyphosis as something that suddenly appears, the report shows it builds step by step through structural changes in your bones, discs, and muscles. When you understand what drives the curve, you gain control over slowing it down.

• Bone loss sets the stage for structural damage — The report highlights osteoporosis as a major driver, where low bone density weakens the vertebrae and leads to small compression fractures in the front of the spine.

Imagine a stack of marshmallows where the front edges slowly get squashed flat while the back stays full; your spine tilts forward as a result. That’s what compression fractures do to vertebrae. These micro-fractures are usually painless, which is precisely the problem; your spine is reshaping itself months or years before you notice anything is wrong.

• Aging discs reduce your spine’s ability to stay upright — Over time, the discs between your vertebrae dry out and lose cushioning, which reduces their ability to absorb force and maintain spacing.

This explains why height loss occurs with age and why your upper back begins to round forward under constant pressure from gravity. Think of these discs as the shock absorbers in a car. When they wear out, every bump and load travels straight up the frame; only in this case, the frame is your spine, and the cumulative damage shows up as a forward curve.

• Posture habits either reinforce or fight the curve — Poor posture and prolonged sitting accelerate the forward bend of your spine. Spending hours hunched over devices trains your body into that position. In contrast, maintaining an upright posture keeps your head aligned over your spine, reducing strain and slowing structural changes. This gives you a simple daily metric to track: how often you correct your posture throughout the day.

• Muscle strength determines whether your spine holds its position — Weak upper-back, neck, and core muscles fail to support proper posture, which allows your spine to collapse forward more easily. Many people train the front of their body — chest and arms — while neglecting the muscles that keep them upright. That imbalance pulls your posture forward and locks in the curve over time.

• Simple daily behaviors create long-term structural change — The guidance includes breaking up long periods of sitting every 30 minutes, using supportive chairs, and avoiding prolonged forward bending positions. Each of these actions reduces continuous stress on your spine.

Certain movements increase risk and need to be avoided. Exercises that repeatedly bend the spine forward, such as toe touches or sit-ups, increase the risk of vertebral fractures in people with low bone density. Adding weight while bending forward amplifies that risk even further. Avoiding these movements removes a major source of stress on already vulnerable bones.

Severity and Progression Determine Your Real Risk

Kyphosis becomes clinically significant when the curve in your spine exceeds 50 degrees, compared to a normal range of 20 to 45 degrees.3 There are multiple forms, including postural, structural, congenital, and age-related hyperkyphosis. Each type behaves differently.

For example, postural kyphosis is often related to habits and tends to remain flexible, while structural forms involve actual changes in bone shape that don’t correct with simple posture adjustments. This distinction matters because your strategy depends on which type you’re dealing with. One responds quickly to daily changes. The other requires long-term management.

• Severity directly impacts how your body functions — Mild cases often stay cosmetic, meaning they affect appearance more than physical health. However, as the curve increases, it begins to interfere with normal movement and organ function. Severe cases lead to back pain, fatigue, balance issues, and even lung compression that affects breathing.

Mild kyphosis is a warning sign. Severe kyphosis is a daily limitation. The window between them is where your choices matter most. The earlier you address the curve, the less likely it interferes with basic functions like walking or breathing.

• Diagnosis relies on simple but revealing physical tests — Health care providers often use a forward bending test, where you bend at the waist while they observe the curve of your spine. This test reveals how pronounced the curvature is and whether it worsens when you move. Imaging like X-rays confirms the angle.

• Treatment decisions depend on multiple personal factors — Age, overall health, curve severity, and symptoms all influence treatment choices. Mild cases often rely on exercise and physical therapy. More advanced cases often require bracing or surgery.

Physical therapy focuses on strengthening the muscles that support your spine and improving flexibility in tight areas. Pain relief strategies and posture correction play a role as well. These approaches aim to reduce strain and improve alignment so your body moves more efficiently.

Procedures like spinal fusion physically realign and stabilize the vertebrae when the curve becomes extreme or causes serious symptoms. This involves joining bones together to hold your spine in a straighter position. Surgery can straighten a spine, but it can’t change the habits that bent it in the first place. Without daily reinforcement, even the most successful procedures lose ground over time.

Lifestyle adjustments — how you sit, stand, and carry weight — remain essential for maintaining results. This creates a simple but powerful system you can follow: monitor posture, adjust movement, and stay consistent. Your spine remembers what you did yesterday. Every hour spent slumped over a phone reinforces the curve; every posture reset, every set of rows, pulls you back the other way.

Targeted Movement Patterns Change How Your Spine Functions

Knowing where you fall on this spectrum is useful, but it’s not enough. Whether your curve is mild or pronounced, the same fundamental truth applies: your spine responds to how you move it. That’s where targeted exercise enters the picture.

Physical therapy and targeted exercise are central tools for improving posture and reducing symptoms associated with spinal curvature. Instead of relying on passive treatments, the focus shifts to active movement that strengthens and stabilizes your body. This puts you in control of how your spine functions day to day.

• Standing rows train the muscles that pull your shoulders back — One of the key exercises is the standing row, which strengthens the upper-back muscles responsible for keeping your shoulders from rolling forward.4

Attach a resistance band at waist height, pull your elbows back, and squeeze your shoulder blades together. That motion directly counters the rounded posture that leads to a hunched back. When done regularly, this movement retrains your body to hold a more upright position without constant effort.

• Shoulder extensions reinforce alignment and chest opening — Another recommended movement uses a resistance band anchored overhead, where you pull your arms down to your sides while squeezing your shoulder blades together.

This strengthens the muscles that stabilize your spine and opens your chest, which reverses the tight, forward-pulled position many people develop from sitting. You’re not just building strength here; you’re restoring balance between the front and back of your body.

• Planks build the core stability your spine depends on — The plank is highlighted as both a core-strengthening and weight-bearing exercise. You hold your body in a straight line while supporting your weight through your arms and toes. This teaches your core muscles to stabilize your spine during movement and daily activity. A stronger core reduces the load placed on your back and helps maintain alignment throughout the day.

• The Superman exercise builds full posterior strength — Lying face down and lifting your arms and legs off the ground trains the muscles along your entire back chain.5 This movement improves your ability to extend your spine and resist forward collapse. It also reinforces coordination between your upper and lower body, which supports better posture during daily activity.

• Chest-opening movements reduce tightness that pulls you forward — Exercises like raising your arms into a “Y” position while standing upright help stretch tight chest muscles and activate your upper back. Tight chest muscles often pull your shoulders forward, so releasing that tension allows your spine to return to a more neutral position.

• Foam rolling improves mobility in the upper spine — Using a foam roller across your mid-back helps loosen stiff tissues and improve movement in the thoracic spine — the 12 vertebrae running from the base of your neck to your lower ribs. This increases your ability to extend your back and maintain better posture. When your spine moves more freely, it becomes easier to hold an upright position without strain.

Fix the Root Causes Driving Your Spine Forward

Your spine doesn’t suddenly collapse into a hunched position. It shifts because the muscles that hold you upright weaken, your daily posture reinforces a forward bend, and your structure loses support over time. That means the solution starts with rebuilding strength, retraining posture, and removing the stress that keeps pulling you forward. When you focus on those root causes, your body begins to correct itself.

1. Train your posterior chain to restore alignment — This is where Foundation Training comes in. It was developed to strengthen your posterior chain and restore natural alignment by teaching your core and back to work together in coordinated movement patterns. Your posterior chain is the connected web of muscles running from the base of your skull down through your back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves that work together to keep you upright.

Even 10 minutes a day helps decompress your spine, reduce low back discomfort, and retrain your posture so standing upright feels natural again. To build on that foundation, include a few short sessions each week that target:

◦ Spinal extension and back strength using movements like weighted lifts and bird-dogs
◦ Chest and shoulder mobility with foam rolling and wall angels
◦ Core and pelvic stability through dead bugs and glute bridges
◦ Balance and sensory feedback with heel-to-toe walks and single-leg stands

2. Reset your posture throughout the day — Fixing posture is a practice that works best when done repeatedly. Every 30 minutes, pause and bring your head back over your shoulders, lift your chest, and gently pull your shoulder blades down and back. If you sit for long stretches, this becomes your most important habit. Each reset reinforces the position you want your body to hold automatically.

3. Remove the daily habits that reinforce the curve — Long hours hunched over a screen or phone train your spine into a forward position. Raise your screen to eye level, use a chair with strong back support, and break up sitting time often. If your routine keeps you seated most of the day, consider a standing desk to help remove the constant pressure that pushes your spine out of alignment.

4. Strengthen the structural support of your spine — Your vertebrae need strength to resist compression. Walking is the minimum effective dose for bone-loading; progressive resistance training — squats, deadlifts, and overhead carries — helps strengthen the vertebrae themselves.
Pair that with bone-supportive nutrition: pastured egg yolks and hard cheeses for vitamin K2, sensible sun exposure for vitamin D, liposomal magnesium, and enough high-quality protein to maintain the muscle that anchors your skeleton.

Aim for roughly 0.8 grams per pound of lean body mass per day, or 1.76 grams per kilogram, with approximately one-third of that coming from collagen-rich sources like bone broth, slow-cooked meats with connective tissue, or a quality collagen supplement. If you’re older or have risk factors for bone loss, this step becomes central. Strong bones give your spine the ability to hold its shape under load.

5. Support your spine even while you sleep — Your posture doesn’t stop when you go to bed. Your sleep position either reinforces alignment or works against it. Use a cervical pillow that supports the natural curve of your neck without pushing your head too far forward. This keeps your head aligned with your spine and prevents that forward-head position from becoming your default.

Most early kyphosis responds well to the strategies above, but don’t hesitate to see a doctor if you notice the curve worsening quickly, develop new back pain, lose more than an inch of height, experience changes in your breathing, or feel numbness or tingling in your arms or legs. These signal that your spine may need more than self-care.

FAQs About Kyphosis

Q: What is kyphosis and how do I know if I have it?
A: Kyphosis is an excessive forward curve in your upper spine that makes your back appear rounded or hunched. You usually notice early signs like rounded shoulders, a forward head position, or stiffness in your upper back. In more advanced cases, it leads to pain, fatigue, and even breathing difficulty as the curve presses on your lungs.

Q: What causes a hunched back as I age?
A: The most common drivers include bone loss from osteoporosis, weakening of the spinal discs, and poor posture habits over time. Sitting for long hours, looking down at devices, and neglecting upper-back strength all reinforce a forward curve. These factors build on each other slowly, which is why the condition often goes unnoticed until it becomes visible.

Q: Is kyphosis preventable or reversible?
A: You can slow, stop, or even improve early-stage kyphosis by addressing the root causes. Strengthening your back and core muscles, maintaining upright posture throughout the day, and supporting bone health all play a direct role. Postural forms respond quickly to these changes, while structural forms require more consistent long-term effort.

Q: What exercises help fix or prevent kyphosis?
A: Targeted movements that strengthen your posterior chain and improve mobility are the most effective. These include standing rows, planks, bird-dogs, foam rolling, chest-opening exercises, and Foundation Training movements. These exercises retrain your body to hold proper alignment and reduce the forward pull on your spine over time.

Q: What happens if kyphosis is left untreated?
A: If the curve continues to progress, it moves beyond appearance and starts affecting how your body functions. You may develop chronic back pain, balance issues, reduced mobility, and in severe cases, breathing problems due to lung compression. The earlier you take action, the easier it is to prevent these complications and maintain long-term spinal health.

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For several years, I recommended the ketogenic diet as a way to optimize your metabolic and mitochondrial health. Restricting carbohydrates and shifting the body to rely on fat for fuel seemed, at the time, to be a sound strategy for stabilizing blood sugar and enhancing endurance. Backed by a growing body of published research, it appeared to offer a logical and effective route toward better energy regulation and improved metabolic flexibility.

However, after studying the work of the late Ray Peat, Ph.D., my perspective shifted. His insights into the bioenergetic theory of health revealed how carbohydrate availability is tied to your body’s capacity to sustain healthy energy production. The more I examined his work, the clearer it became that long-term carbohydrate restriction could work against many of the very systems it was meant to support.

Your liver and heart appear to be especially vulnerable under the metabolic strain of a high-fat, low-carb diet. That vulnerability has come under closer scrutiny in a Science Advances study1 that examined how prolonged adherence to a ketogenic diet affects metabolic balance, insulin regulation, and organ function. Their findings raise important questions about whether keto side effects outweigh its benefits.

Does Keto Raise Liver Enzymes or Cause Fatty Liver?

In the featured study, researchers examined the long-term keto liver effects in mice for nearly a year. The goal was to determine whether a ketogenic diet, often promoted for weight management and metabolic improvement, might instead strain the liver’s ability to process and regulate fat over time and compromise overall metabolic health.2

• Liver distress emerged despite lower body weight — The study found that even though mice on the ketogenic diet gained less weight than those fed a high-fat, high-carb diet, their liver profiles revealed signs of distress. Plasma triglycerides and non-esterified fats (free fatty acids released from stored fat) were significantly elevated, pointing to hyperlipidemia, a state of excess circulating fat in the bloodstream.

Male mice also developed hepatic steatosis (fat accumulation in the liver), along with increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity. ALT is an enzyme concentrated inside liver cells and plays a role in amino acid metabolism. When liver cells are damaged or die, ALT leaks into the bloodstream, raising measurable levels. Elevated ALT directly reflects hepatocellular injury and indicates that the liver is under metabolic or inflammatory stress.

• Broader metabolic stress accompanied liver injury — Mice on the ketogenic diet developed glucose intolerance, meaning their bodies were less able to keep blood sugar stable after eating, and impaired insulin secretion, showing that the pancreas was not releasing enough insulin to regulate glucose. Together, these findings indicate that liver stress was part of a whole-body imbalance.

In particular, the pancreatic β cells (the cells that make and release insulin) showed disruptions in protein trafficking within the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, which fold and package proteins for secretion. This dysfunction resembled what is seen in early diabetes, where the machinery for insulin release becomes compromised.

• Microscopic evidence confirmed cellular damage — Electron microscopy revealed lipotoxic injury in the liver cells. The Golgi apparatus appeared dilated and fragmented, and genes linked to protein stress responses were upregulated. This pattern shows that long-term exposure to high lipid levels not only drives fat buildup but also interferes with protein processing and communication within cells, further aggravating liver dysfunction.

• Animal findings suggest parallels to human liver responses — Although this work was conducted in mice, the core mechanisms involved in fat regulation, glucose control, and protein processing are highly conserved across species. The authors wrote that their findings “have relevant translational ramifications” and “caution against the systematic use of a KD as a health-promoting dietary intervention.” The table below summarizes the animal findings alongside their human relevance:

Liver Outcomes — Enzymes and Steatosis

Aspect
Preclinical
(Science Advances, 2025)
Human Relevance(as noted by authors)

Population
Mice
Not studied directly; authors emphasized the need for human research to confirm whether similar effects occur

Exposure
Long-term ketogenic feeding (~1 year)
Prolonged high-fat intake under carbohydrate restriction may have comparable metabolic implications in humans, but further trials are required

Main signal
Marked hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, elevated ALT, impaired glucose tolerance, and reduced insulin secretion
Findings carry “relevant translational ramifications,” suggesting caution when applying long-term ketogenic diets for metabolic health

Interprétation
Chronic ketogenic feeding stresses liver and pancreatic metabolism, indicating risk of liver injury and glucose dysregulation
Authors caution that extended ketogenic use could have harmful effects on metabolic health, especially regarding β-cell function, plasma lipid levels, and liver health

• Metabolic deterioration extends beyond the liver — In his analysis of the Science Advances study, bioenergetic researcher Georgi Dinkov added that chronic ketogenic patterns not only damage the liver but also suppress overall energy metabolism by reducing lean muscle mass. This has far-reaching metabolic consequences, since muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body and a major driver of resting energy use. He explained:

“[T]he resting metabolic rate (RMR) is determined primarily by the ratio of lean mass to fat mass. Thus, as the amount of muscle loss overtakes the amount of fat loss with chronic ingestion of keto diets, the RMR drops significantly. As such, after the person stops the keto diet and goes back to even low-to-moderate carb diets, the formerly keto diet patient rapidly regains the weight lost as a result of the keto diet, and regains it mostly in the form of fat.

Since fat is not nearly as metabolically active as muscle tissue, the newly re-obesified person not only regains all of the lost weight, but almost always exceeds the initial weight before the keto diet was started and finds that they keep gaining weight even if they restrict the calories way below what they used to consume prior to the keto diet.

That is due to the fact that the RMR dropped as a result of the keto diet (and muscle loss) and the regular diet, which the former keto patient used to consume and maintain a stable (though high) weight on, becomes directly obesogenic due to the much lower RMR.”3

These keto side effects often develop silently, without obvious symptoms. If you notice rising liver enzymes or a dull ache under your right rib cage, it may signal that your liver is under stress from the metabolic load. That’s the time to reassess your macronutrient balance before the strain turns chronic.

Why Would LDL Jump on Keto and Who Are ‘Hyper-Responders’?

In a detailed review published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers from the Mayo Clinic examined a striking pattern among people who experience extreme cholesterol elevations while following a ketogenic diet. This group, often referred to as “hyper-responders,” shows a disproportionate increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) “bad” cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (apoB), the particles that actually carry cholesterol through the blood.4,5

• LDL levels spiked dramatically in keto followers — The study reviewed clinical records of 17 adults who presented with LDL cholesterol levels above 190 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) while adhering to a high-fat, very-low-carb diet. Before starting keto, their mean LDL level was about 129 mg/dL. After roughly 12 months of strict adherence, that value rose by an average of 245%.

• ApoB reflects the number of cholesterol-carrying particles — Each LDL particle contains one molecule of apolipoprotein B (apoB), a structural protein that anchors cholesterol and triglycerides within the particle. ApoB therefore reflects not just how much cholesterol is present, but how many LDL particles are circulating. The more particles you have, the greater the chance they’ll penetrate inflamed artery walls and promote atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup.

• Genetic predisposition amplified the effect — Ten of the 17 patients had family histories of early heart disease or inherited lipid disorders. Five underwent genetic testing, and two carried mutations in the LDL receptor (LDL-R) gene, which impairs the body’s ability to remove LDL from circulation.

This means LDL particles linger in the blood longer, compounding the cholesterol rise. The researchers suggested that both diet composition and genetic background contributed to the extreme lipid response.

• Lean individuals showed the greatest LDL surge — The largest LDL increases appeared in participants with lower body mass index (BMI). The authors proposed that when carbohydrate intake is severely restricted, leaner individuals rely more heavily on fat oxidation, burning fat for fuel.

This shift ramps up production of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles, which transport triglycerides from the liver. As VLDL offloads its fat cargo, it converts into LDL and HDL, explaining why even metabolically healthy or athletic people may see dramatic LDL spikes during keto adaptation.

• Stopping keto reversed the effects — In the study, when patients stopped the ketogenic diet, their LDL levels dropped by an average of 220% within nine months. This rebound emphasizes why anyone with a family history of early heart disease, lipid metabolism variants, or an unexplained rise in LDL or apoB while on keto should do so under medical supervision with regular lipid monitoring.

While the authors blamed saturated fats for higher cardiovascular risk among those on a high-fat, low-carb diet, I believe this repeats the same flawed narrative that has misled the public for decades. I’ll expand on this later, but for now, remember that any discussion of keto’s heart effects needs to move beyond the outdated “saturated fat equals heart disease” myth. The issue appears less about saturated fat itself and more about the metabolic overload created by extreme fat consumption.

Are Heart Palpitations on Keto a Red Flag — or Just Electrolytes?

Keto heart palpitations are among the more common side effects people notice soon after beginning this diet, especially during the first days or weeks of carbohydrate restriction. While mild, short-lived palpitations often resolve, persistent or worsening irregularity can signal deeper strain on the cardiovascular system. Recognizing this connection allows you to support your metabolism without ignoring what your heart is telling you.6,7

• Electrolyte loss drives early palpitations — When carbohydrate intake drops sharply, insulin levels fall and glycogen (stored carbohydrate) is depleted. This shift prompts the kidneys to excrete water along with key minerals, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

These are the body’s electrolytes, which regulate the electrical signals that control heartbeat and muscle contraction. As they drop, the heart’s rhythm can become irregular or faster than usual (tachycardia), especially if hydration is inadequate. Replenishing electrolytes typically stabilizes symptoms within days.

• Fat-based fuel changes cardiac metabolism — Because ketogenic diets push the heart to depend almost entirely on fat oxidation instead of glucose for fuel, this metabolic shift can have unintended effects on cardiac performance, including disturbances in the heart’s electrical rhythm.

Experimental studies in animals also indicate that long-term ketogenic feeding may promote adverse remodeling of the heart muscle — characterized by fibrosis and changes in tissue structure — that can interfere with normal electrical conduction and raise the likelihood of arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation.8

• When to address symptoms — Occasional palpitations during keto adaptation often resolve with hydration and mineral-rich foods like leafy greens and bone broth. However, ongoing rapid or irregular heartbeats, chest tightness, or palpitations accompanied by dizziness or shortness of breath require prompt evaluation. These may reflect electrical or structural strain on the heart, especially in individuals with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or pre-existing heart disease.

• Simple checks before medical evaluation — Ensure adequate hydration, avoid caffeine and stimulant intake, and reassess whether palpitations persist once electrolytes stabilize. Thyroid hormone dosing, anemia, and overtraining can also contribute. If the symptoms continue after addressing these factors, a medical evaluation is essential. A basic electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood panel can identify early electrical or metabolic disturbances before they progress.

Learn more about the cardiovascular effects of ketogenic diets in “The Ketogenic Diet Can Put Your Cardiovascular Health at Risk.”

Could a Higher-Carb, Lower-Fat Diet Be Safer for Your Heart and Liver?

The fact is, your body requires glucose to function properly. When carbohydrate intake drops too low for too long, your body compensates by producing glucose from cortisol through a process called gluconeogenesis. This involves breaking down amino acids from muscle tissue to create glucose for essential energy needs.

• Cortisol’s real role in metabolism — Cortisol belongs to a class of steroid hormones called glucocorticoids.9 The prefix gluco refers to glucose (sugar),10 while cortico indicates its origin in the adrenal cortex.11

Although commonly labeled a stress hormone, cortisol’s primary biological purpose is to raise blood sugar when glucose and glycogen (the liver’s stored form of glucose) run low. When this shortage is detected, cortisol activates the PEPCK enzyme, triggering gluconeogenesis.12

• Chronic cortisol elevation signals metabolic imbalance — When cortisol remains elevated due to prolonged carb restriction, it drives inflammation and weakens immune function.13 This persistent stress state undermines long-term metabolic and hormonal health. While low-carb diets may promote short-term weight loss or glycemic control, sustained glucose deprivation pushes the body into a stress-driven, catabolic mode, breaking down tissue to meet energy needs.

• The Randle Cycle explains fat-glucose competition — Insights from Peat’s bioenergetic framework and related metabolic research highlight the Randle Cycle, a cellular “fuel switch” that determines whether your mitochondria burn fat or glucose at a given time. Think of it as a railroad junction — only one train (fuel source) can pass at once.

• For efficient glucose metabolism, the fat load needs to remain moderate — When dietary fat exceeds about 30% of total calories — lower if you’re overweight — the body shifts toward fat oxidation. This suppresses glucose use inside mitochondria, forcing glucose to remain in the bloodstream and raising blood sugar.

Balancing carbohydrate and fat intake ensures the Randle Cycle stays aligned with energy demand rather than metabolic stress. In a previous interview I had with Dinkov, he explained:

“I’ve noticed that between 15% and 20% [dietary fat] is probably where most people, in their current health state, can metabolize the fat without causing problems for the glucose through the Randle cycle. Especially Type 2 diabetics.

Most of them are overweight or obese, which means they have two sources of fats — one through the diet and the second one from their fatty tissue, because there’s always some lipolysis going on. So for diabetic people, it’s probably a good idea to lower the intake of fat from the diet, because they already have a lot coming from their own bodies.

There’s so many clinics around the world that treat and even cure Type 2 diabetes by putting them on a really restrictive diet until they lose most of their fat. And then suddenly, the metabolism of glucose gets restarted. I think this directly shows you that the problem with glucose wasn’t the glucose itself.

It wasn’t the glucose that was fattening them up. They had too much fat in their bodies, and once you get rid of that fat, no matter how you do it, the problems when metabolizing glucose disappear which, to me, is a great testament to the Randle Cycle.”

Shifting from a chronically low-carb pattern to a more balanced, carbohydrate-inclusive diet is one of the simplest ways to restore metabolic stability. By doing so, you create an internal environment where both your heart and liver can function at their natural pace — energetic, steady, and free of the constant biochemical tension that defines long-term ketosis. For a deeper look at why glucose is the body’s cleanest, most efficient fuel, read “Glucose — The Ideal Fuel for Your Cells.”

Rebalancing Your Macronutrients for Optimal Metabolism

When it comes to adjusting your macronutrient intake, a sensible approach is needed. The goal is not to fear any one macronutrient but to use each in the right proportion to keep metabolism functioning optimally.

1. Moderate your fat intake — While you need to lessen your fat consumption, that doesn’t mean fats need to be removed from your diet entirely. Make no mistake, fats — especially from clean, stable sources — remain essential for optimal health. The goal is to keep total dietary fat below 30% of your daily calories.

2. Eliminate linoleic acid (LA) from your diet — Common sources include seed oils like soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, and safflower oils, from your diet. Keep your LA intake below 5 grams a day — and if possible, under 2 grams. Replace industrial oils with traditional fats that resist oxidation, such as butter, tallow, and coconut oil.

For decades, government dietary policies encouraged Americans to replace these traditional fats with so-called “heart-healthy” vegetable oils. These guidelines, based on outdated lipid theories, convinced much of the public that seed oils were safer than saturated fats. Yet modern biochemical and clinical evidence shows that LA oxidizes easily, producing toxic byproducts that damage cells, fuel inflammation, and increase oxidative stress.14,15

To help you keep track of your intake, I recommend you sign up for the Mercola Health Coach which is coming out soon. One of its main features is the Seed Oil Sleuth, which calculates your vegetable oil intake to the tenth of a gram.

3. Choose healthy carbohydrates — Replace refined starches and processed sugars with nutrient-dense, whole-food carbohydrates like ripe fruits, root vegetables, sweet potatoes, and white rice. These restore glycogen stores in your liver and muscles, regulate blood sugar, and reduce the stress-driven glucose production that occurs during low-carb restriction.

Including resistant starches such as green bananas or cooked-and-cooled potatoes also feeds beneficial bacteria, increasing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate that calm inflammation and protect the gut lining.

4. Consume sufficient dietary fiber — It’s ideal to consume about 30 grams of fiber. However, if your gut is inflamed or imbalanced, increase fiber gradually since pathogenic bacteria can also ferment it, producing endotoxins.

As your gut flora normalizes, aim for 200 to 250 grams of carbohydrates from whole, unprocessed foods to fully support microbial diversity and mucosal healing. For an in-depth understanding of this approach, read “Butyrate — The Metabolic Powerhouse Fueling the Gut and Beyond.”

5. Know when to use keto — While increasing your carb intake can help promote better health, that doesn’t mean the ketogenic diet will never have a place in a wellness regimen. In fact, I still recommend it if you’re just getting your health back on track, as it’s initially useful to help you become more metabolically flexible. But, while short-term keto has several benefits, prolonged ketosis, as discussed throughout this article, can be problematic.

When using keto as a short-term metabolic reset, it’s important to monitor how your body responds. The table below outlines key markers that show whether the diet is supporting recovery or beginning to strain metabolic balance.

Key Markers to Watch on a Ketogenic Diet

Marker
Typical Keto Effect
When to Worry
Practical Levers

LDL/apoB
May rise sharply in “hyper-responders,” especially lean individuals
A large or sustained increase from baseline, especially with signs of oxidative stress or inflammation
Eliminate seed oils and other LA sources; prioritize stable fats like butter, tallow, and coconut oil; increase antioxidant-rich foods (vitamin E, polyphenols); optimize thyroid and liver function

Triglycerides
Commonly decrease during early keto adaptation
A paradoxical rise, often from excess calories, alcohol, or impaired fat oxidation
Avoid alcohol and reduce total fat intake; include more fiber and whole-food carbohydrates to improve fat clearance

HDL
Typically increases modestly
Not a concern unless paired with inflammation or high apoB
Maintain balanced nutrition and oxidative stability; HDL rise alone doesn’t offset metabolic stress

Arrhythmia symptoms
Palpitations often tied to electrolyte loss or thyroid shifts
Persistent palpitations, irregular ECG, chest tightness, or dizziness
Rehydrate; restore electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium); address thyroid and adrenal balance; seek medical evaluation if symptoms persist

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Ketogenic Diet

Q: Does keto cause fatty liver or help reverse it?
A: The Science Advances study showed that long-term ketosis elevated free fatty acids, hyperlipidemia, and fat accumulation inside liver cells — classic signs of hepatic steatosis. These changes occurred even without weight gain, showing that fat overload, not calories alone, can injure the liver. In essence, keto may appear helpful early on, but extended use risks shifting the liver from fat-burning to fat-burdened.

Q: Can a ketogenic diet raise LDL even if I’m losing weight?
A: Yes. The Mayo Clinic review documented sharp LDL and apoB increases among “hyper-responders,” many of whom were lean and metabolically healthy. Weight loss itself doesn’t prevent this, because the rise in circulating fats reflects how the body processes fat for fuel under severe carb restriction — not just how much fat it stores.

Q: Why are my alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels high after starting keto?
A: ALT is an enzyme found primarily in liver cells, and elevated levels usually signal that the liver is under stress. During the early stages of keto, fat breakdown accelerates, flooding the liver with free fatty acids to convert into ketones. This sudden metabolic load can temporarily raise ALT.

However, if levels stay elevated, it may indicate that excess fat is accumulating in liver cells or that oxidative stress is damaging them. Persistent ALT elevation means the liver is struggling to keep up with fat processing — a sign that the diet may be doing more harm than good.

Q: Are heart palpitations on keto normal?
A: Transient palpitations are common during the first days or weeks of carbohydrate restriction because of fluid and electrolyte losses. When glycogen stores drop, the kidneys excrete sodium, magnesium, and potassium — minerals essential for normal heart rhythm. If palpitations persist after hydration and electrolyte restoration, or are accompanied by dizziness or chest tightness, you should seek medical evaluation.

Q: What do U.S. guidelines say about high-fat patterns and heart risk?
A: For decades, U.S. dietary policy has promoted a low-saturated-fat approach for heart health, encouraging Americans to rely on so-called “heart-healthy” vegetable oils like soybean, corn, canola, and sunflower.

However, while moderating overall fat intake is wise, natural saturated fats from traditional sources like grass fed butter, eggs, and meat are not the problem. The real focus should be on eliminating unstable industrial oils and restoring a balanced, nutrient-dense diet that includes whole-food carbohydrates for sustained metabolic health.

Your risk of developing age-related conditions like heart disease and osteoporosis increases as you get older. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide,1 while osteoporosis leads to fractures in one in three women and one in five men over age 50.2

These issues are strongly influenced by dietary and lifestyle factors and develop gradually over time. Midlife is an important period to reduce your risks before the decline becomes harder to reverse.

This prompted researchers from the University of Southampton in the U.K. to launch a long-term study that explores whether healthier eating habits and lifestyle choices in midlife translate into lower rates of fractures and heart-related deaths. Their findings serve as a reminder that it’s never too late to make changes, but the sooner you start, the better the outcome.3

How Diet and Lifestyle in Your 60s Matter More Than You Think

The featured study, published in March 2025 in Frontiers in Aging,4 followed nearly 3,000 adults in their mid-60s from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study for over 20 years. They found that people who fared best had stronger overall habits rooted in nutrient-rich diets and daily movement.

• Diet quality made the biggest difference in long-term health — Participants with higher scores on the “prudent diet” pattern (marked by greater intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and oily fish, as well as lower intake of chips and full-fat dairy) had lower risks of both hip fracture and cardiovascular mortality. The association with hip fractures was modest but still important for long-term health.

That said, the researchers listed full-fat dairy as one of the foods to avoid — a recommendation I disagree with. I believe that high-quality, full-fat dairy actually supports both your metabolic and cardiovascular health, and I explained more about it in “The Amazing Benefits of Dairy Fat.”

• Calcium from whole foods outperforms supplements — People who obtained calcium through food had a lower risk of dying from CVD. In contrast, those taking calcium supplements faced a higher risk of fractures, likely because the supplements were prescribed after a fracture had already occurred.

