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A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
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Your body knows how to heal. Think about it — if a poor diet and lifestyle can contribute to an unhealthy body, it stands to reason that a nutrient-rich diet and lifestyle can conversely contribute to a healthy body. That’s not too hard to figure out.

What is hard to figure out is what is bad for your health and what is good. Are statins good or are they bad? Should you take them? Are there alternatives? If so, what are they? There are many conflicting stories because cholesterol metabolism is complex, making it a perpetually confusing topic. You deserve to understand your health before blindly accepting treatments.

I get a lot of questions about cholesterol, statin drugs, and how to lower cholesterol without taking statins. The good news is that certain plants and lifestyles have been scientifically proven to lower cholesterol. So, let’s break it all down. In this post, I cover:

What is cholesterol, and why do we need it?
Triglycerides and their relationship to cholesterol.
How triglycerides and cholesterol interact.
The Pareto Principle, cholesterol, and statins.
Herbs and plants with evidence for cholesterol-lowering effects.
Key metabolic biomarkers.
With the proper knowledge and approach, you have the power to control your health.

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance found in every cell in the body. Roughly 20% comes from dietary sources, while 80% is primarily manufactured in the liver and other cells. Cholesterol metabolism studies show that this ratio can vary slightly depending on individual factors like genetics, diet, and lifestyle.

Excess sugar, particularly artificial sugars, refined carbohydrates, and genetic errors of liver metabolism, are mainly to blame for high cholesterol. Plant fibers can lower cholesterol, so a diet high in fruits and vegetables and whole grains with minimal fats helps maintain normal cholesterol levels.

• Types of cholesterol:

1. Low-density lipoprotein, LDL, is often called bad cholesterol because high levels are theorized to build plaque in the arteries.
2. High-density lipoprotein, HDL, is called the good cholesterol because it helps to remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream and returns it to the liver for disposal.
3. Very low-density lipoprotein, VLDL, mainly carries triglycerides in the blood and is less commonly measured.

• Why do we need cholesterol? Cholesterol is present in every cell of the human body and is essential for cellular metabolism.

• Cholesterol is essential for several biological functions:1

◦Cell membrane structure — Cholesterol is a key component of cell membranes, providing stability.
◦Hormone production — The building block for steroid hormones, including sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone), cortisol, and aldosterone.
◦Vitamin D synthesis — When the skin is exposed to sunlight, the body uses cholesterol to make vitamin D.
◦Bile acid production — Cholesterol is converted into bile acids in the liver, which help digest fats.

• Cholesterol and brain health:

◦Myelin sheath formation — Cholesterol is a major component of myelin, the protective sheath around nerve fibers that speeds up electrical signaling.
◦Neurotransmitter function — It is involved in the communication between neurons, supporting the function of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.
◦Cell signaling — Cholesterol is crucial for forming “lipid rafts,” specialized areas in cell membranes that facilitate cell signaling in the brain.
◦Learning and memory — Proper cholesterol metabolism in the brain is necessary for synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory.

Triglycerides and Their Relationship to Cholesterol

Triglycerides, another type of fat (lipid) in the blood, come from foods and are synthesized in the liver. Triglycerides also come from extra calories your body does not need right away. Excess calories are converted to triglycerides and stored as fat in the body for later use. While cholesterol is used for structural and hormonal functions, triglycerides serve primarily as an energy source:

• Energy storage — Excess calories from food are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells for later use.
• Transport — Triglycerides circulate in the blood within lipoproteins, especially very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), which also carry some cholesterol.

How Triglycerides and Cholesterol Interact

• Both are transported in the bloodstream via lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL, HDL).
• VLDL particles mainly carry triglycerides but also transport cholesterol. As triglycerides are removed from VLDL, the particles become LDL, which is richer in cholesterol.
• HDL particles help remove excess cholesterol from tissues and return it to the liver for disposal.

So while cholesterol is used for building cell walls, hormone production, and other structural and metabolic functions, triglycerides are used primarily for energy supply and storage.

In a blood test, the total cholesterol level includes LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and sometimes VLDL, and means very little as a combined total. High triglycerides are more concerning because people with high triglyceride levels have an 80% higher risk of having a heart attack compared to people with normal triglyceride levels.2

Inflammation, fibrinogen, triglycerides, homocysteine, belly fat, triglyceride to HDL ratios, and high glycemic levels are the underlying drivers of heart disease.3

“Emerging science is showing that cholesterol levels are a poor predictor of heart disease and that standard prescriptions for lowering it, such as ineffective low-fat/high-carb diets and serious, side-effect-causing statin drugs, obscure the real causes of heart disease.”
~ The Great Cholesterol Myth

The Pareto Principle and Cholesterol

The Pareto Principle states that 80% of outcomes often stem from just 20% of causes, also known as the 80/20 rule. While commonly used in business, this principle can be metaphorically applied to biology and health, especially when identifying the key drivers behind complex issues.

As I mentioned, about 80% of the body’s cholesterol is made in the liver, while only 20% comes directly from the diet. Statins target this liver production by blocking the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which seems logical on the surface. But this approach overlooks why the liver is overproducing cholesterol in the first place — it treats the symptom, not the cause.

In truth, suppressing that 80% of cholesterol production without addressing the underlying 20% of triggers of metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, stress, and hormonal imbalances, can be counterproductive.

Even though dietary cholesterol accounts for just 20%, certain foods (like excess sugar, refined carbs, trans fats, and high-fructose corn syrup) can prompt the liver to increase its cholesterol output. A small subset of poor dietary choices may be responsible for most of the problem — a textbook 80/20 scenario.

For many people, small, focused lifestyle changes — such as eliminating processed foods, walking regularly, or improving sleep — can lead to significant improvements in cholesterol levels. Thus, 20% of your effort may yield 80% of the results.

Herbs and Plants with Evidence for Cholesterol-Lowering Effects

Anna McIntyre writes in “The Complete Herbal Tutor”:4

• Antioxidant herbs protect arteries, inhibit the formation of atherosclerotic plaque, lower cholesterol, and help prevent cardiovascular disease.
• Useful herbs include hawthorn, cayenne, amalaki, guggulu, bilberry, elderberry, ginger, turmeric, evening primrose, Chinese Angelica, and licorice.
• Shiitake and reishi mushrooms and oats contain beta-glucans, which help lower cholesterol.
• A clove of garlic a day can substantially lower cholesterol levels.
• Red clover reduces its absorption.
• Artichoke leaves help lower cholesterol by helping the liver’s metabolism of cholesterol.

Some of these herbs and plants studied for their potential to lower cholesterol levels are listed below in more detail. They are the most researched options, with scientific evidence and study findings cited here.5,6,7,8

• Red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus)

◦Red yeast rice contains monacolin K, a compound chemically identical to the statin drug lovastatin, with all the risks and side effects of taking a statin.9
◦Multiple randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews have shown that red yeast rice can reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by 10% to 33%.
◦It is considered one of the most effective natural products for lowering cholesterol, but quality and safety concerns exist due to variability in monacolin K content and potential contamination with citrinin, a nephrotoxin (kidney-damaging substance).

• Plant sterols and stanols

◦Found naturally in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, seeds, and grains.
◦A 2022 network meta-analysis found that plant sterol supplementation leads to modest LDL and total cholesterol reductions.
◦They work by blocking cholesterol absorption in the small intestine.

• Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)

◦Bergamot extract and its polyphenols have shown promising lipid-lowering effects.
◦A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis found significant decreases in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, and an increase in HDL cholesterol. However, a small number of studies limit the evidence.

• Artichoke (Cynara scolymus)

◦Randomized trials have shown reductions in total cholesterol by up to 18.5% compared to placebo.
◦The evidence base is limited but promising, with good safety profiles reported in studies.

• Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)

◦Several trials, mainly from India, have shown reductions in total cholesterol ranging from 15% to 33%.
◦Some studies also found reductions in LDL cholesterol, though methodological quality varies.

• Guggul (Commiphora mukul)

◦Some randomized trials have reported 10% to 27% reductions in total cholesterol.
◦Although results have been inconsistent, and quality concerns exist, it remains one of the more extensively studied herbal options.

• Garlic (Allium sativum)

◦Ancient history and a wealth of modern research support the use of garlic. More than 3,000 scientific papers cover its chemistry, pharmacology, and clinical uses.10
◦The therapeutic uses of garlic are extensive, but those specific to the cardiovascular system include reducing elevated cholesterol, preventing atherosclerosis and hypertension, treating poor circulation to the legs, and improving overall blood flow through antiplatelet actions.

• Red clover (Trifolium pratense)

◦Systematic reviews have found significant reductions in total cholesterol and increases in HDL cholesterol in postmenopausal women, but effects on LDL cholesterol are inconsistent.

• Green tea (Camellia sinensis)

◦An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition meta-analysis suggests that green tea significantly reduces total cholesterol, including LDL or “bad” cholesterol, to 2.19 mg/dL in the blood. However, green tea didn’t affect HDL, or “good” cholesterol.11

Biomarkers and Blood Work

When examining blood work to evaluate cardiac risk and metabolic health, cholesterol alone is insufficient. These parameters and other risk factors, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and liver function, all need to be considered.

High LDL cholesterol was once thought to contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries, which could lead to the plaque becoming dislodged at some point, leading to a heart attack or stroke. Newer schools of thought don’t point to LDL as causing plaque buildup in the arteries but rather to chronic inflammation as being the cause.12

The newer cardiovascular assessment blood tests measure a specific protein called Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) within the LDL, which directly counts the number of atherogenic (plaque-producing) particles in the blood.

If ApoB is not measured, C-reactive protein (CRP) may be measured. CRP measures overall inflammation in the body and screens for cardiovascular risk. That’s important because many chronic diseases result from chronic inflammation. Metabolic biomarkers are key indicators of overall cellular health and disease risk.

The specific thresholds depend on your risk factors, and each lab has its parameters, but for reference, these are the normal ranges from LabCorp:

• LDL

◦Optimal — 39 mg/dL

• VLDL Cholesterol Cal

◦Optimal — 5 to 40 mg/dL

• Triglycerides

◦Optimal — 0 to 149 mg/dL

• Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)

◦Optimal —

More than 4,400 patients have filed lawsuits that claim serious harm from popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, according to reporting by USA Today.1 That figure represents only a small number of the estimated 12% of American adults — more than 31 million people — who use these medications.

GLP-1 — short for glucagon-like peptide-1 — is a hormone your gut naturally releases after eating to signal fullness and regulate blood sugar. These drugs flood your system with a synthetic version of that signal, keeping it turned on far longer than your body would on its own.

They slow digestion, reduce appetite, and alter blood-sugar signaling — mechanisms that explain both why the drugs suppress hunger so effectively and why the injuries showing up in court filings tend to cluster around the same biological systems.

Once you see how these drugs alter digestion, nutrient absorption, and brain signaling, the injuries described in court filings stop looking random — they follow a predictable biological pattern. Recent safety reporting has also expanded the risk picture well beyond digestion, with health authorities flagging psychiatric symptoms and reproductive concerns that most patients don’t anticipate.2

Meanwhile, conflicting research on some of these signals leaves people in a difficult position when trying to weigh the evidence for themselves. The legal filings, clinical reports, and regulatory warnings all point in the same direction: the conversation around these drugs needs to move past weight loss alone. Here is what the evidence actually shows — and what it means for your health decisions going forward.

Lawsuits Reveal the Real-World Toll Behind Rapid Drug Adoption

Thousands of lawsuits claim serious harm from GLP-1 weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, according to USA Today.3 The population represented in these lawsuits included adults across the U.S., ranging from young adults to older patients, many of whom used the drugs for weight loss rather than diabetes treatment.

Findings showed that digestive injury dominated the claims, with 75% of federal lawsuits alleging gastroparesis — meaning the stomach stops moving food normally. Think of your stomach as a muscular bag that kneads and pushes food forward. Gastroparesis means that kneading slows or stops — food just sits there, fermenting and stretching the stomach wall.

Other lawsuits reported bowel slowdown, intestinal obstruction, gallbladder injury, and persistent vomiting that continued even after stopping the medication. That raises the question many patients don’t consider before starting treatment: what happens if your digestion doesn’t come back online after you stop?

• Legal data shows patterns across thousands of cases — Court reporting cited statements that about 18% of lawsuits allege ileus, a condition where bowel muscles fail to push food forward, and another 18% involve intestinal obstruction, meaning a physical blockage that stops movement through your gut.
Around 8% reported gallbladder injury, sometimes severe enough to require surgery to remove damaged tissue. Many plaintiffs reported multiple complications at once, which explains why totals exceed 100% across categories. This pattern highlights cumulative stress on digestion rather than a single isolated side effect.
• Stories illustrate life-altering consequences — Individual cases showed how symptoms escalate from discomfort to permanent change. One patient described hearing her colon rupture — a blockage caused the bowel to tear, which required removal of a large portion of the colon and months of recovery.
Another patient experienced severe vomiting that led to Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a neurological condition caused by vitamin B1 deficiency characterized by confusion, vision problems, and poor coordination. These examples show how nutrient depletion becomes a significant risk when appetite suppression persists.
• Vision injury adds a different category of risk — At least 110 plaintiffs alleged sudden blindness or severe vision changes after using GLP-1 drugs. One patient developed non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) — often called an “eye stroke” — meaning reduced blood flow damages the optic nerve and leads to permanent vision loss. Research found an increased risk of this condition among people prescribed semaglutide compared with those using other medications.4
• Rapid growth explains why these signals emerged now — Prescription data showed GLP-1 use rose from about 1 million prescriptions in early 2018 to about 9 million in 2022, with usage doubling again between 2024 and 2025 according to survey data.
These medicines existed for diabetes for years, yet widespread weight-loss use created a larger population exposed to long-term effects. When more people use a drug, complications become easier to detect — a reality that shifts the conversation from individual success stories to population-level safety.
• Mechanism centers on slowed digestion and nutrient disruption — GLP-1 drugs mimic a hormone that slows stomach emptying, triggers insulin signaling, and creates fullness that reduces food intake. In simple terms, food stays in your stomach longer, hunger drops, and calorie intake falls — but slower movement also increases risk of nausea, vomiting, and poor nutrient absorption when digestion stalls.
That biological trade-off explains why many lawsuits focus on conditions linked to impaired gut function.
• Legal debate centers on warnings and informed choice — Attorneys representing plaintiffs argued that “the full panoply of conditions that this set of drugs can cause are not fully warned of,” while drug manufacturers responded that the safety profile is well established and labeling reflects known risks.
Experts explained that proving causation will take years of litigation, yet the lawsuits already influence how patients evaluate risk versus benefit. For you, that means the decision to use these medications now includes legal, biological, and long-term metabolic considerations rather than weight loss alone.

New GLP-1 Warnings Expand Beyond Physical Side Effects

The pattern in U.S. courtrooms is echoed by regulators on the other side of the world — and the concerns they’re raising go beyond digestion entirely. New GLP-1 drug safety warnings issued by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration focus on psychiatric risk signals and contraception concerns rather than the digestive injuries already widely discussed.5

As reported by Science Alert, 20 cases of suicidal thoughts were recorded in one year in Australia’s adverse-events database that coincided with GLP-1 use, signaling a safety concern that prompted regulatory attention and label review.6

• Research signals measurable increase in suicidal behavior risk — A 2024 study found a 106% increase in suicidal behavior associated with GLP-1 medicines, a statistic that stands out because it reflects behavioral outcomes rather than physical symptoms alone.7
Additional analysis of World Health Organization safety data also identified a link between semaglutide use and suicidal thoughts, reinforcing that this signal appears across multiple datasets rather than a single report.
• Contraception effectiveness emerges as another safety focus — Researchers highlighted concerns that GLP-1 medicines alter how oral contraceptive hormones absorb in the body, which affects whether hormone levels reach the threshold required to prevent pregnancy.
A review examining tirzepatide found a stronger impact on hormone absorption compared with other drugs in the same class, while more recent research in 2025 concluded that both tirzepatide and oral semaglutide influenced contraceptive hormone levels.8 This means a woman could be taking a birth control pill exactly as prescribed and still become pregnant.
• Brain-related effects connect to appetite and signaling changes — GLP-1 medicines influence brain pathways involved in appetite, reward, and mood regulation, which provides a biological explanation for why psychiatric symptoms appear in safety databases. Changes in blood-sugar signaling and appetite-control circuits interact with emotional regulation systems.
• Regulators shift focus toward proactive monitoring — Health authorities advised patients to report new or worsening depression, mood changes, or unusual behavior while using these medicines, reflecting a shift from passive awareness to active tracking.

Exploring Lifestyle Approaches That Support Metabolic Health

If these reports have you reconsidering whether the drug is worth the risk, the next question is practical: what actually works instead? The pattern in these reports keeps pointing back to the same problem — these drugs override your body’s signals instead of fixing what broke them in the first place. When appetite drops, digestion stalls, and energy fades, your body isn’t losing weight efficiently.

It’s shutting down to conserve resources. Real, lasting fat loss works the opposite way. It happens when your metabolism has what it needs to run, your gut communicates clearly, and your brain gets steady fuel — not when hunger simply gets switched off. This is the central topic of my new book, “Weight Loss Cure; Melt Fat Naturally With Your Own GLP-1.” Here’s a quick summary of how to work with your biology instead of against it.

1. Remove the metabolic stressor that suppresses appetite signals — If you are using prescription medication, discuss any changes with your healthcare provider to determine what approach is appropriate for you. Your body shifts from survival mode into repair mode only after that stress lifts.
When appetite returns, energy production stabilizes, brain function improves, and nutrient depletion stops progressing. Work with your prescribing physician to taper safely. Stopping abruptly can cause rebound appetite surges and blood sugar instability, particularly if you’ve been on the medication for more than a few months.

2. Support the body’s natural metabolic signaling through diet and lifestyle strategies — If you want weight loss without metabolic collapse, I recommend learning how to stimulate your own GLP-1 naturally. My book, “Weight Loss Cure; Melt Fat Naturally With Your Own GLP-1,” explains how to activate GLP-1 through diet and metabolic support rather than forcing it through drugs.
You learn how your gut controls appetite and fat loss by restoring the systems drug companies try to mimic with injections like Ozempic and Wegovy.

3. Repair gut integrity so Akkermansia regulates appetite again — Research suggests certain gut bacteria may be associated with metabolic signaling involved in appetite regulation. If chronic inflammation, excess seed oils, or prolonged metabolic stress have eroded your gut lining, Akkermansia loses its habitat — and the appetite-regulating signal it produces fades. Prioritize gut repair before fiber loading or supplements.
Start by eliminating seed oils and processed foods that drive inflammation, then add gut-supportive foods like homemade bone broth daily — the gelatin and amino acids, especially glycine and proline, help rebuild the mucosal lining that Akkermansia needs to colonize. Colostrum and slow-cooked connective tissue-rich meats also accelerate this repair process.

4. Create an environment where beneficial bacteria thrive — Your daily choices determine whether helpful microbes return. Focus first on eliminating seed oils, which are high in linoleic acid (LA). Excess LA damages the energy-producing machinery inside your cells — your mitochondria — by generating harmful byproducts called free radicals. When mitochondria can’t produce energy efficiently, every downstream process suffers, from gut repair to brain function.
Some individuals choose to monitor linoleic acid intake as part of a broader dietary approach discussed in the book. When my Pax health coaching platform launches, the Seed Oil Sleuth feature will help you track this down to the tenth of a gram. Replace those fats with grass fed butter, ghee, or tallow. After digestion stabilizes, introduce polyphenol-rich foods such as berries and inulin sources like leeks or garlic so your gut ecosystem rebuilds step by step.

5. Restore protein and carbohydrates to rebuild energy and tissue — If your appetite stayed suppressed for weeks or months, your body ran on a deficit. Increase protein gradually toward about 0.8 grams per pound of ideal body weight (or about 1.76 grams per kilogram), with one-third from collagen-rich sources such as bone broth, gelatin, oxtail, or connective-tissue-rich meats.
Pair that with gradual carbohydrate reintroduction — whole fruit first, then easy starches like white rice before complex carbs. Carbohydrate needs vary widely; the book discusses general examples rather than personal recommendations. Your brain interprets adequate glucose as a signal that the famine is over. Once that signal registers, your metabolism shifts from conservation — storing everything it can — to active repair and energy production.

FAQs About GLP-1 Drug Risks

Q: What are the main risks linked to GLP-1 weight-loss drugs?
A: Reports and lawsuits describe digestive shutdown, intestinal blockage, gallbladder injury, severe vomiting, nutrient deficiency, vision loss, and neurological damage. Safety warnings also highlight psychiatric symptoms and contraception concerns. The pattern shows these drugs affect multiple body systems tied to digestion, nutrient absorption, and brain signaling.

Q: Why do these drugs cause problems beyond weight loss?
A: GLP-1 drugs suppress appetite by slowing digestion and altering metabolic signaling. When digestion slows for long periods, nutrient intake drops and absorption changes. That disruption affects energy production, brain function, hormone balance, and gut integrity, which explains why complications extend beyond weight loss itself.

Q: Why are more safety concerns appearing now?
A: Use of these drugs increased rapidly, expanding from diabetes treatment into widespread weight-loss use. When millions more people take a medication, complications become easier to detect and report. Lawsuits, safety databases, and regulatory reviews now capture patterns that were less visible when fewer people used these drugs.

Q: Why do mental health and contraception concerns appear in safety warnings?
A: GLP-1 drugs influence brain pathways that regulate appetite, reward, and mood, which explains reported psychiatric symptoms. Slowed digestion also changes how oral medications absorb, including contraceptive hormones, which affects reliability during certain time periods such as starting treatment or increasing the dose.

Q: What approach supports weight loss without the same metabolic strain?
A: Aim to restore natural appetite regulation rather than suppress it. That includes removing metabolic stressors, repairing gut integrity, reducing seed oils, supporting beneficial bacteria, and rebuilding protein and carbohydrate intake so cellular energy improves. When your metabolism feels safe, appetite signals stabilize and fat loss occurs alongside recovery rather than depletion.

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 is the third leading cause of death in the U.S.?

Medical errors
Medical errors are estimated to cause around 250,000 deaths each year, making them the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn more.

Heart disease
Cancer
Accidents

1 How does regular physical activity improve mitochondrial function?

By increasing glucose storage inside muscle cells over time
By slowing down energy production across all cells
By reducing the need for cellular repair processes
By building new mitochondria and clearing damaged ones
Exercise promotes the formation of new mitochondria and activates mitophagy to clear out damaged ones, lowering excess free radicals. Learn more.

2 Which hormone increases hunger when sleep is lacking?

Melatonin
Dopamine
Serotonin
Ghrelin
Sleep loss raises ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates hunger, increasing appetite and cravings for high-calorie and processed foods. Learn more.

3 What nutrient plays a key role in shaping light-sensing cells in the eye?

Vitamin A
Vitamin A, specifically its derivative retinoic acid, helps guide the formation of cone cells, ensuring the retina develops the cells needed for clear, detailed vision. Learn more.