• Healthy diets went hand-in-hand with healthy lifestyles — People who ate a healthy diet exercised more, smoked less, and had fewer chronic conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. Meanwhile, those who smoked, exercised less, or had hypertension were more likely to experience fractures and cardiovascular-related deaths. For example, ever-smokers had a 25% higher risk of fracture and a 29% higher risk of cardiovascular death.

• Men are dangerously unaware of their bone health risks — Despite facing a 10% to 25% lifetime risk of fracture and higher death rates after hip fracture, many men still see osteoporosis as a condition that only affects women. This lack of awareness is what led researchers to pair fracture risk with cardiovascular data to frame the issue in terms men already recognize.

Together, these findings highlight that the habits you build in your 60s still matter — enough to reshape your risk of disease and death for years to come.

What Other Studies Reveal About Diet and Heart Health in Aging

The Southampton study fits within a larger body of evidence built over the past two decades. A major review published in Clinical Interventions in Aging,5 which analyzed data from global cohorts and clinical trials, found that diets centered on unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods were most strongly linked to lower rates of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths. However, this study also exposed major gaps in how different types of dietary fat were evaluated.

• Whole, nutrient-dense foods drive better cardiovascular outcomes — In older adults, diets built around whole vegetables, fruits, fish, and naturally occurring fats support healthier blood pressure, improved insulin sensitivity, and stronger lipid profiles.

These patterns are consistently linked to lower rates of heart disease. In contrast, Western-style diets heavy in processed meats, refined grains, and added sugars are tied to worse outcomes, especially when they replace more traditional, nutrient-rich staples.

• Healthy habits work better together — Diet has a greater impact when combined with other lifestyle choices. People who eat well, stay active, avoid smoking, and limit alcohol have a significantly lower risk of heart-related deaths. Moreover, the more healthy habits you adopt, the greater the payoff.

• Dietary change improves outcomes even if you have heart disease — Clinical trials show that patients with existing cardiovascular conditions lower their risk of future cardiac events by shifting to a healthier diet.

• Olive oil’s reputation deserves a closer look — While many of the studies in this review associated olive oil with lower cardiovascular risk, I recommend limiting its use. Despite its healthy image, most olive oils are adulterated with cheap, oxidized omega-6 vegetable oils.

They’re also composed of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat (MUF) that is still prone to oxidation, especially with heat or light exposure. In large amounts, MUFs disrupt mitochondrial function and increase oxidative stress, making olive oil a questionable long-term staple.

• My stance on saturated fats — While this review reflects the conventional view that saturated fats contribute to cardiovascular risk, I take a different position based on a broader understanding of fat metabolism, mitochondrial health, and oxidation. The paper’s conclusions are based largely on epidemiological data and outdated assumptions about saturated fat, much of which has been challenged by more recent studies.6

In contrast to unstable polyunsaturated fats (PUFs) like linoleic acid, saturated fats like those found in coconut oil, grass fed butter, and tallow are highly resistant to oxidation and support mitochondrial function. Learn more about this in “How to Fix Your Heart Naturally with Saturated Fat and Cholesterol.”

Healthy Lifestyle Habits Also Lengthen a Disease-Free Life

Beyond supporting bone and heart health, healthy lifestyle habits add significantly more years of life free from cancer, CVD, and Type 2 diabetes. In a large-scale BMJ study, researchers followed over 100,000 adults for nearly 30 years and found the following:7

• Healthy habits added a decade of disease-free life — People with no healthy habits lived about 24 years without major illness, while those who followed four to five key habits gained roughly 10 more years of disease-free life. For women, that meant an increase from 23.7 to 34.4 years; for men, from 23.5 to 31.1 years.

• The greatest gains came from combining multiple healthy habits — Similar to the findings from the Clinical Interventions in Aging study,8 the BMJ study found that individuals who exercised regularly, avoided smoking, maintained a healthy weight, limited alcohol, and followed a nutrient-rich diet experienced significantly more years free of chronic disease.

• Heavy smoking and obesity cut the most years from a healthy lifespan — These two factors consistently shortened the healthy lifespan. Even for those who lived into their 70s or 80s, the burden of illness was far higher when these risk factors were present.

The Synergistic Nutrients That Protect Your Heart and Bones

As the Southampton study showed, supplementing with calcium alone isn’t enough to protect your bones or heart as you age.9 To get optimal results, you need the synergy of nutrients that work together to guide where calcium goes and how it’s used.

• Vitamin D and K2 work together to manage calcium properly — Vitamin D plays an important role in helping your body absorb calcium from the food you eat, but you need vitamin K2 to make sure calcium ends up in your bones — not your arteries or kidneys.10

• Vitamin K2 keeps calcium out of soft tissues and directs it to bones — Vitamin K2 acts like a traffic director for calcium in your body. It activates proteins that move calcium into your bones and teeth, where it strengthens your structure. At the same time, K2 prevents calcium from building up in soft tissues like blood vessels, where it hardens and blocks circulation.

Without enough K2, the extra calcium will actually harm you, even if you’re getting plenty of vitamin D.11

• Magnesium works behind the scenes — Your body needs magnesium to convert vitamin D into its active form, so it turns on your calcium absorption. Magnesium and vitamin K2 also complement each other because magnesium helps lower blood pressure, which is an important component of heart disease.

While no precise guidelines exist, magnesium helps keep calcium in your cells so they can do their job better, and most experts recommend a 1-to-1 ratio of calcium to magnesium.12

• Optimize your levels through a healthy diet — It’s important to understand that magnesium, calcium, vitamin D3, and vitamin K2 need to be properly balanced for optimal heart and overall health. Your best and safest bet is to simply eat more foods rich in calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K2, along with sensible sun exposure.

• If supplementing, make sure to balance these nutrients — If you’re taking vitamin D or calcium, make sure you’re also getting enough K2 and magnesium. Aim for around 150 mcg of K2 daily, ideally in the MK-7 form, along with a magnesium supplement.

To find your optimal magnesium dose, start with magnesium citrate, as it has a laxative effect that makes dosing easy to gauge. Gradually increase your dose until you experience loose stools, then reduce it slightly — that’s your ideal daily amount. Once you’ve identified the right dose, switch to another form you prefer. The forms I most often recommend are magnesium glycinate and magnesium malate because they’re well-absorbed and easy on your digestive system.

5 Strategies to Adopt for Healthy Aging

For years, I’ve emphasized the powerful impact that small, consistent lifestyle changes have on your overall well-being. You don’t need extreme measures or expensive interventions. What you need is a daily commitment to better choices in key areas of your health. Here are some strategies I recommend:

1. Prioritize whole, unprocessed foods — These include grass fed meat, wild-caught fish, pasture-raised eggs, fermented dairy, and healthy fats like butter, ghee, tallow, and coconut oil. If your gut is healthy, add in fruits, cooked vegetables, and properly prepared whole grains to your diet. Avoid vegetable oils, processed grains, and added sugars, as they damage your health over time.

2. Stay physically active — Regular movement improves circulation, strengthens your muscles, maintains bone density, and supports joint flexibility. Aim to move daily through walking, stretching, lifting light weights, or gardening. Consistency matters more than intensity. Learn more about how much you should exercise in “Nailing the Sweet Spots for Exercise Volume.”

3. Keep your brain active — Your mind needs exercise just like your body does. Read daily, play memory games, write by hand, or learn new skills. These activities help protect against cognitive decline, boost coordination, and maintain focus and clarity. Staying mentally active also lowers stress, improves mood, and helps you stay engaged in daily life.

4. Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption — Few choices impact your health more than quitting smoking and cutting out alcohol. Tobacco restricts blood flow, accelerates bone loss, and increases the risk of fractures, stroke, and heart attack. Even longtime smokers benefit from quitting, with risk levels dropping steadily over time.13

Alcohol poses its own risks, as it interferes with calcium absorption, weakens bone formation, and raises blood pressure.14 No amount of alcohol is safe for your health, so it’s best to avoid it entirely.

5. Get sunlight — Sensible sun exposure helps your body produce vitamin D. However, if you still consume vegetable oils, you need to practice caution, as LA triggers inflammation and DNA damage in your skin when it interacts with UV radiation. Avoid sun exposure during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) until you’ve eliminated vegetable oils from your diet for four to six months.

If building these habits feels overwhelming, keep an eye out for the upcoming Mercola Health Coach, which is designed to guide you toward a healthier diet and lifestyle with practical, personalized support. It’s coming soon — learn more about it here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Diet, Aging, and Disease Risk

Q: Is it ever too late to start making lifestyle changes?
A: No. Research shows that even in your 60s, adopting healthier habits significantly reduces your risk of fractures, cardiovascular disease, and early death. The earlier you start, the better the outcomes, but meaningful benefits still come from changes made later in life.

Q: Why is calcium from food better than supplements?
A: The Southampton study found that people who got their calcium from food had lower cardiovascular risk, while those taking calcium supplements had a higher risk of fractures. This is likely because supplements are often prescribed after fractures occur and lead to calcium imbalances if not paired with other key nutrients like magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K2.

Q: How are diet quality and physical strength connected in aging adults?
A: People who maintained higher physical function tended to have better diet quality and fewer chronic conditions. This suggests that good nutrition supports physical resilience, which in turn reduces the risk of fractures and heart-related deaths.

Q: Do healthy habits work better when combined?
A: Yes. Research shows that the more healthy habits you follow, the better your results. People who combined several habits lived longer and had fewer problems like heart disease, cancer, and Type 2 diabetes compared to those who followed just one.

Q: What are the best steps to take for healthy aging?
A: Focus on simple, consistent habits. Eat whole, nutrient-dense foods, stay physically active, avoid smoking and alcohol, and get regular sun exposure. Optimal levels of key nutrients like calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and K2 is also important for protecting your bones, heart, and overall health as you age.

Tooth sensitivity reaches far beyond a simple inconvenience. It interrupts everyday moments — your morning coffee, an evening meal, even a breath of cold air — turning them into sharp reminders that something deeper is going on inside your mouth. What seems small at first often grows into a cycle of discomfort that makes you cautious with food, hesitant in social settings, and frustrated by pain that refuses to go away.

This issue matters because it isn’t just about discomfort — it’s about what that discomfort is telling you. Sensitivity is often the first signal of changes happening below the surface, changes that, if ignored, erode both oral health and quality of life. From subtle enamel wear to gum changes that expose delicate inner structures, the process begins quietly but carries long-term consequences if left unchecked.

The real opportunity lies in learning what drives sensitivity and how to interrupt it before it progresses. Researchers have explored everything from daily habits to underlying conditions, uncovering practical strategies that not only ease the pain but also address the root causes. Understanding these insights opens the door to lasting relief — and to regaining the freedom to enjoy simple pleasures without hesitation.

Tooth Sensitivity Triggers Exposed

A report published in Health explains that dentin hypersensitivity stems from damage to enamel or cementum, the protective layers of your teeth.1 Dentin is the inner layer that makes up most of the tooth’s structure, and it’s much less dense than enamel. It contains thousands of microscopic tubules that connect directly to your nerves.

When the outer shield is worn down, those open tubules act like direct channels, letting heat, cold, or pressure trigger sudden, sharp pain during normal activities like eating or drinking. Common causes include cavities and gum disease, but there are also lesser-known triggers like bruxism and oral hygiene products.

• The population affected is broader than you might think — Tooth sensitivity is one of the most common dental complaints worldwide. Adults of all ages deal with it, but the risk rises as enamel thins and gums recede with age. Both men and women are affected, and lifestyle habits — such as diet, brushing technique, and oral care product use — play a strong role in whether symptoms appear or worsen.

• Everyday damage from diet and lifestyle fuels the problem — Ordinary habits chip away at enamel and cementum, leaving dentin exposed. Tooth decay forms holes that expose dentin directly. Acidic foods, soda, and stomach acid from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) erode enamel.

Brushing too aggressively, especially with hard bristles or at the wrong angle, inflames gums and accelerates recession. Even oral care products with harsh chemicals or whitening agents thin enamel and irritate dentin, increasing sensitivity.

• Several types of damage have unique fingerprints on your teeth — Different patterns of damage signal different underlying causes. Grinding or clenching leaves grooves in teeth. Fractures and chips create pathways for triggers to reach dentin. Old fillings and crowns wear down, no longer protecting vulnerable areas. Even routine dental work temporarily inflames nerves, leading to short-term sensitivity before tissues settle.

• Your body’s natural defenses against sensitivity are sometimes stripped away — Your mouth is designed with built-in protection, but when it’s compromised, sensitivity worsens.

Saliva normally washes away bacteria and neutralizes acids, yet dry mouth — whether from medications, autoimmune conditions like Sjögren’s, or smoking — removes this barrier. Plaque and tartar buildup also push gums back and deepen decay. Smoking compounds every risk, intensifying gum disease, drying your mouth further, and increasing bacterial buildup.

Natural Ingredients Offer Relief Beyond Fluoride

An article published by Glow Africa examined a rising trend: many people are now skipping fluoride when choosing toothpaste for sensitive teeth.2 The key motivation is that oral health is deeply connected to overall wellness, and choosing natural ingredients offers a way to protect teeth without relying on neurotoxic chemicals.

Millions of people struggle with sensitivity so severe that it changes how they live. These individuals often feel disempowered when conventional fluoride toothpastes don’t solve the problem. This growing frustration fuels the desire to align health practices with values that promote long-term wellness.

• Natural ingredients give you direct benefits that target both pain and gum health — Zinc is a cornerstone mineral for gum strength and bacterial control, lowering inflammation and protecting against bacteria that worsen sensitivity. Black seed oil, used for centuries in traditional medicine, is highlighted for its anti-inflammatory power, soothing irritated gums and easing discomfort in sensitive teeth.

• Qualities you should look for when making the switch to natural toothpaste — Gentle but thorough cleaning power prevents enamel loss by avoiding harsh abrasives. Ingredients like zinc provide direct relief without weakening tooth structure.

Anti-inflammatory support from black seed oil helps calm gum irritation and supports healthier tissue. While there are plenty of high-quality natural toothpastes in the market, I recommend making your own at home using coconut oil, baking soda, and essential oils.

• Consider oral care as part of a bigger wellness picture — Glow Africa connected oral health with overall quality of life, stating, “When individuals have access to simple, effective health solutions, it fosters a sense of agency and empowerment that extends far beyond oral care.” By viewing toothpaste choice as part of a wellness lifestyle, managing sensitivity isn’t only about easing pain — it’s also about building confidence and supporting long-term health.

Everyday Habits That Make Tooth Sensitivity Worse

A review from Johns Hopkins Medicine focused on how sensitive teeth react to common daily activities.3 It emphasized that discomfort comes not only from structural damage but also from habits, food choices, and lifestyle patterns that wear teeth down over time. The article explained that “sensitive teeth are quite common,” and discomfort often appears when people eat hot, cold, sweet, or acidic foods.

• Common triggers are rooted in daily choices and routines — Brushing too hard or using abrasive toothpaste scrapes away the protective enamel layer, exposing dentin and nerves underneath. Acidic foods such as citrus fruits and sodas speed up enamel erosion, leaving teeth vulnerable. Whitening treatments inflame dentin and intensify pain sensitivity. Jaw issues like temporomandibular disorder (TMD) also contribute by causing clenching and enamel wear.

• Specific treatment approaches target different causes of sensitivity — Desensitizing toothpastes come in many forms, though effectiveness varies, so it often takes experimenting to find one that works best for you.

Dental bonding or sealants are sometimes used when gum recession or enamel erosion exposes dentin, sealing and protecting sensitive areas. Mouthguards shield enamel from grinding and clenching, preventing further nerve exposure. Lifestyle changes — like quitting smoking and avoiding acidic foods — play a central role in lasting relief.

• Natural remedies are useful, but not all are equally effective — Clove oil has long been used for its numbing effect and provides temporary relief, though it doesn’t fix the root cause.4 Saltwater rinses reduce inflammation and encourage gum healing, offering a simple at-home option. Garlic, which contains the antimicrobial compound allicin, offers short-term pain relief when rubbed on the tooth.

• This “healthy” agent could make things worse — Apple cider vinegar, often promoted as a natural cure-all, is highly acidic and breaks down enamel directly, making pain more severe.5 Always mix apple cider vinegar with water to reduce its acidity before drinking it. You can also use a straw, which helps the liquid bypass direct contact with your teeth. After consuming apple cider vinegar, rinse your mouth with pure water to help neutralize the acid.

Solutions to Stop Tooth Sensitivity at the Root

Solving tooth sensitivity isn’t just about dulling the pain. It’s about stopping the damage that’s making your nerves fire in the first place. If you only cover up the discomfort, you leave the real cause — whether that’s enamel erosion, gum recession, or bacterial buildup — untouched. The good news is that with the right steps, you can rebuild protection around your teeth, calm irritation, and prevent the triggers that make eating or drinking uncomfortable. Here are the most effective ways to address it directly.

1. Protect your enamel with the right brushing habits — If you’re brushing too hard, using the wrong angle, or scrubbing with stiff bristles, you’re stripping away the very shield that keeps your teeth safe. Switch to a soft-bristled brush, hold it at a 45-degree angle, and use gentle circular motions. This protects your enamel from thinning and stops gums from receding further. Oil pulling with coconut oil is another helpful habit that lessens tooth sensitivity.6

2. Choose natural, soothing ingredients in your toothpaste — If you want a gentler approach, fluoride-free toothpastes with ingredients like zinc and black seed oil are worth trying. You can also make your own using this natural eggshell toothpaste recipe. It includes ultrafine eggshell powder, which provides calcium for remineralization, and coconut oil as a binder and mild antimicrobial.

Baking soda acts as a gentle cleanser while peppermint essential oil adds a fresh taste and acts as a mild antiseptic.

3. Repair damage with professional care from a biological dentist — If your teeth are already damaged, it’s important to get restoration work done in a way that doesn’t add toxins into your body. That’s why I recommend using a mercury-free biological dentist for procedures like repairing old fillings. This way, you strengthen weak spots without introducing mercury or other harmful materials into your system. Regular preventive care with a biological dentist will also optimize your oral health.

4. Support saliva and reduce acid exposure — If you’re dealing with dry mouth from medications, smoking, or autoimmune conditions, it’s important to keep your mouth hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and cut back on sodas, citrus, and vinegar-based drinks that erode enamel. Saliva is your natural defense system, and when it’s working, your teeth are far less sensitive.

5. Stop the hidden habits that wear teeth down — If you grind your teeth at night or clench during the day, you’re putting constant stress on your enamel. Using a night guard, practicing jaw relaxation during the day, and managing stress levels help stop this destructive cycle. If you’re also using whitening kits or chemical mouthwashes, stop them — they inflame dentin and worsen sensitivity.

By breaking these habits, you give your enamel a chance to recover and your teeth a chance to feel strong again.

Choose a Biological Dentist for Further Care

Biological dentists have undergone training that equips them to view and treat your oral health as an integral part of your overall health. They’re also trained in how to safely remove mercury fillings. To help you on your search, refer to the resources below:

• Consumers for Dental Choice

• Dental Amalgam Mercury Solutions (DAMS) — Email them here or call 651-644-4572 for an information packet

• Holistic Dental Association

• Huggins Applied Healing

• International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine (IABDM)

• International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT)

• International Association of Mercury Safe Dentists

• Talk International

FAQs About Tooth Sensitivity

Q: What exactly is tooth sensitivity and why does it hurt so much?
A: Tooth sensitivity, or dentin hypersensitivity, happens when enamel or gum tissue wears away, exposing the dentin underneath. Dentin contains thousands of tiny tubules that connect directly to your nerves. When hot, cold, sweet, or acidic foods hit those open channels, the nerves fire, creating sharp, sudden pain.

Q: Who is most at risk for developing sensitive teeth?
A: Anyone can experience sensitivity, but the risk increases with age as enamel thins and gums recede. Lifestyle habits such as drinking soda, eating acidic foods, brushing too hard, or smoking also play a major role. Even certain medical conditions, like GERD or autoimmune diseases that cause dry mouth, raise the likelihood of sensitivity.

Q: Are natural remedies effective for sensitive teeth?
A: Yes, some natural ingredients have proven benefits. Zinc strengthens gums and controls bacteria, while black seed oil reduces inflammation. Saltwater rinses also soothe irritated tissue, and options like clove oil and garlic provide short-term relief. Apple cider vinegar actually worsens sensitivity by eroding enamel if you drink it undiluted.

Q: What daily habits should I change to protect my teeth?
A: Gentle brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush at a 45-degree angle preserves enamel and protects gums. Avoiding acidic drinks like soda and citrus juice reduces erosion. Quitting smoking prevents dry mouth and gum damage. Staying hydrated supports saliva, your body’s natural defense system, and managing stress helps stop grinding and clenching that wear teeth down.

Q: When should I consider professional treatment for sensitivity?
A: If home care and natural remedies don’t bring relief, it’s time to see a dentist. Biological dentists offer safer, toxin-free treatments like fluoride-free remineralization strategies and mercury-free restoration of old fillings. Catching problems early usually prevents them from progressing.

More than 1 in 4 rice products sold in the U.S. now exceed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) arsenic limit for infant cereal.1 This isn’t about obscure brands or specialty imports. It’s about the same white and brown rice that millions of families serve daily, unaware of the toxic load it’s delivering to their children.

Arsenic exposure during infancy and pregnancy poses an immediate threat to brain development, kidney function, and lifelong health. For many families, especially Latino, Asian American, and Hispanic households where rice is a staple, the risks stack up fast. And it’s not just arsenic. Cadmium, a second heavy metal frequently found in rice, further burdens the kidneys and bones over time, compounding the damage.

This isn’t simply about what’s in your rice. It’s about what’s not being done to protect the people eating it. As you’ll see, investigations have made one thing clear: what kind of rice you buy, where it comes from, and how you cook it dramatically change your exposure to toxic metals. Let’s look at what the researchers uncovered, and how their findings directly affect the choices you make at the grocery store.

Your Rice Choice Determines Your Toxic Load

In its comprehensive investigation titled “What’s in Your Family’s Rice?,” Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF) tested 211 samples of rice and other grains sold in U.S. stores to determine levels of four toxic heavy metals: arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.2 The goal was to identify which rice types were most contaminated and whether common rice substitutes offered safer options. The findings reveal how specific grains, cooking methods, and sourcing decisions directly influence your exposure.

• Heavy metal content varied dramatically by grain type — On average, rice contained three times more total heavy metals than the other grains tested. Arsenic was the most abundant contaminant in rice, averaging 84.8 parts per billion (ppb), while alternative grains averaged just 3.1 ppb — 28 times less. While cadmium levels were slightly higher in some substitutes, the overall toxic burden from non-rice grains was far lower.

• A few simple actions cut arsenic exposure by 69% — HBBF identified three strategies that, when used together, reduced heavy metal intake from rice significantly. These included cooking rice in extra water and draining it like pasta, choosing lower-contamination rice varieties and rotating in grain alternatives like barley, farro, or quinoa. This empowers you to take control without needing to eliminate rice completely.

• Cooking methods matter more than most people realize — Boiling rice in six to 10 parts water per one part rice, then draining it before serving, removed up to 60% of arsenic content. Soaking rice overnight beforehand further increased removal. This cooking method is both cost-free and highly effective, especially for families who cannot afford imported or specialty rice varieties. HBBF made it clear that rinsing rice alone is ineffective.

• Safer rice types aren’t always easy to afford — The report highlighted that California-grown white rice, Indian basmati, and Thai jasmine consistently tested lowest in heavy metal content. In contrast, Arborio rice from Italy and U.S.-grown white rice labeled simply as “USA” carried significantly higher contamination levels.

However, the lower-risk rice types are more expensive, averaging five times the cost per serving compared to standard rice. This puts lower-risk options out of reach for many families.

Some Precooked Rice Products Carry Hidden Dangers

Instant and parboiled rice had slightly lower total metal content, but HBBF warned that high-heat processing creates especially toxic forms of arsenic.3 Ready-to-heat food packaging also leaches harmful chemicals into the rice. For this reason, HBBF did not recommend these products as safer options despite the lower numbers on paper.

• Homemade doesn’t always mean healthy — Many parents make their own rice cereal assuming it’s safer than store-bought baby food. But HBBF found that rice used in homemade meals often exceeds the FDA’s infant safety limit for arsenic, meaning it would be considered unsafe if sold in stores. This is especially true when using brown rice or rice grown in southeastern U.S. regions.

• The FDA has set limits but only for one product category — Currently, the FDA has an action level of 100 ppb of inorganic arsenic for infant rice cereal. Yet this standard doesn’t apply to the rice served to the rest of the family, even though it’s consumed just as often by young children and pregnant individuals. Without regulation for regular rice, consumers have no guaranteed protection.

• Families need transparent labeling and enforceable safety standards — The HBBF report calls for three actions: enforceable federal limits for arsenic and cadmium in all rice, a certification label for rice that meets infant safety standards, and mandatory testing with results shared publicly. These steps would not only help you make informed decisions — they would also push companies to improve their sourcing and processing methods.

Widespread Arsenic Contamination in Rice Shows No Signs of Slowing Down

HBBF analyzed 145 rice samples purchased across U.S. grocery stores and found arsenic in every single one. The most contaminated rice was brown rice grown in the southeastern U.S.

This type of rice had the highest combined load of heavy metals, reaching 151 ppb, with 129 ppb attributed to arsenic alone.4 For comparison, California-grown white sushi rice had the lowest levels tested — just 65 ppb total. The study found that contamination wasn’t linked to specific brands but instead to the type of rice and where it was grown.

• Children, infants and pregnant women face the greatest risk — According to HBBF’s analysis, rice is one of the top sources of arsenic exposure for children under 2, making up 7.5% of total intake in the general population. Arsenic and cadmium both cross the placenta, meaning exposure starts during pregnancy. These metals are linked to reduced IQ, neurodevelopmental damage and increased lifetime risk for cancers and kidney disease.

• Other toxic metals were found as well — Cadmium appeared in all but one of the 145 samples. Lead and mercury also showed up, though at lower levels. While these weren’t as high as the arsenic values, their presence in food consumed daily raises serious concerns for cumulative toxicity and long-term health effects.

Some Families Are Exposed to 2 to 4 Times More Arsenic Than Others

HBBF’s investigation uncovered not just widespread arsenic contamination in U.S. rice but a troubling pattern of disproportionate exposure across different communities.5 While contamination levels depended largely on the type and source of rice, the story focused on who is most affected. The analysis made it clear that infants and pregnant women from specific ethnic groups face significantly higher toxic exposures than others.

• Asian American, Latino and Hispanic infants carry the highest toxic load — Children under age 2 in these communities consume more rice per day than other groups, resulting in far greater arsenic intake. Rice accounts for up to 30% of arsenic exposure in Asian American infants — four times more than the general population.

• Pregnancy is a key window for harm — The brain is especially vulnerable during this period, and even low-level, chronic exposure to these metals has been associated with developmental delays, learning difficulties and lower IQ scores. According to the article, “early-life exposure to these contaminants is especially dangerous during pregnancy and infancy, when the brain is most vulnerable.”6

• Cadmium exposure is also widespread and just as dangerous — Cadmium was found in all but one of the 145 rice samples tested, and while it wasn’t always as concentrated as arsenic, the long-term effects are serious. The article linked cadmium to kidney and bone damage, and emphasized that it, too, is a known carcinogen. This makes the combined exposure from arsenic and cadmium even more hazardous over time.

• Labels often hide where rice is grown — Most rice products don’t clearly state where the rice was cultivated — yet this is the most important factor in determining risk. This means if you’re buying based on brand alone, you’re flying blind — and could be choosing one of the worst options without even knowing it.

How to Choose the Right Rice Without Giving It Up

You don’t have to cut out rice to protect your health, but you do need to be smart about which types you eat and how you prepare them. The idea that brown rice is always healthier doesn’t hold up if you’re dealing with mitochondrial stress or gut issues.

In fact, for many people, especially those struggling with inflammation or metabolic dysfunction, white rice is the better option. It’s easier to digest, far less likely to feed harmful gut bacteria and lower in both problematic fibers and omega-6 fats that disrupt cellular energy. Here’s how to keep rice in your diet while reducing your exposure to harmful contaminants and protecting your metabolic health:

1. Choose white rice over brown, and go for lower-risk varieties — White basmati rice from India, Thai jasmine rice and California-grown white rice are consistently lower in both arsenic and cadmium. Brown rice retains its outer layers, which are high in heavy metals and contains linoleic acid (LA). LA impairs mitochondria, makes inflammation worse and slows down your energy production. White rice strips these out and gives you a clean, starchy fuel without the added baggage.

2. Cook it like this to reduce the toxic load — Soak white rice for at least 30 minutes before cooking, then boil it in a large amount of water — 6 to 10 cups per 1 cup of rice — and drain it like pasta. This simple method removes up to 60% of the arsenic. Rinsing alone won’t cut it. The key is flushing the water, and the toxins, away before you eat it.

3. Avoid parboiled, instant and prepackaged rice products — These processed options are convenient, but they come with a tradeoff: more contamination and fewer nutrients. High-heat processing increases levels of inorganic arsenic, and plastic packaging often adds chemical residues. Stick with whole, unprocessed rice and cook it yourself to stay in control of what you’re putting on your plate.

4. Pair white rice with nutrient-dense sides — White rice doesn’t have to be the main event — what you serve with it makes all the difference. Combine it with protein, healthy fats, and vegetables to keep your blood sugar steady and your meals balanced. This is how rice has been used for centuries in traditional cultures.

5. For infants and toddlers, ditch brown rice-based baby food — If you’re feeding little ones, avoid rice cereal or porridge from brown rice, even if it’s homemade. Absolutely nothing compares to breast milk in terms of nutrition for infants, so if you are a new mother and still lactating, breastfeeding is the best choice for both you and your child. However, I understand that not all moms can breastfeed.

In this case, I recommend making your own infant formula using this recipe based on nutrient-rich animal foods like raw grass fed cow’s milk, organic raw cream, and grass fed beef gelatin. For children who are unable to tolerate milk proteins, I recommend trying this hypoallergenic meat-based formula instead.

Frequently Asked Questions About Arsenic in Rice

Q: What’s the biggest health concern with rice sold in the U.S.?

A: The primary concern is arsenic, a toxic heavy metal found in more than 1 in 4 rice products sold in U.S. stores at levels that exceed the FDA’s safety limit for infant rice cereal. Cadmium, lead and mercury were also detected, with arsenic being the most abundant and dangerous due to its strong links to cognitive impairment, cancer, and kidney damage.

Q: Is brown rice healthier than white rice?

A: Not necessarily. While brown rice retains more nutrients, it also holds higher concentrations of arsenic and polyunsaturated fats like LA, which worsen inflammation, mitochondrial function and insulin resistance. White rice is often safer and easier to digest, especially for individuals with gut issues or chronic disease.

Q: What kind of rice is safest to eat?

A: The lowest-contamination varieties are white basmati rice from India, Thai jasmine rice and California-grown white rice. These types consistently test lower in arsenic and cadmium than brown rice and rice grown in the southeastern U.S.

Q: Can I reduce arsenic by cooking rice differently?

A: Yes. Cooking rice in six to 10 parts water and draining it afterward removes up to 60% of the arsenic content. Soaking the rice beforehand boosts the effect. Rinsing alone is not effective, and instant or prepackaged rice carry hidden risks from processing and packaging.

Q: Are certain populations more at risk from contaminated rice?

A: Yes. Infants, pregnant women and families from Latino, Asian American, and Hispanic communities tend to eat more rice and are therefore more likely to be exposed to higher arsenic levels. Arsenic crosses the placenta and has been linked to reduced IQ and kidney damage, making early-life exposure especially harmful.

Microplastics are no longer just polluting oceans and rivers; they’re accumulating inside your body. A 2026 study published in Environmental Science and Ecotechnology found plastic particles inside human bile, revealing that your body’s own waste-processing fluid is acting as a collection site for these contaminants.1 What researchers uncovered goes beyond simple exposure.

The evidence points to cellular damage, including energy failure at the mitochondrial level and premature aging of tissue that lines your bile ducts. This is not a problem to ignore and hope resolves on its own. Once plastics settle into bile, your body has limited ability to flush them without targeted support. That reality is exactly why I wrote “Microplastics Cure: Total Body Cleanse,” which comes out soon.

The book goes deeper into how this invisible exposure affects your long-term health, why your body struggles to clear plastics once they accumulate, and what you can do to lower your burden and strengthen your natural defenses. Understanding how microplastics reach your bile, and what they do once trapped there, starts with a closer look at how researchers uncovered this hidden reservoir inside the human body.

Plastic Is Accumulating Where Your Body Processes Waste

For the Environmental Science and Ecotechnology study, researchers investigated whether microplastics collect inside human bile, a fluid your liver produces to break down fats and carry waste out of your body. Bile is a key pathway your body uses to process and eliminate toxins. Scientists analyzed bile samples using advanced detection methods that identify both the type and amount of plastic present.

• Every participant carried measurable plastic inside their bile — The study examined bile from 14 adults undergoing gallbladder surgery and found microplastics in every single sample tested. Six different plastic types showed up, with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) making up 68.05% and polyethylene (PE) accounting for 27.11% of the total. These are the same plastics used in water bottles, food packaging, and containers you encounter daily.
• People with gallstones had more plastic buildup — Participants with gallstones showed significantly higher concentrations of microplastics in their bile compared to those without. Gallstones form when substances like cholesterol harden inside the gallbladder, leading to pain, nausea, and digestive issues. The fact that higher plastic levels appear in this group signals a direct connection between environmental exposure and a physical condition you can feel and experience.
• The particles are large enough to interfere with your cells — Most of the detected microplastics ranged from 20 to 50 micrometers in size, large enough for these particles to interact directly with cells rather than pass through unnoticed. This size range increases the likelihood that plastics become embedded in tissues or disrupt normal cellular processes instead of being easily flushed out.
• Your daily habits influence how much plastic builds up — The study tracked lifestyle factors such as bottled water use and takeout consumption among participants. A noticeable portion reported frequent plastic bottle use and regular exposure to packaged food. While the sample size is small, it reflects a pattern you can recognize in your own life — repeated, low-level exposure that adds up over time rather than a single large event.

How Plastics Disrupt Bile and Damage Your Cells

The researchers explained that bile is part of your body’s waste removal system.2 Its unique composition, rich in fats and bile salts, attracts and binds to plastic particles. This means once microplastics enter your system, bile becomes a place where they collect instead of being quickly eliminated.

• Plastic buildup disrupts normal bile function — When microplastics accumulate, they interfere with how bile flows and how its components stay balanced. Bile needs the right mix of cholesterol, acids, and pigments to function properly. Disruption leads to crystallization, which is the first step in gallstone formation. In simple terms, plastic interferes with your body’s ability to keep this fluid stable.
• Chronic exposure damages the energy systems inside your cells — The study exposed human bile duct cells to low doses of microplastics over several days to simulate real-world exposure. Researchers observed mitochondrial dysfunction, meaning the parts of your cells responsible for producing energy began to fail. When your cells lose energy efficiency, every process slows down — repair, detox, and communication all suffer.
• Damaged cells enter a state of premature aging — Scientists identified a process called senescence in the exposed cells, which means the cells stop working properly but don’t die off. Instead, they release inflammatory signals that damage nearby healthy cells. This creates a ripple effect, where one damaged cell influences others, accelerating tissue decline over time.
• Melatonin showed a measurable protective effect — When researchers introduced melatonin, a compound your body produces naturally, they observed preserved mitochondrial function and reduced cellular damage. In plain terms, melatonin helped keep the cells’ energy systems running and slowed the aging process triggered by plastic exposure. This finding highlights a clear mechanism — oxidative stress — as a key driver of the damage.

Reduce Your Plastic Burden to Protect Your Bile

What this means in practical terms is that every day your bile sits loaded with plastic particles, the cells lining your bile ducts are aging faster than they should, and you won’t feel it until the damage has accumulated. But the exposure pattern that drives this is largely within your control.

Microplastics build up because they enter your system daily and your bile traps them instead of clearing them efficiently. That gives you two clear targets: reduce what comes in and support how your body moves and eliminates those particles. When you focus on both, you shift the entire trajectory.

1. Cut off the biggest source of exposure first — plastic food and drink contact — If you drink from plastic bottles, store food in plastic containers, or heat food in plastic, that’s a constant source of exposure. Research has found that a single liter of bottled water can contain thousands of microplastic particles, and heating plastic dramatically increases release.3,4 Switch to glass or stainless steel for water and food storage.
Don’t microwave in plastic, as even containers labeled “microwave safe” still release particles at elevated temperatures. Use glass or ceramic dishes instead. Replace plastic cutting boards with wood or bamboo alternatives, which don’t shed synthetic fragments into your food. Every plastic contact point you remove means fewer particles circulating into your bile.
2. Change how you handle takeout and packaged foods — Takeout meals sit in plastic or foam containers, often while still hot, which accelerates leaching. Transfer hot food to glass or ceramic immediately upon arrival; don’t eat directly from the container. Even better, cook most of your food at home to avoid takeout meals as much as possible.
When buying groceries, choose unpackaged produce over pre-wrapped options. Avoid single-serve plastic-wrapped snacks when whole food alternatives are available.
If you use tea bags, switch to loose-leaf tea, since many commercial tea bags are made with or sealed using plastic and release billions of micro- and nanoplastic particles when steeped in hot water. These are small, daily habits, but the cumulative reduction is significant when you consider how many meals per week involve plastic contact.
3. Support bile flow so your body clears waste more efficiently — Your bile is a transport system for waste. When it stagnates, buildup increases. You want steady bile movement. Eat bitter foods like arugula, dandelion greens, artichokes, and citrus. These stimulate bile flow by triggering cholecystokinin, a hormone that causes your gallbladder to contract and release bile.
While increased bile flow hasn’t been directly studied as a microplastic clearance strategy, the principle of keeping bile cycling rather than stagnant reduces the window for accumulation. Also include soluble fiber from foods like apples and root vegetables, which binds to bile acids in your gut and promotes their excretion rather than recirculation.
Stay well-hydrated with plenty of filtered water daily, since bile is mostly water and thickens when you’re dehydrated. Include healthy fats from sources like grass fed butter, ghee, and tallow to trigger natural gallbladder contractions. Choline-rich foods such as pastured eggs and grass fed liver support your liver’s ability to produce bile in the first place. The goal is to keep bile thin, flowing, and actively cycling waste out of your body instead of storing it.
4. Filter your water and rethink your daily fluid sources — If your main hydration comes from tap or bottled water, you’re getting a steady stream of microplastics. Municipal treatment plants don’t remove microplastics effectively. Look for a high-quality water filtration system specifically designed to target fine particulates, including microplastics at the submicron level.
Not all filters are equal; standard pitcher filters and refrigerator filters have pore sizes thousands of times too large to catch the smallest particles.
When evaluating systems, check whether they’re tested and certified for microplastic removal, and prioritize units with the finest filtration capability your budget allows. Store all filtered water in glass, and don’t refill plastic bottles, which continue to leach. This single change eliminates thousands of plastic particles from what you consume every day.
5. Reduce airborne plastic exposure inside your home — Microplastics are in the air you breathe. Indoor air often contains higher concentrations of airborne microplastics than outdoor air because synthetic carpets, polyester clothing and bedding, vinyl flooring, and household dust continuously shed tiny fibers. You inhale and swallow these throughout the day.
Use an air purifier with HEPA filtration, which captures 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns, well within the range of most airborne microplastic fibers and fragments. Place it in rooms where you spend the most time, particularly your bedroom. Vacuum regularly with a HEPA-filtered vacuum so settled fibers don’t become airborne again. Replace synthetic carpeting with hardwood, tile, or natural fiber rugs when possible.
Choose clothing and bedding made from natural fabrics like cotton, linen, or wool over polyester and nylon. Even your home furnishings matter; synthetic upholstery and curtains shed fibers constantly. Reducing your airborne load directly reduces what accumulates in your lungs, your gut, and ultimately your bile.
6. Support your body’s defenses against microplastic-driven oxidative damage — Even after reducing exposure, some microplastics will still reach your system. The study found that melatonin preserved mitochondrial function and reduced cellular damage caused by microplastic exposure.
Your mitochondria actually produce 95% of your body’s melatonin. This process depends on your exposure to natural sunlight.5 Near-infrared light penetrates deep into your skin and switches on an enzyme inside your mitochondria that drives mitochondrial melatonin production, also known as subcellular melatonin. Melatonin acts as a potent antioxidant that neutralizes reactive oxygen species, the primary mechanism through which microplastics damage cells.
Support your body’s own melatonin production by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, sleeping in total darkness, and getting morning sunlight exposure. Beyond melatonin, other antioxidant-rich foods like berries, green tea, and cruciferous vegetables provide additional protection against the oxidative stress that microplastics generate. The goal is to build internal resilience so the particles that do get through cause less damage.

FAQs About Microplastics in Bile

Q: What are microplastics and how do they end up in bile?
A: Microplastics are tiny plastic particles from packaging, bottled water, and synthetic materials that enter your body through food, water, and air. The research shows your bile, a fluid that helps digest fats and remove waste, attracts and collects these particles instead of clearing them efficiently.

Q: Why does it matter that microplastics build up in bile?
A: Bile plays a key role in digestion and waste removal. When plastics accumulate, they disrupt its balance and flow. This interference contributes to gallstone formation, which is linked to symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, and digestive problems. Over time, this disruption places ongoing stress on your liver and gallbladder.

Q: How do microplastics damage my cells?
A: The study showed that even low, repeated exposure damages mitochondria, the parts of your cells that produce energy. When these structures fail, your cells lose efficiency and shift into a state called senescence, where they stop functioning properly and release inflammatory signals that harm nearby tissue.

Q: Are some people at higher risk for microplastic buildup?
A: Individuals with gallstones had higher levels of microplastics in their bile compared to those without. Daily habits also play a major role. Frequent use of plastic bottles, packaged foods, and takeout increases your exposure, which raises the amount that accumulates in your body over time.

Q: What can I do to reduce my exposure and protect my body?
A: You can lower your burden by removing everyday sources of plastic contact, such as bottled water, plastic food storage, and packaged meals. Filtering your water, improving indoor air quality, and supporting bile flow through diet all help reduce how much plastic enters and stays in your system. These steps directly reduce what builds up in your bile and limit the damage to your cells.

Test Your Knowledge with Today’s Quiz!
Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

How can spending time in nature improve food choices?

Strict diet rules become easier to follow each day
Hunger signals turn off after outdoor activity
Whole foods may feel more important and appealing
Time in nature can shift priorities toward nourishing the body, making whole, unprocessed foods more appealing without forcing strict discipline. Learn more.
Calorie counting starts to feel more natural

The Newsletter We Promised Just Got Much Better

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The Newsletter We Promised Just Got Much Better
Since our original announcement, Dr. Mercola personally rebuilt the search engine from the ground up — five parallel search methods, 18 health categories searched daily, 30–50x more comprehensive than conventional tools. The upgraded newsletter launches in the coming weeks. See exactly what changed →

Have you ever experienced feeling a sudden, sharp pain in your chest? For most people, their immediate response would be to seek urgent care. Although this seems like a wise move, there are cases when it might not be necessary. In fact, among patients who visit the ER to have themselves checked because of chest pain, less than 6% actually involve life-threatening conditions, a 2016 study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) notes.1

Even so, being able to recognize the difference between serious and harmless chest pain is essential. Not only does it provide insights into your physical health, but it also helps quell your anxiety and gives you peace of mind.

Precordial Catch Syndrome — A Common Cause of Chest Pain

One possible cause of sudden, intense pain in your chest is precordial catch syndrome. Also called chest wall twinge syndrome or Texidor’s twinge, this is a stabbing pain often felt whenever you breathe in. An article in The Hearty Soul explores what triggers this condition.2

• What is precordial catch syndrome? Alarming as it seems, precordial catch syndrome is actually harmless, and is not associated with lung or heart disease. Rather, the pain is triggered when a nerve is being pinched or irritated, particularly the intercostal nerves located between your ribs.

According to Dr. Joe Whittington, a board-certified emergency physician, “Precordial catch syndrome is not well understood, but it is believed to be related to irritation or inflammation of the nerves in the chest wall.” The good news is that because it’s localized to a specific nerve pathway, the sensation doesn’t spread to other parts of your body.

• What triggers it? Poor posture, such as slouching while sitting, and sometimes even mild physical activities like walking are linked to precordial catch syndrome. Whittington said that tension in the chest muscles and muscle spasms could also trigger pain.

• Who’s at risk of precordial catch syndrome? Most commonly, it impacts older children and young adults. It frequently emerges during growth spurts. However, the pain becomes less intense by the time you reach your 20s. In most cases, the syndrome stops completely.

• How long does the pain occur? One reassuring aspect of precordial catch syndrome is it passes quickly. Typically, these sharp, stabbing sensations only last a few seconds to three minutes at most. But although brief, the intensity often leads you to avoid taking deep breaths, which heightens your anxiety and discomfort.

Interestingly, despite the instinct to breathe shallowly, deliberately taking slow, deep breaths and adjusting your posture to sit or stand upright will actually help the pain disappear faster. If you’re currently dealing with these unsettling episodes, just relax and breathe deeply to help the muscles release tension quicker, alleviating nerve irritation and rapidly easing the pain.

Digestive Issues Could Also Be Linked to Chest Pain

However, precordial catch syndrome is not the only condition associated with chest pain. It can also arise because of other factors, such as your digestion.

• Gastritis is another possible cause of pain — Basically, this refers to inflammation in the stomach, caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or alcohol intake.3 Eating spicy foods and smoking cigarettes could also cause gastritis.4

• Other symptoms occur aside from chest pain — When you have gastritis, you also get stomach upset, abdominal cramps, and indigestion. Even though it’s not serious, the inflammation could either be acute or last for months. Consult your healthcare provider, as untreated gastritis leads to peptic ulcer disease, gastric lymphoma, or gastric carcinoma.5

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) could also trigger heartburn — As the name implies, heartburn causes intense burning sensations in your chest. GERD occurs when the esophageal sphincter, a valve at the bottom of the esophagus (the tube connecting your throat to your stomach),6 doesn’t close correctly, causing stomach acid to travel back up your throat. It triggers irritation, inflammation, and that painful burning feeling in your chest.7

• GERD triggers and accompanying symptoms — Ingesting spicy foods, caffeine, or alcohol triggers heartburn. According to Medical News Today, the pain sometimes radiates to the neck. Other symptoms also occur, such as:8

◦Upset stomach
◦Partially regurgitating food
◦Feelings of fullness or bloating
◦Excess gas and burping
◦A sour taste in the mouth, especially after burping

While it’s not exactly a cardiovascular issue, there’s emerging research suggesting that GERD might be linked to a higher risk of heart problems. Read more in this article, “How GERD Impacts Heart Health.”

6 Common Causes of Sharp Chest Pain You Need to Recognize

When most people feel chest pain, their thought immediately goes to the worst-case scenario — heart attack. But this isn’t always the cause. I’ll provide insights on how to identify a heart attack, but before that, let’s look at a couple of cardiovascular conditions that cause chest pain, plus three that are not heart-related.9

• Pericarditis — This is a condition wherein the pericardium, a thin membrane surrounding your heart, is inflamed. According to Medical News Today, “Pericarditis causes a sharp, sudden pain in the center or left side of the chest that tends to worsen when a person breathes deeply.” Lying down makes the pain worse, and shifting positions — sitting up or leaning forward — eases the pain.

If you have this condition, you might feel chest pressure, breathing difficulties, heart palpitations, and fatigue as well. A mild fever and swelling in your abdomen or chest are also possible symptoms.

• Angina — When there’s reduced blood flow to your heart due to an underlying cardiovascular issue, chest pain occurs. This condition is called angina, and is a symptom of an underlying heart problem rather than a disease in itself.

As opposed to a stabbing pain, angina feels like there’s pressure on your chest, as if it’s being squeezed. The pain sometimes radiates to other areas of your body, such as your neck, jaw, arms or shoulders, and back. Other symptoms like nausea, breathlessness, pain in the lower chest or abdomen, and fatigue occur as well.

• Panic attacks — Feeling stressed or anxious often leads to muscle spasms and strained breathing patterns, which result in brief yet intense chest pain. A panic attack comes with different symptoms, such as palpitations, numbness or tingling, trembling or shaking, and feeling hot or cold.

• Fractures and strains — These usually occur when you do strenuous activities, such as lifting a heavy object or doing an exercise movement incorrectly. Fractured, bruised, or broken ribs also arise due to these injuries, and take weeks to heal.

• Pleuritis — This condition occurs when the lining of your chest and lungs is inflamed due to a bacterial or viral infection, rheumatoid arthritis, or a collapsed lung. The pain is sharp and brief, and occurs when you breathe, sneeze, or cough.

• Costochondritis — When the cartilage between your ribs and breastbone becomes inflamed due to viral infections, chest injury, harsh coughing or strenuous exercise, it could lead to chest pain. “In most cases, it is a self-limiting condition that resolves on its own with time,” Whittington said. However, it might last for weeks or months. Managing costochondritis requires rest, hot or cold packs, and over-the-counter pain medications.10

Recognizing Serious Causes of Sudden Chest Pain Could Save Your Life

An article from the Cleveland Clinic sheds light on two less common but extremely serious medical conditions associated with sudden sharp chest pain — pulmonary embolism and aortic dissection.11

• Pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot travels to the lungs — This blocks blood flow and causing sharp, intense chest pain. It’s immediately dangerous, and is not something you should wait out. Oftentimes, it comes with symptoms like shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and dizziness or fainting.

• Aortic dissection involves a tear in the aorta — This is your body’s largest artery and is responsible for transporting blood from your heart to the rest of your body. The pain from an aortic dissection is distinctively severe and described as “tearing” or “ripping,” typically radiating to your back.

• When is chest pain considered an emergency? If the pain eases up after a few minutes and you don’t have other symptoms, it’s likely not an urgent matter. Just schedule an appointment with your physician to have it checked out. However, if there are other serious symptoms like excessive sweating or nausea, have yourself checked out immediately.

If you have risk factors for heart disease, like high cholesterol or high blood pressure, or if you have a family history of heart attack, it’s a good idea to have yourself checked as well if you experience sudden chest pain.

How Do You Know if It’s a Heart Attack?

In the U.S., a heart attack occurs every 40 seconds.12 Also known as a myocardial infarction, this occurs when blood flow to the heart becomes suddenly blocked. This causes a lack of oxygen going to your heart, damaging it and causing it to die.13,14

• Heart attack occurs when there’s a blockage in your artery — Coronary heart disease, which involves plaque building up in the arteries, is often a contributing factor. The plaque buildup narrows the arteries, completely or partially blocking blood flow.

• Common symptoms of a heart attack — Aside from chest pain that feels as if someone is putting pressure or squeezing your heart, you will also feel weak or lightheaded and have difficulty breathing. The pain also radiates to your jaw, back, or neck, as well as your arms and shoulders.

• Symptoms come and go and in varying intensities — Low levels of oxygen in the blood, known as hypoxemia, also occur, as well as pulmonary edema, which is fluid accumulation in the lungs. If the heart cannot supply blood to the body, a sudden drop in blood pressure, or cardiogenic shock, might also occur.

• Men and women experience different symptoms — Women are more likely to experience unconventional symptoms such as fatigue and nausea, in contrast to men who commonly manifest classic signs, including chest pain.

Knowing the symptoms of a heart attack is important for you to get emergency medical care without delay. For more information, read “How to Spot and Treat a Heart Attack.”

Practical Steps to Address the Root Causes of Your Chest Pain

Feeling sudden, sharp chest pain is alarming, but knowing what’s causing your discomfort will help you to address it effectively and regain control over your health. These practical, actionable steps will help you tackle the non-heart related causes of your chest pain, improving your comfort and giving you peace of mind:

1. Fix your posture to relieve nerve irritation — If you’re experiencing precordial catch syndrome, posture is often the hidden trigger. When you’re hunched over your desk or phone for long periods, nerves in your chest wall could get pinched or irritated.

Throughout the day, remind yourself to sit or stand up straight, aligning your spine comfortably. By consistently practicing good posture, you’ll significantly reduce nerve irritation and decrease episodes of sharp chest pain.

2. Ease muscle tension with gentle stretching — Muscle strain and tension commonly cause chest pain, especially after physical exertion or repetitive tasks. To tackle this, incorporate gentle chest-opening stretches into your daily routine.

A simple doorway stretch — standing in a doorway, placing your hands on either side, and gently stepping forward — releases muscle tightness and relieves tension. Making stretching a relaxing daily habit reduces muscular chest pains and enhances your overall well-being.

3. Adjust your diet to prevent digestive discomfort — GERD-related chest pain is triggered by spicy dishes, caffeine, alcohol, and fatty meals. I recommend noting which foods seem to provoke your symptoms and gradually reducing them. Eating smaller, more frequent meals and avoiding heavy meals before bedtime also dramatically reduces reflux episodes. By adjusting your diet, you’ll reduce digestive-induced chest discomfort, providing lasting relief.

4. Manage stress and anxiety effectively — Anxiety and panic are frequent culprits behind sharp chest pains. Recognizing anxiety as a trigger allows you to respond proactively.

Start by practicing controlled, deep breathing — slowly inhale for four seconds, hold for four, then exhale for four seconds. Try using mindfulness or meditation techniques, like the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), as well. Consistent stress-management habits greatly diminish anxiety-related chest pain and boost your emotional resilience.

5. Stay active, but respect your limits — Physical activity is beneficial, but overly strenuous workouts or sudden intense exercise could cause muscle strain or trigger chest pains.

The key is to listen to your body. If you’re frequently experiencing exercise-related chest discomfort, gradually scale back intensity and duration. Then slowly increase your workouts as you grow stronger. Regular, moderate exercise like walking, swimming, or yoga maintains muscle health and cardiovascular fitness, reducing the risk of muscular chest pain while keeping your heart healthy and strong.

For cardiovascular-related pain, you must act quickly to ensure your safety and survival. One strategy I recommend is having methylene blue and melatonin on hand, particularly if you’re at high risk of heart attack, as these compounds help increase your chances of survival. Read “What Is the Difference Between a Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest?” to learn more, as well as get useful tips on how to protect your heart health.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Chest Pain

Q: Is all sudden sharp chest pain a sign of a heart attack?
A: No. While chest pain can be alarming, less than 6% of ER visits for chest pain are due to life-threatening conditions like heart attacks, according to a 2016 JAMA study.

Q: What is precordial catch syndrome, and should I be worried?
A: Precordial catch syndrome is a harmless condition that causes short, stabbing chest pain, often triggered by poor posture. It usually resolves on its own within minutes and poses no serious health risk.

Q: Can digestive issues really cause chest pain?
A: Yes. Conditions like gastritis and GERD can mimic heart pain. Triggers include spicy foods, alcohol, NSAIDs, and stress. These types of pain often come with bloating, heartburn, or indigestion.

Q: What are some non-cardiac causes of chest pain?
A: Panic attacks, costochondritis, muscle strain, and rib injuries can cause chest pain. These conditions are usually not dangerous and respond well to rest, posture correction, and over-the-counter medication.

Q: When should I seek emergency care for chest pain?
A: Seek immediate help if your chest pain feels crushing, radiates to your back, jaw, or arms, or is accompanied by symptoms like fainting, breathlessness, or cold sweats. These may indicate serious conditions like a pulmonary embolism or aortic dissection.

Most people treat diet as a matter of willpower — choosing the right foods, resisting the wrong ones, and grinding through discipline until something sticks. But two studies found that one of the most powerful ways to improve what you eat has nothing to do with meal plans, calorie counting, or self-control. It starts with stepping outside, and the shift begins in as little as 20 minutes.

Spending time in nature recalibrates your nutritional instincts from the inside out. It shifts what your brain actually wants when you sit down to eat. The processed foods that normally feel irresistible start to lose their pull, and whole, nourishing options become what you reach for instead.

Rather than focusing on dieting or restriction, nature supports your body returning to a preference for real food. The effect doesn’t require hours of hiking or a move to the countryside. All it takes is simply stepping outdoors and letting natural surroundings reshape your dietary choices from the ground up.

More Time Outdoors Reshapes Your Eating Habits

A study published in Social Science & Medicine looked at how often and how long people spend time in nature, then measured how that lined up with the quality of their diet.1 The researchers surveyed 300 adults across the U.S. and followed up with in-depth interviews to get the full picture — not just what people were eating, but what was driving those choices.

• People who spent more time in nature consistently ate better — The study included adults from different backgrounds, income levels, and lifestyles, which makes the findings harder to dismiss as a niche result. The pattern was clear: the more often someone interacted with nature and the longer they stayed in it, the higher their diet quality scores and the more closely they followed sustainable eating habits.
Put simply, the more time you spend around nature, the more likely you are to reach for whole foods over processed ones.
• Both how often you get outside and how long you stay matter — The study measured frequency and duration separately, and both independently improved diet quality. That’s good news because it means you don’t need weekend-long hiking trips to see a difference. Even short, regular contact with nature starts to shift your food decisions.
• Not all types of nature exposure work the same way — The researchers broke it into three categories: indirect (like seeing trees through a window), incidental (passing through a park on your way somewhere), and intentional (activities like gardening or going for a walk in the woods). Indirect exposure on its own didn’t show a strong link to better eating, but incidental and intentional exposure did.
The takeaway is that passively looking at nature isn’t enough. You get more out of nature when you physically move through it or actively engage with it.
• Your mental state plays a big role in how much your diet improves — People with better mental well-being got even stronger benefits from time in nature. When your stress levels drop, your food choices tend to follow. That connection helps explain why stress eating feels so automatic and why changing your surroundings helps break the cycle.
• Nature directly reduces stress-driven eating and impulsive food choices — Participants called being in nature a “stress reliever” and said it helped them feel calmer and more grounded. When that stress lifted, so did the pull toward quick, processed food options. One person put it this way — being in nature made their mind “less concerned” about easy ways to satisfy cravings.
• Feeling connected to nature shifts what you want to eat — The study measured what researchers call “nature relatedness,” and people who scored higher in that area had better diet quality and ate more fruits and vegetables. When you feel genuinely connected to nature, processed food starts to feel out of step with everything else. Your preferences shift on their own without you having to force anything.
Getting involved with where your food comes from also changes your choices automatically. Gardening and buying from local sources came up again and again in interviews. Participants said that growing or sourcing their own food made them value it more and naturally lean toward higher-quality options. It creates a feedback loop; the more hands-on you are with your food, the less you have to rely on discipline to eat well.

Nature Changes What You Want, Not How Hard You Try

A study published in Communications Psychology looked at how being exposed to natural environments changes food choices in the moment, and more importantly, why.2 Instead of assuming people made better choices because they were more focused or less tired, the researchers tested those explanations directly and found they didn’t hold up.

• People chose different foods without eating less — The study compared people exposed to nature scenes with those who saw urban or neutral settings, then tracked both what they picked and how much they ate. People who saw nature didn’t eat less; they just picked better food. This reflects a natural pull toward higher-quality options without any sense of restriction.
• Nature made people prioritize health more when choosing food — The researchers found that exposure to nature increased how important participants considered their own health at the moment they made food decisions. This shift reflected a change in internal motivation. In simple terms, after seeing nature, people placed more value on nourishing their body, and that directly changed the type of food they chose, without reducing how much they ate.
• Nature steers you toward real food, not diet food — One of the most interesting findings was how people responded to different kinds of “healthy” options. Nature exposure increased the preference for natural, whole foods while actually decreasing interest in “diet” or “light” snack products.
This isn’t a weight-loss switch flipping — it’s a nourishment switch. Your brain stops asking “what’s lighter?” and starts asking “what’s real?” You start favoring real food over processed substitutes, even the ones marketed as better-for-you.
• Cities don’t make your choices worse; nature just makes them better — The researchers compared nature exposure to both urban views and neutral settings like closed curtains. There was no real difference between how people ate in urban versus neutral environments. Nature is the active ingredient here. It lifts your choices above the baseline rather than cities dragging them down.
• Time in nature also improves your gut health directly — The benefits of getting outside go beyond what you choose to eat; they extend to what’s happening inside your digestive system. Spending time outdoors exposes you to a wide range of beneficial bacteria from soil, plants, and air that can increase the diversity of your gut microbiome.3 In one study, urban preschoolers who took part in a 10-week outdoor nature program showed measurable improvements in gut microbial diversity.4

Spend Time in Nature to Upgrade Your Diet

Your food choices reflect what your brain values in the moment. When you feel disconnected, stressed, or mentally drained, your brain defaults to quick, processed options. When you reconnect with nature, your internal priorities quietly rearrange themselves. You start valuing nourishment over convenience. That’s the lever you want to use. Instead of forcing better habits, change the environment that drives those habits.

1. Build a daily “nature exposure minimum” that’s easy to reach — Set a non-negotiable baseline such as 20 to 30 minutes outside every day. Keep it simple so you follow through. A daily walk, sitting in your yard, or even standing near trees works. The key is consistency. When you repeat this each day, your brain starts to associate your normal routine with a higher value placed on your health, which shifts your food choices without effort.
2. Use nature right before meals as a reset trigger — If you tend to grab whatever is easiest when you’re hungry, build a five- to 10-minute outdoor pause into your routine before lunch or dinner. Step outside, walk to the nearest tree-lined street, or simply stand in your yard or on your balcony. Don’t check your phone; let your attention settle on what’s around you.
This kind of direct, intentional nature contact (not just glancing through a window) is what shifts food preferences. By the time you walk back inside, the pull toward processed convenience food is typically measurably weaker, and whole-food options feel more appealing. Think of it as resetting your palate before you sit down to eat by letting your environment do the work for you.
3. Turn your meals into a “natural alignment” habit — After your outdoor time, eat something that matches the simplicity of what you just experienced. If you walked past a garden, come inside and build your plate around fresh vegetables, not a frozen dinner. If you sat near trees or water, reach for whole fruit. The principle is straightforward: processed food feels out of place after time in nature, so lean into that instinct instead of fighting it.
Over time, this pairing strengthens the connection between being outdoors and choosing real food, until the preference becomes automatic. The less you have to think about what to eat, the more sustainable the change becomes.
4. Add one hands-on nature activity each week — If you’re disconnected from where your food comes from, your choices stay abstract. Gardening, visiting a farmers market, or buying directly from local farms changes that. When you see and interact with real food sources, your appreciation increases, and processed food loses its appeal. This builds long-term change without relying on willpower.
5. Track your “nature streak” instead of your diet — Calorie tracking puts your attention on restriction. Tracking your nature streak puts it on a behavior that makes better eating a side effect. Each day you spend at least 20 minutes outside, mark it — a check on a wall calendar, a tally on a notecard, or a simple habit tracker. The method doesn’t matter as long as it’s visible enough to create a sense of momentum.
As your streak grows, so does the cumulative effect on your food preferences. The pull toward processed food starts to feel less automatic, and whole-food meals begin to feel like the obvious choice rather than the disciplined one. If you break the streak, don’t reset to zero, just start a new one. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s making nature contact your default, so better eating follows without you having to manage it.

FAQs About Nature and Your Diet

Q: How does spending time in nature actually improve my diet?
A: Time in nature shifts what your brain values in the moment. Instead of relying on discipline, your internal priorities change. You start placing more importance on nourishing your body, which leads you to choose whole, unprocessed foods more often without forcing it.

Q: Do you need long hikes or major lifestyle changes to see results?
A: No. Research shows that both how often you get outside and how long you stay matter, but even short, regular exposure makes a difference. Simple activities like walking through a park or sitting outside daily start to shift your food choices over time.

Q: Does nature make you eat less or just eat better?
A: Nature changes the type of food you choose, not the amount you eat. People exposed to natural environments didn’t reduce how much they ate. Instead, they consistently chose higher-quality foods, especially whole, nourishing options.

Q: Why does stress affect your food choices so much?
A: When you feel stressed or mentally drained, your brain defaults to quick, processed foods. Time in nature reduces that stress response, which weakens the pull toward those foods. As your mental state improves, your food choices naturally follow.

Q: Is this about dieting or weight loss?
A: No. Nature doesn’t trigger a dieting mindset. It shifts your preference toward real, whole foods and away from processed “diet” products. The focus becomes nourishment, not restriction or calorie counting, which makes the changes easier to maintain long term.

Test Your Knowledge with Today’s Quiz!
Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

Why is glycine considered important for overall health?

Better sleep support is one of its key roles, leading to better recovery
Detox processes, antioxidants, and collagen also depend on it
Glycine supports sleep regulation, antioxidant production, detoxification, collagen and creatine synthesis, so low levels may affect several body systems. Learn more.
Several body systems use glycine in daily repair
Quick energy production is its main purpose

If you’ve ever taken a sleep supplement, chances are you’ve tried melatonin, magnesium, or perhaps valerian or L-theanine. But there is an amino acid that costs pennies per dose, tastes sweet enough to use as a sugar substitute, and has a sleep mechanism that works through a distinctive pathway — yet almost nobody knows about it.
That amino acid is glycine. The smallest and simplest amino acid in nature, it was discovered in 1820 and was quickly classified as “non-essential” because the body can synthesize it from serine. That classification stuck for nearly 200 years, and emerging research suggests it may be incomplete.