Vitamin C
Calcium
Iron

4 What vitamin deficiency is most strongly associated with this rare brain risk?

Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin B1
The condition is driven by low vitamin B1, which is essential for brain energy and normal nerve function. Learn more.

Vitamin K

5 How do microplastics most commonly enter the human body?

Through direct injection into the bloodstream
Through food, water, air, and skin contact
Microplastics enter the body through everyday exposures, including food, drinking water, air, and contact with products that shed plastic particles. Learn more.

Only through contaminated medical devices
Only through industrial workplace exposure

6 Sleeping fewer than how many hours is linked to overeating?

Less than 7 hours
Sleeping less than 7 hours is linked to higher odds of overeating and skipping meals, which can lead to stronger hunger later. Learn more.

Less than 8 hours
Less than 6 hours
Less than 5 hours

7 What is the core idea behind nature-aligned health?

Taking more medications
Following strict calorie limits
Avoiding all physical activity
Living in ways humans naturally evolved to live
Nature-aligned health focuses on real food, movement, sleep, sunlight, and gut health — all based on how humans evolved. Learn more.

Test Your Knowledge with
The Master Level Quiz

1 If a person lacks sufficient sleep, how much should time in bed be increased each week?

5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
Gradually increasing time in bed by 5 to 15 minutes each week supports better sleep without overwhelming the body. Learn more.

30 minutes

2 What type of veins appear on the legs as bulging, blue or purple lines under the skin?

Arteries
Capillaries
Lymph vessels
Varicose veins
Varicose veins are swollen, twisted blue or purple veins caused by weakened vein valves that allow blood to flow backward and pool. Over time, this can lead to clots, ulcers, and swelling. Learn more.

3 Which statement best describes sedentary time?

Time spent sitting or lying down while awake
Sedentary time refers to waking hours spent sitting or lying down. Prolonged, uninterrupted periods reduce muscle activity and impair blood sugar and fat metabolism. Learn more.

Time spent sleeping or resting overnight
Time spent doing light physical activity
Time spent exercising at very low intensity

4 Which habit helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm?

Napping at different times each day
Staying awake later on weekends to reset the body clock
Going to bed and waking up at the same time
A consistent sleep schedule stabilizes circadian rhythms, helping regulate hormones that control appetite, metabolism, and energy balance. Learn more.

Eating meals at random hours

5 What is fat that accumulates in organs not designed to store it called?

Ectopic fat
Ectopic fat forms in organs like the liver, where fat is not meant to be stored. This disrupts metabolism and is linked to insulin resistance and inflammation. Learn more.

Subcutaneous fat
Visceral fat
Brown fat

6 Which stress response is triggered by uncontrolled anger?

Rest and digest response
Sleep-wake regulation cycle
Fight-or-flight response
Uncontrolled anger activates the fight-or-flight response, raising heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones, which over time increases inflammation and disease risk. Learn more.

Cooling and recovery response

7 Which one of these does not support healthy eyesight?

Leafy greens and carrots
Artificial fruit-flavored gummies
Whole foods rich in vitamin A and antioxidants support retinal health, while sugary processed foods lack key nutrients needed for healthy vision. Learn more.

Grass fed dairy and egg yolks
Dried berries and citrus fruits

8 Where is the pancreas located in the body?

In front of the stomach
Above the liver
Below the intestines
Behind the stomach
The pancreas sits behind the stomach and plays a key role in digestion and blood sugar control. Pancreatic issues can develop without noticeable symptoms over time. Learn more.

9 Which of the following is not a cause of frequent urination?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Proper hydration and healthy lifestyle habits
UTIs, diabetes, and pregnancy can increase urination. Proper hydration supports normal function and is not a cause of excessive or frequent urination. Learn more.

Diabetes-related blood sugar imbalance
Pregnancy-related hormonal changes

10 Which is a common early warning sign of impaired brain function that should not be ignored?

Increased appetite
Confusion and dizziness
Symptoms like confusion, dizziness, and trouble walking signal impaired brain function and may indicate developing neurological damage. Learn more.

Improved energy levels
Better sleep quality

11 Which natural therapy is described as an “umbrella remedy” due to its wide range of effects?

Curcumin extract
Resveratrol from grapes
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is called an “umbrella remedy” because it reduces inflammation, improves circulation, and helps deliver substances through the skin, supporting multiple therapeutic effects. Learn more.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

12 How do plyometric exercises improve bone health?

By triggering bone growth through osteogenic processes
Plyometric exercises like jumping create impact forces that stimulate osteogenic activity, helping increase bone density and strengthen the hips and spine. Learn more.

By reducing calcium levels in the bloodstream and depositing them in the bones
By limiting stress placed on the skeletal system
By slowing down bone cell activity over time to preserve mineral density

13 Which of the following is not a common source of microplastics?

Synthetic clothing like polyester and nylon
Indoor air filled with plastic fibers
Washing synthetic fabrics frequently
Natural fabrics like cotton and wool
Synthetic fabrics shed microplastic particles into the air and water, while natural materials like cotton and wool release far fewer synthetic fibers. Learn more.

14 Which cells are responsible for building new bone?

Osteoclasts
Osteoblasts
Osteoblasts are the cells that build new bone, while osteoclasts break down old bone. A healthy balance between the two is key for maintaining bone strength. Learn more.

Chondrocytes
Fibroblasts

15 How many pairs of sinuses are located inside the human head?

4
Humans have four pairs of sinuses, totaling eight cavities, located in the forehead, between the eyes, behind the nose, and under the cheeks. Learn more.

2
6
8

16 Poor sleep increases cravings for which type of food?

Fresh fruits
Whole grains
Fried foods
Poor sleep shifts food choices toward fried and sugary foods, increasing how often these are eaten compared to people who sleep well. Learn more.

Leafy vegetables

17 How much ultraprocessed food is linked to a measurable rise in metabolic risk?

One serving per day
Just one extra daily serving of ultraprocessed food is linked to a higher risk of obesity, increased abdominal fat, and a 12% rise in Type 2 diabetes risk. Learn more.

Two servings per day
Three servings per day
Four servings per day

18 What type of radiation from computed tomography (CT) scans is linked to increased cancer risk?

Infrared radiation
Ultraviolet radiation
Microwave radiation
Ionizing radiation
CT scans use ionizing radiation to deliver about 70 times more exposure than a chest X-ray. This level can damage DNA and increase lifetime cancer risk with repeated scans. Learn more.

19 What is a main driver of today’s chronic disease epidemic?

Chronic dehydration
Not getting enough sleep
Processed foods
About 90% of calories in the American diet come from processed foods, which are linked to inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and chronic disease. Learn more.

Sedentary lifestyle

20 What is the name of the protective layer that coats the inside of blood vessels?

Endothelium
Glycocalyx
The glycocalyx is a thin, protective layer that coats the inside of blood vessels, lining the endothelium. It helps prevent clotting and supports nitric oxide production to keep blood flowing smoothly. Learn more.

Myelin sheath
Collagen matrix

21 Why is the ketogenic diet difficult to sustain long-term?

It eventually causes weight gain in most people
It can disrupt cellular energy production over time
Long-term low-carb intake can disrupt mitochondrial energy flow, leading to reduced energy production, gut imbalance, and metabolic stress over time. Learn more.

It completely stops fat metabolism after a few months
It eliminates all sources of protein, which your body always needs

There’s a principle that I’ve refined over decades of clinical practice, research, and personal experimentation: the best approach to health is always grounded in what’s natural. The human body evolved over hundreds of thousands of years within a specific biological context — certain foods, certain light exposures, certain movement patterns, certain microbial environments.

When you operate within that context, your body functions remarkably well. When you deviate from it, problems begin. This isn’t ideology — it’s biochemistry, and it’s measurable. Nearly every cell in your body depends on mitochondria for energy — and those mitochondria were calibrated by evolution to run on specific fuels.

When you flood your mitochondria with substrates they weren’t designed to handle — industrial seed oils, heavily processed carbohydrates, synthetic pharmaceutical compounds — the result is metabolic dysfunction. Reductive stress builds up, electron transport becomes impaired, and the cascade toward chronic disease begins.

My peer-reviewed paper in Free Radical Biology and Medicine documented exactly this mechanism,1 and a subsequent analysis in Advances in Redox Research further detailed how mitochondrial redox imbalance cascades into chronic disease pathways.2 Think of your mitochondria like a furnace designed to burn a specific kind of fuel at a specific rate.

When you dump in fuel they weren’t built for — especially linoleic acid (LA) from seed oils — the furnace doesn’t just slow down. It backfires, throwing off sparks that damage the surrounding machinery. In technical terms, excess reducing equivalents overwhelm the electron transport chain, and the result is a paradoxical surge in reactive oxygen species — the very molecules that accelerate aging and disease.

The Pharmaceutical Trap: Treating Consequences, Not Causes

If I were to estimate the percentage of pharmaceutical drugs that actually address the root cause of a disease — not the symptoms, not the downstream consequences, but the actual cause — it would be less than 1%. The overwhelming majority of medications manage consequences of deeper metabolic dysfunction while leaving that dysfunction completely intact.

• Consider the data — In her landmark paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2000, Dr. Barbara Starfield of Johns Hopkins documented that iatrogenic causes — harm caused by the medical system itself, represented the third leading cause of death in the U.S.3 This included adverse drug reactions, unnecessary surgery, hospital-acquired infections, medical errors, and negative effects of drugs.
An updated analysis by published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in 2016 estimated that approximately 250,000 deaths occur annually from medical errors alone.4 Starfield herself later died from complications of a drug she was prescribed, not from the underlying disease it was treating. This is tragically emblematic of the broader problem.
• When the treatment becomes more harmful than the disease — For many people with chronic conditions, long-term pharmaceutical use may ultimately prove more damaging than the disease it was intended to manage. The irony is that the same medical system documenting these deaths continues to expand pharmaceutical interventions without meaningfully addressing the dietary and lifestyle causes driving the conditions in the first place.
• The pattern repeats across nearly every drug class — Statins lower LDL cholesterol but deplete CoQ10, impair mitochondrial function, and increase diabetes risk. Proton pump inhibitors suppress acid reflux but cause nutrient malabsorption, gut dysbiosis, and kidney damage. SSRIs modulate serotonin but create dependency, blunt emotional range, and carry withdrawal effects that persist for months.
In each case, the drug addresses a downstream marker while ignoring — and often worsening — the upstream metabolic dysfunction driving the problem.

Processed Food: The Foundation of the Chronic Disease Epidemic

Approximately 90% of the calories consumed by Americans now come from processed foods. This single statistic explains more about the state of public health than any other data point.
A major umbrella review published in the BMJ in 2024, analyzing 45 meta-analyses encompassing nearly 10 million participants, found that ultraprocessed food consumption was directly associated with 32 adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease mortality, Type 2 diabetes, anxiety, depression, obesity, and all-cause mortality.5

• The risk ratios were striking — Cardiovascular disease-related mortality showed a 50% increase with greater ultraprocessed food exposure. Type 2 diabetes risk increased by 12% per dose increment. Common mental health disorders showed a 53% increased risk. These aren’t marginal effects — these are population-level catastrophes being driven primarily by what people eat every day.
• Poor diets drive nearly half of cardiometabolic deaths in the U.S. — A JAMA study estimated that suboptimal dietary patterns were associated with 318,656 cardiometabolic deaths per year in the U.S. — nearly half of all heart disease, stroke, and diabetes deaths.6 This figure is further supported by my 2026 narrative synthesis, published in Cureus,7 examining how specific dietary components, particularly seed oils and ultraprocessed foods, drive these outcomes.
• The solution is straightforward in principle: eat real, unprocessed food — The foods that humans consumed for millennia — properly raised animal products, vegetables, fruits — provide the substrates your mitochondria require without the toxic byproducts generated by industrial processing.

The more a food is processed, the more it deviates from what your body was designed to handle. Processing strips nutrients, introduces novel chemical compounds, oxidizes delicate lipids, and creates molecular species that your enzymatic detoxification systems have no evolutionary precedent for managing. Every step of processing moves food further from nature and closer to metabolic poison.

Seed Oils: The Primary Driver of Modern Chronic Disease

Of all the components of the processed food supply, seed oils — soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, grapeseed, and rice bran oil — represent the single most damaging element. Data published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that estimated per capita consumption of soybean oil increased more than 1,000-fold from 1909 to 1999, while LA availability rose from 2.79% to 7.21% of total energy intake.8

• This is an unprecedented change in human dietary history — And it’s occurred within a mere century — a blink of an eye in evolutionary terms. LA is an 18-carbon omega-6 polyunsaturated fat that’s highly susceptible to oxidation. When it oxidizes — which it does readily during cooking, processing, and storage — it generates toxic aldehydes, particularly 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE). 4-HNE is one of the most dangerous byproducts your body can produce.
It kills cells, damages DNA, triggers mutations, and promotes cancer (technically described as cytotoxic, genotoxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic). Think of it as molecular shrapnel — every time you heat a seed oil, you’re generating fragments that tear through cellular machinery.
• My extensive body of peer-reviewed research has documented these mechanisms across multiple disease pathways — In Nutrients, I published a comprehensive review with Dr. Christopher D’Adamo showing how excess LA leads to oxidized metabolites (OXLAMs), impaired mitochondrial function through suboptimal cardiolipin composition, and downstream chronic disease including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration.9
In the World Journal of Cardiology, I demonstrated how dietary LA restriction can reduce oxidized LDL by approximately 15%, mitigating arterial inflammation that is a key atherogenic trigger.10
In the World Journal of Clinical Oncology, I documented the historical parallel between rising LA consumption and rising cancer incidence, showing how 4-HNE from LA oxidation induces oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in cellular membranes, elevates pro-inflammatory eicosanoids like prostaglandin E2, and disrupts gut microbiota.11
And in the World Journal of Biological Chemistry, I showed how LA magnifies bioenergetic stress in the liver when choline is insufficient, contributing directly to the fatty liver epidemic.12
• The half-life of LA in human fat tissue is approximately two years — This means the damage from seed oil consumption is far more persistent than damage from sugar, refined carbohydrates, or other dietary insults. It takes years of diligent avoidance to clear the accumulated LA from your tissues. Every seed oil you eliminate today is an investment in cellular health that will pay dividends for years to come.

The Law of Unintended Consequences

Any time you deviate from what is biologically natural — whether through a pharmaceutical drug, a processed food, or a novel synthetic compound — you need to contend with the law of unintended consequences. Human biology is a system of staggering complexity, with cascading feedback loops, redundant pathways, and emergent properties that no reductionist drug trial fully captures.

• This is precisely why the ancestral approach to health is so powerful — You aren’t fighting biology — you’re working with it. When you eat unprocessed food, you’re providing your cells with the substrates they evolved to use.13 When you get sunlight exposure, you’re activating photoreceptor systems that regulate circadian rhythm, vitamin D synthesis, and mitochondrial function. When you move your body, you’re stimulating the very pathways that maintain metabolic flexibility and cellular resilience.
• The opposite approach is a losing strategy — Relying on pharmaceutical drugs to compensate for a diet and lifestyle that violates every biological principle your body was designed around is like pouring water into a bucket with a hole in the bottom and wondering why the bucket never fills. The drugs may slow the leak, but they can’t seal it. Only removing the cause — the processed food, the seed oils, the sedentary behavior, the chronic stress — restores metabolic integrity.

Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0): A Case Study in Nature’s Solutions

One of the most compelling examples of a nature-aligned therapeutic is C15:0, an odd-chain saturated fatty acid found primarily in dairy fat. My research published in the World Journal of Biological Chemistry documented that C15:0 activates AMP-activated protein kinase — your cells’ built-in fuel sensor, which detects when energy is low and shifts metabolism toward repair and fat burning.14
It also suppresses mTOR, the growth-and-repair switch that, when chronically overactivated by modern diets, accelerates aging and promotes cancer. It also selectively inhibits histone deacetylase 6 (an enzyme involved in inflammatory signaling), boosts energy production through Complex II of the mitochondrial chain, preserves mitochondrial membrane integrity, and reduces the production of reactive oxygen species — the damaging molecules at the heart of oxidative stress.
These findings were further detailed in my 2025 Cureus narrative review of C15:0’s multi-target protective mechanisms.15

• Higher C15:0 levels linked to lower risk of major chronic diseases — In a separate paper in the World Journal of Cardiology, I reviewed approximately 115 PubMed-indexed studies showing that higher circulating C15:0 levels are associated with reduced Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, and all-cause mortality.16
• This is what nature-aligned health looks like in practice — A naturally occurring fatty acid, present in traditional dairy products that humans have consumed for thousands of years, operating through multiple well-characterized biological pathways to produce broad anti-inflammatory and metabolic benefits — with no detectable cytotoxicity. Compare that to a typical pharmaceutical: one receptor target, a page of side effects, and a price tag orders of magnitude higher.

Advanced Delivery: Working with Biology at the Nanoscale

Even when nutrients are beneficial, conventional supplement forms often fail to deliver them effectively. My research published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics documented how nanoliposomal delivery platforms — lipid bilayer vesicles on the nanometer scale — enhance nutrient stability in the gastrointestinal tract and improve cellular uptake two-fold to 10-fold compared with free compound controls.17

• This isn’t about replacing nature with technology — It’s about using biomimetic engineering — structures that mirror your body’s own phospholipid membranes — to deliver nature’s compounds more effectively. The liposome itself is a natural structure. We’re simply optimizing the delivery of what nature already provides.

The Environmental Dimension: Microplastics as a Modern Toxin

The ancestral health framework also illuminates the danger of novel environmental toxins that have no evolutionary precedent. My review published in Cureus documented that global plastic production increased from approximately 2 million metric tons in 1950 to over 450 million metric tons by 2018, with microplastics now detected in human blood, placenta, lung tissue, and atherosclerotic plaques.18

• Microplastics in arterial plaques linked to higher heart attack and stroke risk — One cohort study cited in my review reported higher rates of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death among patients whose carotid plaques contained microplastics or nanoplastics. This is another dimension of the unintended consequences of departing from natural materials and systems. Your body has no evolved mechanism for clearing synthetic polymer particles from your tissues.

What You Can Do: Returning to Ancestral Health Principles

The path forward isn’t complicated. It requires discipline, not complexity. The foundational steps are:

1. Eliminate seed oils — Remove soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, grapeseed, and rice bran oils from your kitchen and your diet. Replace them with stable saturated fats like tallow, ghee, butter from grass fed animals, and coconut oil. Read every label. Seed oils are in virtually every packaged food, restaurant meal, and fast-food item.
2. Eat unprocessed food — If it comes in a box, bag, or wrapper with an ingredient list, it’s processed. Build your diet around whole foods — properly raised animal products, vegetables, fruits, and grass fed dairy. Cook at home. Know what you’re eating.
3. Minimize pharmaceutical dependence — Work with a qualified health practitioner to address root causes of any health conditions through dietary and lifestyle modifications before resorting to pharmaceutical interventions. This isn’t about rejecting medicine categorically — there are rare situations where drugs are necessary and lifesaving. But those situations represent a tiny fraction of current pharmaceutical use.
If you’re currently taking prescribed medications, don’t reduce or stop them without direct supervision from your prescribing physician. The goal is to work with your doctor to reduce pharmaceutical dependence over time as dietary and lifestyle changes take hold.
4. Support mitochondrial function — Your mitochondria are the engines of cellular health. Support them through targeted nutrition — including adequate B vitamins, CoQ10, magnesium, and C15:0 — while eliminating the primary mitochondrial toxins: seed oils, alcohol, and ultraprocessed foods.
5. Respect the evolutionary template — Beyond what you eat and what you avoid, your body expects a set of environmental inputs that were constant throughout human evolution. Get adequate sunlight exposure. As explained in my SSRN preprint paper, research suggests that sunlight does far more than trigger vitamin D synthesis — it directly influences mitochondrial energy production through photoreceptor pathways in ways we’re only beginning to characterize.19
The same principle applies to the other biological signals your body evolved to expect. Move your body daily. Sleep in alignment with circadian rhythms. Manage psychological stress. These aren’t lifestyle luxuries — they’re biological requirements that your body was calibrated to expect.

The chronic disease epidemic isn’t a mystery. It’s a predictable consequence of a population that has systematically departed from the biological inputs its bodies were designed to receive. The solution is to return to them. Nature has the answers. It always has.

FAQs About Nature-Aligned Health

Q: What is the core principle behind nature-aligned health?
A: Nature-aligned health is based on the idea that the human body functions best when its inputs match the conditions it evolved with over thousands of years. These inputs include whole foods, natural light exposure, regular movement, restorative sleep, and healthy microbial environments. When these biological inputs are present, cellular systems — especially mitochondria — function efficiently and support long-term health.

Q: Why does modern medicine often treat symptoms rather than causes?
A: Many pharmaceutical drugs are designed to modify biological markers or relieve symptoms rather than correct the underlying metabolic dysfunction driving disease. Research has also documented risks associated with medical treatment itself. For example, a widely cited analysis estimated that medical errors contribute to approximately 250,000 deaths annually in the U.S., highlighting the importance of addressing root causes of disease whenever possible.20

Q: How do processed foods contribute to chronic disease?
A: Ultraprocessed foods dominate modern diets and are strongly linked to multiple health problems. A 2024 umbrella review published in the BMJ examined 45 meta-analyses involving nearly 10 million participants and found higher consumption of ultraprocessed foods was associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, depression, obesity, and all-cause mortality.21

Q: What role do seed oils play in modern health problems?
A: Industrial seed oils are high in LA, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fat that oxidizes easily during processing, cooking, and storage. Historical data show dramatic increases in consumption of soybean oil and LA during the 20th century. Researchers have examined how these fats contribute to oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways linked to chronic disease.

Q: What practical steps support a nature-aligned approach to health?
A: Key strategies include reducing ultraprocessed foods, avoiding industrial seed oils, eating whole foods such as properly raised animal products and plants, maintaining regular physical activity, getting adequate sunlight exposure, and prioritizing sleep. These foundational behaviors support mitochondrial function, metabolic flexibility and long-term resilience against chronic disease.

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 much does lack of sleep increase the likelihood of stress-related eating?

By about 2 times
By about 3.5 times
Poor sleep increases emotional eating. People with the worst sleep were up to 3.5 times more likely to eat when stressed, bored, or upset. Learn more.

By about 5 times
No difference

Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published February 13, 2022.

In this interview, repeat guest Dr. Malcolm Kendrick, a board-certified family physician and author of the book, “The Clot Thickens: The Enduring Mystery of Heart Disease,” reviews the underlying mechanisms for heart disease, which for the last century has been the leading cause of death in the U.S.

Of all the books he’s written, this is my favorite, as it goes into great detail, giving you the biological understanding of the process of atherosclerosis leading to heart attacks and strokes. He also has solid strategies for lowering your cardiovascular disease risk.