The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Mechanism

The sleep story begins with a research team at Ajinomoto and Stanford University’s Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology Laboratory. In a 2015 paper published in Neuropsychopharmacology, Kawai and colleagues used a rat model to investigate a mechanism by which glycine may promote sleep.1

• The pathway is specific and well-characterized — Oral glycine can cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the brain’s master circadian clock. There, it binds to the glycine co-agonist site on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the SCN shell.
• This process initiates heat loss to support sleep onset — It activates neurons that trigger peripheral vasodilation, a condition wherein blood vessels in your hands and feet dilate, radiating heat away from your core. As core body temperature drops, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep onset is initiated.
• The researchers tested this through a series of experiments — When they ablated the SCN entirely, glycine’s sleep effects were completely abolished. When they blocked NMDA receptors with antagonists, the vasodilation stopped. But when they blocked glycine receptors with strychnine, there was no effect. These findings suggest the mechanism operates primarily through NMDA receptors in the SCN.

Human Sleep Trial Evidence

In human trials, 3 grams of glycine taken before bedtime improved subjective sleep quality and reduced next-day fatigue in volunteers with restricted sleep.2 An earlier review from the same group explored glycine as a potential approach to supporting sleep quality, showing it decreased core body temperature and induced improvements in both subjective and objective sleep quality.3

• Higher doses delivered through collagen peptides also improved sleep continuity — A 2024 randomized crossover study involving 13 physically active men with sleep complaints found that 15 grams of glycine-rich collagen peptides before bedtime reduced sleep awakenings and improved cognitive function the next morning. The study, conducted in partnership with a collagen peptide manufacturer, did not find effects on sleep quantity, latency, or efficiency.4
• Objective sleep measurements indicated fewer nighttime awakenings — The study used polysomnography to record fewer awakenings compared to placebo. This is notable because it suggests the sleep effect may scale with dose and persist even when glycine is delivered as part of a collagen peptide matrix rather than as free glycine alone.
• Glycine’s mechanism of action differs from that of other sleep aids — Rather than directly modulating circadian signaling like melatonin or acting on GABA receptors like GABAergic sedatives, glycine appears to work through thermoregulation, mimicking the natural drop in core body temperature that your body uses to initiate sleep. It also promotes physiological sleep architecture without altering brain wave patterns or causing rebound effects.

The 2015 Kawai paper suggested that glycine’s effects may be mediated primarily through the SCN — the body’s own circadian pacemaker — meaning it works with the clock rather than overriding it.

The Glutathione Connection

Glycine’s benefits extend far beyond sleep. It is the rate-limiting substrate for glutathione synthesis. Glutathione — a tripeptide made from glycine, cysteine, and glutamic acid — is the most abundant intracellular antioxidant in the human body. When glycine levels are insufficient, glutathione production may be compromised.
This is what Dr. Rajagopal Sekhar’s group at Baylor College of Medicine has investigated in a series of studies on glycine combined with N-acetylcysteine (GlyNAC), providing the two rate-limiting precursors for glutathione synthesis.

The Baylor GlyNAC Trial — Addressing Aging Hallmarks

In a 2023 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 24 older adults, 16 weeks of GlyNAC supplementation was associated with improvements in glutathione levels, oxidative stress markers, mitochondrial function, inflammation, insulin resistance, endothelial function, gait speed, muscle strength, and several molecular hallmarks of aging.5

• The study examined multiple endpoints simultaneously — This was not a single-endpoint study. It addressed oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, genomic damage, physical function, and body composition simultaneously.
• An earlier 36-week open-label pilot study reported additional findings — The study involved eight older adults and eight younger adults as a baseline comparison group.
After 24 weeks of supplementation, older adults were reported to show improvements in glutathione levels, mitochondrial fuel oxidation, inflammation, endothelial function, insulin resistance, cognition, muscle strength, exercise capacity, body fat, and waist circumference.6 Though, as a small pilot study, these findings would need confirmation in larger controlled trials.
• When supplementation was withdrawn in the pilot study for 12 weeks, the benefits declined — This suggested that maintaining adequate glycine may require ongoing intake. This is consistent with the Meléndez-Hevia model, which proposes that the deficit is permanent and biochemical, not a one-time problem that can be fixed and forgotten.

Independent Validation and Dose-Response

Sekhar’s comprehensive 2021 review presented evidence suggesting GlyNAC supplementation may support healthy aging.7 An independent 2022 Nestlé trial in 114 healthy older adults confirmed safety and tolerability at multiple dose levels.
While the primary endpoint was not met in the overall population, the post-hoc finding that high-oxidative-stress, low-glutathione individuals responded significantly to medium and high doses provides important dose-targeting information.8
In a mouse study, GlyNAC supplementation was associated with a 24% increase in lifespan,9 and a 2023 mouse study showed improvements in brain glutathione, oxidative stress markers, glucose uptake, cognitive function, and neurotrophic factors in mice.10

Beyond Sleep and Glutathione — The Full Glycine Portfolio

Beyond sleep and glutathione, glycine plays roles in creatine synthesis, heme production, bile salt conjugation, and direct anti-inflammatory signaling. Beyond these effects, glycine influences several other physiological processes, including:

• Exercise physiology and performance — A 2024 review explored glycine’s potential as an ergogenic aid, noting evidence that it may enhance peak power output, reduce lactic acid accumulation during exercise, and support muscle recovery.11 However, the authors caution that high doses above 500 mg/kg of body mass could induce cytotoxic effects.
The ergogenic dimension is particularly interesting because it suggests glycine’s benefits extend to physically active populations, not just the elderly.
• Nervous system regulation and signaling — Glycine functions as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the spinal cord and brainstem, where it modulates motor neuron excitability and reflex responses. Its role as a co-agonist at NMDA receptors throughout the central nervous system means it participates in learning, memory formation, and synaptic plasticity.
• Detoxification capacity in the liver — A 2025 Metabolism review highlighted that glycine deficiency impairs conjugation reactions in the liver — the process by which xenobiotics, drug metabolites, and endogenous toxins are attached to glycine for urinary excretion.12

When glycine is depleted, detoxification slows. In an era of increasing environmental toxin exposure, this has implications far beyond collagen metabolism.

Safety, Cost, and Practicality

The safety profile is notable. Glycine has been used in schizophrenia research at doses of 30 to 60 grams per day. A chronic high-dose study in rats found no neurotoxic effects at any dose or time point up to 5 months.13 At the 3- to 10-gram doses relevant for health, glycine appears to have a favorable safety profile at typical supplemental doses.

Glycine powder is widely available as a dietary supplement at relatively low cost. It is a white crystalline powder with a sweet taste — sweet enough to dissolve in water as a bedtime drink.

The Bottom Line

For a molecule that supports sleep, antioxidant defense, mitochondrial function, collagen synthesis, detoxification, exercise performance, and aging-related processes — glycine appears to be an underappreciated nutrient worthy of further research.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Glycine

Q: Why is glycine considered so important for overall health?
A: Glycine supports multiple systems at once, including sleep regulation, antioxidant production, detoxification, and structural processes like collagen and creatine synthesis. Because it participates in so many pathways, changes in glycine availability can affect several aspects of your health at the same time.

Q: Why has glycine been overlooked for so long?
A: Glycine was classified as a “non-essential” amino acid because your body can produce it from serine. That classification led to the assumption that dietary intake was unnecessary, even though research shows your internal production may not meet your full physiological demand.

Q: How does glycine actually reach and affect the brain’s sleep center?
A: Research suggests glycine can cross the blood-brain barrier and act directly on receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the brain’s circadian control center, where it helps trigger the physiological changes that initiate sleep.

Q: How does glycine affect physical performance?
A: Research shows that glycine may enhance peak power output, reduce lactic acid buildup during exercise, and support muscle recovery. This suggests it has benefits for physically active individuals, not just for sleep or aging-related concerns.

Q: Do I need to take glycine consistently to see benefits?
A: The research suggests that when glycine intake is stopped, many of the improvements begin to decline. This reflects the underlying issue: Research suggests your body’s glycine demand may be ongoing. Because internal production may not fully meet that demand, maintaining adequate levels may require consistent intake rather than short-term use.

These findings are from research conducted in clinical settings. Results may not apply to all individuals.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health regimen.

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Instead of using glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs, what may be a more natural way to support GLP-1 levels?

Increase Akkermansia muciniphila in the gut
Akkermansia muciniphila may stimulate GLP-1 production, helping support metabolism and gut health without relying on GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs. Learn more.
Take stronger appetite-blocking drugs daily
Cut out all carbohydrates and fermented foods
Use laxatives to lower blood sugar quickly

The Newsletter We Promised Just Got Much Better

IMPORTANT

The Newsletter We Promised Just Got Much Better
Since our original announcement, Dr. Mercola personally rebuilt the search engine from the ground up — five parallel search methods, 18 health categories searched daily, 30–50x more comprehensive than conventional tools. The upgraded newsletter launches in the coming weeks. See exactly what changed →

The skin is your body’s largest organ, accounting for roughly 15% of your total body weight. It acts as the primary barrier between your internal systems and the external world, and reflects the cumulative impact of daily habits and internal physiology. Like every tissue in the body, the skin undergoes a natural aging process marked by gradual structural and cellular changes.1

While this process unfolds over time, its pace and visibility are shaped by external influences. Among these, diet has emerged as a key factor with far-reaching effects on skin appearance and resilience. A review published in Food Science and Nutrition2 explored this connection in depth. Drawing from research over the past five years, the authors examined how dietary habits and specific foods affect skin aging.

Understanding Your Skin’s Structure and Function

Your skin is a layered defense system that gives protection from external threats, maintains internal stability, and participates in immune, metabolic, and neurological regulation. Its architecture spans three main layers — the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, each contributing to resilience, repair, and responsiveness.3,4,5

• The epidermis forms a water-tight, UV-shielded barrier — Keratinocytes, the dominant cells in this outermost layer, generate keratin to block moisture loss, microbial invasion, and ultraviolet (UV) damage. These cells migrate from the basal layer to the surface, undergoing structural changes that reinforce the skin’s protective coating.

• Melanocytes and immune sentinels guard against environmental threats — Interspersed among the keratinocytes are melanocytes, which synthesize melanin to protect DNA from UV damage, and Langerhans cells, which monitor foreign invaders and initiate immune responses.

• The dermis offers strength, flexibility, and metabolic support — This thicker connective tissue layer is densely packed with collagen and elastin, which give the skin its mechanical resilience.

Fibroblasts within the dermis continuously produce and remodel these proteins, allowing the skin to withstand tension while maintaining its ability to stretch and recover. Collagen offers tensile integrity while elastin allows the skin to stretch and recoil.

The dermis also contains hair follicles, oil glands, and sweat glands, all of which help keep the skin balanced and healthy. They control how much oil and moisture the skin holds, help fight off harmful microbes, and play a key role in keeping body temperature steady during heat or stress.

• Hypodermis anchors the skin and supports deeper body functions — Also called the subcutaneous layer, this part of the skin stores fat that cushions the body, insulates against heat loss, and serves as an energy reserve. Bigger blood vessels run through this layer to keep the skin nourished and help manage body temperature when you’re active or exposed to heat or cold. It also helps regulate hormones and metabolism.

• Skin communicates through nerves, hormones, and bioactive compounds — Nerve endings throughout the dermis and epidermis detect temperature, pressure, pain, and vibration, feeding information to the brain. The skin also acts as an endocrine organ, producing vitamin D, releasing cytokines and peptides, and responding to hormonal shifts that influence oil production and pigmentation.

This layered system holds up well under pressure, but its ability to repair and protect hinges on consistent support, especially from your diet. As the skin ages, it regenerates more slowly, its barrier thins, and key structural proteins start to break down. As such, nutrition is not peripheral to skin health but foundational to its ongoing regeneration and resistance to stress.

How Does Skin Aging Work?

Skin aging is often thought of as something that simply happens over time, but in reality, it reflects two overlapping processes — chronological aging and photoaging, also referred to as intrinsic and extrinsic aging. Together, these factors shape how your skin looks, feels, and functions over the years.6

• Chronological aging follows the body’s internal timeline — It gradually slows down skin cell turnover, reduces the production of collagen and elastin, and alters the balance of hydration and oil.

This process is marked by fine lines around the eyes, sagging along the jawline, and thinning skin that becomes more fragile with age. Though largely driven by genetics and hormonal shifts, these changes still respond to how the skin is supported over time.

• Photoaging reflects how the skin responds to external stressors — Repeated exposure to UV rays without proper support or recovery overwhelms the skin’s defenses. When combined with factors like air pollution, cigarette smoke, and poor dietary habits, this creates oxidative stress and inflammation that gradually break down skin structure. Signs of photoaging include sunspots, deeper wrinkles, rough or leathery patches, broken capillaries, and uneven tone.

• Although UV light is often cited as a cause of skin aging, the issue isn’t sunlight itself — The skin is designed to interact with light. Sunlight actually supports mitochondrial energy production, helps regulate your body’s biological clock, and initiates the natural synthesis of vitamin D.7 The real problem arises when the skin is biochemically unprepared to handle that exposure.

• Diet plays a more direct role in this process than many people realize — The skin’s ability to recover from UV exposure and other external stressors depends in part on its internal nutritional state. When the body is well-supported, the skin is better equipped to handle sunlight and repair daily wear. But when nutrients are lacking, even normal light exposure leads to more visible signs of aging.

• Other external factors that contribute to accelerated skin aging — Pollution, harsh weather, smoking, and frequent use of irritants like strong soaps or alcohol-based products all strain the skin’s barrier. These stressors generate free radicals, disrupt hydration, and trigger low-level inflammation that wears down the skin’s ability to renew itself.

To understand how these changes in your skin reflect deeper shifts in health, see “The Hidden Connections Between Skin Health and Overall Wellness.”

Skin-Friendly Foods and Bioactive Ingredients to Include in Your Diet

Your dietary choices have a direct and visible impact on your skin’s health and appearance. The featured review highlights specific foods and compounds with proven protective, antiaging effects, including:8

• Vitamin C — Essential for collagen synthesis and skin repair, vitamin C also protects against photoaging by neutralizing free radicals. Higher dietary intake has been associated with improved skin firmness and reduced wrinkle formation. It’s commonly found in citrus fruits, bell peppers, leafy greens, and tomatoes.

• Vitamin E — A fat-soluble antioxidant that protects skin cell membranes from lipid peroxidation. It helps limit UV-induced damage and works synergistically with vitamin C to strengthen the skin’s natural defenses.

• Omega-3 fats — Omega-3s, found in fatty fish like wild-caught Alaskan salmon, help reduce inflammation, support skin hydration, strengthen the skin barrier, and limit water loss through the skin. However, keep your intake in check, as they are still polyunsaturated fats (PUFs), so you don’t want to consume them in excessive amounts.

• Polyphenols and flavonoids — These compounds, found in green tea, berries, onions, leafy vegetables, and citrus fruits, are well-documented for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

• Collagen — As mentioned earlier, collagen is a structural protein essential for skin firmness and elasticity. Natural dietary sources of collagen include bone broth and connective tissues from meat. To support collagen synthesis, consume foods rich in vitamin C, along with amino acid-rich proteins such as pastured eggs and grass fed beef.

• Carotenoids — Compounds like beta-carotene and lycopene accumulate in skin tissue and provide photoprotection by absorbing UV rays and quenching oxidative stress. Found in carrots, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes, these pigments are associated with smoother skin and reduced sun-induced damage.

• Fermented and probiotic foods — Foods like yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and fermented vegetables support the gut-skin axis by improving microbiota diversity and lowering systemic inflammation.

• Functional plant ingredients — Botanicals such as spirulina, Moringa oleifera, aloe vera, and açai berries have demonstrated antioxidant and antiaging activity in preliminary studies.

The authors also listed phytoestrogens as skin-supportive, but I believe you have to be careful of them, as they interfere with your thyroid function. Nuts and seeds were also mentioned as beneficial, yet these are a source of linoleic acid (LA). Given the role LA plays in accelerating skin aging and UV sensitivity (covered in more detail below), I recommend limiting or avoiding nuts and seeds if your goal is long-term skin resilience.

The Worst Offenders in a Skin-Damaging Diet

The modern diet is dominated by ingredients engineered for convenience, extended shelf life, and hyper-palatable taste, but many of these compounds gradually compromise your skin health. In the featured review, researchers identified four dietary factors consistently linked to faster and more visible skin aging:9

• Trans fats — Found in processed foods, fried snacks, packaged baked goods, and many fast foods, these fats are typically formed during the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils and have been linked to higher oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions, which interfere with skin repair and contribute to the breakdown of structural proteins.

• Refined sugar — High sugar intake promotes the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The authors explained:

“AGEs are formed during the glycation process when sugars and skin proteins interact. This process alters the structure and function of skin proteins, reducing skin strength and flexibility and hastening the appearance of wrinkles.”10

• Refined carbohydrates — Commonly found in foods that have been heavily processed and stripped of their natural fiber, refined carbs are quickly digested and absorbed, often leading to rapid spikes in blood sugar.

Their intake has been linked to increased signs of skin aging, largely due to a process where sugar molecules attach to collagen and cause the fibers to become rigid and less functional. This weakens the skin’s structure and reduces its flexibility.

The study also notes a small but significant association between refined carbohydrate intake and acne development, especially in diets high in glycemic index and glycemic load.

• Food additives — Compounds like artificial colorings, preservatives, and emulsifiers have been associated with allergic skin reactions, increased inflammation, and disruptions to gut health that may influence skin conditions.11

• Inadequate water intake — The skin stores a significant amount of the body’s water, especially in its outermost layers. Low fluid intake reduces this moisture reserve, leading to dryness, rough texture, and a dull appearance. Proper hydration supports the skin’s barrier function and surface smoothness, helping maintain tone, elasticity, and visible health.

• Alcohol — Alcohol intake harms the skin by weakening its barrier function and altering its permeability. It also encourages abnormal growth of keratinocytes, which disrupts skin balance.

If you’re looking to slow the aging process, identifying and limiting these specific inputs is a practical and impactful place to start.

The Role of Linoleic Acid in Skin Damage

The review briefly notes that reduced wrinkles, dryness, and skin atrophy have been linked to low-fat diets paired with high LA intake.12 While this association has appeared in some observational studies, it overlooks the broader and more concerning picture of how linoleic acid behaves inside the body. As I’ve written before, I do not consider LA beneficial, whether for the skin or overall health.

• Linoleic acid is one of the most pervasive toxins in the food supply — It’s the primary polyunsaturated omega-6 fat found in soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, and canola oils. These oils are widely used in processed and restaurant foods, making LA one of the most overconsumed fats in the modern diet.13

• Once consumed, LA gets stored in body fat for years — Instead of being quickly burned or eliminated, LA is absorbed into adipose tissue and lingers in triglyceride reserves. As I detailed in my peer-reviewed paper published in Nutrients,14 the half-life of LA in body fat is roughly two years, meaning its damage is persistent and cumulative.

• Skin cells draw from this circulating fat pool — As keratinocytes mature and rise toward the skin’s surface, they use available fats to build their membranes. This includes LA released from fat stores, which means that your skin continues to integrate this unstable fat for months or even years after exposure ends.15,16

• LA-loaded skin is highly reactive to sunlight — When UV rays hit skin cells rich in linoleic acid, they trigger lipid peroxidation, a chain reaction that breaks down fats into toxic compounds like 4-HNE and malondialdehyde. These byproducts damage DNA, impair collagen formation, and promote inflammation.17,18

• This reactivity accelerates photoaging and weakens resilience — The more LA present in skin tissue, the greater the oxidative damage under sun exposure. This contributes to deeper wrinkles, thinning skin, and slower recovery. Over time, LA makes skin more vulnerable and less responsive to natural repair mechanisms.19,20

While UV exposure is frequently cited as the primary driver of skin aging, it’s the presence of unstable fats like LA that makes sunlight so damaging. If you want to benefit from sunlight rather than be harmed by it, clearing LA from your system is essential. Learn how to reduce your LA exposure in “Linoleic Acid — The Most Destructive Ingredient in Your Diet.”

How to Benefit from Sunlight Without Damaging Your Skin

Sunlight is not an enemy; it’s a foundational nutrient. If you want to benefit from it without damaging your skin, the first step is removing LA from your diet. That means cutting vegetable oils and processed foods made with them. Aim for LA intake to fall below 2% of your total calories. While your body is still detoxing LA, you need to approach sun exposure with care. The goal isn’t to avoid the sun — it’s to rebuild your skin’s ability to interact with light in a healthy way.

• Optimal exposure time during transition — Avoid peak sunlight hours until you’ve been off LA for at least six months. This usually means staying out of direct sun between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time (or 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Standard Time). Stick to early morning or late afternoon sun during this period. Once tissue LA drops, your skin will be able to handle midday light for longer periods — eventually up to an hour or more without damage.

• Use sunburn test to check your tolerance — Expose as much skin as possible, but stop the moment you see the slightest hint of pink. This is your sign that you’ve had enough sun exposure. Keep doing that, adding several minutes each day until you can get under the sun during solar noon without developing sunburn.

• Use C15:0 to speed up the process — Supplementing with C15:0 (pentadecanoic acid), an odd-chain saturated fat found in full-fat dairy and butter oil, helps replace LA in your cell membranes and reinforces them against UV-triggered oxidation. Unlike LA, C15:0 resists peroxidation and improves skin cell resilience by activating PPAR-alpha and AMPK, which boost mitochondrial repair, fat metabolism, and inflammatory control.21,22,23,24

Research shows that C15:0 also protects against ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of oxidative cell death common in sun-damaged tissues.25 Taking 250 mg daily may help shorten the time it takes for your skin to safely interact with sunlight again but emerging research suggests much larger doses may be even better.26

• Avoid commercial sunscreens — While the study recommended sunscreen, most commercial formulations contain endocrine disruptors, nano-metals, and preservatives that may worsen skin sensitivity over time. They also block UVB, the spectrum responsible for vitamin D synthesis and nitric oxide release. Instead of relying on external barriers, support your skin’s internal defenses with these targeted nutrients:

◦ Astaxanthin — 12 mg daily helps defend against sunburn and photoaging.27,28

◦ Niacinamide — 50 mg daily supports DNA repair and reduces UV damage.29,30

◦ Low-dose aspirin — Take 81 mg 30 to 60 minutes before sun to block formation of harmful LA metabolites.31

For more tips on how to approach sun exposure safely, read “Beyond Vitamin D Production — How Sensible Sun Exposure Supports Overall Health.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Diet and Skin Aging

Q: What foods accelerate skin aging the most?

A: Foods high in trans fats, refined sugar and carbohydrates, linoleic acid from vegetable oils, and chemical additives, as well as alcohol intake, are linked to faster skin aging.

Q: Is sun exposure harmful to the skin?

A: No. Sunlight isn’t inherently harmful. In fact, it’s a foundational nutrient that supports vitamin D synthesis and circadian rhythm. The problem arises when a diet high in LA leaves your skin vulnerable to oxidative stress, and you don’t follow safe, sensible sun exposure practices.

Q: How does LA damage your skin?

A: LA gets stored in body fat and is integrated into skin cell membranes. When exposed to UV light, LA oxidizes and breaks down into toxic byproducts like 4-HNE, which damage DNA, accelerate collagen loss, and inflame skin tissues, making photoaging more severe and recovery slower.

Q: Can diet slow down skin aging?

A: Yes. Diet directly influences skin aging by shaping collagen production, inflammation levels, hydration, and UV tolerance. Nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and collagen support structural integrity, while removing harmful fats like LA reduces oxidative damage.

Q: What is C15:0 and how does it help skin health?

A: C15:0 is a saturated fat found in full-fat dairy and ruminant animals. It helps replace linoleic acid in cell membranes, resists oxidative damage, and activates pathways that improve mitochondrial repair and fat metabolism. It also protects against ferroptosis, a form of oxidative cell death common in sun-damaged skin.

The Newsletter We Promised Just Got Much Better

IMPORTANT

The Newsletter We Promised Just Got Much Better
Since our original announcement, Dr. Mercola personally rebuilt the search engine from the ground up — five parallel search methods, 18 health categories searched daily, 30–50x more comprehensive than conventional tools. The upgraded newsletter launches in the coming weeks. See exactly what changed →

Many people will deal with motion sickness at some point — and when it strikes, it often knocks you out fast. But the real problem isn’t your stomach. It’s your brain misinterpreting your environment and launching a false alarm that something’s gone wrong. This mismatch between your senses shows up anywhere — on winding roads, bumpy flights, rocking boats, or even while using a virtual reality headset.

Suddenly, you’re hit with nausea, dizziness, or cold sweats, and your body starts reacting as if it’s under attack. But this ancient reflex isn’t helping you anymore — it’s hijacking your system. The strange part? You might feel totally fine until the exact moment things go off the rails. And once they do, it’s hard to recover without stepping away from the trigger.

That’s why scientists are now focused on understanding exactly how your body’s internal GPS works, and what to do when the signals get scrambled. To understand how to stop motion sickness before it starts, let’s look at what happens when your brain, balance system, and visual cues fall out of sync.

Electric Vehicles, Acceleration, and Sensory Confusion — Why Motion Sickness Is Getting Worse

An article published by The Conversation offers a comprehensive look at why certain people are more prone to motion sickness and what types of motion make symptoms worse.1

It connects modern lifestyle changes, like the rise of electric vehicles (EVs), with the growing number of people experiencing nausea, dizziness, and fatigue during routine travel. According to the authors, the most widely accepted explanation for motion sickness is sensory conflict: when your brain receives mixed messages from your eyes, ears, and body, it reacts with a wave of uncomfortable symptoms.

• Electric vehicles introduce new forms of sensory mismatch that confuse your nervous system — Unlike gas-powered cars, electric vehicles often accelerate rapidly and quietly, which creates a disconnect between what your body feels and what your ears expect to hear.

“The silence in an electric vehicle removes these prompts,” the article explains, “and likely further confuses our brain, making motion sickness worse.”2 Because your brain is used to hearing the engine rev and feeling the subtle vibration of movement, the absence of those cues throws off your sensory alignment.

• Even healthy adults suddenly become motion sick when they’re not in control of the vehicle — If you’re the driver, your brain anticipates turns and stops, which gives it a chance to prepare. But once a car enters autonomous mode, even the driver is no longer protected.

The article points out, “Interestingly, when an electric vehicle is put into autonomous (self-driving) mode, the driver becomes just as susceptible to motion sickness as the passengers.”3 This insight matters because it shows that motion sickness is less about individual sensitivity and more about whether your brain makes sense of your surroundings.

• Hormonal changes and neurological conditions increase your risk of motion sickness — Women tend to be more susceptible, especially during menstruation or pregnancy, when hormonal shifts affect how the brain processes motion.

People with migraines or vertigo — conditions rooted in the nervous system — are also far more likely to feel sick while in motion. These overlapping neurological patterns suggest that your body’s motion response is shaped by other systems already struggling to regulate balance and sensory input.

• The worst symptoms often occur during low-frequency motion like swaying or turbulence — Motion sickness isn’t about high-speed thrills. In fact, it’s usually triggered by slower, more rhythmic movements like rolling waves, winding roads, or sudden turbulence midflight.

The article explains that “the more pronounced the motion, the more likely we are to get sick,” especially during changes in direction, altitude, or vertical sways.4 This is why long boat rides and bumpy plane landings feel unbearable even for people who usually tolerate everyday car rides.

• People with damaged vestibular systems are immune to motion sickness — In rare cases, individuals with inner ear damage — specifically to parts of the vestibular system — don’t experience motion sickness at all.

Since the vestibular system is responsible for detecting balance and spatial orientation, if it’s no longer functioning, your brain stops receiving the “confusing” motion signals that normally trigger nausea and dizziness. That finding backs up the sensory mismatch theory and reinforces how important your inner ear is in the motion sickness equation.

Cold Sweats, Confusion, and the Power of Planning Ahead

An overview of motion sickness from the Cleveland Clinic focuses on the daily situations that trigger symptoms and the specific, actionable steps to take to feel better.5 You’re likely to notice symptoms like dizziness, rapid breathing, nausea, headache, cold sweats, or a sudden drop in energy.

These often show up out of nowhere or build gradually, which makes them hard to predict. The Cleveland Clinic stresses that motion sickness affects people of all ages, but it’s especially common in children ages 2 to 12, people with migraines or inner ear issues, and women during menstruation or pregnancy. The more you know your triggers, the easier it becomes to prevent the symptoms from hijacking your travel plans.

• Strategic seating plays a major role in whether or not you feel sick — Where you sit matters. Sitting in the front passenger seat of a car, over the wings in an airplane, or in the center of a boat helps minimize the amount of motion your body feels.

You’re also less likely to get sick if you face the direction of travel and avoid seats that face backward or are near exhaust or engine smells. These simple seat choices reduce the amount of conflicting input your body sends to your brain.

• Avoiding certain habits during travel dramatically reduces your symptoms — Scrolling your phone, reading a book, or focusing on close-up objects worsens symptoms because it locks your visual focus while your body continues to move. Instead, redirect your gaze to a fixed point in the distance like the horizon or a distant object. Cool air also helps reset your system — rolling down the window or using air vents are a fast and easy fix.

• A light snack and a ginger chew go a long way, but timing is key — Your body needs fuel, but a heavy or greasy meal makes things worse. Bland, low-fat, starchy foods, like white rice, are recommended before travel, as is staying hydrated with water — not caffeine or alcohol, which irritate your stomach. Ginger, either as tea or chews, is one of the few natural options consistently shown to soothe your stomach and ease nausea when used proactively.

• Wristbands work best before symptoms start, not after — Motion sickness wristbands, which apply pressure to a specific point on your wrist called Pericardium 6 (P6), don’t work for everyone but are worth trying. However, once symptoms kick in, the window to prevent them has passed. Planning ahead is your best defense.

Military Protocols Reveal Long-Term Solutions Most People Don’t Hear About

Published in StatPearls, a paper offers a clinical and neurological explanation of motion sickness and highlights practical therapies developed by military and aerospace medicine to reduce symptoms long-term.6
While most advice focuses on short-term fixes, this report shows how repeated exposure — or “habituation” — works better than any medication if you stick with it consistently. It also covers how motion sickness is diagnosed and how it differs from other conditions like migraines or strokes.

• Long-term exposure works better than pills, but it takes discipline — According to the review, desensitization training is the most effective way to prevent motion sickness long-term. Programs designed for fighter pilots and astronauts report up to an 85% success rate when exposure sessions are repeated daily or several times per week.

However, this only works if the gaps between exposures are short. If you go more than a week without triggering motion, you lose the gains you’ve made. This method rewires how your brain and inner ear respond to motion over time, offering a permanent reduction in symptoms without drugs.

• Symptoms vary widely, from mild nausea to social isolation — Most people think of motion sickness as nausea and dizziness, but some people experience extreme drowsiness, irritability, loss of appetite, or pallor — a set of symptoms called sopite syndrome. In more severe cases, symptoms include postural instability, intractable vomiting, and even the inability to walk upright. These responses reflect how hard your body is fighting to make sense of conflicting motion signals.

• Most common anti-nausea drugs are ineffective for motion sickness — Medications like ondansetron (Zofran), which are often prescribed for nausea from chemotherapy or pregnancy, do not help with motion sickness because they don’t target the brain regions activated during motion-triggered sensory mismatch.

Why Some People Feel Sick Faster Than Others

A paper from Lone Star Neurology breaks down the root causes of motion sickness by zooming in on your neurological wiring.7 The focus isn’t just on external motion, but how your individual brain chemistry, sensory pathways, and even family history influence your sensitivity to motion.

• Your personal susceptibility to motion sickness is heavily influenced by your nervous system — Some people’s brains are simply more reactive to mixed motion signals, which means they get sick more easily. This heightened sensitivity is especially common in people with anxiety, migraines, or a family history of motion sickness.

Certain people have an “overactive nausea response” — your brain hits the panic button earlier and more intensely when it can’t resolve the mismatch between motion and what you see. If this sounds like you, it’s not your imagination — it’s how your system is wired.

• Children and people with neurological quirks are more prone to symptoms — Children tend to get motion sick more often because their sensory systems are still developing, making it harder for their brains to filter out conflicting input. The same goes for adults who have had previous ear infections or vestibular issues — your inner ear may still send jumbled signals, even after you recover. That leftover sensitivity makes you more likely to get dizzy or nauseated even on short rides.

• Focusing on the horizon resets your sensory system — Looking at a fixed point in the distance, like the horizon or a mountain, stabilizes the conflicting inputs between your eyes and ears. When your brain has a reliable visual anchor, it quiets the inner confusion that triggers nausea. This trick is one of the simplest and fastest ways to ease symptoms without using medication.

• Your inner ear’s motion detectors are the real MVP — and the real troublemakers — The article dives into how your vestibular system uses fluid-filled canals and tiny crystals in your inner ear to tell your brain which direction your head is moving.

But when those signals don’t line up with what your eyes are seeing or what your muscles are feeling, your brain misinterprets the experience as toxic or dangerous. That’s when nausea kicks in as a defensive reflex. It’s not a bug in the system — it’s an ancient survival response gone overboard in modern environments.

Practical Steps to Reset Your System and Avoid Motion Sickness

If you get car sick, sea sick, or dizzy on a plane, your body isn’t broken — it’s reacting exactly how it’s built to. The key is retraining your sensory system to interpret motion correctly so it doesn’t default to nausea, dizziness, or cold sweats. I want you to know that you don’t have to rely on medications that sedate you or slap on a patch that barely works.

If you’re dealing with motion sickness regularly, here are five specific steps that address the root cause — your nervous system’s confused response to mixed motion signals. These tips are drawn straight from military training protocols, neurological analysis, and clinical experience. They’re practical, effective, and easy to apply.

1. Train your brain to adapt with short daily exposures — If you’re sensitive to motion, avoid long gaps between exposures. Just like a muscle, your sensory system needs practice. Gradual, repeated exposure — like five to 10 minutes daily of sitting in a gently moving vehicle without distractions — helps your brain learn to tolerate motion. Don’t avoid it. Use it to your advantage. Fighter pilots and astronauts use this technique, and you can, too.

2. Pick your seat strategically every time you travel — Where you sit makes or breaks your experience. If you’re in a car, always ride in the front seat and look straight ahead. On a plane, book a seat over the wings. On a boat, aim for the center where movement is the least intense. Avoid rear seats, backward-facing seats, and areas with strong smells — those confuse your system even more.8

3. Use your eyes to override the dizziness — Staring at your phone or reading makes motion sickness worse. Instead, focus your gaze on a fixed point in the distance — like the road ahead or the horizon. This gives your brain a stable reference point, helping it sync the visual input with your inner ear signals. It’s one of the simplest fixes to try, and it works almost instantly.

4. Time your food and choose ginger over greasy snacks — Eat a light, starchy meal about 30 to 60 minutes before travel. Avoid heavy, greasy, or spicy food. If your stomach feels uneasy, take natural ginger chews or sip ginger tea. Ginger is clinically proven to ease nausea without sedation. This is a strategy that works when used early and consistently.

5. Try natural pressure-point wristbands if you’re flying — If you fly often or have severe symptoms, motion sickness wristbands are worth trying. The wristbands press on a specific point on your wrist to reduce nausea. Just be sure to use them before symptoms start, not after. Timing is everything.

FAQs About Motion Sickness

Q: What actually causes motion sickness?
A: Motion sickness happens when your brain gets mixed signals from your eyes, inner ear, and body. When these sensory systems disagree about whether you’re moving, your brain reacts as if something is wrong — often triggering nausea, dizziness, or fatigue.

Q: Who is most at risk for motion sickness?
A: Children, especially between ages 2 and 12, people with a family history of motion sickness, and those with migraines, anxiety, or vestibular disorders are more likely to experience symptoms. Women are also more sensitive in many cases.

Q: What natural methods work best to reduce motion sickness?
A: Looking at the horizon, avoiding screens, eating light meals before travel, and using ginger are some of the most effective natural strategies. Daily motion exposure training — like riding in a car for short periods — helps retrain your brain to tolerate motion over time.

Q: What fast, nondrug options actually work for relief?
A: Pressure-point wristbands are a drug-free option shown to reduce nausea in some people. They’re most effective when worn before symptoms start, not after.

Q: How do I prevent motion sickness before it starts?
A: Choose your seat wisely — sit in the front of a car, over the wings of a plane, or in the center of a boat. Avoid reading or scrolling on your phone, keep your eyes on a stable point in the distance, and eat a bland, starchy snack about an hour before travel. Prevention works best when you act before symptoms begin.

Semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic and Wegovy, has taken the weight loss world by storm. Originally developed to treat Type 2 diabetes, its dramatic weight loss effects quickly caught attention. However, a study analyzing World Health Organization data raises serious concerns about its safety.1

The research reveals a 45% increased risk of suicidal ideation in patients taking semaglutide compared to other medications.2 This alarming finding suggests the drug’s effects on mental health are more significant than previously thought.

While the weight loss results can seem miraculous, it’s crucial to understand the many risks before considering this medication. This increased suicide risk warrants urgent investigation.

Alarming Spike in Suicide Risk Tied to Ozempic Use

Individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions may be particularly vulnerable to semaglutide’s psychological side effects. When the analysis focused on patients also taking antidepressants or antianxiety medications, the risk of suicidal ideation was even higher — a 150% to 300% increase in suicidal ideation was found among this group.3

“People with anxiety and depressive disorders may be at higher probability of reporting suicidal ideation when medicated with semaglutide,” the researchers noted.4 The drug’s clinical trials often excluded patients with recent major depressive episodes or severe psychiatric disorders. As a result, the full extent of its impact on mental health in vulnerable populations remains unknown.

The popularity of semaglutide has led to widespread off-label use and shortages, and a significant number of reported adverse events involved possible off-label prescriptions. Social media has further fueled its popularity as a lifestyle drug, with many seeking it solely for weight loss.

This trend has even led to illegal trade in semaglutide pens, some of which are counterfeit, posing additional risks to unsuspecting users. “Considering the risk of suicidal ideation in people taking semaglutide off-label, authorities should consider issuing a warning to inform about this risk,” the authors stated.5

Suicide: The Weight Loss Wonder Drug’s Sinister Secret

The featured study is not the first time Ozempic has raised red flags about suicide. The Icelandic Medicines Agency received multiple reports of suicidal thoughts and self-injury in people using semaglutide, prompting the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to begin reviewing the connection in July 2023.6

With more than 20 million people taking semaglutide and liraglutide, a GLP-1 agonist medication similar to semaglutide, annually, the implications could be devastating to public health.7 “Previously, in the approval trials, 9 of the 3384 patients treated with liraglutide (0.27%) had reported suicidal ideation compared with 2 of 1941 patients allocated to the placebo group (0.10%),” researchers explained.8

Since then, the British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have started similar investigations. The study authors explained, however, that the FDA appears to have known about the suicide risk for some time:9

“Although EMA stated that no update to the product information is warranted, based on these findings, we believe that a precaution of use in patients with psychiatric disorders or psychological lability could be added in the semaglutide package insert. Remarkably, the FDA label of semaglutide for obesity warned to monitor for depression or suicidal thoughts.”

Wegovy Users at Risk of Suicidal Thoughts

As Ozempic and similar GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs (GLP-1 RAs) continue to gain popularity for weight loss, a pharmacovigilance study examined 209,354 adverse event reports for these medications, finding a troubling association with suicidal thoughts and self-harm.10

The analysis revealed higher rates of psychiatric issues, particularly for liraglutide (Saxenda), semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide. So, while the drugs can lead to rapid weight loss, they may paradoxically increase suicide risk in some individuals. Researchers wrote in European Neuropsychopharmacology:11

“Notably, the U.S. prescribing information for liraglutide 3.0 mg already recommends vigilant monitoring for depression or suicidal thoughts, emphasizing discontinuation if these symptoms manifest. Similarly, a parallel cautionary note is present in the U.S. prescribing information for the semaglutide formulation Wegovy®, being administered at higher dosages for weight control than for T2DM [Type 2 diabetes].”

GLP-1 receptors are present in brain regions involved in mood regulation. By altering neurotransmitter systems and reward pathways, these medications could trigger depression or exacerbate existing mental health conditions.

Further, they suggested, “One could wonder if the putative suicidal risk associated with GLP-1 RA may be tied to their impact on the hypothalamus, considering the established association between the hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the occurrence of suicidal behaviors.”12

Alarming Rates of Suicidal Thoughts with Newer GLP-1 Drugs

Analysis of the European Pharmacovigilance Database also revealed concerning patterns regarding semaglutide and liraglutide.13 Out of 41,236 adverse event reports for these drugs, 230 involved suicidal events — a small but significant number. Liraglutide and semaglutide accounted for the majority, with 88 and 84 cases respectively.

Notably, 68% of liraglutide reports and 13% of semaglutide reports were specifically linked to the higher-dose weight loss formulations. The data showed these newer drugs had two to four times higher odds of suicidal event reports compared to older GLP-1 drugs.

While the absolute numbers are low, this disproportionate reporting is troubling. Most cases involved women aged 18 to 64, with suicidal thoughts being most common. There were 14 fatal outcomes. If you’re considering or using these medications, it’s crucial to be aware of this significant risk.

The precise reasons for increased suicidal thoughts with GLP-1 drugs remain unclear, but their effects on neurotransmitter systems like serotonin may play a role. Additionally, rapid weight loss itself can trigger psychological changes, while underlying conditions like diabetes and obesity are also associated with higher suicide risk, complicating the picture.

European product information for these drugs doesn’t yet include warnings about suicidal thoughts, underscoring the importance of real-world safety monitoring beyond clinical trials.

Weight Loss Drugs Linked to Severe Psychiatric Issues, Suicide Deaths

Ozempic and similar GLP-1 receptor agonist medications continue to be hailed as game-changers for weight loss and diabetes management despite their suicide connection. An additional pharmacovigilance analysis of the EudraVigilance database revealed yet another troubling link between these drugs and psychiatric adverse events.14

The study examined reports for semaglutide, liraglutide, and tirzepatide from January 2021 to May 2023. Out of 31,444 total adverse event reports, 372 (1.18%) were related to psychiatric issues. While this percentage may seem small, the severity of these events is alarming.

Depression topped the list at 50.3% of psychiatric reports, followed by anxiety (38.7%) and suicidal ideation (19.6%). Most disturbingly, nine deaths were reported, with eight linked to liraglutide and one to semaglutide. These fatalities were primarily due to completed suicides, predominantly affecting men aged 18 to 64.

The study uncovered 102 adverse events related to suicide, ranging from ideation to completed acts. Semaglutide accounted for half of these events, while liraglutide was associated with 47%. Even the newer medication tirzepatide, despite fewer overall reports, showed a similar proportion of suicidal events.

Women reported 62% of these incidents, with nearly half occurring in the 18 to 64 age group. This data paints a stark picture of the potential mental health risks associated with these popular weight loss drugs, and the severity of the reported events demands serious attention and further investigation.

Exploring the Neurobehavioral Effects of Semaglutide

Separate research has uncovered additional concerning connections between semaglutide and brain function.15 GLP-1 receptors, the targets of drugs like Ozempic, are found in brain regions involved in emotion regulation. Animal studies have shown that GLP-1 agonists can initially induce anxiety, which may subside with continued use. However, the long-term impacts on human brain chemistry remain unclear.

Your brain’s delicate balance of neurotransmitters could be affected by these medications, leading to mood changes. While some patients report improved mood and reduced depressive symptoms with weight loss, others experience the opposite effect. This variability highlights the complex interplay between semaglutide, brain function and individual neurochemistry.

In a case study of a 54-year-old woman, doctors suspected semaglutide was responsible for depressive symptoms, which disappeared when the drug was discontinued:16

“After four weeks of treatment with semaglutide, the patient reported feeling more irritable and anxious than usual. She also experienced difficulty sleeping and a loss of interest in activities she previously enjoyed. These symptoms persisted over the next two weeks and began to interfere with her daily life. We suspected that her negative mood changes were consistent with major depressive syndrome.

… Given her worsening depressive symptoms, which temporally correlated with starting on semaglutide, we decided to discontinue semaglutide and switch her to a different medication. Over the next several weeks, the patient’s mood symptoms improved, and she reported feeling more like herself again.”

Understanding the Mechanism: How Ozempic Affects Your Mood

Research published in Frontiers in Psychiatry has shed light on how semaglutide could influence your mood and mental health.17 As mentioned, the drug’s active ingredient targets GLP-1 receptors, which are found not only in your digestive system but also in key areas of your brain. These brain regions, including the lateral septum and hypothalamus, play crucial roles in regulating mood, reward, and food intake.

When semaglutide interacts with these receptors, it can alter the activity of neural pathways involved in these processes. Of particular interest is its effect on dopamine, a neurotransmitter closely linked to mood and reward. Studies suggest that GLP-1 receptor stimulation can increase dopamine transporter expression, reducing free dopamine levels in certain brain areas.

This alteration in dopamine signaling could contribute to changes in mood, motivation and even the experience of pleasure. If you’re considering Ozempic, it’s important to understand that its effects extend beyond appetite suppression and weight loss, impacting your brain chemistry in ways that scientists are still working to fully understand.

Real-World Experiences with Semaglutide-Associated Depression

Two additional case studies highlight semaglutide’s ability to trigger or exacerbate depression in some individuals.18 In one case, a 54-year-old man with no prior history of mood disorders developed depressive symptoms about a month after starting semaglutide for weight loss. He experienced fatigue, decreased interest and motivation, and difficulty concentrating.

Importantly, his symptoms improved significantly within days of discontinuing the medication. In another case, a 40-year-old woman with a history of recurrent depression experienced a severe relapse about a month after adding semaglutide to her diabetes treatment. Her symptoms, including suicidal ideation, also improved after stopping the medication.19

Mental Health Risks and Suicidal Thoughts

People using Ozempic and other GLP-1 RAs also reported severe psychiatric side effects in a study published in Brain Sciences.20 One user warned, “Ozempic can cause suicidal thoughts … Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Suicidal thoughts, etc. Not all people will experience this side effect, but please remember that if you do feel you are depressed, more anxious, etc., please check your medication.”21

Many users also reported new or worsened anxiety after starting Ozempic. One individual described “crazy anxiety” after increasing their dose. Another experienced “severe anxiety, constant panic attacks, insomnia, hypoglycemia.” Some users found their existing mental health conditions exacerbated, with reports of increased irritability, mood swings and even manic episodes.22

One user shared, “This IMMEDIATELY threw my hormones and emotions into a downward spiral. I’m infuriated that they don’t list anxiety and depression as an official side effect yet it’s all over the internet.”23

Another user recounted, “Within a few weeks, I was so depressed, I wasn’t leaving my room, or spending time with my kids. I did the bare minimum.” Another stated, “Yep it gave me the worst anxiety and depression. I had no choice to get off it after 5 kg weight loss only. Life was not worth living at that point.”24

Weight Loss with Ozempic Could Wreck Your Health

Along with suicidal ideation, Ozempic and similar medications are also linked to a number of other side effects, including serious gastrointestinal issues. Research from the University of British Columbia revealed that GLP-1 agonists are associated with an increased risk of stomach paralysis, pancreatitis, and bowel obstruction.25 A study of 25,617 people also found use of GLP-1 agonists increases the rate of intestinal obstruction by 3.5-fold.26

In other cases, those who have taken the injections experience life-changing side effects making them wish they never touched the drugs. Joanne Knight had been taking Ozempic for about two years when she became unable to swallow food.27 The reason? Her stomach was full of food. Violent vomiting and constant nausea followed, along with a diagnosis of severe gastroparesis, or stomach paralysis.

Meanwhile, reports underscore the drug’s effects on facial fat — when too much fat is lost from your face, it can lead to a gaunt appearance, dubbed “Ozempic face.” An article in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery — Global Open28 highlights that similar changes can also occur elsewhere in your body, including leading to deflated breasts and backside, conditions now known as “Ozempic breast” and “Ozempic butt.”

Ozempic Linked to Vision Loss

A Danish-Norwegian cohort study has revealed another reason to reconsider Ozempic — it’s linked to a rare eye condition known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).29

NAION is a serious condition that leads to sudden, painless vision loss in one eye. It occurs when blood flow to the optic nerve is disrupted, causing damage that is often irreversible. While NAION is uncommon, its severe impact on vision makes any increase in risk a matter of concern for those using medications like Ozempic.

The study, which analyzed data from national health registries in Denmark and Norway, compared new users of Ozempic with those taking sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is), another class of diabetes medication. Researchers aimed to determine whether there was an association between Ozempic use and the incidence of NAION.
They included 44,517 Ozempic users in Denmark and 16,860 in Norway, monitoring them for up to five years.

Findings from the study indicated that individuals using Ozempic had a higher risk of developing NAION compared to those on SGLT-2is. Specifically, the pooled hazard ratio was 2.81, meaning there was almost a threefold increase in risk. However, the absolute risk, which refers to the actual number of additional cases per 10,000 person-years, was relatively low — about 1.41 extra cases among Ozempic users.

That being said, the study’s results were consistent across various analyses, reinforcing the reliability of the association. The findings also back up an earlier Harvard University study, which also linked Ozempic with NAION. This matched cohort study evaluated 16,827 patients and revealed a pronounced association between semaglutide prescriptions and the onset of NAION.30

In this study, patients with Type 2 diabetes and those who were overweight or obese were closely monitored. Individuals prescribed semaglutide exhibited a hazard ratio of 4.28 for developing NAION in the diabetes cohort and an even higher hazard ratio of 7.64 in the overweight or obese group. These figures suggest that semaglutide users were over four to seven times more likely to experience NAION compared to those on other treatments.

The temporal association observed — where the risk of NAION peaked within the first year of semaglutide initiation — adds weight to the argument that the medication plays a direct role in the development of this serious eye condition. Combining insights from both studies paints a concerning picture — there appears to be a consistent link between semaglutide use and an increased risk of NAION that cannot be ignored.

A Natural Alternative to Ozempic

Instead of turning to GLP-1 RAs, you can safely increase your GLP-1 levels by increasing Akkermansia muciniphila in your gut. Akkermansia is an effective alternative to GLP-1 RAs like Ozempic, as these beneficial bacteria produce a protein that stimulates GLP-1 production. Research published in Nature Microbiology found that A. muciniphila increased thermogenesis and GLP-1 secretion in mice fed a high-fat diet.31

Akkermansia, which ideally should make up 3% to 5% of your gut microbiome, is crucial for intestinal health. However, many people lack sufficient levels due to impaired mitochondrial function and oxygen leakage in the gut.

One of Akkermansia’s key roles is producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate. These fats fuel your colonocytes, which create mucin, a protective gel-like substance that coats your gut lining. They also help eliminate oxygen from your colon to allow the beneficial bacteria to thrive. Mucin shields intestinal cells from damage, harmful microbes and digestive irritants.

Mucin boosts your immune system too, as it contains antibodies and antimicrobial peptides that help fight infections. It also traps pathogens for elimination through digestion. However, Akkermansia’s role in naturally reducing hunger and regulating blood sugar by boosting GLP-1 makes it particularly intriguing for those interested in weight loss.

Akkermansia Boosts Your Body’s GLP-1 Gut Hormone

While drugs like Ozempic are synthetic versions of GLP-1, a healthy gut microbiome rich in Akkermansia naturally boosts your body’s GLP-1. This hormone, produced by L cells in your colon, is a key player in regulating your appetite and blood sugar.

As a central coordinator, GLP-1 is intricately involved in directing your body to release insulin, delaying stomach emptying and informing your brain that you’re full. These factors naturally reduce hunger, which is why drug companies have created synthetic GLP-1 in the form of Ozempic and Wegovy.

But, unlike synthetic GLP-1 drugs, which are cost-prohibitive and dangerous, you naturally elevate your GLP-1 levels by increasing the presence of Akkermansia in your gut. In my interview with Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe, a molecular biology scientist and the CEO and co-founder of Pendulum, a company that creates probiotics, she explains:

“So, what’s been found is that if you are low or missing Akkermansia, your body is not naturally producing as much GLP-1 as it’s supposed to be. By giving people back Akkermansia, you now have these physiological benefits of reducing A1C and lowering blood glucose spikes.

To be clear, the natural GLP-1 you produce is different from the drug. The drug is a mimic. It’s an analog. It looks like GLP-1. It gets injected into the bloodstream directly, which means that rather than the natural spike after you eat [followed by a decline], the [drug] is keeping those levels really high all the time.

So, this signaling of ‘we got to metabolize sugar in the blood and we’re full, we just ate’ is going on constantly. That’s why people experience these incredible, amazing overnight effects because that’s how those drugs are working. But if you actually have the right microbes, you generate your body’s natural GLP-1 and get back into this natural cycle.”

Why Mitochondrial Function Is Key to Successful Akkermansia Supplementation

When your cellular energy decreases, your body struggles to effectively eliminate oxygen from your colon. This has serious consequences for the normal inhabitants of your colon, which can be killed when oxygen levels rise. This is why Akkermansia supplementation alone is not a complete solution.

It is crucial to commit to a program designed to decrease mitochondrial toxins. This is because reduced mitochondrial function needs to be compensated for to ensure oxygen can be removed from the colon. If you fail to address this issue, even the best Akkermansia supplement with the most effective delivery system will have limited benefits. The newly introduced Akkermansia bacteria will likely be killed soon after arriving in your oxygen-rich colon environment.

This is one of the primary reasons why it’s vital to eliminate all seed oils from your diet for at least six months before starting an Akkermansia supplementation program. This preparatory period allows your body to recover mitochondrial function and create a more hospitable environment in your colon for the beneficial bacteria.

By taking these steps, you can maximize the benefits of Akkermansia supplementation and support overall gut health. Remember, addressing the root cause — mitochondrial function and colon oxygenation — is essential for the success of any gut health intervention.

Probiotic Potency Explained: CFU, AFU, and TFU

When evaluating the potency of probiotics, three units of measurement often come into discussion: Colony Forming Units (CFU), Active Fluorescent Units (AFU), and Total Fluorescent Units (TFU). Understanding the distinction between these units is crucial for both consumers and healthcare professionals to assess the effectiveness and quality of probiotic supplements accurately.

• Colony Forming Units (CFU) — This is the most widely recognized and utilized metric for quantifying the number of viable bacteria or fungal cells in a probiotic product. One CFU represents a single microorganism capable of dividing and forming a colony under specific laboratory conditions. This measure is important because the therapeutic benefits of probiotics are directly related to the number of live microorganisms that reach your gut.

Probiotic manufacturers typically list CFU counts on product labels, indicating the number of live organisms per serving. Higher CFU counts are often marketed as more potent, though the optimal CFU dosage can vary depending on the specific strains and the health outcomes targeted.

It’s important to note that not all CFUs are equal; the efficacy of a probiotic also depends on the strains used and their ability to survive the acidic environment of the stomach to colonize the intestines.

• Active Fluorescent Units (AFU) — This unit is a less conventional and not widely standardized measure in the context of probiotics. While CFU shows the number of bacteria that are alive, AFU refers to the total number of bacteria present, both dead and alive. It is primarily a unit used to measure enzymatic activity.

For instance, AFU could be used to evaluate the activity levels of specific enzymes produced by probiotics, which contribute to their health benefits, such as breaking down lactose or producing vitamins. In some specialized applications, AFU is also used to assess the metabolic activity or functional potency of probiotic strains beyond mere viability.

However, because AFU is not a standardized metric in the probiotic industry, its use can lead to confusion and inconsistency in product labeling and efficacy claims.

• Total Fluorescent Units (TFU) — This unit measures the total bacterial mass including both live and dead cells through fluorescent labeling, and is typically used only for pasteurized products.

The primary difference between CFU, AFU, and TFU lies in what they measure: CFU quantifies the number of live microorganisms; AFU assesses the functional activity of those microorganisms; and TFU measures the total bacterial mass.

While CFU provides a clear indicator of the potential for colonization and survival of probiotics in the gut, AFU could offer additional insights into the functional capabilities of the probiotic strains.

However, due to the lack of standardization and widespread recognition of AFU in the probiotic market, CFU remains the gold standard for assessing probiotic potency. Consumers are generally advised to focus on CFU counts and the specific strains included in a probiotic supplement to ensure they are selecting a product with proven efficacy for their health needs.

Akkermansia Clinical Trials: Dosages and Applications

Clinical trials published in 2024 investigating Akkermansia have yielded promising results,32 highlighting its potential across a range of health conditions, including infectious disease,33 immune-related disease,34 liver fibrosis,35 stress management,36 intestinal-related diseases,37 metabolic health,38 and brain function.39

These studies, which include both animal and human trials, have primarily used therapeutic doses ranging from 100 million to 10 billion CFU per day. The dosage selected often corresponds to the specific health condition being targeted, ensuring optimal therapeutic effects.

Again, for metabolic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, doses of 10 billion CFU per day have been commonly administered. This elevated dosage aims to significantly influence gut microbiota composition and enhance metabolic functions, leading to improvements in insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism, and overall metabolic health.

Conversely, lower doses of 1 billion CFU per day, have proven effective for gut-specific conditions like leaky gut syndrome, as well as liver health, by promoting intestinal and immune homeostasis, improving intestinal barrier function and alleviating inflammation.40

This lower dose is sufficient to leverage Akkermansia’s anti-inflammatory properties and support gut barrier integrity without the need for higher bacterial concentrations. The studies have shown that even at these reduced levels, Akkermansia can effectively reduce intestinal inflammation and enhance the mucosal lining, contributing to improved gastrointestinal health.

Test Your Knowledge with Today’s Quiz!
Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

What are bisphosphonates mainly used to treat?

High blood pressure
Osteoporosis
Bisphosphonates are primarily prescribed to treat osteoporosis by helping strengthen bones and reduce the risk of fractures. Learn more.
Diabetes
Kidney disease

1What effect does amyloid buildup have on the gut’s nerve network?

It strengthens communication between nerve cells
It improves digestion and gut-brain coordination
It increases nerve signaling speed in the gut
It disrupts communication between nerve cells
Amyloid-beta damages proteins that help nerve cells communicate, leading to poor gut coordination and symptoms like constipation and irregular digestion. Learn more.

2What is the first step in cancer development caused by vaping-related damage?

Increased blood flow to tissues
Genotoxic effects damaging DNA
Genotoxic effects directly damage DNA, causing cells to malfunction, divide abnormally, and gradually form tumors over time. Learn more.

Faster cell metabolism but increased oxidative stress
Improved cell repair mechanisms

3Which company supplied the collagen used in the discovery of bioactive dipeptides?

Nitta Gelatin
Nitta Gelatin provided the collagen hydrolysate used in the research that identified bioactive dipeptides in the bloodstream. Learn more.

Nestlé Health Science
Vital Proteins
Gelita AG

4What do anticholinergic drugs do in the body?

Increase acetylcholine activity in nerves
Improve oxygen delivery to tissues
Replace damaged nerve cells in the brain
Block acetylcholine and disrupt signaling
Anticholinergic drugs block acetylcholine, a key chemical that regulates automatic functions like heart rhythm, blood pressure, and digestion. Learn more.

5In these modern times, what is the average daily intake of linoleic acid (LA)?

About 2 grams
About 29 grams
Modern diets provide around 29 grams of linoleic acid daily, far higher than historical levels of about 2 grams per day. Learn more.

About 10 grams
About 50 grams

6Even without live bacteria, what benefits do postbiotics provide?

They replace all harmful gut bacteria directly after several weeks
They help promote regular bowel movement and boost overall stool quality
They help reduce inflammation and fight harmful microbes
Postbiotics are non-living compounds that still support health by reducing inflammation and helping control harmful bacteria in the gut. Learn more.

They stop all digestive activity to lower the risk of digestive diseases

7What is the medical term for bone death?

Osteoporosis
Osteoarthritis
Osteonecrosis
Osteonecrosis means bone death, where bone tissue loses its blood supply, dies, and may become exposed or damaged. Learn more.

Osteomalacia

Test Your Knowledge with
The Master Level Quiz

1Where does amyloid-beta build up first before reaching the brain?

The liver
The gut
Research shows amyloid-beta first accumulates in the gut, where it damages nerve signaling before spreading to the brain. Learn more.

The bloodstream
The pancreas

2Aside from turmeric, which herb is known to support liver health?

Basil
Mint
Parsley
Milk thistle
Milk thistle has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce liver inflammation and protect against cellular damage. Learn more.

3How does butyrate support communication between the gut and brain?

It helps regulate signaling and reduces inflammation
Butyrate supports gut-brain signaling, reduces inflammation, and helps maintain the blood-brain barrier, creating a stable environment for brain function. Learn more.

It blocks all signals between the gut and brain
It increases harmful substances entering the brain
It slows down all nerve activity in the body to promote calmness

4If quitting cold turkey is not realistic, what is another effective way to stop vaping?

Gradually reducing use without a plan
Switching to lower-nicotine products only
Avoiding vaping only during certain times
Using structured cessation programs and support
Evidence-based methods like counseling, brain stimulation with exercise, and structured cessation programs help people quit by providing support and a clear plan. Learn more.

5Aside from surgery, what steps can help manage pelvic floor disorders (PFDs)?

Pelvic floor physical therapy
Kegel exercises
Avoiding heavy lifting
All of the above
Pelvic floor therapy, Kegels, and lifestyle changes like avoiding heavy lifting all help improve symptoms of PFD. Speaking up and advocating for proper care is also key to getting effective treatment. Learn more.

6By how much does prolonged sitting increase heart failure risk?

20%
30%
45%
Sitting more than 10.6 hours daily is linked to a 45% higher risk of heart failure, even in people who exercise regularly. Learn more.

62%

7Which amino acids help collagen peptides resist digestion?

Glycine and alanine
Proline and hydroxyproline
Proline and hydroxyproline create a strong structure that makes collagen peptides harder to break down, allowing some to remain intact during digestion. Learn more.

Lysine and arginine
Valine and leucine

8Which vitamin helps maintain healthy oil balance in the scalp?

Vitamin C
Vitamin A
Vitamin A supports sebum production, the natural oil that keeps the scalp hydrated and prevents dryness, but excessive intake can be harmful. Learn more.

Vitamin D
Vitamin E

9Darker green phlegm usually indicates what?

A stronger immune response
Green phlegm forms when white blood cells and enzymes build up in mucus during an immune response, not necessarily because the infection is more severe. Learn more.

A more severe infection
Dehydration in the body
Poor oxygen levels

10Which part of the nervous system is affected by anticholinergic medications?

Central nervous system
Sympathetic nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
Parasympathetic nervous system
Anticholinergic drugs block signals in the parasympathetic nervous system, which normally helps control heart rate, blood pressure, and other automatic functions. Learn more.

11How many days of eating ultraprocessed foods can disrupt brain function?

2 days
3 days
5 days
Just five days of eating ultraprocessed foods can disrupt brain insulin signaling, and the effects may persist even after returning to a normal diet. Learn more.

10 days

12What is the key sign of sciatica?

Pain that travels from the lower back down one leg
Sciatica causes nerve pain that radiates from the lower back down one leg, often below the knee, sometimes with tingling or numbness. Learn more.

Pain only in the upper back and shoulders
Swelling in both knees at the same time
Stiffness limited to the neck area

13Among these “healthy” foods, which one is highest in linoleic acid (LA)?

Extra virgin olive oil
Grass fed beef
Nuts
Nuts are high in linoleic acid. Other major sources of this fat include ultraprocessed foods, nuts, seeds, and conventionally raised meats. Learn more.

Raw milk

14What is the name of the Japanese practice that helps improve leg strength?

Tai chi
Yoga
Pilates
Rei-ho
Rei-ho is a Japanese practice using slow squats and controlled movements, shown to improve knee strength and support mobility and balance. Learn more.

15What makes a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or “ministroke,” dangerous?

Symptoms usually last longer than a full stroke and cause more severe, permanent brain damage
One has no awareness how long it will last, and every second without oxygen puts brain tissue at risk
A TIA briefly cuts off blood flow to the brain. Even short interruptions in oxygen can damage brain cells and signal a serious underlying problem. Learn more.

It only affects older adults and rarely leads to serious complications later
Symptoms always disappear without affecting long-term brain function

16Structurally speaking, Akkermansia muciniphila is classified as what?

Postbiotic
Probiotic
Bacteria
Akkermansia muciniphila is a beneficial gut bacterium. It is not a prebiotic or postbiotic, but it can produce helpful compounds that support gut health. Learn more.

Prebiotic

17What is the liver condition characterized by harmful scarring?

Fat accumulation
Inflammation
Fibrosis
Fibrosis is the buildup of scar tissue in the liver, disrupting function and increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and even cancer. Learn more.