Incidentally, once you understand the disease process, then you can also understand how both COVID-19 and the COVID jab can contribute to heart disease. When asked why he’s taken such an interest in heart disease, Kendrick replies:

“When I was training as a student in medicine, Scotland had the highest rate of heart disease in the world. Early on the answer for why was, ‘Oh, well, it’s because we have such terrible diet, and we eat rubbish food like deep fried Mars bars.’

So, you eat too much saturated fat, the saturated fat gets turned into cholesterol in your bloodstream, and then it’s absorbed into arteries and forms narrowings and thickenings, which all sounds plausible if you don’t think about it too hard.

But I also happen to go to France quite a lot, and what I noticed about France was, they eat a lot of saturated fat. They eat more, in fact, than anyone else in Europe, and certainly more than Scotland. So, [this saturated fat] hypothesis certainly didn’t work for the French. They have the highest saturated fat intake in Europe and lowest rate of heart disease, and this has been the case for decades.

If you took all the risk factors for France and Scotland [such as smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes], then the French had slightly [higher risk], according to conventional thinking. But, in fact, they had one-fifth [the rate among age-matched men].

So, I thought, this is interesting. It doesn’t make much sense according to what we’re told. Then while I was in medical school, a tutor in cardiology said … LDL cannot cross the endothelium. At the time, I didn’t know what LDL was, nor did I know what the endothelium was, but it sounded important.

She had been looking at heart disease as a different process for decades … So, I think that’s really where I got started. Once you start questioning what the problem is, you end up questioning more and more and you start thinking, gosh, this is just nonsense, isn’t it? This whole hypothesis is just nonsense. So, I started picking it apart.”

The Thrombogenic Hypothesis

“The Clot Thickens” is Kendrick’s effort to explain an alternative hypothesis for what actually causes heart disease. If it’s not saturated fat and cholesterol, what is it? In 1852, a Viennese researcher, Karl von Rokitansky, developed what he called the encrustation hypothesis of heart disease.

Today, this hypothesis has been renamed the thrombogenic hypothesis. “Thrombo” stands for thrombosis, i.e., blood clots, and “genesis” means the cause of, or the start of. So, the thrombogenic hypothesis is that blood clots are the basic pathology that causes all heart disease.

“We know blood clots cause the final event in cardiovascular disease. We know blood clots cause plaques to grow. Why won’t you accept that blood clots are the thing that starts heart disease in the first place? Because then we have one process all the way through, and it makes sense, because it fits with what you can see.” ~ Dr. Malcolm Kendrick

In a nutshell, when a blood clot forms on your artery wall, which can happen for a number of reasons, it will typically be covered over and dissolved. A problem arises, however, if the blood clot is not fully eliminated and another blood clot forms in the same “vulnerable” area. This then becomes what’s conventionally referred to as atherosclerotic plaque.

“The atherosclerotic plaque is basically a buildup of blood clot, repair, blood clot, repair, blood clot, repair,” Kendrick explains. “If the blood clotting process is faster than the repair process, you have a plaque that gradually grows and eventually thickens the artery wall until it narrows sufficiently that the final blood clot, on top of the existing plaque, is the thing that can cause a heart attack or stroke …

If you cut through the plaque and look at it, it almost looks like tree rings. You can see there’s been a clot, repair, clot, repair, clot, repair, clot, repair over the years.

It’s widely accepted that a blood clot forming on an existing plaque will cause the plaque to grow in size. You can find 10,000 papers saying that this is the case. What the mainstream won’t accept is that a blood clot on a healthy artery wall can initiate the whole process.

So, to an extent, all I’m saying to people is, well, we know blood clots cause the final event. We know blood clots cause plaques to grow. Why won’t you accept that blood clots are the thing that starts it in the first place? Because then we have one process all the way through, and it makes sense, because it fits with what you can see.”

As noted by Kendrick, the conventional view is that low-density lipoprotein or LDL gets into the artery wall where it initiates plaque formation. It then, inexplicably, stops initiating plaque, and the plaque continues to grow through the addition of repeated clots.

However, Kendrick says, once you start drilling down into the cholesterol, aka LDL hypothesis, the whole thing starts to fall apart. LDL simply cannot explain the disease progression. Yet despite the many holes in the theory, the idea that LDL causes heart disease is touted as an absolute, indisputable fact.

What’s the Mechanism?

In order to justify a hypothesis, you need to have a mechanism of action. Once you understand the mechanism of the actual disease process, then you can put the puzzle pieces together. Kendrick begins his explanation:

“Your blood vessels are lined with endothelial cells, a bit like tiles on a wall. Endothelial cells are also covered themselves in a thing called glycocalyx. If you try to pick up a fish, it’ll slip through your fingers; it’s very slippery. The reason it’s slippery is because it’s covered in glycocalyx and the glycocalyx is incredibly slippery. It’s nature’s Teflon.

So basically, in our case, the glycocalyx [is inside] our blood vessels, to allow the blood to travel through without it sticking, without damage occurring. So, you have this kind of damage-repellent layer on top of your endothelial cells.

Now, if that layer is damaged, and then the endothelial cell itself underneath is damaged, then the body will say, ‘Oh, we’ve got damage to a blood vessel, we must have a blood clot there because we could bleed out.’ So, a blood clot forms on the area of damage, and immediately stops [the bleeding].”

The blood clot doesn’t just keep on growing and growing. If it did, you’d die anytime you had a blood clot. Instead, when a clot forms, other processes step in to prevent it getting too big, which is why every blood clot doesn’t cause a stroke or heart attack. Once the clot has stabilized, and has been shaved down, the area is covered over by endothelial progenitor cells, made in the bone marrow, that float around in your bloodstream.

When a progenitor cell finds an area that has been damaged, it attaches itself to that area, along with others, forming a new endothelial layer. The remaining blood clot is now lying “within” the artery wall itself. So, basically, it’s the repair process that can lead to plaque buildup within the artery wall. In time, if damage outstrips repair, this can narrow the artery and reduce blood flow.

What Damages Endothelial Cells?

The question is, what can damage the endothelium in the first place? Here, Kendrick uses the SARS-CoV-2 mechanism as an example:

“The COVID virus enters endothelial cells through the ACE2 receptor. It prefers endothelial cells because they’ve got ACE2 receptors on them. It gets into the endothelial cell and starts replicating, then bursts out, damaging the cell. Bingo, you’ve got an area of damage.

Of course, added to this, when cells have viruses within them, they send out distress signals to the immune system saying, ‘I’ve been infected, come and kill me,’ and so the immune system starts to have a go at the endothelial cells. This is why you can get a problem, because the endothelial cells are being damaged and stripped off.

Blood clotting occurs at the points of damage and hey, presto, you’re having clotting, you’re having strokes, you’re having heart attacks, which is the thing that people at first couldn’t understand [about COVID-19]. Yet it’s very clear that what’s happening is you’ve got damage to the endothelial cells.

Obviously, you and I both know that if you get a [COVID jab], the cells are triggered to produce the spike protein, and these cells are sending out distress messages saying, ‘I’m infected.’ You have to be very careful if you want to stick something into cells that then says to the immune system, ‘Please come and destroy me,’ because that’s what the immune system is going to do.

But moving on from that, what other thing can cause endothelial damage? The answer is things like smoking. Smoke particles get out of your lungs, they go into your blood vessels and they cause damage … You smoke one cigarette and a whole bunch of microparticles appear in your bloodstream, which means endothelial cells are dying.

Luckily as endothelial cells die, another message is sent to the bone marrow saying, we need more endothelial cells and it stimulates endothelial progenitor cell production. These endothelial progenitor cells rush around covering over the areas of damage.

Some smokers have enough repair going on and when you’re younger, it’s okay. As you get older and your repair systems begin to fail a bit, cigarette smoking becomes more and more of a problem.”

Other things that can cause endothelial damage include:

• High blood sugar levels and diabetes — The protective glycocalyx layer is made of proteins and sugars — High blood sugar damages the glycoprotein layer, thinning it down in a measurable way. High blood sugar can reduce the glycocalyx layer by as much as two-thirds. This, in turn, exposes the endothelial cells to the bloodstream and anything else damaging that might be there.

The damage to the glycocalyx is why diabetics are prone to both arterial and capillary (small vessel) disease. You can’t get atherosclerosis in the capillaries, as there’s no room. Instead, the capillaries become broken down and destroyed. This in turn can cause ulcers, due to poor circulation in the skin of your legs and feet.

Peripheral neuropathy occurs as the ends of nerve cells are deprived of oxygen. Also visual problems (diabetic retinal damage) and kidney damage. Blood pressure may also become elevated as your heart has to work harder to push blood through a network of damaged/missing small blood vessels.

• Heavy metals such as aluminum and lead.

• High blood pressure, as it puts stress on the endothelium — Atherosclerotic plaque (atherosclerosis) doesn’t occur unless the pressure is raised, adding biomechanical stress.

Repairing the Glycocalyx

As explained by Kendrick, the glycocalyx layer resembles a lawn, with slippery filaments that stick up. Within this glycocalyx layer you have nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which produces nitric oxide (NO), and you have NO itself, as well as a number of other anticoagulant proteins. The glycocalyx is actually a potent anticoagulant layer, so it stops blood clots forming. If glycocalyx is damaged, your risk of blood clotting increases.

“It’s a very complicated layer,” Kendrick says. “It’s like a jungle full of things that say, ‘Don’t stick to this, stay away from this.'” Within it, you also have albumin, protein complex produced by the liver. Albumin contains the proteins that help maintain and repair the glycocalyx. A fact that most doctors are unaware of is that, if you have a low albumin level, you’re significantly more likely to die of heart disease.

The good news is that while the glycocalyx layer can be rapidly destroyed, it can also be rapidly repaired. (Experiments have shown that in an area where the glycocalyx has been completely stripped off, it can be completely repaired in a single second.) Supplements like chondroitin sulfate and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) can be helpful in this regard.

“If you try and explain that through the LDL mechanism, it just doesn’t work,” Kendrick says. “They have discovered that if you give chondroitin sulfate as a supplement — which normally is for arthritis and stuff like that — it reduces the risk of heart disease quite considerably. How do you explain that? Well, you can explain that because you’re protecting your glycocalyx.

These are the sort of things that make no sense if you like looking at the conventional ideas of heart disease, but are immediately and easily explained if you say, ‘We have to keep our glycocalyx healthy and we have to keep our endothelial cells underneath them healthy.’

Otherwise they will be damaged and stripped off, and then we will get a blood clot, and if we keep getting blood clots at that point, we will end up with a plaque and eventually one of the blood clots on that plaque will kill you from a heart attack or a stroke.”

Blood Flow Restriction Training

A lifestyle strategy that can help repair endothelial damage is blood flow restriction (BFR) training. In response to BFR, your body produces vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which acts as “fertilizer” for the endothelium. You can learn the ins and outs of BFR in my free BFR report. VEGF also induces the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), a potent vasodilator, and it stimulates endothelial progenitor cells.

“NO protects the endothelium. It is anticoagulant — the most potent anticoagulant we have in the body. It’s really the magic molecule for cardiovascular health,” Kendrick says.

“At one time NO was known as Endothelial Derived Relaxation Factor (EDRF). NO was something no one believed could possibly exist in the human body. NO is actually a free radical. Everyone says free radicals are terribly damaging and unhealthy.

To that I reply, ‘Well, you may wish to know that the chemical that is the single most important protective chemical in the body for the cardiovascular system is an incredibly free radical called nitric oxide.'”

Some anticancer drugs are designed to block VEGF, as the tumor needs angiogenesis — which is the creation of new blood vessels that are required to provide sufficient “nutrients.” Without these new blood vessels, the tumor dies off. Unfortunately, if you block VEGF, you also block NO, which then raises your risk for heart disease.

“These drugs were almost removed from the market,” Kendrick says, “because despite their anticancer activity, they were procardiovascular disease to quite a scary degree.

[That’s why], if you are given bevacizumab or Avastin as an anticancer drug, they now give you angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors), which are blood pressure lowering tablets, and ACE inhibitors have a specific impact on bradykinin, which increases NO synthesis.”

Strategies to Lower Your Thrombotic Risk

In his book, “The Clot Thickens: The Enduring Mystery of Heart Disease,” Kendrick reviews many different strategies that can lower your disease risk. Here’s a short-list of examples covered in far greater depth in the book, as well as some of my own recommendations that I bring up in the interview:

• Avoid unnecessary use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen — While they effectively inhibit inflammation, they can cause platelet aggregation by blocking COX-2. In other words, they activate your blood clotting system, making blood clots more likely.

• Get plenty of sensible sun exposure — Sun exposure triggers NO that helps dilate your blood vessels, lowering your blood pressure. NO also protects your endothelium, and increases mitochondrial melatonin to improve cellular energy production.
• Avoid seed oils and processed foods — Seed oils are a primary source of the omega-6 fat called linoleic acid (LA), which I believe may be far more harmful than sugar. Excessive intake is associated with most all chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.

LA gets embedded in your cell membranes, causing oxidative stress, and can remain there for up to seven years. Oxidative linoleic acid metabolites (OXLAMs) are what’s causing the primary damage, including endothelial damage.

• Lower your insulin and blood sugar levels — Simple strategies to accomplish this include, avoiding ultraprocessed foods and artificial sweeteners, significantly restricting your LA intake and getting regular exercise.

• Address chronic stress, which raises both blood sugar and blood pressure, promotes blood clotting and impairs your repair systems. Cortisol, a key stress hormone, reduces endothelial cell production.

• Quit smoking.

Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published February 16, 2025.

In my interview with Sean Kim of Growth Minds, we discussed the decades I’ve spent searching for the best ways to help you reclaim your health.1 When you consider how different modern lifestyles are from our ancestors’ days, it reveals many clues about why you might feel tired, run-down, or prone to illness. Those ancestors had their own health challenges, but they weren’t swimming in artificial chemicals, electromagnetic fields, and processed seed oils that drive chronic diseases.

You face these threats every day, and your body is likely struggling as a result. I’ve devoted my life to understanding how food, environment, and daily habits affect you at the cellular level. That journey led me to study how your mitochondria produce the energy you need. Mitochondria are known as your cells’ power stations.

They depend on proper fuel, stable hormone levels, and minimal toxic exposures to keep you thriving. If those factors are off balance, you’ll feel it. The question is: how do you get them back on track?

While a ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting help you lose weight initially, they’re a short-term fix with long-term consequences. As I explained to Kim, there’s a deeper story about how your body responds to various fuels, especially when you’ve been under stress or exposed to toxic influences.

You have to look at your gut, your hormone systems, and your environment to fully understand what’s going on and restore optimal health. When I first explored diets high in fat and extremely low in carbohydrates, I saw benefits for some people in specific circumstances. Over time, however, I discovered that your system needs more than a strict low-carb diet provides.

Rethinking What It Means to Eat Well

In my interview with Kim, I made it clear that I used to be a leading advocate of ketogenic diets. I even wrote a No. 1 bestselling book on the topic. Many people have used a ketogenic diet with good outcomes for weight loss and insulin control, and I believed that kind of diet could support you in turning your health around. The results people experienced weren’t imaginary. Many of them had real successes.

Over time, however, more detailed research into mitochondrial function made me change my stance. It’s not enough to measure your short-term results. You have to look at what happens over many years. If you keep forcing your body into a state of ultra-low carbohydrate intake, you risk backing up electron flow in your mitochondria. That jammed-up electron flow weakens your cells’ ability to produce steady energy, a phenomenon otherwise known as reductive stress.

It also encourages shifts in your gut bacteria that harm you more than help you. You need healthy gut bacteria to make short-chain fatty acids, which keep your colon lining strong and keep harmful pathogens in check. A balanced intake of healthy carbohydrates is key once you’ve corrected the root concerns. Your brain needs glucose, and while you can survive on fewer carbs for a while, it’s easy to slip into a stressful metabolic state if you don’t consume enough healthy carbs.

How Your Environment Shapes Your Health

Everyday toxins also affect you at the cellular level. Throughout our talk, I explained to Kim that I’ve identified four main stressors that diminish your mitochondrial energy production. These factors silently harm your gut health, disrupt your hormones, and trigger damaging oxidative stress.

First, you have the overconsumption of omega-6 seed oils, which are rich in linoleic acid. These highly processed cooking oils are the single biggest nutritional danger you face. You’ll find them in countless packaged foods, snack items, and restaurant meals. The main reason why excess LA causes disease is that it prevents your mitochondria from working well. It also makes sun exposure more damaging due to the accumulation of these fats in your skin cells.

Second, you have excess endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in your environment. These come from plastics, personal care products, and even certain pesticides and mimic hormones, like estrogen, in your body. Many of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals reduce fertility and create hormonal imbalances. Xenoestrogens found in everyday items like plastic are one example of EDCs with widespread reach.

It’s also important to minimize exposure to synthetic estrogens, such as those found in hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives. Estrogen increases intracellular calcium levels and decreases mitochondrial function. In fact, estrogen dominance is nearly as dangerous as excessive LA intake when it comes to destroying your mitochondrial function.
The third significant threat to cellular health comes from pervasive exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) due to the proliferation of wireless technologies. EMFs increase calcium ion concentrations within cells, resulting in the production of harmful free radicals.

Together, widespread exposure to LA in seed oils, EDCs in plastics, and EMFs impair your cells’ ability to generate energy efficiently. This energy deficit makes it challenging to sustain the oxygen-free gut environment necessary for beneficial bacteria to flourish.

As your gut barrier weakens, it allows harmful substances to breach your intestinal wall and enter your bloodstream. This intrusion triggers a systemic inflammatory response, with wide-ranging effects on your health. Of particular concern is the proliferation of oxygen-tolerant bacteria, which are not ideally suited for the gut environment.
These microorganisms produce a potent form of endotoxin — the fourth major threat to your cellular health — known as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). When LPS enters your bloodstream through a compromised gut barrier, it leads to a severe condition known as endotoxemia, which often progresses to septic shock — a state of systemic inflammation that’s sometimes fatal.

Restoring Gut Health as Your Foundation

A healthy gut is pivotal to your well-being. In my interview with Kim, I explained that if your healthy gut bacteria can’t thrive, your body faces one hurdle after another. An oxygen-free environment is necessary for beneficial bacteria that create short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, propionate, and acetate to thrive. These compounds help keep your colon lining strong by nourishing the cells that line your gut wall.

Your body needs cellular energy to keep oxygen levels low in your colon. If your mitochondria aren’t functioning properly and your cellular energy is low, you’re likely to have excess oxygen in your colon that boosts harmful bacteria.

The end result is an upsurge in toxic byproducts, including more potent forms of endotoxin. That’s why simply cutting carbohydrates might seem to help in the short term: if you starve harmful bacteria of their favorite fuels, they don’t multiply so fast.

Yet you pay for it later by ultimately decreasing the cellular energy you need for robust digestion and a healthy metabolism. A diet that includes high-quality fiber from vegetables and other sources of healthy carbohydrates is key, but if you have a compromised gut, it’s important to start with easier-to-digest options, like white rice or slowly sipping dextrose water daily for a week or two.

You want to steer clear of a low-carb diet, especially long term. If you keep your body in a constant energy deficit, you’re only compounding your mitochondrial problems. You’re also setting yourself up for increased stress hormone release, which breaks down your lean muscle tissue to make emergency glucose.

By cutting out mitochondrial poisons and nourishing your gut with healthy carbohydrates, you give your body the chance to restore that protective mucus layer, keep oxygen levels low in your colon and restore mitochondrial health for increased cellular energy.

When you remove the factors that destroy your cellular energy, you can then enjoy moderate to higher carbohydrate intake without wrecking your metabolic function. This might mean 200 to 350 grams of quality carbohydrates in a day, but the exact amount varies by your personal needs, activity level, and genetics. The key is to focus on real, whole-food sources instead of ultraprocessed carbs that contain seed oils and refined sugar.

Let me emphasize once more that you should clear out the elements causing harm before you increase your carbohydrate intake. That means cutting back on omega-6-rich seed oils, limiting endocrine-disrupting chemicals, reducing EMF exposure, and repairing your gut so it’s able to handle more fiber.

Practical Steps to Tame the Toxins

During my discussion with Kim, we touched on ways to reduce exposure to chemicals and stressors, so you enhance your health from the inside out. If you want to limit microplastics and hormone-disrupting substances, start by cutting down on plastic packaging.

Swap plastic containers for glass whenever possible, and avoid heating foods in plastic. Be mindful of personal care items with synthetic fragrances or complex chemical blends. Even so-called “organic” products often contain compounds that destabilize your hormones, so read labels carefully.

You also want to be wary of your Wi-Fi router and the constant signals from your phone. If you keep your phone by your bed at night, you’re exposing your body to nonstop EMFs. Turning off your wireless devices or switching to airplane mode gives your cells a break, but a better option is to turn off your Wi-Fi at night — or even shut off the power to your bedroom.

Also, try wired internet at home and see whether you notice improvements in your sleep or focus. As you move beyond eating well, also look into ways to speed up the removal of toxins. Sweating is one of the best methods. Traditional exercise does the job as you increase circulation, but an infrared sauna takes it further if you have access to one.

Grounding, or walking barefoot on natural surfaces like sand or soil, also helps reduce extra electrical charges in your body. You still want to watch out for walking barefoot on unnaturally hard floors every day, which promotes the development of joint or foot issues. Even so, a dose of nature is calming, and you might find that grounding on natural surfaces like grass or the ocean is a soothing method to connect with your environment.

During the interview, I also noted that sunlight is both beneficial and at times harmful, depending on your overall health. You absolutely need adequate sun exposure to help your body produce vitamin D and provide other benefits. However, if you’re carrying an excessive amount of omega-6 seed oils in your skin cells, they’re prone to oxidation when exposed to sunlight, increasing the risk of skin damage.

Too many of these oxidizable fats in your tissues magnifies any negative effects from UV rays. To maximize the benefits of sun exposure and minimize the risks, eliminate seed oils from your diet. I recommend avoiding sun during peak hours (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in most U.S. regions) until you’ve been seed-oil-free for at least six months.

The Promise of Future Health Innovations

As I told Kim, I believe technology itself becomes a friend if it’s harnessed in the right way. Yes, you should reduce EMF exposure from your phone and your Wi-Fi. Still, advanced computer systems, including artificial intelligence, help you monitor your health in real time.

In the near future, you might use AI-driven software that tracks your daily habits, recognizes patterns in your hormone levels and reminds you to make adjustments to your diet or supplement routine. It’s like having a health coach who’s always there, offering personalized feedback based on data from wearable devices or blood tests.

Progress in the field of mitochondrial research is also advancing at a rapid pace. We’ve come a long way in understanding how molecules like coenzyme Q10 help push electrons through your mitochondrial chain. Further investigations could pinpoint more specific strategies to optimize that electron flow, so you generate energy without building up damaging free radicals.