Detoxification

18Which drink is a rich source of potassium?

Coconut water
Coconut water is naturally rich in potassium, making it a strong option for supporting electrolyte balance and hydration. Learn more.

Oat milk
Lemonade
Diet soda

19How do bisphosphonates work in the body?

They stimulate new bone formation directly
They block osteoclasts that break down bone
Bisphosphonates inhibit osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone, which helps preserve bone density and lower fracture risk. Learn more.

They increase calcium absorption in the gut
They reduce inflammation in the joints

20What is the underlying cause of prurigo nodularis, also known as itchy nodules?

Bacterial skin infection
Excess oxalates in the body
Excess oxalates may accumulate in the body and trigger intense itching and skin nodules, contributing to prurigo nodularis symptoms. Learn more.

Lack of vitamin C
Poor blood circulation

21Which herb is rich in silica and may help detox aluminum from the body?

Basil
Parsley
Mint
Cilantro
Cilantro is a silica-rich herb that may help reduce aluminum levels in the body. Other options include horsetail and silica supplements. Learn more.

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The Newsletter We Promised Just Got Much Better
Since our original announcement, Dr. Mercola personally rebuilt the search engine from the ground up — five parallel search methods, 18 health categories searched daily, 30–50x more comprehensive than conventional tools. The upgraded newsletter launches in the coming weeks. See exactly what’s changing →

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of fat widely recognized for their health benefits, particularly for the heart.1 Numerous studies suggest they help reduce inflammation, boost brain function, and offer protection against cardiovascular problems. However, as with many nutritional elements, the specifics matter. It’s not simply about consuming omega-3s, but also the quantity, the type and the quality of what you consume.

You may have heard that excessive omega-3 intake, especially from certain supplements, could negatively impact heart health and contribute to a condition called atrial fibrillation (AFib). This article explores the complexities of omega-3s, examining their effects, both positive and negative, on the heart.

It also addresses two frequently overlooked issues — the prevalence of less natural forms of omega-3s in the market and the risk of rancidity, which can transform a beneficial substance into a harmful one. Research examining the connection between two key omega-3s, EPA and DHA, and AFib, as well as their broader impact on health, will also be discussed.

The relationship between omega-3s and heart health can be visualized as a balancing act. Too little can be detrimental, but too much can also pose risks, albeit through different mechanisms. This can be conceptualized as a U-shaped curve — deficiency on one end, excess on the other, with optimal intake at the curve’s base.

Omega-3s and the Risk of AFib

In the featured video above, Nicolas Verhoeven, Ph.D., talks about the disadvantages of high omega-3 consumption, particularly from supplements. One specific side effect is AFib,2 a type of arrhythmia that causes an irregular and often rapid heartbeat.3 AFib can lead to complications such as blood clots, strokes, heart failure and other serious cardiovascular problems.4

• Evidence suggests a connection between excessive omega-3s and AFib — Scientists are still working to understand exactly how excessive omega-3s might lead to AFib, but research suggests there’s an association. AFib is a relatively common heart rhythm disorder, particularly among older adults, becoming significantly more prevalent in those over 80.5

• Omega-3s impact heart cells by integrating into cell membranes — To understand how omega-3s might influence AFib, it’s important to consider their effects at the cellular level, especially within heart muscle cells.

Each cell in the body is enclosed by a protective barrier called the cell membrane.6 This membrane is not a rigid structure; it’s more like a fluid composed of various fats, including omega-3s and omega-6s. When you consume omega-3s, they become incorporated into these membranes, altering their fluidity.7

• Changes in membrane fluidity affect electrical heart signals — In heart muscle cells, these changes in membrane fluidity can affect the electrical signals that regulate the heartbeat. Heart cells communicate through electrical signals that coordinate their contractions and relaxations.8 These signals rely on the movement of charged particles called ions (such as sodium, potassium, and calcium) across the cell membrane through specialized channels.

• Excessively fluid membranes may disrupt Piezo ion channels — One theory suggests that an overabundance of omega-3s can make the cell membrane excessively fluid, disrupting the function of these ion channels, particularly a channel known as the Piezo channel.9

This channel requires a specific shape to function correctly. If the membrane becomes too fluid due to high omega-3 content, the channel might open prematurely, allowing ions to enter the cell at inappropriate times.

This disruption can interfere with the normal electrical signaling of the cell, thereby triggering an irregular heartbeat.10

However, the Piezo channel is just one piece of the puzzle. Omega-3s can also influence the activity of other ion channels, affecting their opening and closing mechanisms. They can even impact the production of these channels by the cell. Studies have demonstrated that omega-3 exposure can significantly alter the quantity of channel proteins a cell produces.11

The Positive Effects of Omega-3s Against Inflammation

Despite the potential risks associated with excessive intake, omega-3s like EPA and DHA offer significant health benefits, such as reducing inflammation,12 supporting the immune system, helping prevent excessive blood clotting, and protecting blood vessels.13

• When incorporated into cell membranes, omega-3s improve the efficiency of cell signaling14 — They also compete with proinflammatory omega-6s. By reducing the availability of omega-6s, omega-3s help control inflammation, a key factor in many chronic diseases, including heart disease. Your body uses EPA and DHA to create specialized substances that further reduce inflammation and aid in healing.

• Both too little and too much omega-3s can be harmful — The complex relationship between omega-3s and heart health underscores the importance of consuming the right amount. As previously mentioned, this relationship can be visualized as a U-shaped curve, where both deficiency and excess can be detrimental. Determining the ideal intake is challenging, as it likely varies based on individual factors such as genetics, dietary habits and overall health.

• High supplement doses may raise AFib risk — However, most research indicates that consuming several grams of omega-3s daily, particularly from supplements, may increase the risk of adverse effects. Studies have suggested that exceeding 1 gram of omega-3s daily elevates the risk of AFib.15

The Type of Omega-3 Matters — Natural vs. Processed

Besides the quantity, the form of omega-3s is also a crucial consideration. In nature, omega-3s primarily exist as phospholipids.16 This is especially true in seafood like fatty fish and krill.17 Phospholipids are essential components of cell membranes, making them readily usable by the body.18

• Supplements usually contain less bioavailable triglycerides — However, most omega-3 supplements contain synthetic triglycerides, often due to the extraction and processing methods used for fish oil.

While triglycerides can still provide benefits, they are not as easily absorbed as phospholipids.19 Research suggests that phospholipids have higher bioavailability, meaning smaller doses may achieve similar effects compared to larger doses of triglycerides.20

Furthermore, the body requires additional processing to convert triglycerides into a usable form, which can place a burden on the liver and may be less efficient for some individuals.

• Another significant concern with omega-3 supplements, particularly fish oil, is rancidity21 — Omega-3s, especially EPA and DHA, are susceptible to oxidation, a process that degrades the fats and produces harmful free radicals22 that damage cells and promote inflammation, counteracting the intended benefits of omega-3s.

• Rancid fish oil often has a strong, unpleasant odor and taste23 — This indicates oxidation and signifies that the oil should not be consumed. Unfortunately, many consumers are unaware of this issue, and some manufacturers attempt to mask the odor with artificial flavorings. Consuming rancid omega-3s is more harmful than not taking them at all.

What the Research Tells Us

Reviews of studies have provided valuable insights into the relationship between omega-3s and AFib. One review indicated that daily consumption of more than 1 gram of omega-3s increases the risk of AFib by approximately 50%, particularly in individuals with pre-existing heart conditions, high triglyceride levels or diabetes.24

• Findings from major trials support increased risk with high doses — This aligns with the findings of studies like REDUCE-IT25 and STRENGTH,26 which used higher doses of omega-3s and observed increased AFib risk. These findings suggest that individuals with these risk factors should exercise caution with omega-3 supplementation.

• REDUCE-IT trial showed cardiovascular benefits but increased AFib risk — Several large-scale studies have investigated the effects of omega-3 supplements. The REDUCE-IT trial27 administered a high dose of purified EPA (4 grams daily) to individuals with heart problems. While this regimen reduced certain cardiovascular events, it also increased the risk of AFib.

• STRENGTH trial found no heart benefits and increased AFib risk — Similarly, the STRENGTH trial28 used a comparable high dose of both EPA and DHA, did not demonstrate any reduction in heart problems, and also observed an elevated AFib risk. These studies suggest that high-dose omega-3 supplements may not be the optimal approach for heart protection and could be harmful.

• Low-dose omega-3 studies show little to no increased AFib risk — On the other hand, studies using lower omega-3 doses (less than 1 gram per day) have generally not found a significant increase in AFib risk.

The ASCEND study,29 which focused on individuals with diabetes, and the VITAL study,30 which included a large population without pre-existing AFib, both used lower doses and did not observe a substantial increase in AFib incidence. This supports the idea that lower doses are safer.

• The OMEMI study shows risk with higher doses in older adults — The OMEMI study,31 which examined older adults who had recently experienced a heart attack, administered a higher omega-3 dose (1.8 grams per day) and found a trend toward increased AFib risk. This study highlights the importance of considering individual factors such as age and recent cardiac events when considering omega-3 supplementation.

These studies, combined with other research, highlight several key points — Dosage is a critical factor, with higher doses of omega-3 supplements appearing to be associated with a greater risk of AFib; individuals with pre-existing heart conditions or risk factors may be more susceptible to this risk; and lower doses of omega-3s generally do not appear to significantly increase AFib risk. To make informed decisions about omega-3 consumption, consider the following:

Prioritize whole food sources such as wild-caught fatty fish like Alaskan salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and herring, which provide omega-3s in their natural form along with other essential nutrients.
If considering supplements, krill oil, which contains omega-3s in phospholipid form, is a better option, but choose reputable brands and pay attention to dosage.
Exercise caution with high-dose fish oil supplements, particularly those in triglyceride form, and if using fish oil, opt for lower doses and look for products tested for purity and freshness.
Always check fish oil for signs of rancidity, such as a strong fishy odor or taste, and store supplements properly.
Consult with a health care professional before starting any omega-3 supplementation, especially if you have existing health conditions or are taking medications.

Expanding on the Benefits of Omega-3s

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids, meaning the body cannot produce them and needs to obtain them through diet. They play a vital role in cell membrane structure and function, influencing how cells communicate and operate. Omega-3s maintain membrane flexibility, which is essential for various processes, including nerve function and immune responses.

• Omega-3s, especially DHA, are also crucial for brain health — DHA is a major structural component of the brain, essential for development in infants and children and for maintaining cognitive function throughout life. Research suggests potential benefits for memory, focus, mood regulation, and even reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.32

• Omega-3s also possess potent anti-inflammatory properties33 — They help regulate the body’s inflammatory response, which, when chronic, contributes to various health problems like heart disease, arthritis, and some cancers. By reducing inflammation, omega-3s contribute to overall health and well-being.

• Omega-3s offer heart benefits, but high supplement doses may pose AFib risk — Returning to the heart, it’s important to reiterate the complexity of the relationship between omega-3s and cardiovascular health. While generally considered beneficial, the potential link to AFib warrants careful consideration.

The research suggests that dosage is a key factor, with higher doses from supplements being more strongly associated with increased AFib risk. The specific types of omega-3s, EPA and DHA, may also have varying effects.

• Quality is paramount when considering omega-3 supplements — The susceptibility of omega-3s to oxidation, leading to harmful byproducts, emphasizes the importance of choosing high-quality products from reputable manufacturers. Look for products that have undergone testing for purity and freshness, check expiration dates and store supplements properly.

• Supplements may be considered if dietary intake is insufficient or if specific health conditions warrant their use — Consult with a health care professional before starting any omega-3 supplementation, especially if you have existing health issues or are taking medications.

If supplementing, prioritize krill oil or phospholipid-form fish oil for better absorption, choose reputable brands that prioritize quality and purity, and start with lower doses, increasing them only under medical guidance.

Sufficient omega-3 intake is part of a larger picture of health, along with a balanced diet, regular physical activity, high-quality sleep, and stress management. By making informed choices about lifestyle and understanding the nuances of omega-3 intake, you’ll be able to optimize your health and minimize potential risks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Omega-3 Paradox

Q: Are omega-3s good or bad for heart health?

A: Omega-3s offer significant heart benefits, such as reducing inflammation, supporting vascular health, and improving heart rhythm. However, high doses — especially from supplements — can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a heart rhythm disorder that may lead to stroke or heart failure.

This risk is especially notable in individuals with pre-existing heart conditions, high triglycerides, or diabetes. Moderate intake from whole food sources like fatty fish is generally considered safe.

Q: How much omega-3 is too much?

A: Research suggests that consuming more than 1 gram per day of omega-3s from supplements — particularly high-dose formulations of EPA or DHA — can increase the risk of AFib.

Major studies like REDUCE-IT and STRENGTH confirm this elevated risk with high doses. On the other hand, lower doses (under 1 gram/day) used in studies like ASCEND and VITAL show little to no increase in AFib risk. This indicates that dosage is critical and should be tailored to individual needs.

Q: What’s the best way to get omega-3s?

A: Whole food sources like wild-caught fatty fish (e.g., Alaskan salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and herring) are the safest and most effective way to get omega-3s. If you need to supplement, krill oil or fish oil in phospholipid form is preferred over synthetic triglyceride forms due to better absorption and reduced risk of side effects. Always choose high-quality brands and check for purity, freshness, and expiration dates.

Q: What are the risks of poor-quality omega-3 supplements?

A: Rancidity is a major concern with omega-3 supplements, especially fish oil. When omega-3s oxidize, they generate harmful free radicals that damage cells and promote inflammation — undermining their intended benefits. Rancid oils may have a strong fishy odor or taste, which is often masked by flavorings. Consuming rancid omega-3s is worse than taking none at all.

Q: Should everyone take omega-3 supplements?

A: Not necessarily. Supplements may help if dietary intake is inadequate or if a person has specific health conditions that require them. However, due to potential risks at high doses, it’s best to consult a health care professional before starting supplementation, particularly if you have a heart condition or are on medications. Start with low doses, monitor your health, and always opt for high-quality, tested products.

Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published November 03, 2024.

Beneath the surface of your largest organ — your skin — lies a complex web of connections to your diet, your stress levels and even your deepest emotions. Dr. Keira Barr, a pioneering functional dermatologist and author of the book “The Skin Whisperer,” has made it her life’s work to unravel these intricate relationships.

In our interview, we dive into Barr’s remarkable journey from melanoma survivor to holistic skin health revolutionary. Our discussion highlighted the hidden factors influencing your skin’s health, challenging conventional wisdom and offering a fresh perspective on achieving radiant health from the inside out.

Barr’s journey into functional dermatology began with a shocking personal diagnosis. As she shared, “About 12 years ago, my own health started falling apart … As a dermatologist, it was very humbling. The focus of my career at that time was skin cancer, melanoma. My own skin started changing, and I had to diagnose myself with early melanoma.”1

This experience was a turning point for Barr, leading her to explore the deeper connections between overall health and skin health. She realized that her approach to dermatology needed to evolve beyond just treating symptoms.

The Mind-Skin Connection

There’s a little-known dialogue between your thoughts and your skin, or a mind-skin connection. The field of psychodermatology explores this intricate interplay between your mental state and skin health, revealing how stress, anxiety, and childhood trauma can manifest as visible skin conditions.

• The implications of psychodermatology — This emerging discipline challenges us to view our skin not just as a protective barrier, but as a dynamic mirror of our inner emotional landscape, capable of both reflecting and influencing our psychological well-being.

• The connection between our skin and mind — Barr explains, “Psychodermatology is a relatively new field in dermatology, about 40 years, but we’ve known for so much longer than that — eons — about the connection between our mental health and our skin simply because the brain and the skin are embryologically derived from the same layer of tissue. They’re communicating with each other all the time.”2

• Stress plays a role in cancer development — One example Barr gave is the link between stress and the risk of cancer. She explains, “Chronic and traumatic stress does play a role in all cancers, but specifically in skin cancer in the biology life cycle. And they’ve shown that childhood adverse events coupled with stress in adulthood most definitely plays a role in tumor formation, progression, metastasis, and response to treatment …

What contributes to stress includes how we are nourishing our body, how we are sleeping, how we are moving, how we are spending our time, and not being able to necessarily process and metabolize the emotional experiences and traumatic experiences that we may have had at some point in our life.”3

This underscores the importance of addressing not just physical factors but also emotional and psychological aspects when dealing with skin health and disease prevention.

While the impact of psychoemotional stressors on health is well-established, it’s crucial to recognize that physical stressors can have equally significant effects through similar neuroendocrine pathways, primarily involving cortisol and adrenaline. This aspect is often underappreciated in both public understanding and medical practice.

• A low-carb diet influences skin health — In Barr’s case, her low-carbohydrate diet likely induced a substantial increase in cortisol levels. This dietary-induced stress, compounded by a high intake of polyunsaturated fats (PUFs), likely created a state of metabolic stress that exceeded the impact of her emotional stressors.

• Your diet, hormones and overall health are interlinked — The physiological response from Barr’s experience demonstrates the intricate interplay between diet, hormonal balance, and overall health. It underscores the importance of considering both psychological and physiological stressors in assessing and managing health conditions.

The body’s stress response doesn’t differentiate between emotional and physical triggers, leading to similar hormonal cascades that can significantly affect metabolic health and overall well-being.

Sadly, even though she readily agreed with my suppositions, as you can see by watching the interview, I was unable to convince her of this likelihood. This highlights a common challenge in health care: the difficulty in shifting established perspectives, even when presented with evidence of alternative factors contributing to health issues.

It emphasizes the need for ongoing education and open dialogue in the medical community about the complex interactions between diet, stress, and hormonal health.

The Importance of Sun Exposure

Our discussion on sun exposure revealed some interesting differences in our approaches. While I’ve long been an advocate for responsible sun exposure, Barr took a more cautious stance. She emphasized the importance of being “sun savvy” and “sun smart,” acknowledging the benefits of early morning sun exposure while also highlighting the risks of skin cancer.

• Skin cancer in North America — Skin cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer in both the U.S. and Canada. The key is understanding how to protect yourself from overexposure to the sun while still reaping the benefits. If you’ve consumed a diet rich in vegetable or seed oils, exercise extra caution with sun exposure.

These oils contain linoleic acid (LA), an omega-6 fat highly susceptible to oxidation from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Sunlight breaks down these oils in your skin, triggering inflammation and DNA damage.

• Be careful with sun exposure — It’s advisable to limit sun exposure until you’ve eliminated these oils from your diet for at least four to six months. Your unique physical traits also play a role in how much sun exposure is ideal for you. Skin color, determined by melanin content, is a prime example — darker skin requires more sun exposure to produce equivalent vitamin D levels compared to lighter skin.

• Body fat stores toxins — Body composition, particularly fat percentage, is another critical factor. Adipose tissue can store fat-soluble compounds, including oxidized vegetable oils. Those with higher body fat may need to take extra caution regarding sun exposure, as these stored oils can prolong the risk period even after dietary changes.

• Perform a sunburn test — To gauge safe sun exposure, especially with a history of vegetable oil consumption, monitor your skin for redness or burning. This “sunburn test” accounts for factors like season and skin type. If you don’t notice even slight pinkness, your exposure was likely within a safe range. Always avoid sunburn, as it indicates overexposure.

• Optimal exposure time during transition — As you reduce your body’s LA stores, your risk of sunburn and skin cancer decreases significantly. However, remain mindful of sun exposure, particularly during the transition period. While reducing vegetable oils in your diet, avoid peak sunlight hours — typically an hour before and after solar noon.

In most of the U.S. during summer, this means avoiding direct sun from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time, or 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Standard Time. As your body detoxifies from accumulated seed oils, gradually increase your time in the sun. Eventually, you may tolerate an hour or more during peak sunlight.

Remember, individual skin responses vary, so listen to your body during this adjustment. The golden rule: never let your skin burn. Sunburn indicates damage, so seek shade immediately if you notice redness.

Beyond Skin Deep — Your Skin Is a Window to Your Overall Health

Your skin has an important role as an indicator of overall health. As Barr put it, “Your skin is this living, breathing organ. It’s an endocrine organ. It really can give you so much information about what’s happening beneath the surface.”4

• The skin as a window to your health — Barr encouraged a shift in perspective, viewing skin issues not as problems to be fixed, but as invitations to explore deeper health concerns. “Rather than looking at your skin as a problem to be ‘fixed’, it’s really an invitation to get so curious about what might be the one variable that I can change. How can I support myself to live and feel better just by getting really curious about what’s showing up on my skin?”

• Your emotions affect your skin health — In one case study, Barr shares, “I’ve recently had a client come to me and she was struggling with chronic hives. What’s very interesting is that there was a recent paper that came out about chronic urticaria, which is the medical term for hives and childhood trauma.”5

This client’s condition wasn’t responding to conventional treatments. Upon digging deeper, Barr discovered that the client was facing resistance from friends and family about a career change.

Barr noted, “She doesn’t feel heard, she doesn’t feel validated, she doesn’t feel seen. So isn’t it so interesting that her skin essentially is shouting, it is screaming, it is saying, ‘Give me attention, look at me.'” By addressing these underlying emotional issues, the client’s hives began to improve without relying solely on topical treatments.

Body-Oriented Techniques for Skin Health

While I appreciate Barr’s focus on the emotional component, I emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach that also considers physical factors like cellular energy and nutrition.

• It’s time to consider the emotional aspect — Barr agreed with my statement, saying, “For me, it’s always about both. The problem is the mental-emotional has been left out of the conversation for way too long.”6

• Incorporate walking — In terms of movement, I believe walking should be prioritized over other forms of exercise. Aim for about an hour of walking daily, ideally spread throughout the day. Barr agreed, adding that walking is accessible, allows us to connect with nature and can serve as a form of meditation.

My Personal Battle with Prurigo Nodularis

I shared with Barr the most challenging health issue I’ve ever faced — prurigo nodularis. Don’t let the complex Latin name fool you; it simply means “itchy nodules.” But it’s far more than just an itch. The itching is so intense that it can drive people to the brink.

• My history with prurigo nodularis — For 15 years, I struggled with these itchy nodules on my skin. Conventional and traditional treatments barely touched it. Steroids, anti-itch creams, even lidocaine — they’d work briefly, but the relief didn’t last. Then, just a few months ago, I had a breakthrough.

• Investigating the issues plaguing skin health — As I explained in my book, “Your Guide to Cellular Health: Unlocking the Science of Joy and Longevity,” I discovered what I believe is the root cause of my condition: an excess of oxalates in my body. Now, most people have never heard of oxalates, but they’re in foods we eat every day — spinach, almonds and others.

• Environmental factors wrecking your health — In my case, my gut health was severely compromised, a condition unfortunately common in today’s environment. This damage was primarily caused by an overabundance of mitochondrial toxins, which are prevalent in our modern world.

These toxins had a devastating effect on my gut microbiome, particularly decimating the population of Oxalobacter formigenes, a beneficial oxygen intolerant bacterium crucial for oxalate metabolism.

• Mercury exposure further exacerbates health issues — Compounding this issue was the inadvertent exposure to mercury, a potent neurotoxin and nephrotoxin. This exposure occurred during the removal of multiple silver dental amalgams, a procedure that was performed without adequate safety precautions. The released mercury not only further disrupted my gut ecosystem but also inflicted significant damage on my kidneys.

• Safe procedures are now more important than ever — The combination of factors — the loss of beneficial gut bacteria and the toxic effects of mercury — created a perfect storm of health challenges. It underscores the interconnectedness of our body systems and the far-reaching consequences of environmental toxins on our health.

Moreover, it highlights the importance of proper medical procedures and the need for a holistic approach to health that considers the complex interplay between gut health and environmental exposures.

• Take control of your gut health — Why is this important? Exposure to certain environmental toxins, or mitochondrial poisons, including LA, disrupts the delicate oxygen balance in your gut. These toxins increase oxygen levels in your colon, creating an environment where these oxalate-eating bacteria can’t survive.

When these bacteria disappear, we lose our natural defense against oxalate buildup. And it’s not only about the itchy skin — these oxalates can form painful kidney stones too. But here’s the twist: in the right conditions, oxalates aren’t all bad. They’re made of two carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules, which is beneficial if properly broken down. Your body needs CO2 — it’s not just a waste product.

In my case, I believe this disruption in my gut bacteria led to an oxalate overload. My body, trying to get rid of these excess oxalates, pushed them out through my sweat glands and hair follicles. This triggered an inflammatory cascade in my skin, resulting in those maddening, itchy nodules of prurigo nodularis.

This experience reinforced my belief in the gut-skin axis, showing how imbalances in your gut microbiome can manifest in surprising ways on your skin. It also highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy gut environment.

A Paradigm for Skin Health

As we wrapped up our enlightening conversation, it became clear that we’re on the cusp of an era in dermatology. The insights shared by Barr, coupled with my own experiences, paint a picture of skin health that goes far beyond the surface.

• All factors play a role to achieve optimal health — We’re now moving away from a symptom-focused approach toward a holistic understanding that encompasses diet, lifestyle, emotional well-being, and gut health.

• Take care of your skin — Your skin is not just as an organ to be treated, but a messenger of your overall health. Take the time to listen closely to what your skin is telling you, dig deeper when issues arise, and seek to address the root causes rather than merely managing symptoms.

As we continue to unravel the complex connections between skin and overall health, we open up possibilities for healing and disease prevention that could revolutionize not just dermatology, but our approach to health as a whole.

Frequently Asked Questions on Skin Health and Functional Dermatology

Q: How does stress and emotional health impact skin conditions?
A: The mind-skin connection, explored in psychodermatology, reveals that stress, anxiety, and past trauma will be able to manifest as skin conditions like hives, eczema and even skin cancer. Chronic stress triggers hormonal imbalances that affect skin health, making emotional well-being an essential factor in dermatology.

Q: What role does diet play in skin health?
A: Diet significantly impacts skin health by influencing inflammation, hormone levels and metabolic stress. High consumption of polyunsaturated fats (PUFs) and an imbalance of nutrients can contribute to skin issues. Eliminating inflammatory vegetable oils, maintaining a nutrient-rich diet, and supporting gut health will help improve skin conditions.

Q: How does sun exposure affect skin health, and what precautions should be taken?
A: Sun exposure is essential for vitamin D production but needs to be managed wisely. Excess linoleic acid (LA) from vegetable oils in the diet makes skin more susceptible to UV damage. To reduce risk, avoid peak sun hours, gradually increase exposure after dietary changes and monitor your skin to prevent sunburn.

Q: What is the gut-skin axis, and how does it relate to skin conditions?
A: The gut microbiome plays a critical role in skin health. Imbalances, such as a loss of beneficial bacteria, lead to oxalate buildup in the body, contributing to inflammatory skin conditions like prurigo nodularis. Supporting gut health through diet and reducing exposure to toxins like mercury will help improve skin function.

Q: How should skin issues be approached from a functional medicine perspective?
A: Rather than merely treating symptoms, functional dermatology looks at skin conditions as indicators of deeper health imbalances. Addressing root causes — such as stress, diet, gut health, and toxin exposure — offers a more effective, long-term approach to skin healing and overall well-being.

Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published January 27, 2019.

Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt is well known for his successful treatment of neurological illness and Lyme disease with integrative medicine. Originally from Berlin, Germany, Klinghardt has practiced medicine in the U.S. for over 35 years. He also sees patients in England and Switzerland.

In Switzerland, he was part of a group that instigated a change in the constitution, making alternative medicine a constitutional right of all citizens. That includes homeopathy, neurotherapy, acupuncture, and all other hands-on healing techniques.

“It’s the only country on the planet where complementary medicine or alternative medicine is the birthright of every citizen,” he says. “When we managed to do that, I made sure I got a [medical] license in Switzerland, as a possible escape route from the forces that are sometimes very obstructive here [in the U.S.].”

Here, we discuss the importance of detoxification for general health and the treatment of disease, and review some of Klinghardt’s top tips for detoxification. Dr. Richard Straube, a German toxicologist, developed a blood-washing procedure (apheresis) where toxins are filtered from the blood and then analyzed using affordable lab testing.

“Ten years ago, he found, on average in the population, 20 toxins over the threshold of detection,” Klinghardt says. “In just 10 years, that number has gone up to over 500, which is a shocking number … That’s an exponential increase that is not compatible with life …

He’s actually about to publish this research. He did the research on 1,200 patients. It’s one of the largest toxicology studies. Of course, the leaders are aluminum, barium, lithium, and strontium. These are the [toxins] in geoengineering. It makes them sort of rain down on us. Because of that — and many of these toxins are specifically mitochondrial toxins — detox … is a survival strategy for everybody.”

Toxicity and Infectious Disease Go Hand in Hand

When your body is contaminated with man-made toxins, your body tends to compartmentalize them. Eventually, those body compartments will reach a certain threshold of toxicity, at which point your immune system will be unable to control the microbial growth in that area.

“These become the areas where the microbes are domiciled, whether it’s Bartonella, Lyme, Babesia, or herpes viruses. They’re not everywhere, but at the same time they’ve very strictly set up housekeeping in certain body compartments,” Klinghardt explains. For this reason, you can no longer distinguish between the toxicity and the infection, because they go together. As Klinghardt notes, “It’s a package deal.”

“For 20 years, I’ve been harping on Lyme disease and developed treatments that do not involve antibiotics, because it’s an absolute mistake to treat Lyme with antibiotics,” he says. “We know too much about the microbiome now and how sensitive the structures are.

The latest development in the last two years have been my work with Judy Mikovits. She was part of our think tank that we had in 2006 or 2007, and tried to alert us then to the fact that embedded in our DNA are retroviruses, and that certain environmental conditions disable our mechanisms to silence those viruses, allowing them to become active …

The most well-known retrovirus is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but there are hundreds of others. Most of them are immunosuppressive. I’d like to prefer the term ‘immune-disturbing.’ Some aspects of the immune system are upregulated, others are downregulated. That makes us hugely vulnerable for Lyme’s, mycoplasma, and Bartonella … Detoxification … is an absolute necessity to survive this insane time.”

Toxins are either water or fat soluble. Two major water-soluble toxins are the vaccine preservative thimerosal (mercury) and the herbicide glyphosate. According to Klinghardt, they tend to be sequestered in areas such as the kidneys, lungs, and bones.

Examples of fat-soluble toxins are benzene derivatives, insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides. They like to settle in the fatty tissue, which makes them potent neurotoxins, since your brain is composed primarily of fat. Water- and fat-soluble toxins require differing methods of detoxification.

Detoxification Strategy for Glyphosate

While you have over 20,000 chemicals in your body, two that are particularly hazardous to your brain are glyphosate and aluminum. Glyphosate is an analog of the amino acid glycine.1 It attaches in places where you need glycine. Importantly, glycine is used up in the detoxification process, hence many of us do not have enough glycine for efficient detoxification.

To eliminate glyphosate, you need to saturate your body with glycine. Klinghardt recommends taking 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of glycine powder twice a day for a few weeks and then lower the dose to one-fourth teaspoon (1 gram) twice a day. This forces the glyphosate out of your system, allowing it to be eliminated through your urine.

I personally have been taking 1 gram twice a day for some time now. The glycine is inexpensive and actually tastes sweet. Ideally it is best to take it around the time you are eating food that might be contaminated with glyphosate.

“At least for a while, we use high doses of glycine. There are no issues with it. There are no problems with it. The other one that has been published is admittedly only a chicken study that shows that humic acid and fulvic acid can completely clean up the organ systems of a chicken …

So, we do the glycine for a while. We monitor the urine output of glyphosate. When that slows down — in some people two months, in some it’s six months — we back off on the glycine and go on a smaller dose.”

How to Detox Aluminum

Aluminum is even more sinister. Stephanie Seneff, Ph.D., has shown that aluminum, when it gets in the extracellular space, completely changes the voltage on the cell walls — the voltage-gated channels — and has a profound effect on the microstructure of that matrix.2

“It basically impairs the receptors that we have on the cell wall, hormone receptors, neurotransmitter receptors, insulin receptors. They all get messed up by aluminum. It has a really, really strong effect, stronger than any other toxin,” Klinghardt says.

“Seneff’s work shows that glyphosate is a chelating agent. When you have glyphosate in the food, it binds all the trace minerals. They’re no longer available for absorption. It depletes us of trace minerals. However, there’s one exception and that’s aluminum. It works like a shuttle agent for aluminum. It binds aluminum, takes it across the gut wall into the tissues, and distributes it widely.”

One common ailment related to aluminum toxicity is underactive thyroid (hypothyroid), which is incredibly common these days. Aluminum hydroxides — such as that found in antacids — actually interferes with intestinal absorption of thyroid hormones.3 Being a metal, it also has an affinity for the nervous system, and tends to collect in your brain, spinal cord, and the enteric nervous system of the gut.4 In all of these places, it blocks vital functions.

To eliminate aluminum, you need to increase your intake of silica. Klinghardt recommends using silica-rich herbs for this, such as cilantro. “Dr. Yoshiaki Omura did a study5 20 years ago where he showed that you could decrease aluminum content in the animal model very quickly just by giving a cilantro extract,” he says. Other good options are horsetail (which is also high in silica) and a liposomal silica product called BioSil.

Citric acid has also been shown to mobilize aluminum. An easy and inexpensive strategy is to squeeze some lemon into a bottle of water and drink it throughout the day. Malic acid — apple cider vinegar — is another. You can also buy malic acid in capsule form, or use magnesium malate.

“Medical doctors can use desferal. It’s an injectable that’s injected once a week subcutaneously. It’s an excellent detoxer. However, there is some question as to whether it crosses the blood-brain barrier or not. Silica does. Desferal probably not, but you can debulk the aluminum in the body with a once-a-week injection.”

How to Eliminate Fat-Soluble Toxins

To eliminate fat-soluble toxins, Klinghardt recommends a combination of sauna and binding agents such as chlorella, ecklonia cava (a brown algae), and enterosgel such as methylated silica and zeolite. One or more of these should ideally be taken daily. When you do sauna therapy, the released toxins are then bound by these agents, allowing them to be safely eliminated rather than being reabsorbed.

“Do that regularly and watch your bowel transit time; it should be 24 hours or less. That means if you swallow something that’s not digestible, it should come out of the other end within 24 hours.

We have some patients where the transit time was 20 days or so. Those people are not able to excrete through the small intestine. They’re really doomed. It becomes a priority then to get the digestion going. That’s mostly the parasite issue. That is sort of my other hobby — to diagnose and treat parasites.”

Address Parasites

Many parasites, especially worms, but also fungi and Candida, absorb multiple times their body weight in toxins. For example, many worms are able to concentrate lead 300-fold compared to the tissues of the host. The parasite load of a host is also a bioindicator for the toxicity of that host’s environment.

“Every chronic Lyme patient is also full of parasites,” Klinghardt says. “If you don’t address those, it’s been shown that the worms in the Lyme patient themselves are infected with Lyme spirochete. If you do antibiotic treatment, it doesn’t harm the parasites.

The Lyme spirochete simply retreat into the worms, wait until you’re done with the antibiotics and then hatch back out. The teaching is to treat from large to small. In a chronically ill patient, always assume there are parasites. Treat them and then kind of slowly go down.”

Unfortunately, there are few effective tests to assess your parasite burden. Klinghardt uses autonomic response testing (ART), and prescribes various cocktails of antiparasitic drugs based on that testing. Knowing that parasites are loaded with toxins, you want to coax them out of the tissues and into the gut, where they can be safely expelled.

Klinghardt uses the Gubarev protocols for this. These are enema protocols developed by a Russian scientist. Once no more parasites are to be found, he puts the patient on antiparasitic agents such as Rizol Kappa and Rizol Gamma — ozonated plant oils from BioPure.

“Recently, there’s an incredible increase in literature showing that pretty much every medical antiparasitic can also be used for treating cancer. I’ll give you an example: Albendazole, a monthly treatment, used to cost $80. Then the articles came out of cancers healing from it. Now, it’s $24,000 a month …

We use the antiparasitic drugs, the multipurpose drugs. It happens to be that the internal pathways of a cancer cell are similar to the pathways of the parasite. It’s a very good policy to start chronic treatment [of parasites] early on, before attending to Lyme disease or mycoplasma …

The main issue with parasites is this: If you undertreat a parasite, that means if you use a dose of an herb or a medical drug that’s not enough to kill it, but enough to make it sick, that parasite will put out huge amounts of biotoxins that make you really deathly ill. The trick with parasite treatment is to come in high and strong from the beginning, so these creatures cannot shoot back at you …

Parasites only come out in the poop if the parasite is sick. Parasites do not show up that way. As long as they still live in the belly, in the gut, you can palpate and you can get certain signs that make it [seem] like you got the right diagnosis. But unfortunately, the larval stages of many parasites stray to the lung, and also end up in the brain.

Cysticercosis is the name given for that larval stages of tapeworms in the brain. We see that all the time. Kids that have seizures, most of the time it’s that issue. They’re easy to treat … but it’s difficult to do it with natural things. We find that the natural herbs that are used are good if we use them in conjunction with the medical drugs.”

Avoiding EMF Is Also Important for Effective Detoxification

In a previous interview, we also discussed the importance of avoiding electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation from cellphones, modems, and Wi-Fi routers when treating chronic disease, as this exposure will exacerbate illness, including infections. Klinghardt comments:

“I think that is the most important issue of our time … Wi-Fi is destroying life on the planet. There’s absolutely no question. Unfortunately, titanium and aluminum in our system act like an antenna for the Wi-Fi. There’s a beautiful study on amalgam.

When you have an amalgam filling and you make a phone call on the side where the filling is, the speed at which mercury is evaporated from the tooth is increased multiple times.

Basically, we hold the position that the body needs to be metal-free in order to survive this crazy time … One phone call — I think a seven-minute phone call — activates the Epstein-Barr virus for many years. We have this published. All of us have that virus in us. If you want to have chronic fatigue, that’s a great recipe …

[There’s a] direct linear relationship between the cumulative exposure to man-made radiation and chronic illness. The more you’re exposed to, the more ill you are … This has to be modified when people are metal-toxic. They concentrate radiation in them, and then it goes up exponentially …

The combined effect of the toxicity and the Wi-Fi has unleashed these viruses that are called human endogenous retroviruses. That is really, ultimately, what’s causing the severity of chronic illness.”

To protect against EMF, Klinghardt recommends the Building Biology approach to EMF remediation, which involves shielding your home, especially your bedroom. For internal protection, he recommends taking tincture of rosemary and/or tincture of propolis.

As for addressing retroviruses, Klinghardt has developed an herbal mix called RetroV powder6 made by Ki Science, which contains 10 herbs. It’s been shown to be superior to the eight drugs available for silencing retroviruses. Cistus tea and broccoli sprouts are two additional powerful tools against retroviruses.

More Information

To learn more, visit Klinghardt’s website at klinghardtinstitute.com. If you’re interested in treatment, you can contact the Sophia Health Institute, which has clinics in Seattle and Marin County, California.

If you’ve been following my work, you may have recently read my article on geranylgeraniol (GG) and its remarkable ability to reverse statin-induced muscle pain where CoQ10 has failed. Today, I want to share another critical application of this same compound — one that could help prevent a devastating condition that has left many patients with dead jaw bone and no effective treatment options. The condition is called bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, or BRONJ for short. And the solution, once again, is GG.

What Are Bisphosphonates and Who Takes Them?

Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs prescribed primarily for osteoporosis and for preventing bone complications in cancer patients. You may know them by brand names like Fosamax (alendronate), Boniva (ibandronate), Actonel (risedronate), and Zometa or Reclast (zoledronic acid).

These drugs work by inhibiting osteoclasts, the cells responsible for breaking down old bone. By suppressing bone resorption, bisphosphonates can increase bone density and reduce fracture risk. For cancer patients with bone metastases, they can help prevent skeletal complications.

Millions of people take these medications. In fact, bisphosphonates are among the most commonly prescribed drugs for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. But like all drugs, they come with risks, and one of the most serious is osteonecrosis of the jaw.

The Horror of Jaw Bone Death

Osteonecrosis literally means “bone death.” When it occurs in the jaw, the bone tissue dies and becomes exposed through the gums, failing to heal. Patients develop painful, exposed bone in their mouth that can become infected, lead to tooth loss, and in severe cases require surgical removal of portions of the jaw.

The condition is diagnosed when a patient has exposed jaw bone that doesn’t heal within eight weeks, has a history of taking bisphosphonates or similar medications, and has no history of radiation therapy to the jaw area.

What makes BRONJ particularly insidious is that there is currently no reliable cure. Once the jaw bone dies, treatment options are limited to managing symptoms, controlling infection, and in some cases surgical debridement or removal of dead bone. Prevention is the only truly effective strategy.

The condition often develops after dental procedures — tooth extractions, implant placement, or other invasive dental work. This is why dentists now routinely ask patients about bisphosphonate use before performing procedures, and why some recommend “drug holidays” before dental surgery.

But what if there was a way to protect the jaw bone while still taking these medications? What if the same compound that reverses statin muscle damage could also prevent bisphosphonate jaw damage?

Same Mechanism, Same Solution

Here’s the key insight that connects these two seemingly different conditions: bisphosphonates and statins work through the same biochemical pathway.

Both drug classes inhibit enzymes in the mevalonate pathway. Statins block HMG-CoA reductase at the top of the pathway. Bisphosphonates — specifically the nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates like zoledronic acid — block farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase further down the pathway.

The end result is the same: depletion of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), the activated form of GG. And when GGPP is depleted, the process of protein prenylation — essential for normal cell function — is impaired.

In muscle cells, this manifests as the muscle pain, weakness, and fatigue that statin patients experience. In the jaw bone, where there’s constant remodeling activity and exposure to oral bacteria, this manifests as impaired healing and eventual bone death.

A 2022 review published in Frontiers in Pharmacology1 explained the connection clearly: “Nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates suppress osteoclastic resorption by inhibiting farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase in the mevalonate pathway, leading to deficiency of the substrate for GTPase prenylation. The bone remodeling process is uncoupled, subsequently impairing bone healing and causing ONJ.”

The review went on to note that “targeted administration of geranylgeraniol (GGOH) represents a promising approach to mitigate BRONJ because GGOH is a substrate for GTPase prenylation.”

GG Reverses Bisphosphonate Damage to Jaw Cells

Multiple studies have demonstrated that GG can reverse the cellular damage caused by bisphosphonates in exactly the cell types that are critical for jaw bone health.

A 2011 study published in Oral Oncology2 was among the first to show that GG could reverse the negative biological effects of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates on endothelial cells (which form blood vessels), fibroblasts (which form connective tissue), and osteogenic cells (which form bone). The researchers found that GG restored the viability and migration capacity of these cells after bisphosphonate treatment.

A 2021 study published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology3 investigated the specific mechanism by which bisphosphonates cause jaw bone problems. The researchers found that zoledronic acid (a potent bisphosphonate) both promoted the death of osteocytes (bone cells) and inhibited the ability of macrophages to clear dead cells — a process called efferocytosis that’s essential for proper healing.

Critically, the study found that “supplement with geranylgeraniol (GGOH), a substrate analog for geranylgeranylation of Rac1, could restore Rac1 homeostasis and rescue macrophage efferocytosis.” Rac1 (along with a closely related protein called Rac2) acts like an on-off switch that helps immune cells move, attach to damaged tissue, and clear away dead cells so healing can occur.

These proteins need to attach to cell membranes to work properly, and they need geranylgeraniol to do that. When bisphosphonates block this process, Rac signaling breaks down and immune cells cannot clean up damaged tissue. In other words, GG restored the normal healing process that bisphosphonates had disrupted.

A 2020 study4 examined the effects of zoledronic acid and GG on angiogenic (blood vessel-forming) gene expression in human osteoclasts. The researchers found that bisphosphonate treatment altered the expression of multiple genes involved in blood vessel formation — a key factor in bone healing. Addition of GG resulted in reduction of these altered gene expressions, suggesting it could help normalize the angiogenic response.

GG in Bone Cement Promotes Healing

Perhaps most exciting is a 2024 study published in the Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research5 that tested GG in an actual model of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Researchers incorporated GG into bone cement pellets and tested their effects both in cell culture and in animals. They found that GG released from the bone cement increased osteoclast survival and metabolic activity and promoted resorption of calcified substrate — essentially restoring normal bone remodeling function.

In the animal model, released GG “limited the effects of the bisphosphonate and promoted healing.” The researchers noted that “GGOH from the infused cement carrier stabilizes bone structure and restores the ability of osteoclasts to remodel.”

The conclusion was encouraging: “These initial findings point to GGOH in a bone cement carrier as a useful therapeutic approach to prevent or mitigate the pathogenesis of MRONJ.”

While this specific delivery method (bone cement) is a clinical application that would need to be performed by a dental surgeon, the underlying principle is clear: GG can reverse bisphosphonate-induced damage to the cells responsible for jaw bone health and healing.

The Connection to Statin Myopathy

If you read my previous article on GG for statin-induced muscle problems, you’ll recognize the pattern. Both statins and bisphosphonates:

1. Inhibit the mevalonate pathway
2. Deplete geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP)
3. Impair protein prenylation
4. Cause tissue damage (muscle or bone) through this mechanism
5. Can be counteracted by GG supplementation

This isn’t a coincidence — it’s biochemistry. These drugs work through the same fundamental mechanism, which is why they cause related problems and why the same solution addresses both.

The research on GG for statin myopathy is more advanced, with multiple in vivo studies and meta-analyses confirming that CoQ10 doesn’t work while GG does. The research on GG for BRONJ is still developing, with most studies being in vitro (cell culture) or in animal models. But the consistency of the findings across both conditions strongly supports the underlying mechanism.

Who Should Consider GG Supplementation?

Based on the available evidence, GG supplementation makes particular sense for:

• People taking bisphosphonates for osteoporosis — If you’re on Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, or similar medications, GG supplementation may help protect your jaw bone, especially if you need dental procedures.
• Cancer patients receiving bisphosphonate therapy — High-dose intravenous bisphosphonates like Zometa carry a higher risk of BRONJ. Supplementation with GG could provide protective benefits.
• Anyone planning dental work while on bisphosphonates — Tooth extractions and implant placement are known triggers for BRONJ. GG supplementation before, during, and after dental procedures may help support normal healing.
• People taking statins who also take bisphosphonates — Many older adults take both drug classes. Both deplete GG through the same pathway. The combined depletion makes supplementation even more important.

Practical Recommendations

The practical recommendations for GG supplementation in the context of bisphosphonate use are similar to those for statin use:

• Dosing — 150 mg to 300 mg daily appears to be the range used in research.
• Form — Trans-geranylgeraniol from annatto seeds (often sold as “GG-Gold” or similar branded forms) has been the most studied.
• Timing around dental procedures — If you’re planning dental work, consider starting GG supplementation several weeks before the procedure and continuing during healing. Discuss this with your dentist and physician.
• Duration — Unlike some supplements that are taken only when symptomatic, GG supplementation may be most valuable as ongoing support while taking bisphosphonates, given that these drugs can persist in bone tissue for years.
• Safety — GG has demonstrated an excellent safety profile in research. It does not appear to interfere with bisphosphonates’ bone-building effects, similar to how it doesn’t interfere with statins’ cholesterol-lowering effects.

A Unified Approach to Mevalonate Pathway Support

The story of geranylgeraniol is really a story about understanding biochemistry rather than just treating symptoms. When we recognize that both statins and bisphosphonates deplete the same critical compound — and that this depletion causes problems in different tissues depending on which drug you’re taking — we can adopt a unified approach to protection.

• For statin users — GG addresses the root cause of muscle symptoms that CoQ10 couldn’t solve.
• For bisphosphonate users — GG supports the jaw bone health that these drugs compromise.
• For people taking both — GG replenishes what both drug classes deplete.

This is the kind of integrative thinking that conventional medicine often misses. Rather than treating statin myopathy and bisphosphonate jaw necrosis as completely separate conditions requiring separate solutions, we can recognize their common cause and address them together.

If you’re taking either statins or bisphosphonates — or especially if you’re taking both — GG deserves serious consideration as part of your supplement regimen. The research is clear, the mechanism is understood, and the safety profile is excellent. Discuss it with a healthcare provider familiar with integrative approaches, and take control of protecting your muscles and bones from pharmaceutical side effects.

FAQ

Q: What is bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ)?
A: BRONJ is a serious condition in which sections of jaw bone lose blood supply, die, and fail to heal. It occurs in some people who take bisphosphonate drugs for osteoporosis or cancer, especially after dental procedures such as tooth extractions. Once established, there is no consistently effective treatment, which makes prevention critical.

Q: How do bisphosphonates cause jaw bone damage?
A: Bisphosphonates block enzymes in the mevalonate pathway, a metabolic pathway your body uses to produce essential compounds. This blockade depletes geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), which cells need for protein prenylation, a process required for normal bone remodeling, immune cleanup, blood vessel growth, and tissue repair.

Q: Why does geranylgeraniol (GG) matter in BRONJ?
A: GG replenishes GGPP, the compound depleted by bisphosphonates. Research shows GG restores normal function in osteoclasts, osteoblasts, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells that support jaw bone healing. By correcting the underlying biochemical disruption, GG targets the root cause rather than symptoms.

Q: What does research show about GG and jaw bone healing?
A: Cell and animal studies report that GG reverses bisphosphonate-induced cell death, restores immune cell cleanup of damaged tissue, and normalizes blood vessel-related gene activity. A 2024 animal study showed GG delivered through bone cement promoted bone remodeling and healing in a model of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Q: Who may benefit most from GG supplementation?
A: Evidence suggests GG may help people who take bisphosphonates for osteoporosis or cancer, especially if you plan dental procedures or also take statins, which deplete GG through the same pathway. Human clinical trials remain limited, so you should discuss supplementation with your dentist and physician before use.

Test Your Knowledge with Today’s Quiz!
Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

Which statement about prebiotics is true?

Prebiotics are live bacteria that directly populate the gut
Prebiotics are proteins that break down harmful microbes
Prebiotics feed beneficial gut bacteria and support their growth
Prebiotics are nondigestible fibers that feed beneficial gut bacteria, helping them grow and produce compounds like butyrate that support gut health. Learn more.
Prebiotics eliminate all harmful bacteria in the digestive system

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The Newsletter We Promised Just Got Much Better
Since our original announcement, Dr. Mercola personally rebuilt the search engine from the ground up — five parallel search methods, 18 health categories searched daily, 30–50x more comprehensive than conventional tools. The upgraded newsletter launches in the coming weeks. See exactly what’s changing →

Many Americans are living with silent liver damage — and most have no idea. This isn’t just a minor health glitch. It’s a slow-moving disaster that’s deeply entwined with insulin resistance, belly fat, and rising rates of Type 2 diabetes. What’s more alarming is that the standard screening tools used in primary care often miss it entirely, allowing the condition to worsen unchecked.

I’m currently in the process of publishing a scientific paper that takes a deep dive into liver health, and one thing has become clear: the real problem isn’t liver fat itself — it’s the scarring that follows. By the time symptoms like fatigue, abdominal swelling, or elevated liver enzymes show up, the damage is already well underway. This scarring, known as fibrosis, impacts your entire metabolic system, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and even cancer.

The liver isn’t just a passive filter for toxins — it’s a dynamic organ that governs how your body processes sugar, stores energy, and regulates inflammation. When it’s under constant assault from poor diet, excess fat, or environmental toxins, its ability to perform these functions starts to unravel. And because it’s a silent process, the warning signs are easy to miss until it’s too late.

If you’ve been struggling with weight around your midsection, unstable blood sugar, or chronic fatigue, your liver could already be in trouble, even if your doctor hasn’t flagged it yet. What follows is a closer look at newly published research that uncovers just how widespread liver damage really is, and what that means for your long-term health.

Advanced Liver Scarring Is Hiding in Plain Sight Among People with Diabetes

A study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine evaluated how common fatty liver disease is in adults with Type 2 diabetes receiving standard care.1 Researchers used MRI scans and liver stiffness measurements — noninvasive tools that detect fat deposits and signs of scarring — to assess 308 patients recruited through primary care.

The goal was to see how many of these patients had undiagnosed metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD) and whether they were at risk for more serious forms of liver damage like fibrosis.

• More than half had fatty liver, and nearly 1 in 10 showed signs of advanced liver damage — Of the total participants, 59% were found to have MASLD. Even more concerning, 7% already had signs of advanced fibrosis — scar tissue that forms after repeated liver injury that often progresses to cirrhosis. The majority of these individuals had no outward symptoms, and standard screening tools missed many of the cases that imaging tests picked up.

• Obesity significantly raised the odds of fibrosis in people with diabetes — The researchers found that individuals with obesity were eight times more likely to have advanced fibrosis than those without obesity. Even patients who were merely overweight, not obese, were at elevated risk for developing fatty liver, though the fibrosis risk wasn’t as high. This points to body weight as a powerful driver of hidden liver damage in the diabetic population.

• The damage doesn’t stop at the liver; heart function is also compromised — Using detailed heart scans, researchers discovered that patients with MASLD had subtle changes in heart structure and function, even without any history of heart disease.

These individuals showed signs of smaller left atrial volume and reduced cardiac output. In simple terms, their hearts were pumping less effectively, which suggests that fatty liver quietly impairs cardiovascular health before obvious symptoms appear.

• Insulin resistance and fat buildup create a feedback loop that worsens liver health — The researchers explained that excess fat in the liver increases insulin resistance, and that resistance then promotes more fat storage in the liver. This back-and-forth cycle leads to chronic inflammation and scarring. It’s a dangerous loop that’s often set in motion long before patients are diagnosed with fatty liver disease.

• Fat inside your liver disrupts normal blood flow and oxygen delivery — As triglycerides accumulate in liver cells, the organ becomes congested. This limits oxygen delivery and promotes the release of inflammatory proteins, which damage nearby tissue. Over time, your body responds by forming scar tissue, which hardens the liver and makes it less able to perform vital tasks like filtering toxins or regulating blood sugar.

Fatty Liver Alters Key Blood Markers in Half of People with Type 2 Diabetes

A related study published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences evaluated how common liver fat buildup is in adults with Type 2 diabetes using ultrasound screening tools.2 Researchers examined 100 patients to determine the presence of fatty liver and whether common lab results could help predict who was affected.

• Half the participants had fatty liver visible on ultrasound, along with key lab changes — Out of 100 patients, 50 were diagnosed with fatty liver using ultrasound imaging. Those with fatty liver had higher levels of liver enzymes, specifically alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), indicating liver stress or injury. Additionally, their fasting blood sugar and body mass index (BMI) were significantly higher, linking poor metabolic health with liver dysfunction.

• Patients with fatty liver had lower AST/ALT ratios, which signals worsening liver health — The AST/ALT ratio is a blood test comparison used to gauge the type and severity of liver stress. In this study, the average AST/ALT ratio was less than 1 in people with fatty liver, while those without liver fat had a ratio above 1. A low ratio is often linked to more advanced liver fat accumulation, and this finding supports using enzyme ratios as a red flag in diabetic patients.

• LDL cholesterol and triglycerides were also higher in people with fatty liver — Researchers found that patients with liver fat had elevated total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, as well as significantly higher triglyceride levels. These markers point to dysfunctional fat metabolism and mirror the kind of metabolic breakdown seen in people with both diabetes and heart disease.

• The research confirms that standard diabetes labs alone aren’t enough — Even though liver enzymes were elevated, they weren’t high enough to automatically trigger alarm in many cases. This again suggests that fatty liver is likely being missed in everyday checkups unless imaging is used. The authors concluded that combining ultrasound with common blood tests offers a better way to screen for liver involvement in Type 2 diabetes.

• Fatty liver amplifies existing metabolic stress in diabetes — The paper emphasized how liver fat worsens the already fragile balance of blood sugar, cholesterol, and insulin regulation in people with diabetes. As your liver becomes overloaded, its ability to process fats and manage glucose declines, setting off a chain reaction of worsening metabolic disease.

Fatty Liver Feeds Insulin Resistance and Makes Diabetes Harder to Control

A review article published in Hepatobiliary Surgery and Nutrition outlined the two-way relationship between liver fat accumulation and insulin resistance in people with metabolic dysfunction.3 Instead of treating fatty liver as a side effect of diabetes, the authors described it as a key player that actively makes the condition worse.

• Insulin resistance floods your liver with fat, and your liver starts to store it — When your body becomes resistant to insulin, your fat cells release more free fatty acids into your bloodstream. Your liver pulls these fatty acids in and converts them into triglycerides. Over time, your liver becomes a dumping ground for excess fat, especially if you eat diet high in processed foods. This buildup overwhelms liver function and triggers inflammation.

• Liver fat further damages insulin signaling, creating a vicious cycle — Once your liver is full of fat, it doesn’t just sit quietly. It begins to produce inflammatory compounds and resists the effects of insulin itself. That means it continues pumping glucose into your bloodstream, even when insulin is trying to shut it down. Your blood sugar goes up, your pancreas works harder, and your insulin levels spike, all because your liver isn’t listening.

• This cycle worsens your overall metabolic health — Liver fat plays a direct role in raising triglycerides, lowering HDL (the “good” cholesterol), and increasing small, dense LDL particles — those most closely linked to heart disease. It also contributes to a condition called metabolic syndrome, which includes high blood pressure, poor glucose control, and belly fat, all of which raise your risk of stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure.

• Even thin people with fatty liver face serious risk — Fatty liver isn’t limited to those who are overweight. Lean individuals with insulin resistance and fatty liver experience the same or worse metabolic consequences, including higher cardiovascular risk. In these cases, the disease often flies under the radar because doctors don’t expect liver fat in thinner patients.

• Fat buildup in your liver slows detoxification and hormone balance — Your liver helps regulate more than blood sugar. It filters toxins, processes estrogen, and converts thyroid hormones into their active form. When liver cells are clogged with fat, these detox and hormone-balancing functions slow down. That leaves you feeling sluggish, foggy, or inflamed without knowing why.

Under normal conditions, the liver breaks down fat using a process called beta-oxidation. But in insulin-resistant states, this process becomes impaired. Your liver starts accumulating toxic fat intermediates like diacylglycerols, which activate damaging enzyme systems that make insulin resistance even worse. It’s a biochemical spiral that becomes harder to reverse the longer it’s allowed to progress.

Fatty Liver Disease Makes Diabetes Harder to Treat and Easier to Miss

A report from the University of Florida’s Diabetes Institute explained how fat buildup in your liver worsens insulin resistance and makes diabetes more difficult to manage.4 The overview focused on the growing overlap between Type 2 diabetes and MAFLD and highlighted the lack of awareness among both patients and health professionals.

• Most patients with fatty liver don’t know they have it — until it causes serious problems — According to the Institute, fatty liver is present in up to 80% of people with Type 2 diabetes, but it often goes undetected until irreversible damage has occurred. Because liver fat rarely causes pain or immediate symptoms, it’s missed during routine checkups.

• Ignoring liver health leaves you more vulnerable to heart disease and kidney failure — The Institute emphasized that fatty liver isn’t just a liver problem — it’s a full-body threat. Liver fat drives inflammation that damages blood vessels and worsens high blood pressure, two key risk factors for heart attack and stroke. It also interferes with kidney function and raises your risk for chronic kidney disease, another common complication in long-term diabetes.

• Doctors are missing opportunities to screen for liver disease early — Most diabetes care plans don’t include liver imaging or advanced diagnostics unless liver enzymes are elevated, which misses many early cases. The Institute encouraged providers to use more accurate screening tools, like MRI, in people with diabetes, especially if they also have obesity or high triglycerides.

How to Stop Liver Damage from Progressing and Regain Metabolic Control

If you’re dealing with insulin resistance, high triglycerides, or stubborn belly fat, your liver is likely already under strain, even if your labs still look “normal.” To stop the damage from getting worse and start reversing course, you need to take pressure off your liver and restore its ability to clear fat, manage glucose, and protect your body from inflammation.

These five steps focus on what’s driving liver dysfunction at the root, so you’re not just managing symptoms but actually healing what’s underneath it all.

1. Cut out vegetable oils and alcohol immediately — If you’re eating packaged foods made with soybean oil, canola, corn oil, sunflower oil, or anything labeled “vegetable oil,” your liver is under constant assault. These oils are loaded with linoleic acid (LA), a harmful fat that promotes fat buildup in your liver and generates oxidative stress. Your body turns them into OXLAMs — highly reactive molecules that damage mitochondria and disrupt energy production.

Alcohol is just as damaging. It’s broken down into acetaldehyde, another reactive aldehyde that injures your liver at the cellular level. If you already have signs of fatty liver or insulin resistance, removing both vegetable oils and alcohol gives your liver the best shot at recovery. Use grass fed butter, tallow, ghee, or coconut oil for cooking instead.

2. Add choline-rich foods to help your liver move fat out — Choline is required for your liver to package up fat and send it out of your body. Without it, fat just piles up inside liver cells. If you’re not eating foods like pastured egg yolks or grass fed beef liver regularly, you’re likely not getting enough choline to keep things moving. Think of choline as traffic control for your liver — without it, everything jams up, and damage begins.

3. Consider a choline supplement if your diet falls short — If you avoid eggs or meat, it’s nearly impossible to meet your choline needs through food alone. In that case, a supplement isn’t optional — it’s required. One effective form is citicoline.

At doses between 500 milligrams (mg) and 2,500 mg per day, citicoline not only helps your liver export fats but also supports brain function by boosting acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter linked to memory and focus. If you’re dealing with brain fog, fatigue, or signs of liver dysfunction, this is a smart addition.

4. Get your body moving and shrink your waistline — You don’t need to hit the gym or train for a marathon. Just take a 10- to 20-minute brisk walk after meals, stretch daily, and add in strength training or bodyweight workouts a couple times a week.

These simple movements help lower insulin and keep your liver flushed with oxygen-rich blood. If your waist measures more than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women, it’s a red flag — visceral fat at that level is strongly linked to liver scarring. Focus on dropping inches, not just pounds.

5. Prioritize restorative sleep to lower inflammation — If you’re constantly exhausted or sleeping poorly, your liver doesn’t get the downtime it needs to regenerate. Aim for quality sleep in a cool, dark room. Avoid eating within three hours of bedtime to prevent late-night blood sugar spikes. Even small improvements in your sleep help reduce liver inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity over time.

FAQs About Fatty Liver and Type 2 Diabetes

Q: How common is fatty liver disease in people with Type 2 diabetes?

A: Fatty liver disease is extremely common in people with Type 2 diabetes. Research shows that up to 59% of diabetes patients have MASLD, even when no symptoms are present. Alarmingly, 7% already have advanced liver scarring — and most don’t know it.5

Q: Why do vegetable oils and alcohol harm your liver so much?

A: Vegetable oils like soybean, corn, and canola are high in LA, a fat that turns into toxic byproducts called OXLAMs in your body. These damage your liver’s mitochondria and fuel inflammation.

Alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde, another toxic aldehyde. Both overwhelm your liver’s ability to detoxify and repair itself, leading to scarring and poor metabolic health. Cutting both out is one of the most effective ways to stop further damage.

Q: What signs should I watch for if I think my liver is in trouble?

A: Fatty liver disease is called “silent” for a reason — you often don’t feel anything until serious damage is done. However, warning signs include persistent fatigue, belly weight gain, high triglycerides, elevated blood sugar, or mildly raised liver enzymes. Waist size is also a clue: more than 40 inches in men or 35 in women suggests visceral fat buildup, which is closely tied to liver scarring.

Q: What foods help clear fat from my liver?

A: Choline-rich foods like pastured egg yolks and grass fed beef liver help your liver export excess fat. Without enough choline, fat builds up inside liver cells, leading to inflammation and fibrosis. If your diet lacks these foods, a choline supplement like citicoline — at doses of 500 to 2,500 mg daily — supports liver detox and brain function.

Q: How is fatty liver connected to other health problems like heart disease or brain fog?

A: Liver fat doesn’t just stay in your liver. It drives insulin resistance, disrupts blood sugar control, and promotes inflammation throughout your body. This ripple effect raises your risk for heart disease, cognitive decline, and kidney dysfunction — even if you don’t have obvious liver symptoms.

Among the many components that contribute to a healthy gut, prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics stand out as key players. These compounds play distinct yet interconnected roles in maintaining a balanced and healthy digestive system.

Prebiotics, the nondigestible fibers, serve as nourishment for beneficial bacteria. Probiotics, the live microorganisms, directly contribute to a healthy gut microbiome. Postbiotics, the bioactive compounds produced during fermentation, offer additional health benefits. Understanding the differences and functions of these three elements can help you make informed choices to optimize the health of your gut.

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are nondigestible food components that promote the growth and activity of beneficial microorganisms in your intestines. They are typically high-fiber compounds found in various plant-based foods and serve as food for probiotics and other beneficial bacteria in the gut.

According to the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), a prebiotic is “a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit.”1 They help to ensure proper balance of gut microbiota by accelerating the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, and suppressing growth of harmful bacteria.