I’m particularly excited about new insights into gut therapies that restore the colon’s oxygen-free environment, such as an approach that combines targeted probiotics with supportive nutrients to revive the cells lining your gut.

Doing so would let beneficial microbes flourish and block harmful bacteria from expanding. This holds the promise of turning gut health into a more precise science, where you measure shifts in your microbiome composition and match specific interventions for faster results.

As these approaches gain traction, I’m working to gather data and share it with you. I’m driven by a mission to show you that your body already has the blueprint for abundant energy and balanced hormones. The problem is interference. Environmental pollutants, seed oils and stressors have created roadblocks. If you reduce them systematically, you’ll give yourself a fresh start.

Charting Your Path to Lasting Vitality

In my interview with Kim, I emphasized that your mitochondria lie at the heart of your health story. They decide whether you have the energy to thrive or whether you struggle with chronic fatigue and cellular stress. By addressing the four main stressors — seed oils, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, endotoxins, and EMFs — you free up your mitochondria to run at full power. You stop feeding the processes that tear down your gut and your energy.

You also open the door for a truly balanced diet, one that includes not just healthy fats and proteins, but also the right kind of carbohydrates. You deserve to feel vibrant, and your cells are programmed to help you get there.

Clear away plastic toxins, turn off your Wi-Fi at night, choose glass bottles, and avoid consuming seed oils. As your gut health improves, introduce better fiber sources that feed your beneficial gut microbes and support mucin production, which protects you from leaky gut.

If you take these steps, you’ll likely see a positive ripple effect. Your thyroid might perk up, your hormones rebalance, and your gut wall becomes sturdier. In time, you might even be able to tolerate moderate sun exposure without burning as easily, since your cell membranes are no longer packed with unhealthy fats.

No matter where you are in your health journey, let this knowledge empower you — you can fix the hidden obstacles that drain your energy and derail your gut, and feel confident in a plan that nourishes you from your cells outward, letting you enjoy a fuller life.

This is what I hope you’ll take away from my conversation with Kim: you have more control over your well-being than you realize. When you align your habits with what your body needs, you unleash the boundless energy that’s been waiting inside you all along.

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way

VIKTIG

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

Ultraprocessed foods dominate grocery store shelves today in the form of frozen dinners, packaged snacks, and fast-food items. While they offer convenience, they are engineered to hijack your appetite and flood your system with harmful compounds. These products, stripped of real nutrition and loaded with additives, trans fats, and artificial ingredients, are slowly clogging your arteries and setting you up for a heart attack or stroke.

According to a study, nearly 38% of all cardiovascular disease deaths in Canada are directly linked to ultraprocessed food consumption. That means over 17,400 Canadian lives are lost each year because of food choices that seem harmless but are quietly destroying your heart and arteries.

But it goes beyond heart disease — ultraprocessed foods damage your overall health, worsening your metabolic function, increasing inflammation, and compromising gut function. Every single packaged snack or sugary drink you consume adds up, leading you toward obesity, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and even early death.

Canadian Study Points to Ultraprocessed Foods as a Massive Cause of Heart Disease

An analysis from the Department of Nutrition at the University of Montreal, commissioned by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, set out to measure how much of Canada’s heart disease and stroke burden is driven by ultraprocessed foods. They used national health data to model the impact of these foods on adults over age 20.1

• The research identified high numbers of deaths and disability tied to processed food intake — The team linked food intake data from the Canadian Community Health Survey to new cases of cardiovascular disease, deaths from heart disease and stroke, and years of life lost or spent disabled.

• Ultraprocessed foods cause nearly 100,000 cases of heart disease annually — In 2019 alone, ultraprocessed foods contributed to 96,043 cases of cardiovascular disease, 17,417 deaths, and nearly 389,000 years of life lost or spent living with chronic heart-related conditions.

• Over one-third of heart disease deaths came from eating ultraprocessed foods — The study, a first of its kind,2 was modeled using real national health data and validated risk models, not guesses or projections.

• Reducing ultraprocessed food consumption could save thousands of lives each year — According to the authors, if Canadians cut their intake of these foods by 50%, there would be 45,914 fewer new cardiovascular disease cases annually. It would also save 8,314 lives every single year.

• Men are hit hardest by ultraprocessed food-related heart problems — The highest levels of processed food consumption were seen in young men aged 20 to 24 and adults over 80. Unsurprisingly, the study found that 61% of new heart disease and stroke cases connected to these foods occurred in men. Additionally, men accounted for 52% of the related deaths.

• The damage builds up from youth and compounds with age — Poor eating habits create health problems later, with symptoms like high blood pressure, fatigue, and shortness of breath appearing when damage is already underway.

Ultraprocessed foods are engineered to make you overeat. These foods are packed with industrial ingredients like refined sugars, trans fats, and chemicals designed to override your fullness signals. The result? Overeating, weight gain, and chronic inflammation, which damage your artery walls and raise your blood clot risk.

Your Brain Also Suffers When You Eat Ultraprocessed Foods

The featured study adds to the growing evidence associating ultraprocessed food with adverse health outcomes. Another study published in Neurology3 also points out how these products damage brain function and increase the likelihood of stroke.

Focusing on cognitive decline and stroke risk in adults across the U.S., researchers from Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, and University of Alabama at Birmingham4 used data from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study (REGARDS), tracking both Black and White adults over time.

• The study found sharp increases in risk — More than 14,000 adults without cognitive impairment and over 20,000 adults without prior strokes were tracked for years. The researchers found that for every 10% increase in ultraprocessed food consumption, cognitive impairment risk jumped by 16%, and stroke risk rose by 8%.

The study found that the relationship between ultraprocessed food intake and stroke risk was strongest in Black participants.

• Cognitive decline was tracked over several years through measurable tests — The participants were observed from 2003 to 2007; they repeatedly underwent testing as well. Researchers used memory and verbal fluency tests to monitor changes, and found that participants who ate the most ultraprocessed foods scored worse over time. They showed increasing forgetfulness and trouble recalling simple words.

• The participants who consumed the least processed food had better brain health — Prioritizing whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables maintained stronger memory and mental sharpness throughout the study. This means swapping processed foods for simple, home-cooked meals could preserve your cognitive health for decades.

This shows that even relatively modest yet healthy changes in your diet will have a significant impact on your brain health. According to Dr. W. Taylor Kimberly, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and the study’s senior study author:5

“What you’re talking about is one or two meals a week. If you can exchange that from an ultraprocessed meal to an unprocessed food or meal, that is associated with a measurable reduction in the risk of stroke or cognitive impairment. It’s not only what we eat that matters, but how the food is processed before we eat it.”

Study Looked at How Different Types of Ultraprocessed Foods Lead to Higher Mortality Risk

Another research published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ)6 examined how different varieties of ultraprocessed foods affect your risk of death from all causes over time. The study used data from two massive U.S. cohort studies — the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. More than 74,000 women and nearly 40,000 men were tracked for up to 34 years, all starting without cancer, heart disease, or diabetes.

• Higher ultraprocessed food consumption meant a clear increase in early death — The participants were healthy adults at the start, but those eating the highest amounts of ultraprocessed foods faced a 4% higher risk of dying from any cause compared to those who consumed the least.

• Processed meat products were the biggest culprits — Hot dogs, sausages, and deli meats were linked to a staggering 43% higher risk of death from neurodegenerative diseases, and a 13% higher risk of dying from all causes.

• The numbers show population-wide impact — In the highest quarter of consumption, the mortality rate reached 1,536 deaths per 100,000 persons each year, compared to 1,472 in the lowest quarter. Though the difference may look small on paper, over time this translates into tens of thousands of preventable deaths.

• Switching to diet drinks is not a safe option — The study revealed that sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages were almost equally harmful, with hazard ratios of 1.09 and 1.08, respectively. In other words, swapping regular soda for diet versions still disrupts your metabolism and spikes insulin, leading to fat gain and metabolic dysfunction — even without calories.

Ultraprocessed products trigger systemic inflammation, harming the cells lining your arteries and upsetting hormonal balance. They also increase free radicals in your body, which are unstable molecules that damage your cells, DNA, and membranes. Over time, oxidative stress speeds up aging, weakens immunity, and makes you more vulnerable to chronic disease and infections.

The research found that even participants with high overall diet quality, measured by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index, still experienced higher mortality if they consumed ultraprocessed foods. This means you cannot offset the damage — the key is to completely eliminate these products from your diet.

Ultraprocessed Foods Are Associated with 32 Adverse Health Effects

An umbrella review, also published in the BMJ,7 combined data from 45 pooled analyses, covering almost 10 million people worldwide. The research included adults and children, looking at different adverse health parameters and how ultraprocessed foods directly contribute to these health risks.

The researchers found that 32 out of 45 analyses (71%) confirmed a strong link between consuming these foods and 32 adverse health outcomes, including mental health disorders, respiratory diseases, digestive issues, metabolic problems, and cancer.8

• Certain groups faced higher risks than others — Adults aged 30 to 50 were most affected long-term, but the danger was evident across all ages. Children and teens who ate more ultraprocessed foods had higher rates of wheezing and breathing problems, while seniors faced accelerated health declines.

• The most dangerous outcomes were early death and chronic disease — For every 10% increase in ultraprocessed food consumption, there was a 12% higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and a 21% higher chance of dying from any cause. Meanwhile, cardiovascular death rates surged by 50% among those with the highest intake compared to the lowest.

• Mental health issues also skyrocketed with higher consumption — Those who consumed more ultraprocessed foods were 48% more likely to suffer from anxiety and 53% more likely to experience depression and other mood disorders. Sleep problems were also common.

• Even small daily increases in ultraprocessed foods added up quickly — Every additional serving increased obesity risk by up to 7%, abdominal obesity by 5%, and Type 2 diabetes by 12%. If weight and metabolism are already concerns for you, these foods are quietly making things worse.

• All types of ultraprocessed foods carried risks, but some were worse — The worst offenders were ready-to-eat meat products — processed meat products drove death rates up by as much as 43%. Frozen dinners and sugary drinks also led to severe effects. Even foods like dairy-based desserts and packaged savory snacks contributed to respiratory and cognitive problems.

• The biological damage begins with gut disruption and chronic inflammation — Chemical additives, including emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners, harm the gut microbiome, sparking inflammation throughout the body. This damages arteries, weakens immunity, and raises the risk of blood clots and arterial plaques.

Processed food consumption also floods the body with free radicals, which harm DNA and weaken cell membranes. Over time, this accelerates aging, mental decline, and heart disease.

The research proved that moderate but consistent exposure builds up year after year, undermining your health and accelerating aging and disease. Every processed snack, soda, or frozen meal adds to that cumulative harm.

Eliminate Ultraprocessed Foods Now to Protect Your Overall Health

If you’re feeling tired, foggy, or noticing small signs like forgetfulness, shortness of breath, or weight gain, your daily food choices are the first place to look. All the studies featured above make it clear that ultraprocessed foods are not harmless; they are directly contributing to heart disease, stroke, memory decline, and even early death.

The good news is that you have control — the solution is to change your diet habits, one step at a time. Here’s what I recommend you do right now to help reverse the damage and protect your body:

1. Clear your kitchen of ultraprocessed foods — Go through your pantry and fridge and toss out packaged snacks, sugary beverages, frozen dinners, deli meats, and breakfast bars — even if they say “organic” or “low-fat.”

If you’re unsure whether it’s ultraprocessed or not, ask yourself — is this made with ingredients I wouldn’t cook with at home? If the answer is yes, it needs to go. Removing temptation makes it easier for you to succeed without relying on willpower alone.

2. Switch to whole foods as the foundation of every meal — If you’re someone who loves convenience, you need easy, go-to replacements. Focus on simple foods like eggs, grass fed beef, wild-caught fish, fresh fruits, well-cooked vegetables, root vegetables, and white rice if your gut tolerates it. Always aim for minimally processed foods that are recognizable.

3. Ditch sodas and artificially sweetened beverages completely — If you’re someone who loves flavored drinks, make your own fruit-infused water with lemon, berries, or cucumber.

4. Plan your snacks and meals — One of the biggest reasons people fall back into bad habits is lack of preparation. Planning your meals will save your health — Pre-cut vegetables, boil eggs, batch-cook meats, and have fruit ready to grab. If you’re someone who travels a lot, pack your own food. Trust me, nothing derails your progress faster than hunger and no options.

5. Track your energy and brain clarity daily — Make it a habit to check in with yourself every morning and evening. How’s your focus? Do you feel energized or sluggish? Write it down. If you’re someone who likes structure, turn it into a challenge for 30 days. The more you track, the more you’ll notice how much removing ultraprocessed foods is improving your life. Watching that progress builds confidence and keeps you moving forward.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Ultraprocessed Foods

Q: How do ultraprocessed foods affect my heart health?

A: Ultraprocessed foods cause chronic inflammation, raise blood pressure, and damage arteries. One study found that these products contribute to 38% of heart disease deaths and nearly 100,000 new cases annually in Canada.

Q: Do ultraprocessed foods harm my brain?

A: Yes. Research shows a 16% higher risk of cognitive impairment and an 8% increased risk of stroke for every 10% increase in ultraprocessed food consumption, especially impacting memory and focus.

Q: Which ultraprocessed foods are the most dangerous?

A: Processed meat products like hot dogs, sausages, and deli meats carry the highest risk, raising the chance of neurodegenerative death by 43% and all-cause mortality by 13%.

Q: Is it OK to consume diet sodas or artificially sweetened drinks?

A: No. Both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages are equally harmful, disrupting metabolism, increasing insulin resistance, and raising your risk of chronic disease.

Q: What’s the best way to reduce the damage from ultraprocessed foods?

A: Clear your kitchen, switch to whole foods, plan meals, eliminate sodas, and track your energy and mental clarity daily to reverse the damage and protect your health.

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way

VIKTIG

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

Each year, millions of Americans undergo computed tomography (CT) scans without realizing the hidden risks tied to this common medical procedure. While CT imaging plays a large role in modern diagnostics, it also exposes you to a type of radiation that quietly damages your cells and builds up over time. Unlike everyday background exposure, the ionizing radiation from medical scans directly injures DNA, setting the stage for cancer years or even decades later.

Few people are warned about how even a single scan adds to your lifetime cancer risk, or that safer alternatives often exist. What’s even less known is how early safety claims around medical radiation were shaped by corporate interests, not unbiased science. As you’ll soon see, historical evidence reveals a long-standing pattern of minimizing the true dangers to protect profits over patients.

If you want to take smarter control of your health, it’s important to understand the real risks behind CT imaging, and how to protect yourself. Let’s walk through the latest research that finally brings these dangers into clear view.

Data Reveals CT Scans Are a Driver of Future Cancer Cases

Research published in JAMA Internal Medicine sought to measure how many future cancer cases would be triggered by current CT scan usage in the U.S.1 About 93 million CT scans are performed annually in the U.S. Researchers wanted to move beyond vague assumptions and create a clear estimate of the future health burden tied to this increasingly common diagnostic tool.

• Adults were the biggest population impacted, but children faced the highest risk per scan — The study estimated that about 61.5 million patients received CT scans in 2023, with 95.8% of those being adults.

While children’s bodies are more vulnerable to DNA damage from radiation, adults contributed the largest share of expected future cancers simply because they underwent far more imaging overall. This means that no matter your age, every CT scan you undergo builds up your lifetime cancer risk in a measurable way.

• Certain types of scans caused more future cancers than others — Among all imaging categories, abdomen and pelvis CT scans were responsible for the largest share of projected new cancers, accounting for 37,500 out of 103,000 expected cases.

Chest CT scans ranked second. Not surprisingly, these are areas packed with radiation-sensitive organs like the colon, lungs, bladder, and reproductive organs. Full-body scans also contributed a disproportionate number of future cancer cases compared to the percentage of scans performed.

• The overall risk was large enough to rival obesity and alcohol as cancer causes — The researchers calculated that CT scans could account for 5% of all new cancer diagnoses if current practices continue. To put that into perspective, obesity is estimated to cause 7.6% of cancers, while chronic alcohol use causes about 5.4%.

These numbers make clear that medical imaging decisions are not trivial and deserve the same scrutiny as diet and lifestyle choices when it comes to cancer prevention.

• Lung cancer was the most common cancer linked to CT scans — Of the projected radiation-induced cases, lung cancer topped the list, with about 22,400 new cases expected over time.

Colon cancer came next, followed by leukemia and bladder cancer. For women, breast cancer was also a significant concern, especially following imaging that involved the chest or abdomen. The data showed that while the per-scan risk was higher for children, adults aged 50 to 69 bore the highest absolute burden because of their frequent use of CT technology.

How Radiation Damages Your Cells Over Time

Ionizing radiation from CT scans causes direct breaks in your DNA strands, as well as more subtle mutations that disrupt cellular repair processes. Damaged cells are more likely to turn cancerous later, even decades after the initial exposure. Because radiation effects are cumulative, every additional CT scan builds onto whatever existing DNA damage already exists.

• Cellular sensitivity varied depending on body part and patient age — The study showed that certain organs absorbed much higher radiation doses during specific types of scans. For example, children under 1 year of age who received a head CT absorbed brain doses much higher than adults, making them even more vulnerable to future brain cancers or leukemia.

Meanwhile, adult colon tissue during abdominal CT scans was heavily exposed, helping explain the spike in future colon cancer projections.

• Damage from CT radiation tends to silently accumulate for years — CT-related cancers do not develop immediately. According to the research, solid tumors linked to radiation often take anywhere from four to 11 years to emerge, and leukemia from radiation exposure typically appears within two to four years. This slow timeline makes it hard for individuals to realize that an imaging scan years ago could have seeded future disease.

• The cumulative effect of repeated scans is the hidden danger most people overlook — One isolated CT scan increases your lifetime cancer risk a little, but multiple scans stack together, raising that risk significantly over time. This is why it’s important to treat each imaging decision carefully. You are not simply weighing the benefits of finding a diagnosis today — you’re also adding to your body’s cumulative burden of DNA damage for the future.

Radiation Safety Standards Were Built on Industry Fraud

According to bioenergetic researcher Georgi Dinkov, historical evidence shows that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) manipulated radiation risk data to favor corporate interests.2 Panel members altered findings to downplay the risks of ionizing radiation, making CT scans and other imaging technologies seem far safer than they actually are.3 This manipulation opened the floodgates for unchecked growth in the use of radiation-heavy scans like CT.

• Radiation risks were deliberately minimized to boost CT equipment sales — The investigation linked the NAS’ actions directly to helping General Electric, the leading manufacturer of CT machines at the time.4

By promoting the false idea that small doses of radiation posed little to no cancer risk, the NAS helped GE sell more equipment worldwide. This fraud turned out to be extremely costly, as millions of individuals unknowingly accumulated dangerous radiation exposures that experts now recognize contribute heavily to cancer rates.

• Modern evidence proves every radiation dose carries real risks — The dangers of ionizing radiation are cumulative, meaning every single scan adds to your lifetime risk of developing cancer. Even exposures separated by years or decades build upon previous damage. This directly challenges the “threshold theory” many doctors were taught, which wrongly assumed that only very high doses of radiation were dangerous.

• The true impact of radiation exposure could be much larger than estimated — While the JAMA Internal Medicine study found CT scans alone could account for 5% of cancer diagnoses, the article highlighted that total exposure to all forms of medical imaging could be responsible for as much as 30% to 40% of new cancer cases each year.5

This includes not only CT scans but also PET scans, frequent X-rays, and other common medical imaging tests that involve ionizing radiation.

• Specific types of imaging deliver far different radiation doses — The article emphasized how radiation exposure varies wildly between facilities and scan types. For example, one imaging center could expose you to 50 times more radiation for the same CT scan compared to another center.

• Industry deception delayed public awareness of the true risks — Because of the early scientific fraud exposed by this article, millions of patients trusted medical advice that was based on false safety claims. This history of deception underscores why you need to now advocate for yourself before agreeing to medical imaging that uses radiation. Your long-term health depends on knowing the risks and demanding safer alternatives whenever possible.

Simple Ways to Protect Yourself from Unnecessary Radiation Exposure

You have more control than you realize when it comes to minimizing your risk from CT scans and other radiation-based imaging. If you’re facing a health concern and your doctor recommends a scan, think carefully about what you truly need and whether a safer option is available. Every CT scan carries a real, measurable cancer risk that adds up over your lifetime, even if the scan seems routine at the time. Here’s how to protect your long-term health:

1. Always ask if the result will change how your care is managed — If you’re being sent for a CT scan, speak up and ask, “Will this scan change the way you treat me?” If the answer is no, then you’re exposing yourself to serious risks without any real benefit. Imaging should always have a purpose that clearly impacts your next steps, not just be ordered out of habit.

2. Request an MRI or ultrasound whenever possible — MRI and ultrasound don’t expose you to ionizing radiation. If you’re dealing with gallstones, kidney stones, or certain types of abdominal pain, ultrasound is often just as effective without any radiation risk. For brain or spine issues like stroke or tumor monitoring, MRI is a safer alternative. I recommend making it a personal rule to ask for these options first unless a CT is absolutely necessary.

3. If you need to have a CT, demand documentation of the dose and consider dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) —
If you do need a CT scan, ask for the radiation dose to be documented and get a copy for your personal records. Also consider DMSO, a naturally occurring substance that helps prevent the damage radiation does to cells and heal existing radiation injuries.

4. Refuse unnecessary multiphase scans — Some CT scans involve taking multiple images of the same area during different phases, which dramatically increases radiation exposure. Always ask if a single-phase scan will answer the medical question. Unless absolutely necessary, refuse multiphase scans to lower your lifetime risk.

5. Avoid CT unless it’s an emergency or no safer alternative exists — If you’re a generally healthy adult facing a non-urgent issue, resist the pressure to have a CT scan without clear, documented justification. Prioritize imaging methods that help you without adding invisible long-term harm to your body.

Your health decisions today shape your future more than you realize. Knowing the right questions to ask and steps to take could spare you from a cancer diagnosis years down the road. Always remember, you are your own best advocate.

FAQs About CT Scans

Q: How much does a CT scan increase your lifetime cancer risk?
A: CT scans expose your body to a high dose of ionizing radiation, about 70 times more than a chest X-ray. Every scan you receive adds to your cumulative lifetime cancer risk. Research published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that CT scans are projected to cause about 103,000 future cancer cases from just one year’s worth of imaging.

Q: Which types of CT scans carry the greatest cancer risks?
A: Abdomen and pelvis CT scans were identified as the biggest contributors to future cancer diagnoses. These scans expose sensitive organs like your colon, bladder, and reproductive tissues to high radiation doses, making them more dangerous than other types of imaging.

Q: What are safer alternatives to CT scans?
A: Whenever possible, request an MRI or ultrasound instead of a CT. These imaging methods do not use ionizing radiation. Ultrasound is especially effective for gallstones, appendicitis, and kidney stones, while MRI works well for brain and spine imaging without the radiation risks.