Prebiotics also help increase the growth of beneficial bacteria while boosting production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate and propionate, which play a role in building the gut barrier,2 making it less permeable to disease-causing microorganisms.3 Further, butyrate has been shown to induce programmed cell death of colon cancer cells.4

In addition, prebiotics play a role in regulating immune response, controlling gene expression in bacterial cells and improving absorption of micronutrients. Research suggests prebiotics may be useful for treating multiple diseases, including:5

Obesity
Chronic enteritis
Skin disease
Autism
Ulcerative colitis

In an animal study, dietary prebiotics were even found to have a significant effect on rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep cycles, which may positively affect your sleep quality.6 The study authors said:7

“Given that sufficient NREM sleep and proper nutrition can impact brain development and function, and that sleep problems are common in early life, it is possible that a diet rich in prebiotics started in early life could help improve sleep, support the gut microbiota and promote optimal brain/psychological health.”

Inulin is one type of water-soluble prebiotic fiber found in asparagus, garlic, leeks and onions. Other examples include fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). Common food sources of prebiotics include honey, fruits and vegetables, such as prunes and Jerusalem artichokes.

What Are Probiotics?

Many people are familiar with probiotics, or “good” bacteria in your gut. Probiotics can help restore healthy balance to your gut bacteria, which can be disrupted by factors such as antibiotics, poor diet and stress. While both probiotics and prebiotics are essential for gut health, they have distinct differences.

Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that directly contribute to maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, while prebiotics are nondigestible food components that serve as food for the beneficial bacteria, helping them thrive and multiply. In terms of gut health, probiotics introduce beneficial bacteria into your gut, both restoring and maintaining a healthy microbial balance.

Prebiotics, on the other hand, promote the growth and activity of existing beneficial bacteria in your gut by providing them with the necessary nutrients. Traditionally fermented foods, including yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and miso, are naturally rich in probiotics.

Because up to 80% of your immune system is located in your gut, probiotics play a crucial role in immune system function, and a healthy gut is your first defense against disease and a major factor in helping you maintain optimal health and well-being. According to a review published in Cells:8

“Probiotic bacteria can interact and stimulate intestinal immune cells and commensal microflora to modulate specific immune functions and immune homeostasis. Growing evidence shows that probiotic bacteria present important health-promoting and immunomodulatory properties. Thus, the use of probiotics might represent a promising approach for improving immune system activities.”

Further, in addition to improving conditions like irritable bowel syndrome9 and ulcerative colitis,10 research published in JAMA Psychiatry11 adds more support to the importance of probiotics for mental health.

The study, by researchers with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, found supplementing with probiotics led to greater improvements in symptoms of depression compared to placebo, along with relieving anxiety symptoms as well.12

What Are Postbiotics?

Postbiotics are bioactive compounds produced when your body digests prebiotics and probiotics.13 They’re also produced during the fermentation process. This means that if you eat plenty of prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods, including fermented foods, you’ll likely also have higher levels of postbiotics in your gut. Examples of postbiotics include short-chain fatty acids, functional proteins, metabolites, and extracellular polysaccharides.

In my interview with Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe, a microbiome scientist, she explained, “What happens in your body naturally, if you’ve got all the right microbes, is that you eat a meal, your microbiome metabolizes that food and generates postbiotics [excretions from beneficial bacteria] like butyrate [and] a protein called P9.”

Postbiotics consist of non-living microbial products or metabolites, meaning they do not contain live bacteria. Still, they offer a range of health benefits, including antimicrobial properties that inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the gut and anti-inflammatory effects.

Postbiotics also strengthen the gut barrier by promoting the production of mucus and supporting the integrity of the intestinal lining, thereby preventing the translocation of harmful substances.

They also have anticancer potential, with researchers writing in Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins, “Postbiotics have recently emerged as a promising novel adjunct in breast cancer therapy, due to their immunomodulatory effects and the potential to mitigate the adverse effects of conventional treatments.”14

These beneficial compounds also have antiobesity effects. “Postbiotics are also able to prevent obesity by reducing hepatic insulin resistance and activating transcription factors that regulate glucose intolerance and adipose tissue inflammation,” according to a study published in Engineering in Life Sciences.15

Examples of postbiotics include SCFAs like butyrate, propionate and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). In short, postbiotics are the beneficial byproducts of probiotic activity. They also offer many of the benefits of probiotics without the need for live bacteria, which can be advantageous for individuals who may not tolerate live microorganisms well, such as those who are immunocompromised.

The relationship between prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics is symbiotic, meaning they work together to support and maintain optimal gut health. Prebiotics fuel the growth of probiotics, which in turn produce postbiotics that offer additional health benefits.

Have You Heard of Akkermansia?

Akkermansia muciniphila is neither a prebiotic nor a conventional probiotic. Rather, it’s a specific keystone species of beneficial bacteria naturally present in the human gut. Akkermansia is not a postbiotic either, but can produce postbiotic compounds that provide additional health benefits.

Akkermansia is so beneficial that it should, ideally, constitute as much as 5% of your gut microbiome, if you’re healthy. However, DNA analyses suggest about one-third of people have few to no Akkermansia at all, and I suspect this is due to insufficient energy production (low metabolism) and resulting oxygen leakage in the gut.

Akkermansia is associated with many different health benefits, including enhanced gut barrier function, reduced inflammation and improved metabolic health.

Having higher levels of Akkermansia is also associated with lower weight, while lower levels of Akkermansia are linked to obesity. Interestingly enough, drugs like Ozempic closely mimic the effects of Akkermansia on GLP-1. Along with affecting insulin regulation, GLP-1 may influence the nervous system, leading to an appetite-reducing response. As explained by Cutcliffe:

“Some … postbiotics … signal your body to produce GLP-1. All that signaling is happening from the microbiome directly to the L cells. And so you eat a meal, your microbiome digests them, these postbiotics get created and tell your L cells, ‘Hey, go produce GLP-1,’ and then you get a spike in GLP-1 in your body.

GLP-1 stimulates your body too. It says, ‘We’ve got to metabolize the sugar in the bloodstream, release insulin.’ It also signals to your brain, ‘We just ate, we’re full, we don’t need to eat again.’ After a period of time, GLP-1 goes down — until the next time you eat a meal. Then it spikes again.

So that’s the natural way of things. There are only two strains that have been published, to date, that have been shown to be able to stimulate L cells to produce GLP-1, and one of them is Akkermansia. It actually secretes three different [postbiotics] that stimulate L cells to produce GLP-1.

So, what’s been found is that if you are low or missing Akkermansia, your body is not naturally producing as much GLP-1 as it’s supposed to be. By giving people back Akkermansia, you can now have these physiological benefits of reducing A1C and lowering blood glucose spikes.

To be clear, the natural GLP-1 you produce is different from the drug. The drug is a mimic. It’s an analog. It looks like GLP-1. It gets injected into the bloodstream directly, which means that rather than the natural spike after you eat [followed by a decline], the [drug] is keeping those levels really high all the time.

So, this signaling of ‘we got to metabolize sugar in the blood and we’re full, we just ate’ is going on constantly. That’s why people experience these incredible, amazing overnight effects because that’s how those drugs are working. But if you actually have the right microbes, you can generate your body’s natural GLP-1 and get back into this natural cycle.”

The good news is you can easily enhance the abundance of Akkermansia in your gut via dietary interventions,16 including supplementing with probiotics and prebiotics that promote Akkermansia growth in the gut.

Specific examples include Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium animalis, Lactococcus lactis (probiotic) and oral fructo-oligosaccharides (a prebiotic). Eating more fiber is also important, as the short-chain fatty acids that form from fiber as it ferments in your intestines feed beneficial bacteria, including Akkermansia.

Why Mitochondrial Function Is Key to Successful Akkermansia Supplementation

When your cellular energy decreases, your body struggles to effectively eliminate oxygen from your colon. This has serious consequences for the normal inhabitants of your colon, which can be killed when oxygen levels rise. This is why Akkermansia supplementation alone is not a complete solution.

It is crucial to commit to a program designed to decrease mitochondrial toxins. This is because reduced mitochondrial function needs to be compensated for to ensure oxygen can be removed from the colon. If you fail to address this issue, even the best Akkermansia supplement with the most effective delivery system will have limited benefits. The newly introduced Akkermansia bacteria will likely be killed soon after arriving in your oxygen-rich colon environment.

This is one of the primary reasons why it’s vital to eliminate all seed oils from your diet for at least six months before starting an Akkermansia supplementation program. This preparatory period allows your body to recover mitochondrial function and create a more hospitable environment in your colon for the beneficial bacteria.

By taking these steps, you can maximize the potential benefits of Akkermansia supplementation and support overall gut health. Remember, addressing the root cause — mitochondrial function and colon oxygenation — is essential for the success of any gut health intervention.

Probiotic Potency Explained: CFU, AFU, and TFU

When evaluating the potency of probiotics, two units of measurement often come into discussion: Colony Forming Units (CFU) and Active Fluorescent Units (AFU). Understanding the distinction between these units is crucial for both consumers and healthcare professionals to assess the effectiveness and quality of probiotic supplements accurately.

• Colony Forming Units (CFU) — This is the most widely recognized and utilized metric for quantifying the number of viable bacteria or fungal cells in a probiotic product. One CFU represents a single microorganism capable of dividing and forming a colony under specific laboratory conditions. This measure is important because the therapeutic benefits of probiotics are directly related to the number of live microorganisms that reach your gut.

Probiotic manufacturers typically list CFU counts on product labels, indicating the number of live organisms per serving. Higher CFU counts are often marketed as more potent, though the optimal CFU dosage can vary depending on the specific strains and the health outcomes targeted.

It’s important to note that not all CFUs are equal; the efficacy of a probiotic also depends on the strains used and their ability to survive the acidic environment of the stomach to colonize the intestines.

• Active Fluorescent Units (AFU) — This unit is a less conventional and not widely standardized measure in the context of probiotics. While CFU shows the number of bacteria that are alive, AFU refers to the total number of bacteria present, both dead and alive. It is primarily a unit used to measure enzymatic activity.

For instance, AFU could be used to evaluate the activity levels of specific enzymes produced by probiotics, which contribute to their health benefits, such as breaking down lactose or producing vitamins. In some specialized applications, AFU is also used to assess the metabolic activity or functional potency of probiotic strains beyond mere viability.

However, because AFU is not a standardized metric in the probiotic industry, its use can lead to confusion and inconsistency in product labeling and efficacy claims.

• Total Fluorescent Units (TFU) — This unit measures the total bacterial mass including both live and dead cells through fluorescent labeling, and is typically used only for pasteurized products. Like AFU, TFU values are higher than CFU counts for the same sample since they include both viable and non-viable cells.

The primary difference between CFU, AFU and TFU lies in what they measure: CFU quantifies the number of live microorganisms; AFU assesses the functional activity of those microorganisms; and TFU measures the total bacterial mass, regardless of their functional activity.

While CFU provides a clear indicator of the potential for colonization and survival of probiotics in the gut, AFU could offer additional insights into the functional capabilities of the probiotic strains.

However, due to the lack of standardization and widespread recognition of AFU in the probiotic market, CFU remains the gold standard for assessing probiotic potency. Consumers are generally advised to focus on CFU counts and the specific strains included in a probiotic supplement to ensure they are selecting a product with proven efficacy for their health needs.

Current Akkermansia Clinical Trials: Dosages and Applications

As research advances, numerous clinical trials are underway to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Akkermansia-based interventions.17 Clinical trials investigating Akkermansia muciniphila employ a range of dosages to determine optimal therapeutic effects.

The typical dosages being tested span from 100 million to 10 billion CFUs per day. This wide range allows researchers to assess both the minimum effective dose and the potential benefits of higher bacterial concentrations.

For human trials focusing on metabolic health and obesity, a dosage of 10 billion CFU is often used.18 For example, a trial examining the impact of Akkermansia on insulin sensitivity in insulin resistant overweight and obese volunteers administered 10 billion CFUs daily.19

After three months, the treatment group had improved insulin sensitivity, reduced insulinemia and lower total cholesterol compared to the placebo group. They also lost 1.37 kilos of body fat and reduced their hip circumference by 2.63 centimeters compared to baseline measurements.

Blood markers of liver dysfunction and inflammation were also reduced, causing the researchers to concluded that “this proof-of-concept study shows that the intervention was safe and well-tolerated and that the supplementation with A. muciniphila improves several metabolic paramaters.”

Research exploring Akkermansia’s role in strengthening the gut barrier and preventing leaky gut syndrome and liver cirrhosis20 often employs a dosage of 1 billion CFUs per day.

Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics Work Together to Promote Gut Health

Incorporating prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics into your daily diet can significantly enhance your gut health and overall well-being. Start by including a variety of high-fiber foods such as garlic, onions, kiwi and prunes to boost your intake of prebiotics. Add fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi to introduce beneficial probiotics.

With both anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory properties, fermented papaya is another option that contains both prebiotics and probiotics, and may help stimulate the immune system in the colon.21

To benefit from postbiotics, continue consuming fermented foods and consider supplements that contain bioactive compounds. By integrating these elements into your diet, you can gain meaningful amounts of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics to support balanced gut microbiota, strengthen your immune system and promote digestive and overall health.

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Which of the following fats is not a major source of linoleic acid (LA)?

Sunflower oil
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Depression is not just a passing sadness — it’s a condition that reshapes daily life, sapping energy, clouding concentration, and pulling people away from the things that matter most. It strikes across ages and cultures, leaving many caught in a cycle of exhaustion, poor sleep, and emotional heaviness that makes even simple routines feel overwhelming.

When ignored, it typically doesn’t fade; it deepens, often opening the door to chronic illness, reduced quality of life, and even shortened lifespan. What often gets overlooked is how deeply nutrition affects this struggle. Minerals you might think of as basic building blocks for bone strength or blood pressure control are also central to brain health.

The balance of minerals in your diet influences how your nerve cells communicate, how stable your emotions feel, and how resilient you are to stress. Among them, potassium stands out as a nutrient most people don’t get enough of. Found naturally in fruits, vegetables, dairy, and beans, it supports smooth electrical signaling in your brain, steady muscle contraction, and fluid balance.

When your intake falls short, the effects ripple into how your brain regulates mood. This connection between diet and mental well-being is gaining attention worldwide, and researchers have begun examining large-scale data to reveal just how strongly minerals, especially potassium, shape emotional health.

Mineral Intake Shapes Mood Health in Surprising Ways

In a study published in Nutrients, scientists analyzed large-scale health and nutrition surveys from South Korea and the U.S. to see if mineral intake was tied to depression risk.1

They focused on seven minerals — sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, and calcium — and used data from more than 22,000 Korean adults and nearly 10,000 American adults. By comparing these massive datasets, the researchers looked for patterns showing whether people with higher or lower mineral intake were more likely to experience depression.

• Adults with depression tended to have lower mineral intake overall — The data showed that people with depression ate fewer minerals compared to those without depression. In Korea, 4.1% of participants were depressed, while in the U.S., 6.2% fell into that category.

Beyond just depression rates, those affected also had lower income, education, and more chronic conditions. The striking finding was that in both countries, potassium stood out as a consistent mineral linked to lower depression risk.

• Potassium intake was the only mineral tied to better mood in both nations — In Korea, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus were linked to less depression, while in the U.S., potassium, zinc, and iron showed protective associations. This overlap highlights potassium as the mineral that truly connects diet to mental health on a global scale. This means a simple change like eating more potassium-rich foods could directly affect your resilience against low mood.

• Sodium showed unique results in Korea because of diet patterns — While Americans often get sodium from processed foods, Koreans consume large amounts of sodium from fermented vegetables, soups, and stews. These foods deliver sodium in a whole-food context.

This difference likely explains why sodium was protective in Korea but not in the U.S. The lesson for you is that source matters. Getting minerals from real food is not the same as eating them from processed meals.

• Why potassium protects mood — Potassium balances electrical signaling in brain cells and stabilizes neurotransmitter activity. Low potassium disrupts nerve excitability, making it harder for your brain to regulate emotions. Potassium channels, which act like gates in brain cells, are also directly involved in mood regulation. When those gates malfunction from low potassium intake, depression risk rises.

• Food choices drive emotional well-being — This research makes it clear: minerals aren’t just for bone or heart health — they directly shape your mood. Paying attention to what’s on your plate isn’t just about blood pressure or digestion. It’s about safeguarding your mental health. By choosing potassium-rich foods and balancing sodium intake with whole food sources, you give your brain the raw materials it needs to maintain emotional stability.

Low Potassium Levels Linked to Mood Struggles

A study published in Brain and Behavior investigated whether low potassium intake, measured through 24-hour urine samples, was tied to depression and anxiety in adults.2 Urine testing was used because 77% of the potassium you eat gets excreted, making it a reliable way to gauge daily intake. The study included 546 adults from Xinjiang, China, who provided urine samples and completed standardized depression and anxiety questionnaires.

• People with lower potassium intake had worse mental health scores — Participants were divided into three groups based on how much potassium was found in their urine. Those in the lowest group were nearly three times more likely to report depression compared to the highest group, and their depression scores were significantly higher.

Anxiety followed a similar pattern, with those in the middle group facing double the odds of anxiety symptoms compared to the high-potassium group. This means that not getting enough potassium in your diet increases your odds of living with both low mood and anxiety.

• The overlap between depression and anxiety was especially striking — People who had both conditions together were much more common in the low and middle potassium groups. About 10% to 11% of participants with low or mid-level potassium showed both depression and anxiety, compared with less than 3% in the high-potassium group.

This suggests that adequate potassium intake doesn’t just affect single conditions — it helps buffer you against the burden of multiple mental health challenges occurring at the same time.

• The study confirmed the findings even after accounting for other factors — To make sure results weren’t skewed, the researchers adjusted for variables like blood pressure, diabetes, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, and sleep quality. Even with those factors accounted for, the association between low potassium and mood disorders held strong. This strengthens the case that potassium itself plays a direct role in how stable and balanced you feel mentally.

How to Restore Potassium and Protect Your Mood

If your potassium intake is too low, your brain and body pay the price. The studies you’ve just learned about show that when potassium levels drop, depression and anxiety rise.

That means one powerful step you can take for your emotional health is to bring this mineral back into balance through your everyday choices. You don’t need expensive treatments or complicated plans — just steady, consistent changes that give your brain and nerves what they need to work smoothly. Here are five steps to start with:

1. Load your plate with potassium-rich foods every day — Think in terms of whole, colorful foods. Bananas, sweet potatoes, grass fed yogurt, and leafy greens are some of the richest sources of potassium. If you usually eat a lot of processed foods or takeout meals, swapping them with potassium-rich whole foods in your daily routine will shift your potassium balance in the right direction.

2. Fix your sodium-to-potassium ratio — Your body works best when you eat about five times more potassium than sodium, yet the average American gets nearly double the sodium instead. If most of your meals come from boxes, bags, or restaurants, your ratio is upside down.

This imbalance drives far more than high blood pressure — it’s linked to memory decline, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.3 Shifting your balance means choosing fresh, potassium-rich foods more often while cutting back on refined, salty processed products.

3. Choose real food sources of potassium — The simplest way to improve your mineral balance is to add foods that naturally pack in potassium. As long as you tolerate them, spinach, beet greens, broccoli, Swiss chard, winter squash, tomatoes, oranges, cantaloupe, coconut water, carrots, kefir, and grass fed yogurt are all excellent options.

I recommend you treat these like daily “mood protectors” on your plate. Every serving helps your nerves fire more smoothly, your brain stay more focused, and your mood stay more even.

4. Switch from processed salt to natural salt — Refined white table salt is stripped of supportive minerals. It contains only trace amounts of potassium, about 151 milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg). Natural unprocessed salts contain over 2,000 mg of potassium per kg.4 This difference matters. You still get flavor, but you also give your body minerals that support better nerve and brain function rather than draining them away.

5. Make gradual changes that stick — You don’t need to overhaul your diet overnight to feel the benefits of better sodium-to-potassium balance. Start by swapping one processed meal or snack each day for a whole-food option, like replacing chips with carrot sticks or cantaloupe.

These small, steady shifts lower processed salt while boosting potassium naturally. If you keep building on these changes week after week, your body adapts, your taste for salty packaged food fades, and your mood and energy become more stable without you feeling deprived.

FAQs About Potassium and Mental Health

Q: How is potassium linked to depression and anxiety?
A: Research shows that people who eat less potassium are significantly more likely to experience depression and anxiety. Large studies in Korea, the U.S., and China found that low potassium intake consistently increased the risk of mood disorders, while higher intake supported emotional stability.5,6

Q: Why is my sodium-to-potassium ratio important for mental health?
A: Your body functions best when you get about five times more potassium than sodium. Most Americans do the opposite, consuming nearly double the sodium instead. This imbalance raises the risk not only for high blood pressure but also for depression, memory problems, osteoporosis, and other chronic health conditions.

Q: What foods are the best sources of potassium?
A: Whole foods are the most effective way to raise potassium levels. Some of the richest sources include spinach, beet greens, broccoli, Swiss chard, winter squash, tomatoes, oranges, cantaloupe, bananas, coconut water, carrots, kefir, and grass fed yogurt.

Q: How does processed salt differ from natural salt?
A: Refined white table salt is stripped of supportive minerals and contains almost no potassium — about 151 mg per kg. In contrast, natural unprocessed salts contain more than 2,000 mg of potassium per kilogram, along with other trace minerals that support brain and nerve health.7

Q: What are simple steps I can take to improve my sodium-to-potassium balance?
A: Start small. Replace processed foods with potassium-rich fruits and vegetables, switch from table salt to natural salt, and aim to add at least one extra serving of fresh produce daily. Even gradual changes shift your balance, reduce excess processed salt, and give your brain the minerals it needs for better mood and energy.

Linoleic acid (LA) is an omega-6 polyunsaturated fat (PUF) abundantly found in vegetable oils like safflower, soybean, and sunflower oil, as well as most ultraprocessed foods. Despite mainstream medical advice dictating that LA is essential, I believe that it is one of the worst ingredients in the food system today because excessive intake may compromise your cellular and mitochondrial function.

The usual intake of LA is approximately 29 grams per day, which is a far cry from our ancestors’ intake back in 1865 — just 2 grams daily! Given this drastic shift, some researchers have proposed a link between elevated LA intake and rising rates of chronic disease, including cancer.

Aggressive Cancer Cells Thrive on LA

A study published in Science journal investigated how LA may influence cancer growth in animal and cellular models.1 The researchers focused on aggressive breast cancer cells, known as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), using an animal model to understand the process behind these tumors. This form of breast cancer is especially difficult to treat because it does not respond to common therapies.

• A high-LA diet substantially accelerated tumor growth — Mice fed with LA, similar to diets high in ultraprocessed foods and vegetable oils, developed larger tumors than those consuming lower levels of this PUF.
What is notable is how LA appeared to drive such rapid tumor growth. The researchers found that LA didn’t merely provide fuel — it also activated a cellular growth pathway, mTORC1 (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1), which acts like a switch for your cells, telling them when to multiply. When this switch is activated by LA in these models, cancer cells multiply more rapidly.
• The link between mTORC1 and FABP5 — The activation of mTORC1 was evident in cancer cells containing high amounts of fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5), which can be thought of as a delivery vehicle that picks up LA from your diet and transports it toward cancer cells. Once inside, FABP5 binds to and helps activate mTORC1. When this occurs, cells multiply more rapidly, contributing to tumor growth.
The researchers observed this effect in the test models they ran. Within just a few weeks of starting a high-LA diet, tumors in the high-LA mice subjects grew larger and faster compared to groups fed diets with lower LA content. This effect was consistent and measurable, suggesting a relationship between dietary LA and accelerated tumor progression in these mice.
• Exploring the role of mTORC1 — The researchers observed that the effect was especially pronounced in triple-negative breast cancer tumors, which are among the hardest forms of cancer to treat. The mechanism behind this accelerated growth involves the protein complex mTORC1.
Normally, mTORC1 helps your body regulate growth, responding to nutrients and ensuring your cells multiply when they have sufficient resources. However, when continuously activated by LA through FABP5 in these models, mTORC1 pushes cells toward a sustained state of growth. For cancer cells, this can translate into continuous multiplication.
• The mechanism behind FABP5 — When the LA from your diet binds to FABP5, it is transported toward the cellular area where mTORC1 resides. FABP5 then helps LA interact with the components of mTORC1, pushing the switch to turn “on.” Without FABP5, LA does not efficiently activate mTORC1, and tumor growth is reduced.
By binding to FABP5, LA forms a complex that activates mTORC1, which drives tumor cell growth, the researchers noted. “Feeding mice that model triple-negative breast cancer a high-linoleic-acid diet increased FABP5 levels, mTORC1 activation and tumor growth.”2
• Cancer tissues show elevated FABP5 — The researchers found higher FABP5 levels in cancer tissues compared to normal tissues, suggesting that aggressive cancers may upregulate FABP5 to increase fatty acid uptake. These findings add to the evidence base supporting the value of reducing LA consumption, particularly for individuals concerned about cancer risk.

Co-author John Blenis, Ph.D., summarizes the study, saying that “This discovery helps clarify the relationship between dietary fats and cancer, and sheds light on how to define which patients might benefit the most from specific nutritional recommendations in a personalized manner.”3
Expanding on these findings, co-author Nikos Koundouros, Ph.D., says, “There may be a broader role for FABP5-mTORC1 signaling in other cancer types and even in common chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.”4

How FABP5 Is Implicated in Cancer Spread and Growth

Going deeper into FABP5, a 2023 review published in Drug Discovery Today explored its role in various cancers and why this protein is considered a priority research target in oncology.5

• FABP5 is a “chaperone” protein — This means FABP5 helps transport fat into cancer cells. Examining patient-derived tumor samples, the review reported that higher FABP5 levels were observed more frequently in aggressive cancers such as liver, prostate, breast, and brain tumors.
• Elevated FABP5 was associated with poorer outcomes — In the patient cohorts analyzed, higher FABP5 levels in tumors correlated with lower survival. In one cohort of prostate cancer patients, approximately 35% survived beyond 40 months compared with approximately 80% among those with lower FABP5 levels.
• FABP5 expression was associated with worse breast cancer outcomes — In aggressive TNBC cases reviewed, high FABP5 levels corresponded to lower survival over several years compared to patients whose tumors expressed less FABP5. These findings suggest FABP5 may be more than a biomarker — it may play an active role in cancer progression.
• Reducing FABP5 activity slowed cancer growth in lab studies — The review highlighted improvements in tumor control when FABP5 activity was reduced. In laboratory tests, inhibiting FABP5 slowed cancer cell growth, decreasing cell proliferation by more than half in several aggressive cancers, including prostate and breast cancer cell lines.
In the cited preclinical studies, treatment with FABP5 inhibitors substantially reduced tumor size within weeks and reduced metastasis, supporting FABP5 as a potential therapeutic target.
• Reducing FABP5 produced rapid changes in tumor models — Within days, prostate cancer tumors in these animal models began to shrink; over approximately one month, tumor volumes decreased by roughly twofold compared to untreated animals.
Overall, the review suggests that aggressive cancers such as TNBC, prostate cancer, and liver cancer may show the greatest response to FABP5 reduction strategies in preclinical models. Because these aggressive cancers currently lack effective targeted treatments, FABP5 inhibition could be a promising avenue for further research.
• FABP5 activity correlates with cancer aggressiveness — When the researchers compared FABP5 to other growth-related proteins, higher FABP5 levels showed a stronger correlation with worse patient outcomes and faster progression than many other common cancer markers.
FABP5 is thought to support cancer growth in part by enhancing the activity of several key growth pathways within cells. One of the most prominent is NF-κB, an inflammatory signaling route that works like an accelerator pedal inside cancer cells — when FABP5 activates it in these models, cancer cells rapidly multiply, evade the body’s natural defenses, and become more invasive. Inhibiting FABP5, as demonstrated in these studies, effectively lifted the foot off that pedal, slowing cancer growth.
• FABP5 interacts with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) — These proteins regulate how cells handle fats and growth signals. FABP5 appears to deliver fat to these receptors, activating them and pushing cells to multiply more rapidly. Without FABP5’s assistance, this cycle is interrupted, and cancer cells in these models are less able to sustain rapid growth.
• Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) expression appears to be boosted by FABP5 — HIF-1α is a growth pathway that cancer cells use to survive low-oxygen environments typically found within rapidly growing tumors. In other words, when cancer cells multiply quickly, they often outgrow their blood supply, creating areas low in oxygen. HIF-1α allows cancer cells to adapt and survive these conditions, promoting tumor survival.
Interrupting FABP5 appears to weaken this defense, as shown in preclinical studies, making cancer cells potentially more susceptible to treatment.

These findings are from laboratory or animal research and may not directly apply to human health.

Practical Strategies to Lower Your LA Intake

Taken together, the featured research supports minimizing LA intake as an important strategy that may help reduce cellular dysfunction associated with cancer. The operative word here is “minimize,” as it’s practically impossible to avoid LA in the food system today. Your body needs LA, but only in small amounts — below 5 grams per day. Here are additional recommendations that may reduce LA exposure to support healthier cellular metabolism:

• Ditch ultraprocessed foods — These products, which include packaged foods, normally contain high amounts of LA. Even items you wouldn’t expect, like trail mixes, granola bars, or salad dressings, hide this harmful fat. If your food comes with a label, review it thoroughly before eating it.
• Choose animal meats wisely — Conventionally raised chicken, pork, and farm-raised salmon are higher in LA because of the industrial feed they’re given. Instead, opt for grass fed beef or wild-caught fish. These options have much lower omega-6 levels, reducing your exposure to fats that research associates with cellular inflammation.
• Lower your overall fat intake — To support cellular health, I recommend keeping your total daily fat intake below 30% of your calories. This helps prevent the Randle Cycle, a metabolic switch that shifts fuel use toward fat. For a more in-depth look at this topic, read “Understanding the Randle Cycle.”
• Cut back on nuts and seeds — While nuts and seeds are widely promoted as healthy snacks, I don’t recommend them anymore because they’re loaded with LA. For your safety, choose healthier fats like grass fed butter, tallow, coconut oil, or ghee. These support cellular health without the inflammatory load associated with high-LA foods.
• Eat more healthy carbs — To replace the space left by reducing high-LA foods, consume approximately 250 grams of carbohydrates daily, ideally from nutritious sources such as whole fruits, root vegetables, and properly prepared starches like white rice.

If you have gut health concerns, introduce carbs slowly, starting with white rice and whole fruits. This provides your body with its preferred fuel source, supporting your cellular energy without adding to the inflammatory load linked to high-LA foods.
The Pax health platform, which is coming very soon, will include Food Buddy and the Seed Oil Sleuth. This is a special feature designed to help identify hidden sources of LA in your diet as well as estimate the total daily intake. If you’re interested in reducing exposure, I invite you to sign up once it becomes available, as you may find it useful as a practical tracking aid.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Link Between LA and Cancer

Q: What is LA and why is it considered concerning?
A: LA is an omega-6 PUF commonly found in vegetable oils and ultraprocessed foods. Research suggests excessive intake may disrupt normal cellular function. Recent animal studies have linked high LA intake to the growth of aggressive cancers such as TNBC.

Q: How does LA contribute to aggressive cancer growth?
A: Animal research suggests LA can bind to a protein called FABP5, which activates the mTORC1 growth pathway. In these models, activated cancer cells multiply more rapidly, forming larger tumors. Whether the same relationship holds in human physiology remains an area of active research.

Q: Which high-LA foods should I consider avoiding?
A: Ultraprocessed foods, vegetable oils, conventionally raised meats like chicken and pork, farmed salmon, and nuts and seeds are major sources of LA. Reducing your intake of these foods in your diet may help lower LA exposure, which research associates with cancer risk.

Q: What does published research say about lowering LA intake and cancer progression?
A: In animal and cellular studies, reducing dietary LA has been associated with lower FABP5 and mTORC1 activation and slower tumor growth. Human clinical validation is still needed before any claim about LA reduction as a cancer treatment can be made.

Q: What dietary changes may support cellular health in relation to LA?
A: Focus on whole, unprocessed foods; choose grass fed beef or wild-caught fish; keep total fat intake below 30% of daily calories; limit nuts and seeds; and consume healthy carbohydrates such as white rice, fruits, and properly prepared starches to fuel your cells.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified health care provider before making changes to your health regimen.

Test Your Knowledge with Today’s Quiz!
Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

Which type of medication commonly has anticholinergic effects?

Sleep aids
Many sleep aids contain anticholinergic compounds that block acetylcholine, affecting nervous system functions like heart rate and alertness. Learn more.
Antibiotics
Pain relievers
Blood thinners