Q: Why were the dangers of CT scans hidden for so long?
A: Evidence shows that the NAS misrepresented radiation data to benefit companies like General Electric, which made CT machines. This scientific fraud made radiation risks seem much lower than they really are, leading to widespread overuse of CT scans and millions of unnecessary radiation exposures.

Q: What steps can I take to protect myself from unnecessary radiation?
A: Always ask if a CT scan will change your care, request radiation dose documentation, keep a personal log of your exposures, refuse multiphase scans unless absolutely necessary, and explore safer imaging options like MRI or ultrasound whenever possible. Your long-term health depends on making informed imaging choices.

Most people notice it without needing a study to prove it — after a rough night of sleep, willpower around food seems to vanish. The pastry in the break room becomes virtually impossible to ignore. A second helping feels automatic rather than intentional. Meals get skipped, then replaced with whatever delivers the fastest hit of comfort.

What’s less obvious is why this happens so reliably. The connection between poor sleep and poor eating goes far deeper than feeling tired and grabbing a quick energy boost. Sleep loss disrupts the hormones that control hunger, amplifies your brain’s reward response to junk food, and weakens the impulse control you rely on to say no — all at the same time.

A recent study published in the journal Appetite maps these patterns across tens of thousands of people, moving beyond laboratory experiments to capture how sleep quality and sleep duration influence real-world eating behavior — from emotional eating and portion control to meal timing and food preferences.1 The findings clarify why sleep is one of the most overlooked factors driving overeating and weight gain.

Poor Sleep Drives Overeating and Comfort Food Cravings

When researchers examined the sleep and eating habits of 27,263 adults across the United Kingdom, the patterns were striking — and consistent.2 Researchers wanted to determine whether sleep quality and sleep duration shape real-world eating behaviors rather than simply altering appetite signals in laboratory settings.

Participants completed detailed health assessments that recorded sleep duration, sleep quality and 13 different eating behaviors. These behaviors included emotional eating, snacking frequency, meal timing and preferences for energy-dense foods such as sweets and fried meals. The goal was to determine whether poor sleep consistently changes how people behave around food in everyday life.

• Researchers identified clear behavioral patterns — Participants ranged from 18 to 91 years old with a median age of 51. About 40.5% of participants were female. Sleep duration fell into three categories: short sleep (less than seven hours), average sleep (seven to eight hours), and long sleep (more than eight hours).
Sleep quality was also categorized from “very poor” to “very good.” This structure allowed the researchers to examine how sleep patterns influence eating habits even among people who do not yet struggle with obesity. The results revealed a consistent pattern — the worse a person slept, the more their eating behavior shifted toward emotional eating and calorie-dense foods.
• The worst sleepers were far more likely to eat in response to stress and emotions — Poor sleep strongly increased emotional eating behaviors. Individuals reporting the worst sleep quality showed up to 3.5 times higher likelihood of eating when bored, stressed or upset compared with those who reported very good sleep.
They were also far more likely to treat food as a reward or use it to improve their mood. Scientists call this reward-driven eating — your brain stops asking “Am I hungry?” and starts asking “What will make me feel better right now?” As sleep quality declined, this emotional relationship with food became progressively stronger.
• Overeating and loss of portion control increased with worsening sleep — Sleep quality also influenced how much people ate during meals. Individuals with poorer sleep showed substantially higher rates of overeating compared with people who reported good sleep.
Short sleepers had about 24% higher odds of overeating than people who slept seven to eight hours. Researchers also observed that poor sleepers had greater difficulty leaving food on their plate once a meal started. This pattern suggests that sleep deprivation weakens your brain’s ability to regulate appetite and control portion size.
• Irregular eating patterns appeared in people with short sleep — Another behavior stood out among short sleepers. Individuals who slept less than seven hours showed roughly 47% higher likelihood of skipping meals compared with those who slept the recommended seven to eight hours. Skipping meals might feel like discipline in the moment, but it typically sets up a rebound — by mid-afternoon or evening, hunger hits hard enough to override any good intentions.
When that hunger arrives, overeating becomes far more likely. Researchers described this pattern as fragmented eating — structured meals disappear while snacking and impulsive eating increase. Over time, this cycle makes appetite far harder to control.
• Food preferences also changed as sleep quality declined — Poor sleep was associated with eating fried foods about 10% to 21% more often compared with people who slept well. Sweet snacks between meals also increased, appearing roughly 10% to 39% more frequently among poorer sleepers.
These foods deliver quick reward signals to your brain. When sleep deprivation intensifies reward-driven brain activity, calorie-dense foods become far more appealing than balanced meals. This shift explains why many people crave sugar or fried foods after a bad night of sleep.

Why Poor Sleep Rewires Your Brain and Hormones to Favor Junk Food

The pattern is clear — poor sleep pushes people toward emotional eating, larger portions, skipped meals and junk food cravings. But what’s actually driving these changes? The answer isn’t weak willpower.

It’s a two-part biological shift: sleep loss disrupts the hormones that regulate hunger and fullness, and at the same time it changes how your brain responds to food — amplifying reward signals while weakening the circuits you depend on to resist them.

• Hormonal changes explain why poor sleep amplifies hunger — Sleep restriction raises levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger. At the same time, it lowers hormones such as leptin, which normally signal fullness after eating.
Think of leptin as your brain’s “I’m full” signal and ghrelin as the “feed me” alarm. Poor sleep turns down the volume on the fullness signal while cranking up the hunger alarm — so your brain keeps telling you to eat even when your body doesn’t need more fuel. The result is a powerful drive to eat more often and choose foods that deliver fast energy and reward.
• Sleep loss alters brain circuits that control cravings and impulse control — Sleep deprivation increases activity in reward-related brain regions that regulate pleasure, motivation, and food reward. When they become more reactive, highly palatable foods — especially fried and sugary foods — appear far more desirable.
At the same time, sleep loss dials down activity in your prefrontal cortex — the part of your brain responsible for rational thinking, planning and saying no to temptation. With that brake pedal weakened, the impulse-driven parts of your brain run the show. The result: cravings get louder while your ability to resist them goes quiet.

Improve Your Sleep to Regain Control of Your Appetite

Poor sleep drives emotional eating, cravings and overeating because it disrupts the systems that regulate hunger, reward, and impulse control. When sleep quality drops or sleep duration falls below healthy levels, your brain shifts toward reward-driven eating while your ability to resist cravings weakens. If late-night snacking, stress eating or relentless cravings have become your norm, the most effective place to intervene may not be your diet — it’s your sleep.

Fixing your sleep restores your brain’s appetite signals, strengthens decision-making around food and helps your body return to a more stable eating rhythm. If you notice that poor sleep leads you straight to sugary snacks or fried comfort foods the next day, focus first on restoring healthy sleep patterns. These steps help you rebuild the biological systems that regulate appetite and stabilize your daily energy.

1. Build a consistent sleep window every night — Your brain regulates appetite and metabolism through circadian rhythms — your internal biological clock. When your sleep schedule constantly shifts, your body loses its ability to regulate hunger signals properly. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. A consistent schedule trains your brain to expect sleep at a predictable time and strengthens the hormones that regulate appetite and energy balance.
2. Get direct sunlight early in the day — Morning sunlight sets your circadian rhythm for the next 24 hours. Within an hour of waking, spend at least 10 to 20 minutes outdoors with natural light hitting your eyes and skin. Sun exposure signals your brain to produce hormones that regulate wakefulness during the day and deeper sleep at night. Better sleep quality stabilizes hunger signals and reduces the emotional eating patterns seen in sleep-deprived individuals.
3. Shut down artificial light and screens at night — Blue light from phones, tablets and LED lighting suppresses melatonin — the hormone that tells your body it’s time to sleep. When melatonin drops, sleep quality deteriorates and appetite hormones become unstable the next day. Turn off screens at least one to two hours before bed. If your lifestyle requires evening screen use, dim the brightness and switch to warm lighting in your home to reduce circadian disruption.
4. Keep your bedroom cool and completely dark — Your body lowers its core temperature to enter deep sleep. A warm or brightly lit room interferes with that process and fragments your sleep cycles. Aim for a cool sleeping environment — roughly 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit works well for many people.
Use blackout curtains or an eye mask, or eliminate stray light sources, so your brain receives a strong nighttime signal. Deep, uninterrupted sleep improves the hormonal signals that regulate hunger the following day.
5. Create a sleep-friendly evening routine — Your brain needs clear signals that the day is ending. Establish a simple routine before bed that relaxes your nervous system. Lower the lights, avoid stimulating activities and choose calming habits such as light stretching, reading or quiet conversation. A consistent routine strengthens sleep quality, which directly improves appetite control and reduces the emotional eating behaviors seen in people with poor sleep.

FAQs About Sleep, Appetite, and Overeating

Q: Why does poor sleep make you crave unhealthy foods?
A: Poor sleep changes how your brain processes hunger and reward. When sleep quality drops, hormones that stimulate hunger rise while hormones that signal fullness fall. At the same time, brain reward centers become more sensitive to highly palatable foods such as sweets and fried meals. This combination makes comfort foods far more appealing and weakens your ability to resist them.

Q: How strongly is poor sleep linked to emotional eating?
A: The connection is significant. In the study discussed in this article, people with the worst sleep quality were up to 3.5 times more likely to eat when stressed, bored or upset compared with those who reported very good sleep. This pattern reflects reward-driven eating, where food becomes a way to regulate mood rather than respond to hunger.

Q: Does sleeping less increase the likelihood of overeating?
A: Yes. People who slept less than seven hours per night had about 24% higher likelihood of overeating compared with those who slept seven to eight hours. Short sleepers were also about 47% more likely to skip meals, which often leads to stronger hunger later and makes overeating more likely.

Q: Does sleep affect the types of foods people choose?
A: Sleep quality influences food preferences. Poor sleepers ate fried foods about 10% to 21% more often and consumed sweet snacks between meals about 10% to 39% more frequently than people who slept well. These foods trigger stronger reward responses in a sleep-deprived brain.

Q: What’s the most effective way to reduce sleep-driven cravings?
A: Improving sleep quality is one of the most powerful strategies. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, getting morning sunlight, reducing artificial light at night, keeping your bedroom cool and dark, and establishing a calming evening routine help restore healthy sleep patterns. When sleep improves, appetite hormones stabilize and cravings become easier to control.

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 habit helps reduce microplastic exposure from food?

Heating meals in plastic containers
Drinking hot beverages from plastic cups
Transferring food out of plastic before reheating
Heat breaks down plastic and releases microplastics into food. Moving food to glass or steel before reheating helps reduce this exposure. Learn more.

Storing hot food in BPA-free plastic wrap

When researchers at NYU Langone Health examined cancerous prostate tissue under specialized laboratory equipment, they found something they weren’t looking for: microscopic fragments of plastic embedded inside the tumors. The discovery, reported in February 2026, adds a disturbing new variable to a disease that already affects 1 in 8 American men.1

Prostate cancer begins in the prostate gland — a small organ below the bladder that produces fluid for semen — and early stages often develop silently. When symptoms appear, they frequently include difficulty urinating, weak urine flow, pelvic discomfort, or sexual dysfunction. Once the disease progresses beyond the prostate, treatment becomes far more complicated, and survival rates decline sharply.

Now a troubling discovery adds a new dimension to the conversation. Researchers at NYU Langone Health examined prostate tissue from men undergoing surgery to remove cancerous prostates and found something unexpected: microscopic plastic particles embedded in the tissue.2 The findings raise urgent questions about whether everyday plastic exposure plays a role in one of the most common cancers affecting men.

Plastic contamination isn’t confined to landfills and ocean gyres — it’s happening inside your kitchen, your closet, and your bathroom. Everyday items such as food packaging, cosmetics, and consumer plastics break down into microscopic particles called microplastics.

These fragments enter your body through food, air, and even skin contact. Previous research has already detected microplastics in organs throughout the human body, including the lungs, bloodstream, and placenta, which shows that these particles circulate widely once they enter your system.

Microplastics Detected in Most Prostate Tumor Samples

A study presented during the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in February 2026 examined an unsettling question: Do microscopic plastic particles accumulate inside prostate tumors? The research team focused on identifying whether plastic fragments existed inside the tumors and whether levels differed from nearby healthy tissue.

• Tumor samples contained plastic in nearly every case examined — When researchers evaluated tumor tissue from 10 prostate cancer patients, they detected microplastics in 9 of the 10 samples — a 90% contamination rate. Even nearby noncancerous prostate tissue showed contamination, with plastic particles detected in 70% of benign samples. These findings demonstrate that plastic fragments circulate throughout the prostate environment once they enter the body.
• Cancerous tissue contained far higher plastic concentrations — Tumor tissue contained dramatically higher amounts of plastic compared with surrounding healthy prostate tissue. On average, cancer samples contained about 40 micrograms of plastic per gram of tissue. In contrast, the nearby benign tissue averaged roughly 16 micrograms per gram.
That means tumor samples contained approximately 2.5 times more plastic than the healthy prostate tissue collected from the same patients. This comparison raises a simple but important question for your health: why would cancer tissue accumulate more plastic than normal tissue? Researchers view this imbalance as an early signal that environmental pollutants interact with the biology of tumors.
• Scientists examined common plastic chemicals inside the tissue — Researchers searched specifically for 12 of the most widely used plastic molecules that appear in consumer products. Using specialized laboratory equipment, they identified the chemical composition and structure of the particles embedded in the prostate tissue. This approach allowed scientists to confirm that the particles truly came from plastic materials rather than contamination from other substances.
To make the analysis more reliable, the team used extremely careful handling procedures. Standard laboratory tools contain plastic components that could contaminate samples. Researchers replaced these materials with aluminum instruments, cotton supplies, and other nonplastic equipment. They also processed the tissue inside “clean rooms,” which are highly controlled environments designed to prevent airborne plastic contamination during testing.
• Plastic exposure comes from everyday products you encounter daily — Plastics break down into smaller particles when exposed to heat, friction, or chemical reactions. Food packaging, plastic containers, cosmetics, and synthetic materials all contribute to this breakdown process. Once plastics fragment into microscopic pieces, people ingest them through food, inhale them from the air, or absorb them through the skin.
Consider a single morning. You wake up wrapped in polyester sheets that have been shedding plastic fibers into the air all night. You walk barefoot across carpet made from synthetic materials. In the kitchen, you microwave yesterday’s leftovers in a plastic container, pour coffee into a plastic-lined travel mug, and pack lunch in a plastic bag.
By the time you leave the house, you’ve already inhaled, ingested, and absorbed plastic particles from a dozen different sources — and the day has barely started. Multiply that morning by 365 days and then by decades, and you begin to understand how these fragments accumulate in organs like the prostate over a lifetime.
• Scientists believe chronic inflammation may drive the damage — Researchers suspect microplastics trigger inflammation inside organs. Inflammation refers to your body’s immune response when it encounters something foreign or harmful. Short bursts of inflammation help your body heal injuries. Long-term inflammation, however, damages cells and disrupts normal tissue function.
Plastic fragments trapped in tissue act like tiny irritants. The immune system detects these particles and activates defensive responses around them. These immune cells release reactive oxygen species — aggressive molecules that act like friendly fire, damaging not just the foreign particle but also the DNA of nearby healthy cells.
Over long periods this reaction stresses surrounding cells. Damaged cells accumulate genetic errors. When those errors build up, the normal controls that regulate cell growth break down. That breakdown forms cancer cells.
Dr. Stacy Loeb, the study’s lead author and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, emphasized the significance of the discovery, stating, “Our pilot study provides important evidence that microplastic exposure may be a risk factor for prostate cancer.”
The researchers also pointed out that plastic pollution has become nearly unavoidable. Senior study author Vittorio Albergamo explained that plastic contamination now exists throughout the environment, noting, “Our findings highlight the need for stricter regulatory measures to limit the public’s exposure to these substances, which are everywhere in the environment.”

How to Reduce Microplastics Exposure and Restore Cellular Energy

Stricter regulations may take years to materialize. In the meantime, you’re still eating, breathing, and drinking in a world saturated with plastic. The good news is that many of the highest-exposure pathways run directly through choices you make every day — what you store food in, what you wear, what filters you use, and how you fuel your cells. While you can’t eliminate every microscopic particle, you can dramatically reduce the total burden your body has to manage.

Plastic fragments now show up in human organs, including prostate tumors. That discovery moves plastic pollution from an environmental concern into a direct health issue. You can approach this challenge in two ways: lower the amount of plastic entering your body and strengthen your cellular energy systems so your tissues repair damage efficiently.

When your mitochondria — the small energy generators inside every cell — produce energy effectively, your body maintains stronger defenses against inflammation, oxidative stress — a state where damaging molecules overwhelm your cells’ repair capacity — and cellular injury. When mitochondria run efficiently, your cells have the energy to detect damage, repair DNA, and clear out toxins.

When they falter, that maintenance backlog grows. If you want to lower your risk, start with practical changes that cut daily plastic exposure while strengthening your metabolism. Small decisions repeated every day accumulate powerful benefits over time. The steps below address the main drivers discussed in the research.

1. Eliminate hidden microplastic exposure in clothing, air, and dust — If you wear synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, or acrylic, microscopic plastic fibers shed from those materials constantly. These fibers float through indoor air and enter your lungs without you noticing. Drying synthetic clothing indoors releases even more airborne plastic particles. Switch to natural clothing materials whenever possible.
Cotton, wool, linen, and hemp release far fewer synthetic fibers into the air. If you already own synthetic clothing, wash those items less often because each wash releases thousands of plastic fibers into water and air. Line drying clothing also lowers fiber release compared with heated drying cycles. Laundry bags designed to capture microfibers trap loose plastic fragments before they escape into the environment.
2. Avoid heating food in plastic and switch to safer storage — Heat breaks plastic down rapidly and releases microplastics and nanoplastics into food. Many people expose themselves daily by microwaving leftovers in plastic containers or drinking hot beverages from plastic-lined cups.
Replace plastic food containers with glass or stainless steel storage whenever possible. Transfer food out of plastic before reheating meals. Avoid plastic wrap when heating leftovers and avoid placing hot liquids into plastic bottles or cups. These simple adjustments reduce a major source of plastic contamination entering your diet.
3. Filter the air you breathe and the water you drink — Air and water represent two major pathways for plastic exposure. Indoor air often carries plastic fragments from clothing fibers, dust, and household materials. Drinking water also contains small plastic particles that pass through many municipal filtration systems.
Install high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration in the rooms where you spend the most time, especially bedrooms and work areas. Choose filters designed to capture extremely small particles such as PM2.5, which includes microscopic plastic dust. Household dust also contains large amounts of plastic debris.
Vacuum regularly with a sealed HEPA system and wipe surfaces with a damp cloth so particles remain trapped instead of floating back into the air. At the same time, install a high-quality water filtration system capable of removing particles down to the micron level. These upgrades reduce the amount of plastic that enters your body through breathing and hydration.
4. Avoid personal care products that contain plastic ingredients — Many cosmetics and personal care products contain microscopic plastic particles. Face scrubs, exfoliating cleansers, toothpaste, and thickened lotions often include ingredients such as polyethylene or polypropylene. These compounds function as microbeads or texture stabilizers.
When you apply these products to your skin, plastic particles come into direct contact with your body. During rinsing and drying, fragments disperse into the air or water. Choose personal care products that avoid plastic-based ingredients. Reading ingredient labels carefully helps you identify these additives and select cleaner alternatives.
5. Strengthen cellular energy by improving diet and mitochondrial health — Microplastics represent one source of cellular stress, but they don’t act in isolation. When your mitochondria are already compromised by other factors — such as seed oils high in oxidation-prone linoleic acid (LA) — your cells have fewer resources to handle the additional burden of plastic-induced inflammation.
Strong mitochondrial energy production improves your body’s ability to repair damage and maintain cellular balance. I view impaired mitochondrial function as a major contributor to chronic disease, including cancer.
Begin by removing seed oils. These oils, including soybean oil, canola, corn, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, cottonseed, or rice bran oil, interfere with mitochondrial energy production and increase oxidative stress. Replace them with stable fats such as grass fed butter, ghee, or beef tallow and avoid ultraprocessed foods and most restaurant meals, which often contain these unhealthy oils.
Next, support your metabolism with adequate carbohydrate intake. Many adults function best with roughly 250 grams of carbohydrates daily. Active individuals often require more. Start with whole fruit and white rice.
As your tolerance improves, you can expand into well-cooked root vegetables, then non-starchy vegetables, starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes or squash, beans, legumes, and, finally, minimally processed whole grains. If bloating, pain, or loose stools appear, back down and proceed gradually.
Adequate protein intake also supports tissue repair. Aim for about 0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass, 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. I’m also developing a detox solution designed specifically to address microplastic exposure.
This project reflects one of the most urgent health challenges of our time. My forthcoming book explores how microplastics affect virtually every organ system — and lays out a comprehensive protocol for reducing your body’s plastic burden while restoring cellular resilience. Lowering plastic exposure while strengthening mitochondrial energy production gives your body a stronger foundation for long-term cellular health.

FAQs About Microplastics and Prostate Cancer

Q: What did the new study discover about microplastics and prostate cancer?
A: Researchers analyzing prostate tissue from men undergoing cancer surgery found microscopic plastic particles in 90% of tumor samples. Microplastics also appeared in 70% of nearby noncancerous prostate tissue.
Even more concerning, cancerous tissue contained about 2.5 times more plastic — roughly 40 micrograms per gram of tissue compared with about 16 micrograms per gram in healthy tissue. These findings show that plastic fragments accumulate inside the prostate and appear in higher concentrations within tumors.

Q: How do microplastics enter the human body?
A: Microplastics form when larger plastic materials break down through heat, friction, or chemical exposure. These microscopic fragments enter your body through food, drinking water, air, and skin contact. Heating food in plastic containers, drinking from plastic bottles, breathing indoor air filled with synthetic fibers, and using personal care products containing plastic ingredients all contribute to exposure.

Q: Why are scientists concerned about microplastics in prostate tumors?
A: Researchers suspect microplastics irritate tissues and trigger chronic inflammation. Inflammation is your body’s immune response to foreign substances. While short-term inflammation helps healing, long-term inflammation damages cells and disrupts normal tissue function. Over time this damage allows genetic errors to accumulate, which contributes to the development and growth of cancer cells.

Q: What are the most effective ways to reduce microplastic exposure?
A: Switch from synthetic fabrics to natural materials like cotton or linen, avoid heating food in plastic containers, and use glass or stainless steel instead. Improve indoor air quality with HEPA filtration, vacuum regularly with a sealed filter system, filter your drinking water, and choose personal care products that avoid plastic ingredients such as polyethylene or polypropylene.

Q: How does improving mitochondrial health help protect against environmental toxins?
A: Your mitochondria generate the cellular energy required for tissue repair and detoxification. When mitochondrial energy production declines, your body struggles to repair cellular damage caused by environmental pollutants. Eliminating seed oils rich in LA, consuming adequate carbohydrates, and maintaining sufficient protein intake supports mitochondrial function and strengthens your body’s ability to recover from environmental stressors such as microplastic exposure.

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

GLP-1 weight loss drugs have been linked to which serious brain condition?

Wernicke encephalopathy
GLP-1 drugs have been linked to Wernicke encephalopathy, a brain disorder caused by severe vitamin B1 deficiency. Learn more.

Alzheimer’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Epilepsy

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way

VIKTIG

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

Statistics indicate that around 31 million Americans develop sinusitis each year, and 16 million of them seek outpatient care for relief.1 While there are many available pharmaceutical (and even surgical) remedies for long-term relief, this often causes side effects.

Instead of relying on methods that cause further harm, it’s better to explore strategies that address the root cause of inflammation, thus providing relief without dangerous side effects. But first, let’s dive in and learn the role of sinuses in your system.

What Are the Sinuses?

While you can’t see them, your sinuses are unsung heroes located inside your head. They play multiple roles, from filtering the air you breathe to absorbing bumps.2,3

• You have eight sinuses inside your head — Humans have four pairs of sinuses. One pair is found above your eyes and in your forehead. There are also other sinus cavities between your eyes, just behind the nose, while the biggest sinuses are found under your eyes, behind your cheeks.

• Sinuses filter air entering your head — As you inhale, the mucus and tiny hair strands humidify the air before entering your lungs. That’s because breathing in cold, dry air causes issues such as coughing and wheezing.

• Sinuses also remove irritants — The mucus and hair in your sinuses also trap pollutants, such as dirt and dust that are eventually removed from your nasal cavity.4

• They provide an extra layer of protection — In the event that you bump your head into something, your sinuses will protect the brain from experiencing a direct impact.

While your sinuses generally work well, sometimes they become inflamed, leading to a condition known as sinusitis. This causes symptoms like stuffy nose, mucus dripping down your throat (postnasal drip), runny nose, facial pressure, fever, headache, and coughs.5

Home Remedies for Sinusitis

Sinusitis usually goes away on its own after a few days, but there are times when the symptoms are bothersome and eventually affect your daily routine. While it’s tempting to take a pill for your pain, this isn’t necessary — there are many ways to manage sinusitis naturally, according to The Hearty Soul:6

• Saline nasal irrigation — This is an affordable, effective treatment for sinusitis. To create an irrigation solution, mix salt with filtered water. Then, using a nasal irrigation tool, like a neti pot, use the saline solution to flush out the mucus and relieve your sinuses.

• Steam therapy — Another simple remedy is to place your head above the steam from a bowl of warm water and inhale deeply for several minutes. For better relief, you can add essential oils like eucalyptus.

• Staying hydrated — While you’re dealing with sinusitis, it’s important you drink enough water. Dehydration makes the mucus thicker, which clogs your sinuses — the perfect environment for bacteria to grow.7

• Warm compress — Place a warm compress on your face to reduce swelling and pressure caused by congestion. You can combine it with steam therapy for better results.

• Reduced exposure to mold — The presence of mold in your home is a common trigger for sinus infections because the fungi release airborne spores that enter your nose. To reduce mold exposure, focus on improving air quality in your home and fixing any spots that have moldy growths.

• Elevated sleeping angle — Getting enough sleep is important to let your body fight and recover from the cause of sinusitis, but did you know you can influence the results even more? Sleeping with your head at an elevated angle helps recovery by preventing mucus from pooling while you sleep.

• Humidifier — A small humidifier will help add moisture into your indoor air by releasing water vapor. A humidity level between 30% and 60% helps keep your sinuses from drying while also preventing mold growth.

• Essential oils — The aroma of essential oils such as peppermint will help provide a cooling sensation, providing relief and opening your nasal passages. You can combine this with your humidifier for greater results.

• Sunlight exposure — According to a study published in Nutrition and Metabolic Insights, “Evidence has shown that patients with sinusitis have lower vitamin D levels, and vitamin D supplementation alleviates their symptoms.”8 That being said, I strongly recommend that you get it through sunlight exposure.

Sunlight triggers other beneficial effects in your body, aside from producing vitamin D. However, it’s important that you avoid direct sunlight during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) until you’ve reduced your consumption of vegetable oils for at least two to six months. This is because the linoleic acid (LA) found in these oils accumulate in your skin. When it interacts with the sun’s UV rays, it triggers inflammation and DNA damage.

For a more in-depth understanding on how to safely optimize vitamin D production, read “Everything You Need to Know About Vitamin D for Your Health.”

• How to speed up removing of linoleic acid (LA) on your skin — Interestingly enough, I recently found out that there’s a way to help purge LA embedded in your skin faster, and this is by simply adding raw, grass fed milk into your diet. Raw milk contains a special fat called C15:0.

Increasing your intake of C15:0 to 2 grams per day causes your keratinocytes (the outermost layer of your skin) to incorporate it instead of LA within a single skin-cycle (around four weeks). This means that if you continue drinking raw, grass fed milk, the LA on your skin should go down by 25% to 30% within three to four months.

When you keep it up for 12 to 18 months, the LA in your adipose tissue will be down by 80%, instead of two to three years by following a low-LA diet alone. After doing this, whatever remaining ultraviolet risks on your skin come from direct DNA damage and can’t be fixed by your diet.

Healthy Foods That Help with Sinusitis

Home remedies are just one part of the equation when it comes to managing sinusitis. Your diet also plays a huge role, as it helps manage inflammation and eliminate viruses, fungi, or bacteria that’s causing the symptoms:9

• Garlic — A common cooking ingredient, this herb contains allicin, which is released when crushed. Allicin is the primary sulfur compound in garlic that’s responsible for its pungent aroma. As for its therapeutic properties, allicin helps thin the mucus blocking your nasal passages, as well as reduce inflammation.

Consuming garlic raw will allow you to reap most of its benefits, but make sure to chop or crush it before eating it whole. If you don’t like the taste of raw garlic, consider trying aged black garlic, which is made by fermenting garlic bulbs. One study noted that it has a “sweet and sour taste and no strong odor,”10 which can entice consumers averse to fresh garlic.

• Onions — This pungent vegetable is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Like garlic, it also contains sulfuric compounds that help clear nasal congestion.

• Ginger — Another herb renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger contains antihistamine and other bioactive compounds that help manage nausea and allergic reactions.

• Turmeric — Known for its distinctive color that gives curry its famed appearance, research shows that turmeric contains anti-inflammatory compounds that help reduce nasal congestion, sneezing, and rhinorrhea.11

• Pineapple — If mucus is already dripping from your nose, try eating a few slices of pineapple. This fruit contains a unique enzyme called bromelain, which helps reduce mucus production, as well as inflammation.

• Chili peppers — If you enjoy eating spicy food, then you’re already getting the benefit of chili peppers regularly — capsaicin. This compound helps thin out the mucus, allowing it to drain better as well as improve air circulation.

• Horseradish — This vegetable contains beneficial sulfur, similar to garlic and onions. As with the other herbs, this one also helps thin the mucus from the upper respiratory passages and improve air circulation.

To take horseradish, try grating some in your mouth and chewing it until the flavor goes away. A pinch of it will also work, but you’ll need a stronger variety.

• Coconut oil — This common cooking ingredient contains antibacterial and antiviral properties, making it good for microbe-related sinus infections. When using coconut oil, make sure it comes from a reputable producer, and that it is not adulterated with other oils.

• Citrus fruits — If you’ve developed sinusitis due to a bacterial or viral infection, supporting your immune system with vitamin C from citrus fruits is an effective strategy. These fruits also contain water and dietary fiber, which helps your digestive health.

• Homemade herbal tea — Sipping tea made from a combination of healthy ingredients will help soothe your sinuses. Mix cloves, black pepper, ginger, basil leaves, and tea into boiling water. Pour it in a cup, then add raw honey to taste.

The ingredients in this tea recipe contain anti-inflammatory and antibacterial compounds that are helpful in managing sinusitis. Interestingly, research12 has shown that basil also contains bioactive compounds that decrease mucus secretion.

Dimethyl Sulfoxide — Another Solution to Sinus-Related Conditions

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a compound synthesized in 1866 by Alexander Zaytsev, a Russian scientist. He was able to create it by oxidizing dimethyl sulfide, which is a byproduct of the kraft process (making paper from wood pulp). It is also a naturally occurring compound from the kraft process itself.13

Published research shows that DMSO contains anti-inflammatory properties that are helpful for various conditions, such as injuries, chronic pain, autoimmune diseases. Interestingly, it’s been shown to help manage sinusitis, as well as other infections of the nose and throat. An article from A Midwestern Doctor compiles a list of studies showcasing its therapeutic effects:14

• DMSO provides measurable results — Researchers administered DMSO to seven female patients (aged 43 to 66) diagnosed with sinusitis. According to the findings, two had a good response, while the remaining five had an excellent response.15

• Research regarding DMSO’s benefits was buried decades ago — According to the book “The Persecuted Drug: The Story of DMSO,” Merck sent out guidance to their investigators on what they learned from treating around 4,000 patients for up to 18 months, which was way back in 1965.

According to A Midwestern Doctor, the investigators said that “A dilute solution to the nasal mucosa has resulted in the discharge of a great deal of infected material from the sinuses and relief of pain.”

• DMSO also helps sinusitis in children — In 1992, Russian researchers discovered that administering 10% DMSO to the sinuses, followed by local oxygenation, provided complete recovery in 49 out of 52 children within two years. Conversely, those who received standard treatments (the control group) didn’t fare better.

As mentioned earlier, sinusitis can also be caused by exposure to fungi. And as it happens, DMSO has antifungal properties, reinforcing its position as a viable alternative for sinusitis. According to A Midwestern Doctor:16

• Results vary, but benefits are evident nonetheless — In a 2013 study, researchers used DMSO and antifungal agents on six different Candida species. According to the data, 0.5% to 1% DMSO had antifungal results, but the inhibitor effect varied.

• DMSO treats ringworm — In a 1965 study,17 DMSO was found to be effective against ringworm and athlete’s foot, especially when combined with an antifungal agent.

Frequently Asked Questions About Natural Strategies to Manage Sinusitis

Q: What causes sinusitis and how common is it in America?
A: Sinusitis occurs when the sinus cavities become inflamed, often because of infections or irritants. This inflammation leads to symptoms such as nasal congestion, facial pressure, postnasal drip, and headaches. In the United States, sinusitis affects about 31 million people annually, with approximately 16 million seeking outpatient care for relief.

Q: What role do sinuses play in overall health and respiratory function?
A: Sinuses serve several important functions within the body. Located in various parts of the skull, these air-filled cavities help humidify and filter the air before it reaches the lungs. They trap pollutants and irritants through mucus and tiny hairs, providing a first line of defense against environmental contaminants.

Additionally, the sinuses act as a cushion to protect the brain in the event of physical impact. When these cavities become blocked or irritated, they lead to sinusitis.

Q: How can sinusitis be managed at home using natural methods?
A: Managing sinusitis at home is achievable through various natural remedies. Using saline nasal irrigation, such as with a neti pot, helps to flush out mucus and clear the nasal passages. Inhaling steam, especially when infused with essential oils like eucalyptus, can relieve congestion.

Staying hydrated supports the thinning of mucus, and applying warm compresses to the face can ease pressure and inflammation. Improving indoor air quality, sleeping with the head elevated, and using a humidifier all contribute to sinus health. These approaches offer effective relief without relying on medication.

Q: What dietary choices support sinus health and reduce inflammation?
A: A diet rich in anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial foods will significantly aid in recovering from sinusitis. Consuming raw garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric, and spicy foods like chili peppers helps to reduce mucus buildup and combat infection. Pineapple, due to its enzyme bromelain, and citrus fruits, which are high in vitamin C, support immune function and decrease inflammation.

Fermented and pungent foods such as horseradish and aged black garlic also aid in clearing respiratory passages. In addition, coconut oil’s natural antibacterial properties make it a beneficial addition to meals or as a supplement.

Q: What is DMSO and how does it contribute to sinusitis treatment?
A: Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a compound with powerful anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties that have shown promise in treating sinusitis. Research has indicated that applying a diluted solution to the nasal area will lead to significant relief, including the drainage of infected material and reduced sinus pressure.

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way

VIKTIG

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

Osteoporosis is one of the most devastating age-related diseases, and it often goes unnoticed until it’s too late. In America alone, it’s estimated that 10 million people are affected by this condition.1

Characterized by porous, brittle bones, osteoporosis leaves you vulnerable to fractures from simple falls. Common symptoms include back pain, stooped posture, and an increased risk of breaks in the hips, spine, or wrists. Without intervention, it causes permanent disability, loss of independence, and a significantly shortened lifespan.

While common medical advice pushes for increased calcium intake, this is just one piece of the puzzle. Calcium alone, without other nutrients and bioactive compounds, will contribute very little to improving bone strength. Now, research has shown that there’s one convenient solution — fermented dairy.

Fermented Dairy Actively Regulates Bone Cell Remodeling

Research published in Food Science of Animal Resources investigated how fermented dairy products and their probiotic content influence skeletal health. Specifically, researchers looked at the bone remodeling process that keeps your skeleton strong and adaptable throughout your life.2

• Probiotics actively change how your body regulates bone formation — The study shows that probiotics affect the two main types of bone cells, osteoblasts (builds new bone) and osteoclasts (breaks down old bones). When there’s an imbalance between the two, the risk for bone diseases like osteoporosis increases. A healthy balance is maintained by giving your body the right nutrients and signaling molecules to favor bone building over bone loss.

Results show that consuming fermented dairy regularly led to higher bone mineral density (BMD), better bone mineral content (BMC), and greater overall bone strength. These effects are especially notable in children during growth spurts and in aging adults who are at high risk of fractures.

• Fermented dairy supports the function of metabolic markers tied to bone health — According to the study, fermented dairy boosts osteocalcin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), which is a hormone that promotes the activity of osteoblasts, which is your body’s bone-building cells. Essentially, when fermented dairy increases IGF-I levels, it tells your body to start building newer bones.

At the same time, fermented dairy reduces the activity of osteoclasts by lowering inflammatory compounds like interleukin-17 (IL-17) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), which are known to accelerate bone breakdown. This double-action — more building, less breakdown — is what makes fermented dairy beneficial for bones.

• The probiotics in fermented dairy communicate with your immune system — Specific strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium help shift your immune balance from inflammation-centric to repair-centric. By increasing the presence of immune cells that lower inflammation and promote bone resorption, the probiotics help your body tip the scale toward healing and bone regeneration.

• Probiotics also produce short-chain fats (SCFAs) — The study singled out the ability of probiotics to produce butyrate, which helps reinforce the gut barrier so fewer toxins and inflammatory compounds leak into the bloodstream. Less systemic inflammation means better bone protection.

Butyrate also directly inhibits osteoclast formation and stimulates a pathway that encourages osteoblast activity and bone formation. In essence, SCFAs act like a natural defense system produced right inside your gut that also supports your bones.

• Fermented dairy lowers parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels — This is a noteworthy finding, as PTH is responsible for pulling calcium out of your bones when blood calcium levels drop.3 When you eat calcium-rich fermented dairy, your body doesn’t have to rob your bones to get what it needs. As a result, bone resorption markers like CTX go down — a sign that less bone is being broken down.

• The study highlighted how fermented dairy impacts gene expression — Specific genes involved in bone growth, like Runx2 and Bmp2, were upregulated in response to probiotic intake. Runx2 is a master switch for turning stem cells into bone-building osteoblasts. Meanwhile, Bmp2 helps trigger bone growth in both developing and mature bone tissue. Together, these genes help initiate and maintain healthy bone remodeling.

Kefir Triggers Real Bone Gains in 6 Months

In a similar study published in PLOS One, researchers tested the short-term effects of kefir on bone health in 40 adults already diagnosed with osteoporosis. For their methodology, they compared kefir with calcium bicarbonate supplementation versus taking supplements alone, measuring changes in BMD and key bone metabolism markers over a six-month period.4

• Probiotics helped reverse osteoporosis — In the kefir group, the marker for bone formation, osteocalcin, shifted dramatically. By the end of the six-month trial, people who started out with declining osteocalcin levels had reversed that trend. Their numbers rose to levels associated with active bone building.

In addition, a biomarker for bone breakdown, β-CTX (beta C-terminal telopeptide of Type I collagen), decreased significantly. This means there was less active degradation of bone tissue. Together, these two changes reflect the influence of probiotics on the body’s ability to rebuild and restrengthen bones.

• The benefits occur within a few months — Within the first month, β-CTX began dropping in those who took kefir. By the third month, the decline was more pronounced, especially in people who weren’t in the most severe stages of bone loss. This means that kefir not only worked for advanced stages — it also worked in the early stages, when there’s still time to reverse damage.

• Kefir targets bones prone to osteoporosis — Spine BMD didn’t change much, but hip and femoral neck BMD did, which are some of the most fracture-prone bones in older adults.5,6 After six months of kefir treatment, participants saw their hip BMD increase by 5.5%. This figure may not sound like much at first, but it goes to show how much kefir contributed to halting, and even reversing, BMD loss.

• Thyroid function is improved — The kefir group showed a rise in PTH after six months. For context, PTH helps regulate calcium levels in the blood and in this case of this study, higher PTH levels reflect the body’s increased signaling for bone remodeling.

In contrast, the control group had lower PTH levels, which the researchers tied to lower overall bone remodeling activity.

• Kefir is rich in health-boosting peptides — According to the study, kefir peptides result from milk protein breakdown during fermentation. They interact with your gut, your immune system, and even your bones, enhancing calcium absorption and making sure more of it ends up in your bones.

• Oxidative stress is suppressed by probiotics — People with osteoporosis often experience high levels of inflammation and oxidative damage, which accelerates bone resorption. The beneficial bacteria in kefir, through both direct antioxidant activity and immune modulation, helped reduce inflammatory cytokines.

That means less wear and tear on your bones from chronic low-grade inflammation, which is a factor that most conventional osteoporosis treatments ignore.

Ultimately, the research shows that kefir is more than a passive food you eat to fill your tummy — it also actively improves the inner workings of your bone metabolism, changing the signals your body sends about whether to build up or tear down your skeletal structure as needed. The longer those signals stay in “build” mode, the more time you buy to regain strength, stability, and resilience.

C15:0 — A Beneficial Fat Found in Dairy

C15:0, also known as pentadecanoic acid, is an odd-chain saturated fat (OCFA) largely found in dairy. It’s also present in certain fish and plants. Why bring it up? Interestingly, this fat has been shown to be an important player in maintaining your cellular health.

You’re likely familiar with well-known fats that contribute to optimal health, such as omega-3, but I believe C15:0 also deserves its time in the limelight. In addition to the benefits discussed above, C15:0 provides other health benefits that make fermented dairy a superfood.

• Diabetes prevention — A meta-analysis7 of 33 prospective cohort studies found that people with higher C15:0 levels had a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

• Mitochondrial health — Research found that C15:0 helped repair mitochondrial function and lowered reactive oxygen species production in a dose-dependent u-curve.8

• Weight management — Daily supplementation of C15:0 at a dose of 5 mg per kilo of bodyweight lowered inflammation, glucose, and cholesterol levels in obese mice.9

The takeaway here is that aside from probiotics, fermented dairy contains other nutrients that help support your health in different ways. For this reason, I encourage you to add these to your diet more often.

5 Effective Strategies to Support Your Bone Health

As shown in the research, managing osteoporosis is attainable through the help of probiotics found in fermented dairy. It contains a collection of beneficial bacteria strains that support gene expression related to promoting stronger bones, as well as nutrients that support this process. To help you take advantage of these benefits, I recommend the following lifestyle adjustments:

1. Add fermented dairy from grass fed sources to your diet — If your gut is able to tolerate dairy, I highly recommend adding kefir or plain, full-fat yogurt into your rotation, ideally from 100% grass fed milk. Aside from being rich in calcium, these foods contain other nutrients that shift your bone metabolism in the right direction. As shown in the research, kefir significantly increases hip bone density in just six months and supports osteocalcin.10

2. Consider taking a high-quality supplement — If you’re sensitive to dairy or can’t stand the taste of kefir or yogurt, that’s okay. In that case, you’d be wise to take a high-quality probiotic supplement that includes strains like Lactobacillus reuteri, L. casei, or Bifidobacterium longum — all shown to reduce bone loss markers and improve bone density.

3. Eat foods that feed your gut microbes — Probiotics are important, but they only thrive if you feed them well. If your gut is already compromised, start slowly with ripe fruits, root vegetables, and fermented foods that contain prebiotics. This creates an environment where beneficial bacteria begin to thrive again and start shifting away from inflammatory processes that lead to bone loss.

4. Bask in sunlight properly — Sunlight is how your body makes vitamin D, and this nutrient is key for calcium absorption and proper immune function. Aim for 15 to 30 minutes of unfiltered sun on your skin every day at midday, when the sun is at its peak. If you’ve been on a diet high in linoleic acid (LA), get your sun exposure during early morning or late afternoon instead to avoid skin damage.

In most regions in America, this means avoiding sunlight from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The reason for this is because when sunlight hits your skin, the LA in your skin is metabolized, causing DNA damage and inflammation.

For in-depth instructions on how to safely optimize your vitamin D levels, read my article “2024 International Virtual Vitamin D Forum Unlocks the Power of Vitamin D.” There, I provide additional strategies to lower your risk of skin cancer as you work towards purging your body from LA.

5. Get regular exercise — While a healthy diet will undoubtedly help boost skeletal health, there are other methods that optimize it further, such as exercise. As noted in the Food Science of Animal Resources Study, the impact generated by physical activity stimulates your osteocytes, thereby increasing BMD.11

To get your body moving, the easiest way is to go for a walk. I generally recommend getting 10,000 steps a day for optimal health. When it comes to resistance training, the benefits max out at around 40 to 60 minutes a week. For an in-depth explanation on this topic, read my article “The Benefits of Walking — How to Get More Steps in This Summer.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Benefits of Probiotics for Skeletal Health

Q: What is osteoporosis and why is it dangerous?

A: Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become porous and brittle, making them more prone to fractures. It often goes unnoticed until a fracture occurs. It leads to chronic pain, loss of mobility, and even shorten lifespan if left untreated.

Q: How does fermented dairy help improve bone health?

A: Fermented dairy products like kefir and yogurt contain probiotics that regulate bone cell activity, increase bone-building cells (osteoblasts), reduce bone-resorbing cells (osteoclasts), and support bone density and strength. They also lower inflammation and boost helpful metabolic markers, such as osteocalcin and IGF-I.

Q: What scientific evidence supports the benefits of fermented dairy on skeletal health?

A: A six-month study published in PLOS One showed that kefir increased bone density in the hip by 5.5% and reversed markers of bone breakdown. Participants saw noticeable benefits in as little as one month, especially in early stages of osteoporosis.

Q: Are there other health benefits to fermented dairy besides bone strength?

A: Yes. Fermented dairy contains C15:0 (pentadecanoic acid), a rare fatty acid that supports metabolic health, mitochondrial function, diabetes prevention, and reduces inflammation, making it a complete “superfood.”

Q: What are the top strategies to support bone health naturally?

A: Key strategies I recommend include:

• Eating fermented dairy like kefir or yogurt.

• Taking high-quality probiotic supplements if dairy isn’t tolerated.

• Feeding your gut with prebiotic-rich foods.

• Getting proper sun exposure for optimal vitamin D levels.

• Exercising regularly, especially walking and resistance training.

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way

VIKTIG

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

Plyometric exercises were originally practiced by athletes to improve their muscle strength and overall fitness.1 Interestingly, research has shown that these movements benefit older adults as well, who are at risk for mobility issues.

Age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, is a primary reason why older adults struggle with mobility and experience an increased risk of falls. By the time someone reaches 70, they’ve already lost up to 30% of their muscle mass, which translates to weaker legs, slower reaction times, and difficulty maintaining balance.2 Muscle loss, though often perceived as inevitable, directly impacts mobility, and is largely preventable.

When mobility decreases, everyday tasks like climbing stairs, getting up from a chair, or walking on uneven ground become dangerous. Falls become more frequent, and once an older adult suffers a fracture — particularly at the hip — their risk of permanent disability or even death skyrockets.3

The good news is that plyometric exercises can significantly reduce these risks. They offer older adults a way to maintain muscle strength and prevent falls, in addition to other time-tested solutions such as weightlifting.4

Plyometric Training Is Safe and Effective for Older Adults

Writing for The Conversation, Justin Keogh from Bond University and Mandy Hagstrom from The University of South Wales compiled studies regarding plyometric exercises and their benefits to the general population, including fitness enthusiasts and young people.5

• Exploring the benefits of plyometric training for older adults — One notable systematic review, published in Sports Medicine, focused on older adults.6 In this study, researchers examined whether plyometric training — impact exercises that require generating large amounts of force in short periods7 — improve strength, balance, and overall function in the elderly. They also assessed the safety of these exercises for this demographic.8

• The different plyometric exercises involved — The total population was 289 adults, both men and women between 58 and 79 years old. Some of them were healthy and others were diagnosed with osteopenia. The training programs ranged from four weeks to 12 months, and exercises varied from basic jumps to more complex movements such as bounding and box jumps.9

• Plyometric training, when done properly, are safe for older adults — Some interventions focused exclusively on plyometrics, while others combined them with strength or balance exercises. Despite the perceived risk of high-impact movements for older adults, none of the studies included in the review reported a higher incidence of injury, indicating that when done properly, these exercises are, in fact, safe to perform.10

The Benefits of Plyometric Training

The Sports Medicine review also found significant improvements in several key areas, most notably lower-body strength, power, and balance.

• Stronger muscles — Participants who engaged in plyometric training experienced greater gains in muscle power compared to those performing traditional strength exercises. This means that not only did their muscles become stronger, but they were also able to generate force quicker — an essential ability for preventing falls and reacting to sudden balance changes.11

• Improved balance — Better balance was another major finding. Several studies within the review demonstrated that plyometric training enhanced postural stability, which refers to the body’s ability to maintain an upright position and prevent falls.

In particular, participants who included jumping exercises in their routine performed better on balance assessments such as the Berg Balance Test (a test used to determine an adult’s ability to balance their body12) and force plate measurements, compared to those who only did standard strength training or no exercise at all.

• It takes time for the benefits to appear — The timeline for improvement varied across studies, but some benefits emerged in as little as four weeks. In one study, older adults who performed plyometric exercises five times per week saw a 49% increase in hip extension strength within a month.13 Another study that lasted 12 weeks found that participants improved their jumping performance and agility by over 25%.14

• Guidance is important — Another notable finding was that supervised exercise programs led to better results than unsupervised ones. When exercises were performed under the guidance of a trainer or physical therapist, participants had higher gains in strength and balance, highlighting the importance of proper instruction, especially if you’ll be attempting plyometric movements.15

Why Does Plyometric Training Work?

The reason plyometric exercises are so effective lies in how they activate your brain, muscles and bones in different ways.

• Your muscles stretch and contract — When you jump, land and immediately jump again, you engage what’s known as the “stretch-shortening cycle.” This is a process where muscles first lengthen (eccentric phase) and then rapidly contract (concentric phase), creating powerful movements. This rapid force production helps your muscles become more explosive and reactive — key qualities needed to prevent falls.16

• Your brain and body work together — In terms of balance, plyometrics force your body to stabilize during landing. Each jump challenges your neuromuscular system, requiring quick adjustments to maintain posture.

• Your spatial awareness improves — Over time, plyometric training improves proprioception — your body’s ability to sense its position in space — which translates to better stability in daily life.

According to the researchers, “As muscle spindles are stretched during plyometric training, a neuromuscular reflex likely occurs, which may activate higher threshold motor units that would normally not be used. Long-term exposure to such stimuli may decrease neuromuscular inhibition, which would likely result in greater muscle activity and, in turn, greater strength.”17

Another Benefit of Plyometric Exercises — Your Skeletal Health

Based on the research published, it’s clear that plyometric exercises promote stronger muscles. But they also have a positive impact on bone health. As people age, bone mineral density (BMD) declines due to various factors, leading to osteoporosis and an increased risk of fractures when falling.

• Exercise boosts BMD — This benefit was observed in a study published in the journal Bone. Here, researchers noted that postmenopausal women who engaged in moderate- and high-intensity exercise had improved hip and spinal bone density, which reduces their long-term risk of fractures.18

• Impact strengthens your bones — According to another study, the impact (such as leaping to a box) activates specialized cells in your body that trigger bone growth. As noted by the researchers, “From a mechanically centric point of view, activities that generate higher intensity or quicker loads (such as resistance training and leaping) are excellent for promoting bone health because they stimulate existing bone cells in a significant way.”19

Going deeper into the mechanisms linking exercise and BMD, impact exercises like jumping stimulate osteogenic processes, resulting in newer, tougher bone cells due to repeated impact. This explains why participants who engaged in consistent plyometric training for a year saw measurable improvements in bone mineral density, reducing their risk of fractures.20

The Basics (and Risks) of Plyometric Exercises

Whether you’ve been exercising regularly or just starting out, plyometric exercises are a good way to keep things interesting. Examples of plyometric exercises include:21

• Box jumps — Repeatedly leaping on and off a training box.
• Lateral skater hops — Moving side to side quickly like an ice skater.
• Medicine ball throws — Picking up and throwing a medicine ball against a wall or the ground.
• Single leg hops — Hopping on a single spot or through an obstacle course.
• Squat jumps — Squatting then jumping into the air repeatedly.

However, remember that these kinds of exercises cause your body to absorb more impact than usual. Done incorrectly, your risk of muscular or skeletal injury increases. For example, missing a landing could cause a sprain or muscle tear. To prevent injuries like these, I recommend working with a fitness trainer who specializes in this area — something the research also noted.

In addition to the tips mentioned above, The Conversation provides some basic guidelines to help you ease into plyometric exercises:22

Start with one to three plyometric sessions weekly.
Do five to 10 repetitions per set of your chosen plyometric exercise.
Take a one- to three-minute rest period between sets to ensure complete muscle recovery.

Additional Tips to Maximize Plyometric Exercises and Prevent Injury

To maximize the benefits of plyometric exercises, here are some additional suggestions:

• Pair plyometrics with resistance training — Strength training builds muscle, while plyometric training enhances power and reaction time. Merging the two is an effective way to maintain your mobility to prevent falls. Once you’re able, try pairing squats with jump squats, or lunges with jumping lunges. This combination helps maintain both bone density and muscle responsiveness especially as you age.

• Don’t overdo it — You need to put some effort into plyometric exercises. As noted in another Bone study, “low-intensity exercise was not an effective stimulus to increase bone mass.”23
That said, you don’t want to overdo it. According to a study published in Aging and Disease, “Excessive high-intensity exercise does not benefit bone health but induces a high level of oxidative stress in the body, which has a negative impact on bone tissue.”24 The key word there is “excessive.” To maximize longevity benefits, keep high-intensity exercise like plyometrics to a max of 75 minutes per week and strength training to 40 minutes a week.

• Stay consistent and make exercising a habit — Your body responds to what you do regularly, not what you do once in a while. Aim for at least two to three sessions per week, including both resistance training and plyometrics. Over time, this will improve your strength, balance, and bone health, keeping you active and independent well into your later years.

Frequently Asked Questions on Plyometric Exercises

Q: Are plyometric exercises safe for older adults?
A: Yes, research shows that when done correctly, plyometric exercises are safe and effective for older adults. Research has found no increased injury risk when exercises are properly supervised and tailored to individual abilities. These exercises help improve muscle strength, balance, and bone density, reducing the risk of falls and fractures.

Q: How do plyometric exercises help prevent falls in older adults?
A: Plyometric exercises improve lower-body strength, power and reaction time, which are essential for maintaining balance and preventing falls. They also enhance postural stability, proprioception (spatial awareness) and neuromuscular coordination, helping older adults react quickly to sudden balance changes.

Q: Can plyometric training improve bone health?
A: Yes, studies show that impact exercises like jumping stimulate bone growth by triggering osteogenic processes, leading to stronger bones. Postmenopausal women who engaged in plyometric training experienced improved bone mineral density in their hips and spine, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

Q: What are some plyometric exercises recommended for older adults?
A: Some beginner-friendly plyometric exercises include:

• Box jumps — Leaping onto a sturdy box and stepping down.
• Lateral skater hops — Jumping side to side like an ice skater.
• Squat jumps — Squatting and jumping repeatedly.
• Medicine ball throws — Throwing a weighted ball against a wall or the ground.
• Single leg hops — Hopping on one foot to improve balance.

Q: How can older adults start plyometric training safely?
A: To begin safely, Start with one to three sessions per week with five to 10 repetitions per set. Remember to take one- to three-minute rest periods between sets for optimal recovery and avoid overtraining — limit high-intensity exercises to a total of 75 minutes per week.
In addition, combine plyometrics with resistance training for better muscle strength and mobility. If you don’t have a clue on how to begin, work with a fitness professional to learn proper form and minimize injury risk.

A rare neurological emergency is reappearing in an unexpected place. Wernicke encephalopathy is a fast-moving brain disorder that emerges when cellular energy production breaks down, leaving your brain unable to function normally. Think of your brain as a city that runs entirely on electricity. Wernicke encephalopathy is what happens when the power grid starts failing — first in scattered neighborhoods, then spreading outward.

The areas controlling balance, eye movement, and clear thinking go dark first because they’re the most energy-hungry. What raises concern now is not the disorder itself, but the pattern behind recent cases. Powerful GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic have entered widespread use, and alongside that growth, clinicians have begun flagging severe neurological outcomes that don’t fit the usual risk profile.

Millions of people now rely on these injections to suppress appetite and drive rapid weight loss, often without understanding what prolonged appetite shutdown does to nutrient status and energy metabolism. At the center of this issue sits a simple but overlooked truth: your brain is the most fuel-hungry organ in your body, consuming 20% of your daily energy despite weighing only 2% of your body weight.

Cut the fuel supply, and it’s the first organ to suffer. When food intake collapses and digestion slows for weeks or months, the systems that convert glucose into energy begin to fail. Early warning signs often look vague and easy to dismiss, which is exactly why damage progresses before anyone realizes what’s happening.

This is where a gut-centered approach adds to the conversation. In my book, “Weight Loss Cure: Melt Fat Naturally with Your Own GLP-1,” I explore general lifestyle and nutrition concepts related to digestive health and metabolism. The book is intended for educational purposes only and does not claim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary.

A Rare Neurological Risk Surfaces in GLP-1 Drug Users

A study published in Clinical Nutrition explored whether GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs used for weight loss and diabetes are associated with Wernicke encephalopathy, a severe neurological disorder tied to vitamin B1 deficiency.1

The researchers analyzed real-world safety data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System and paired it with a structured review of published medical cases, which allows rare but serious harms to surface even when they don’t appear in trials.

• Researchers found 15 documented cases of Wernicke encephalopathy linked to GLP-1 drug use — Of them, 13 were reported through the FDA database, one from the medical literature, and one from the researchers’ own hospital experience. Most reports clustered in 2023 and 2024, which mirrors the explosive rise in GLP-1 prescriptions. Reports of Wernicke encephalopathy were more than twice as likely with GLP-1 drugs compared with other medications.

• Nearly every affected patient shared the same risk profile — Thirteen of the 15 individuals experienced severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as persistent vomiting, appetite loss, rapid weight loss, or malnutrition before neurological symptoms appeared. The study emphasizes that GLP-1 drugs slow gastric emptying and suppress appetite, which increases the likelihood of prolonged nutrient depletion.

• Certain drugs appeared far more often than others — Eight of the 15 cases involved semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic or Wegovy, and six involved tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro.2

• Classic neurological symptoms were often incomplete, which delayed diagnosis — Only two patients showed the full textbook triad of confusion, eye movement problems, and gait instability. Eleven showed partial symptoms, and some showed none at first. This matters because clinicians often wait for obvious signs before testing or treating vitamin B1 deficiency.

Unlike fat-soluble vitamins that your body stores for months, vitamin B1 is water-soluble with minimal reserves — your body holds only about 30 milligrams at any time, enough for roughly two to three weeks. During rapid weight loss, metabolic demands actually increase while intake plummets, depleting stores at an accelerated rate.

Among the 11 patients with follow-up data, seven were left with permanent neurological damage despite treatment. That means more than half experienced lasting harm that did not resolve even after vitamin B1 replacement.

• The study highlights a glaring gap in current medical practice — Despite decades of awareness that rapid weight loss and vomiting trigger vitamin B1 deficiency in bariatric surgery patients, no formal guidelines require routine vitamin monitoring for people taking GLP-1 drugs for weight loss.

For those taking GLP-1 drugs, recognizing early warning signs such as ongoing nausea, dizziness, confusion, or trouble walking allows timely vitamin B1 testing and treatment, which may reverse symptoms when done early. But the study raises a deeper question: why does B1 depletion cause such catastrophic damage so quickly? A commentary by bioenergetic researcher Georgi Dinkov provides the missing mechanistic piece.3

Why Energy Failure, Not Weight Loss, Drives the Real Danger

In his commentary, Dinkov examines why vitamin B1 depletion creates cascading damage inside your brain and body once GLP-1 drugs suppress food intake and trigger prolonged vomiting. Dinkov explains that vitamin B1 controls pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), which acts like a metabolic turnstile at your cells’ power plants.

When B1 is adequate, PDH lets glucose pass through to produce clean, efficient energy. When B1 runs low, glucose gets diverted into an emergency backup pathway that produces lactic acid instead — the same substance that makes muscles burn during intense exercise. Except now it’s building up in your brain.

• Lactic acid builds up rapidly when PDH function drops — Impaired PDH activity forces glucose to convert into lactate instead of entering normal energy pathways. Lactate buildup damages tissues directly, especially in your brain and heart, and creates an internal acidic environment that cells struggle to survive.
• The health consequences extend far beyond neurological symptoms alone. Dinkov links reduced PDH activity to a range of disorders, including depression, psychosis, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, all tied to impaired glucose oxidation.
Once lactic acid accumulates to dangerous levels, outcomes deteriorate fast. Severe lactic acidosis carries a reported mortality rate of 30% to 40% even with hospital treatment, which places metabolic collapse among the most lethal downstream effects of B1 depletion.
• The risks don’t disappear when symptoms look mild — Dinkov notes that even partial suppression of vitamin B1 activity still disrupts PDH function. Lower drug doses that blunt appetite without extreme vomiting still create metabolic stress that compounds over time.

• Multiple established GLP-1 side effects intensify metabolic stress — Beyond appetite suppression, GLP-1 drugs associate with gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying), vision loss, and other neurological complications, all of which reflect impaired energy production in tissues with high fuel demand.
Delayed stomach emptying prolongs nausea, early fullness, and nutrient depletion, while visual damage signals ongoing metabolic failure in your nervous system. For patients, persistent digestive or sensory symptoms are not harmless trade-offs; they show that the metabolic imbalance driving harm remains active and uncorrected.

How to Lose Weight Without Wrecking Your Metabolism

Questions about long-term health often lead to broader discussions about lifestyle and metabolism. In my book, “Weight Loss Cure,” I explore general concepts related to nutrition, digestive health, and their role in metabolic function, from an educational perspective. The content does not provide medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individuals should consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding medical treatment decisions.

1. Stop using GLP-1 drugs and remove the metabolic stressor — If you’re taking a GLP-1 drug, stopping it removes the constant pressure that suppresses appetite, slows digestion, and drains nutrients. Once that stress lifts, your body reallocates resources toward repair instead of survival. This single step protects your brain, stabilizes energy production, and prevents further nutrient depletion that drives neurological injury.

2. Use a GLP-1 strategy that works with your biology, not against it — A biology-informed approach can encourage broader conversations about metabolism. In my book, “Weight Loss Cure: Melt Fat Naturally with Your Own GLP-1,” I explore general lifestyle, nutrition, and digestive health concepts and their relationship to metabolic function.
The book is educational in nature and does not claim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individuals should consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding medical or treatment decisions.

3. Repair your gut so Akkermansia regulates appetite naturally — Akkermansia muciniphila is a key gut bacterium that helps trigger your body’s own GLP-1 release through proteins it naturally secretes. When your gut barrier is damaged by seed oils, inflammation, and metabolic stress, this system shuts down. Fixing gut integrity first restores steady appetite control without malnutrition or energy failure. If your gut is not stable, repair comes before adding fiber or supplements.

You might wonder what seed oils have to do with vitamin B1 and brain health. The connection is mitochondrial function. Seed oils high in linoleic acid (LA) create oxidative stress in your mitochondria — the same cellular power plants that B1 helps run. Eliminating one stressor while addressing another creates compounding benefits for energy production.

4. Create an environment where beneficial gut bacteria thrive — Eliminating seed oils high in LA reduces mitochondrial stress and gut inflammation, which allows Akkermansia to take hold. Aim to keep daily LA intake under 5 grams, ideally closer to 2 grams. When my Pax health coaching platform launches, the Seed Oil Sleuth feature will help you track this down to the tenth of a gram.

Replace seed oils with grass fed butter, ghee, or tallow. After your digestion stabilizes, introduce polyphenol-rich foods such as berries and gentle inulin sources like leeks or garlic. Think of gut repair as building a house: you wouldn’t install cabinets before the foundation is set. Each step creates the conditions for the next to succeed.

5. Restore protein and carbohydrates to rebuild energy and tissue — If your appetite stayed low for weeks or months, your body has been running on a deficit. Increase protein slowly until intake reaches about 0.8 grams per pound of ideal body weight (or about 1.76 grams per kilogram), with roughly one-third from collagen-rich sources such as bone broth, natural gelatin, oxtail, or connective-tissue-rich beef.

Pair this with gradual carbohydrate reintroduction, starting with easy-to-digest options like fruit or white rice before moving to more complex carbs. Adequate glucose signals safety to your metabolism. Without it, your body stays in crisis mode — hoarding resources rather than investing them in repair. This is why low-carb diets often backfire during recovery.

FAQs About GLP-1 Drugs and Neurological Risks

Q: What is the main neurological risk linked to GLP-1 weight loss drugs?
A: Recent clinical reports link GLP-1 drugs to Wernicke encephalopathy, a fast-moving brain disorder caused by severe vitamin B1 deficiency. When appetite suppression and slowed digestion persist, your brain loses the fuel it needs to function, leading to confusion, balance problems, vision changes, and lasting neurological damage.

Q: Why do GLP-1 drugs increase the risk of vitamin B1 depletion?
A: GLP-1 drugs suppress appetite and slow stomach emptying, which sharply reduces food intake and nutrient absorption over time. Prolonged nausea, vomiting, and early fullness drain vitamin B1 stores quickly, especially during rapid weight loss, setting the stage for energy failure in your brain.

Q: Are these risks limited to high doses or severe side effects?
A: No. Even lower doses that blunt appetite without obvious vomiting still create metabolic stress. Research and metabolic analysis show that partial nutrient depletion disrupts energy production and compounds damage over time, even when symptoms seem mild.

Q: What warning signs shouldn’t be ignored while using GLP-1 drugs?
A: Persistent nausea, dizziness, confusion, trouble walking, vision changes, or extreme fatigue deserve immediate attention. These symptoms signal that energy metabolism is compromised and neurological injury may already be underway.

Q: How can weight loss happen without these risks?
A: Conversations about weight and metabolism often include the role of digestion, nutrition, and overall metabolic health. In my book, “Weight Loss Cure: Melt Fat Naturally with Your Own GLP-1,” I explore lifestyle and dietary concepts related to gut health, metabolism, and nutritional balance as part of an educational discussion. The book is intended for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice or claim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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 part of the retina allows you to read fine print and recognize faces?

Optic nerve
Retina periphery
Macular layer
Foveola
The foveola is the central part of the retina that provides the sharpest, most detailed vision, enabling tasks like reading and facial recognition. Learn more.

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way

VIKTIG

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

Over the last year, I’ve worked to bring the public’s attention to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) a forgotten natural therapy which rapidly treats a wide range of conditions and that many studies have shown is very safe (provided it’s used correctly) and, most importantly (thanks to the 1994 DSHEA Act which legalized all natural therapies)1 is now readily available.

Since I believe DMSO has immense potential to offer the medical community and individual patients, I’ve diligently worked to compile evidence that best supports its rediscovery. As such, throughout this series, I’ve presented over a thousand studies that DMSO effectively treats:

• Strokes, paralysis, and many other neurological or circulatory disorders (discussed here).

• Chronic pain and tissue injuries, such as sprains, burns, and non-healing wounds (discussed here).

• Numerous autoimmune and contractile disorders (discussed here).

• Head conditions, such as tinnitus, vision loss, dental problems, and sinusitis (discussed here).

• Internal organ diseases, such as pancreatitis, infertility, liver cirrhosis, and endometriosis (discussed here).

• Skin conditions, such as varicose veins, acne, hair loss, ulcers, and skin cancer (discussed here).

• Many different cancers (discussed here).

• Lung disorders, including asthma, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, and cystic fibrosis (discussed here).

• Gastrointestinal disorders, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, peptic ulcers, cirrhosis, and gastritis (discussed here).

• Infections, including chronic bacterial infections, herpes, and shingles (discussed here).

DMSO Combination Therapies

DMSO’s ability to treat a wide range of illnesses results from its having a variety of highly unusual properties that appear to address the root causes of disease (e.g., it greatly improves circulation). One of DMSO’s most noteworthy properties is its ability to enhance the effects of other substances, which in many cases makes it possible to surmount major dilemmas traditionally seen with those therapies.

DMSO’s unique ability to function as a vehicle is due to the fact that it can pass through biological membranes without damaging them,2 so once it contacts the skin, it rapidly spreads throughout the body.3 At the same time, simultaneously it readily dissolves most substances and is able to bring them with it into the body. This is very useful as it allows you to:

• Apply a medication topically or orally that would typically require an IV or injection.

• Make drugs become much more potent and able to treat conditions that otherwise will not respond to (e.g., these mixtures can penetrate and treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria or chemotherapy-resistant cancers).

• Allow lower doses of a drug to be used, which are often much less toxic and in many cases, counteract the toxicity of the blended medication (as DMSO protects tissue from injury) — all of which make it incredibly useful for reducing the harm of chemotherapy.

Note: While DMSO cannot be patented, combinations can. As such, while DMSO alone is “unsafe,” “ineffective,” and “unproven,” many “safe and effective” DMSO pharmaceutical combinations exist, including many approved by the FDA.

Nutraceutical Combination Studies

A large volume of scientific literature exists on DMSO being used in combination with pharmaceutical drugs, and many approved DMSO products also incorporate natural agents such as menthol, camphor, lavandin, lavender oil, coriander oil, arnica, and capsicum. Many natural agents, including numerous nutraceuticals, have also been repeatedly shown to synergistically combine with DMSO in many conditions. DMSO, for example, potentiates many facets of vitamin C:

• A 2022 randomized trial of 25 patients (with 28 confirmed basal cell cancers),4 investigators found that when topical vitamin C was combined with DMSO after 8 weeks, 86.7% cancers had completely disappeared, whereas with imiquimod (a common topical skin cancer treatment with side effects), only 57.1% had disappeared (and more side effects occurred).

• DMSO and vitamin C (along with a few other agents such as glutamine) were shown to protect the jejunal (intestinal) lining of horses from its blood supply being temporarily cut off.5

• Sjogren’s syndrome is quite difficult to treat. In one study, DMSO alone provided significant improvement, which was further enhanced by the addition of vitamin C.6

DMSO has also been repeatedly shown to combine with the B vitamins synergistically. For example, scleroderma is a severe and frequently terminal disorder DMSO has repeatedly demonstrated remarkable results for and vitamin B3 has been repeatedly shown to significantly enhance the critical blood flow DMSO restores in these patients.7,8

Likewise, DMSO, vitamin B5, and insulin safely treated 42 patients ages 23 to 62 with chronic parenchymatous parotitis.9

Many studies have also shown that vitamin E enhances DMSO’s ability to prevent and heal tissue injury. This includes the tissue death which follows chemotherapy agents leaking into tissues,10,11,12,13 the lung injury, and life-threatening fluid accumulation during ARDS (an illness that commonly requires ventilation)14,15,16 and free radical damage due to radiation exposure.17,18 Other healing antioxidants have also been shown to synergistically combine with DMSO:

• CoQ10 DMSO combinations healed radiation injuries.19

• Alpha lipoic acid DMSO combinations protected rat testes from having their blood supply cut off by reducing oxidative stress.20

• DMSO prevented 43% of sheep from dying from an otherwise always lethal smoke inhalation exposure, and when combined with N-acetylcysteine (NAC), the survival rate doubled (to 86% surviving).21

• NAC also enhanced DMSO’s ability to protect kidneys after their blood supply was cut off.22

• DMSO and linetol (a flaxseed concentrate with anti-inflammatory, regenerative, and wound-healing properties) effectively treated burns.23 Likewise, a DMSO collagen combination did so as well.24

• Alone, a Brazilian green propolis improved surgical wound healing (and reduced inflammation) by 40%,25 while in combination with DMSO, improved it by 50%, along with eliminating the need for antibiotics or inflammatory medications.

• Following colon surgery (where a section was removed and each end was stitched together) DMSO and quercetin significantly improved healing and the strength of the resulting scar.26

Note: One Russian combination therapy for treating trophic ulcers, wounds, burns, scars, and keloids uses 25% to 50% DMSO in a hyaluronic gel with collagen or MSM, ascorbic acid, and coenzyme Q10,27,28 while a similar preparation, given as a suppository, was developed for rectal fissures.29

Other potent natural therapies have also demonstrated synergy with DMSO. For instance, in 96 patients aged 51 to 89 with benign prostatic hyperplasia DMSO suppositories containing 30 mg prostatilen [prostate peptide] relieved infravesical obstruction symptoms, improving voiding disorders in those with initial or moderate symptoms.30

Note: DMSO has also been shown to enhance the penetration of a transportation peptide into cells, allowing better cellular distribution of it in the cytosol and nucleus.31,32

Healing with Nutraceutical DMSO Combinations

As there is an almost infinite number of natural substances that could be combined with DMSO, it has not been possible to research them.

Fortunately, the ease, safety, and efficacy of these combinations have inspired many to take their health into their own hands and explore combining DMSO with many proven natural remedies and widely used nutraceuticals — in many cases finding their potency is enhanced, or therapeutic possibilities emerge which were impossible with the nutraceutical alone. Key discoveries with these combinations from the DMSO community include:

• Vitamin C — Topical vitamin C and DMSO has been used to treat skin cancers (e.g., one reader replicated the results of the study I discussed above33,34), to shrink overgrown scars (normally taking 6 to 8 weeks) and for a variety of localized infections (e.g., one reader used it to heal a longstanding tooth abscess35 and while another treated a severe eye infection36).

In individuals with a depleted immune system and chronic infections, infusions (e.g., by slowly infusing vitamin C, hydrogen peroxide, and DMSO). I’ve also seen vitamin C used in formulations that promoted increased wellness (e.g., less pain or fatigue), but it’s unclear how much it was responsible for those effects.

• Vitamin B12 — Like vitamin C, B12 often requires injections to achieve adequate blood levels, so being able to bypass that with topical DMSO is often extremely useful.

Many, in turn, have reported getting a rapid boost in energy, general strength, happiness, and well-being from topical DMSO-B12 preparations, which greatly exceeds what oral B12 can provide (and skips the hassles associated with B12 shots — particularly in children).

Furthermore, DMSO B12 drops can sometimes be beneficial for nerve regeneration. This has been the most extensively explored for restoring lost smell (e.g., following a viral infection), but it has also been used for tinnitus and hearing loss.

Note: While DMSO and B12 can be used alone, other things can also be added. For example, one German nasal spray (also used for nasal polyps, sinusitis, allergies, and jaw pain) contains H₂O₂, procaine, B12, DMSO in isotonic seawater.

• Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) — MSM (oxidized DMSO) is the primary metabolite of DMSO and shares many tissue healing and anti-inflammatory qualities with DMSO. As such is sometimes used as a partial substitute for DMSO for individuals who cannot tolerate the odor DMSO creates.

Interestingly, when DMSO is combined with MSM, its ability to heal and rebuild tissue (e.g., cartilage, scar tissue, wounds) and treat joint issues (e.g., reduce stiffness from osteoarthritis) is significantly enhanced, and I have come across numerous reports of individuals with severe knee or hip osteoarthritis having a dramatic improvement in pain following drinking this combination.37

In some cases, this is also successfully applied in animals (e.g., one reader reported that combination healed their horse’s knees38).

Additionally, DMSO-MSM combinations are often used to address other issues. For example, there is also some data showing MSM drops help eye issues (e.g., cataracts and eye dryness),39 and I have occasionally come across reports from readers of it eliminating them.40

Note: Many other therapeutic possibilities exist for MSM (e.g., DMSO has been repeatedly shown to greatly enhance the potency of natural cancer therapies and studies have shown that MSM has potent anticancer activity against breast cancer and melanomas.41,42).

• Vitamin D and B12 — These have been used to improve immune function for fighting chronic infections (e.g., B12 helps the body produce immune cells).

• Vitamin E — Topical preparations and suppositories have been successfully used for prostate enlargement (discussed further here). This combination has also been used to support skin healing.

• B-complexes and multivitamins — These have been used for neuroprotection and symptom management in Parkinson’s regimens.

• Glutathione and N-Acetylcysteine — Glutathione is vital for the body but as it does not absorb through ingestion, a variety of approaches have been developed to increase it such as consuming its precursor N-Acetylcysteine, injecting it, ingesting liposomal glutathione (which in the brands we checked did not increase blood glutathione levels) or by nebulizing it (which in many cases produces dramatic results for COPD, smoke inhalation injuries and wildfire toxicity).

While many uses exist for these combinations (e.g., both DMSO and NAC have been shown to treat complex regional pain syndrome), the most remarkable ones are seen when glutathione is mixed with DMSO. This combination, in turn frequently reverses or cures “incurable” lung conditions (e.g., one reader shared that a cystic fibrosis patient was able to be taken off the transplant list with this combination, while many others shared DMSO treated their pulmonary fibrosis or COPD).

Note: DMSO also frequently improves asthma.

• Coenzyme Q10 — This is sometimes used for mitochondrial support (e.g., for fatigue or neurodegenerative diseases) but remains relatively unexplored by the DMSO community. Interestingly, one reader reported doing research where CoQ10 combined with DMSO yielded very promising results in treating spinal cord injuries in rats.43

• Super oxide dismutase — In the past an ACAM physician reported DMSO in combination with SOD treated cataracts and glaucoma (as did a later DMSO author).44,45

Creating Your Own Home Remedies

Despite having now reviewed thousands of studies with DMSO, there is still a great deal I do not understand about the substance, particularly the numerous combinations it can be used with. Fortunately, excluding cases where there is a remarkable and unexpected synergy (e.g., DMSO and hematoxylin treating cancer) these combinations behave in a fairly predictable pattern.

As long as you are mindful to avoid common issues (e.g., using too much of an irritating or acidic substance like unbuffered vitamin C), these combinations are relatively safe and often quite effective.

For example, many individuals want alternatives to chemical cosmetics that avoid their toxicity and do not irritate or deplete the skin, but find natural formulations often do not “do enough.” However, when combined with DMSO, these common ingredients (e.g., many of which I listed above) not only become more effective but also, in many cases, rejuvenate and restore the skin, often displaying remarkable antiaging effects (e.g., skin tightening).

As such, a wide range of effective cosmetic DMSO blends have been developed that not only free users from harmful chemical formulations but also often allow them to heal a variety of challenging skin issues. Likewise, DMSO has been combined with a variety of other natural agents, which have produced remarkable results, in many cases making it possible to cure incurable conditions. These include:

• Botanical remedies, many of which are used for pain, arthritis, or injuries, are also used for challenging disorders such as cancer, dementia, and COVID-19.

• Essential minerals, many of which are used to treat infections or heal injuries.

• Natural metabolites, many of which are used to restore the body (e.g., treating chronic fatigue or strengthening weakened tissue), often function as remarkable cosmetics that rapidly rejuvenate the skin.

• Amino acid combinations reliably treat Down Syndrome and learning disabilities. Additional neurotransmitter combinations were later discovered to soothe the nervous system, improving sleep and anxiety.

• Oxidative therapies (e.g., chlorine dioxide or hydrogen peroxide) are becoming much more potent for eliminating infections (e.g., Lyme or toenail fungus) when combined with DMSO. They are also frequently used to treat cancer successfully.

• Hematoxylin and a few other dyes have demonstrated significant anticancer activity with DMSO.

• DMSO significantly improves the elimination of toxins from the body by detoxification therapies (particularly metal chelating agents).

Finally, many other body therapies (e.g., acupuncture, hypnosis, meditation, and massage) become significantly more effective when combined with DMSO. As such, practitioners in parts of Europe frequently combine the two.

Slutsats

The remarkable potential of DMSO combination therapies represents a paradigm shift in how we approach natural healing and wellness. What we’ve discovered through thousands of studies and countless patient experiences is that DMSO doesn’t just treat symptoms — it appears to address fundamental healing mechanisms at the cellular level, creating a foundation for the body’s own restorative processes to flourish.

The beauty of these natural combinations lies not only in their therapeutic efficacy but in their accessibility. Unlike complex pharmaceutical interventions that require specialized medical facilities and extensive oversight, many of these DMSO combinations can be safely prepared and used at home, empowering individuals to take an active role in their own health journey.

Perhaps most encouraging is the growing community of practitioners, researchers, and patients who are documenting their successes with these therapies. From chronic pain relief to cancer treatment, from wound healing to neurological recovery, the consistent reports of improvement across such a wide spectrum of conditions suggest we’re witnessing the emergence of a truly transformative approach to medicine.

The future of medicine may well be found in DMSO’s ability to unlock the healing potential that has always existed within nature — we simply needed the right key to access it. That key is now in your hands.

Author’s Note: This is an abridged version of a longer article, which goes into much greater detail on what each of the natural DMSO combinations can do and how to prepare them at home. That article, along with resources and protocols for obtaining and using DMSO, can be read here. Additionally, a companion article explaining how DMSO interacts with a wide range of substances and the synergistic pharmaceutical combinations that have been discovered can be read here.

A Note from Dr. Mercola About the Author

A Midwestern Doctor (AMD) is a board-certified physician from the Midwest and a longtime reader of Mercola.com. I appreciate AMD’s exceptional insight on a wide range of topics and am grateful to share it. I also respect AMD’s desire to remain anonymous since AMD is still on the front lines treating patients. To find more of AMD’s work, be sure to check out The Forgotten Side of Medicine on Substack.

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way

VIKTIG

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

Your pancreas is one of your body’s most overworked and overlooked organs. It sits quietly behind your stomach, regulating digestion and blood sugar day after day without complaint. Yet when it begins to falter, the warning signs are so subtle that many people don’t notice until serious damage has already occurred.

Unlike organs that make their distress obvious, your pancreas fails silently. A few vague digestive changes, a dip in energy, or unexplained changes in weight are often the only early hints. Because these symptoms seem harmless, they’re easy to ignore — until inflammation or disease takes hold.

Pancreatic problems don’t happen overnight; they build slowly through years of dietary stress, toxin exposure, and metabolic strain. By the time pain or jaundice appears, the gland has often been struggling for months or even years. Paying attention to early shifts in digestion and metabolism gives you the power to intervene long before irreversible damage sets in.

Your Pancreas Speaks in Whispers Before It Cries for Help

Your pancreas — an organ responsible for both digestion and blood sugar control — frequently begins to fail long before symptoms become obvious. An article from The Valley Vanguard explains that the gland’s dual role makes it especially vulnerable to chronic inflammation and cancer, which often progress unnoticed until advanced stages.1 The authors describe pancreatic cancer as “stealthy,” often discovered too late for surgery, with 14,000 new cases diagnosed in France each year.

• The early red flags of pancreatic disease that most people overlook — When your pancreas begins to fail, it struggles to produce the digestive enzymes needed to break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. This leads to malabsorption — a condition in which nutrients pass through your body instead of being absorbed.

The first signs often include greasy or oily stools, bloating, and fatigue after meals. These are subtle but meaningful clues that your digestive system is under stress. Recognizing these signs early allows you to act before inflammation worsens.

• Pain patterns hold powerful diagnostic clues — Abdominal pain, especially in the upper middle area, is one of the most common symptoms of pancreatitis — an inflammation of the pancreas that often radiates to your back. This occurs in roughly 85% to 90% of cases. Unlike stomach pain from indigestion, pancreatic pain usually intensifies after eating and often eases when you sit up or lean forward.

• Jaundice signals that bile flow has been obstructed, often by a tumor — Yellowing of your skin and eyes, paired with dark urine or pale stools, points to bile backing up into your bloodstream because of a blockage in the bile duct. This blockage frequently occurs when a tumor compresses the duct, stopping bile from draining into your intestines. The result is a visible yellow tint — a visual warning not to ignore.

• Rapid weight loss is your body’s SOS signal — The inability to digest food properly leads to significant, unintentional weight loss. This is not healthy weight reduction — it’s a sign your body is starving for nutrients. Because fat digestion fails first, your stool becomes lighter and greasy, and you lose energy rapidly. In severe cases, this malnutrition cascades into fatigue, weakness, and blood sugar imbalance.

• Blood sugar swings reflect deeper pancreatic dysfunction — Your pancreas doesn’t just aid digestion — it’s your body’s blood sugar regulator. When your pancreatic endocrine cells are damaged or inflamed, they fail to release insulin and glucagon in proper balance.

The result is hyperglycemia — blood sugar that stays too high. This often presents as intense thirst, frequent urination, and exhaustion. For some people, these early blood sugar irregularities are the first clue of hidden pancreatic strain.

Doctors Warn That Subtle Clues Often Point to Hidden Pancreas Problems

A news piece from Prevention features insights from two medical experts — Dr. Andrew Hendifar, medical director of pancreatic cancer at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles, and Dr. Ted Epperly, president and CEO of Full Circle Health in Idaho.2

Their shared message is straightforward: most people ignore pancreatic distress because its symptoms mimic harmless digestive problems. Recognizing these subtle signs early is key to preventing irreversible pancreatic disease or catching cancer before it spreads.

• Stool appearance offers an important diagnostic clue — Hendifar explained that pale or floating stools often mean your pancreas isn’t producing enough enzymes to break down fats.

Those missing enzymes cause fat to remain undigested, which leads to oily residue in the toilet. You might even notice a shiny film on the water’s surface. The practical takeaway: when your stool starts looking greasy or light-colored on a regular basis, your pancreas is signaling distress.

• Radiating back pain is a silent red flag for pancreatic cancer — According to Epperly, discomfort that begins in the middle of your abdomen and spreads to your mid or lower back, lingering for weeks, deserves immediate attention. He explained that patients often mistake this for reflux or muscle tension.

Many even receive prescriptions for proton-pump inhibitors like Prilosec or Nexium — drugs that treat acid reflux — but fail to improve. That lack of improvement should prompt a deeper investigation of your pancreas. Acting on that insight could help identify a tumor or inflammation before it becomes life-threatening.

• An unexpected diabetes diagnosis often signals pancreatic imbalance — Your pancreas controls blood sugar through insulin and glucagon release. When these hormones fall out of balance, blood sugar levels spike and diabetes develops.

If you maintain a healthy weight and diet but suddenly find yourself diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes — or notice your existing diabetes becoming harder to manage — your pancreas deserves a closer look. Hendifar warned that such sudden shifts often accompany early pancreatic cancer, long before imaging scans confirm it.

• Nausea and vomiting after eating high-fat foods reveal enzyme failure — Foods like hamburgers, pizza, and avocados are often “nausea triggers” for those with pancreatic dysfunction. Because these foods rely heavily on pancreatic enzymes for digestion, people with weakened pancreas function struggle to break down fats.

The result is nausea, bloating, or vomiting soon after meals. Recognizing these specific food patterns helps you connect the dots faster — if fatty meals suddenly start making you sick, your pancreas is likely involved. Persistent fatigue often follows because your cells aren’t getting enough nutrients from food.3 The takeaway: if eating leaves you nauseated or drained instead of energized, your pancreas might be signaling distress.

• Rapid weight loss is not a fitness success — it’s a metabolic warning sign — If weight drops quickly without effort, it likely stems from digestive failure rather than healthy metabolism. Research published in Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology showed that 24% of people with acute pancreatitis lost more than 10% of their body weight within a year of diagnosis.4

This isn’t just fat loss — it’s nutrient starvation from poor digestion. When paired with fatigue, back pain, or stool changes, it signals that your body is breaking down faster than it can rebuild.

The Digestive Institute of Arizona also notes that when enzyme and hormone production collapse, your body loses its ability to digest nutrients or regulate glucose levels. This leads to two outcomes: sudden, unintentional weight loss and rising blood sugar levels that progress toward diabetes.5

• Early testing helps prevent irreversible complications — Blood work, ultrasound, MRI, and specialized imaging like ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) help identify structural or hormonal pancreatic problems before they become severe.

The Digestive Institute of Arizona urges individuals who experience persistent symptoms — especially abdominal pain, greasy stool, or unexplained fatigue — to request these diagnostic tools early.6 Timely detection allows for simpler treatments like enzyme replacement or dietary changes, rather than complex surgical interventions later.

5 Steps to Protect and Restore Your Pancreas

Your pancreas is far more delicate than most people realize. It’s the control center for your digestion and blood sugar, and it reacts strongly to what you eat, drink, and expose yourself to. Whether your goal is to heal from inflammation or simply protect this important gland, focus on addressing what caused the damage in the first place — poor diet, toxin exposure, or chronic metabolic stress. Once those triggers are removed, your pancreas begins to recover.

1. Stop overworking your pancreas with processed foods and hidden oils — The first step is to remove anything that keeps your pancreas inflamed. Industrial seed oils — like soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, and canola — are at the top of that list. These oils contain high levels of linoleic acid (LA) that interfere with cellular energy production and make your pancreas work harder than it should.

Replace them with clean, stable fats such as tallow, ghee, and grass fed butter. Avoid restaurant foods, most salad dressings, and packaged snacks. If you’re used to eating out often, try cooking simple meals at home for a few weeks — you’ll notice your digestion feels lighter, and your energy steadier.

2. Eat foods that support digestive enzyme function — A struggling pancreas produces fewer digestive enzymes, which makes nutrient absorption more difficult. To support enzyme activity, eat smaller meals, chew your food thoroughly, and include gentle, enzyme-rich options like ripe papaya or pineapple.

Both contain natural compounds that help your body break down proteins and fats. If you’ve had greasy or floating stools, that’s your signal that your pancreas needs extra support breaking down fats. Stick to simple, whole foods until your digestion feels normal again.

3. Balance your blood sugar naturally — The endocrine side of your pancreas controls insulin and glucagon, which regulate blood sugar. When you eat erratically or rely on refined carbohydrates, your pancreas works overtime.

Focus on steady energy instead: start your meals with protein and whole-food carbs such as fruit, white rice, or root vegetables, if tolerated. If you struggle with energy crashes or sugar cravings, eat on a consistent schedule rather than skipping meals. This steadiness trains your pancreas to respond efficiently instead of in crisis mode.

4. Avoid alcohol and reduce gut inflammation — Alcohol is toxic to pancreatic cells — it directly damages their structure and weakens your ability to digest fats. Even small amounts create oxidative stress inside your pancreas. Along with eliminating alcohol, support your gut with healthy carbs like fruit and white rice. Once your digestion stabilizes, gradually reintroduce higher-fiber foods to rebuild a healthy microbiome without overwhelming your system.

5. Watch for early warning signs and act fast — Your body always tells you when something is off — you just need to pay attention. Greasy stools, upper abdominal discomfort, unexplained weight loss, or sudden fatigue are not normal. Keep a daily note of your digestion, stool consistency, and energy for a week. If you notice changes, take it as feedback from your pancreas to slow down, simplify your diet, and rest your digestion. The earlier you respond, the faster your pancreas recovers.

When you remove what harms your pancreas and feed it what supports it, healing begins quickly. Every meal becomes a form of medicine, and every symptom becomes useful feedback that guides you toward balance and resilience. If your symptoms persist, worsen, or include jaundice, severe pain, or rapid weight loss, seek medical attention promptly — these are signs your pancreas needs immediate help.

FAQs About Pancreas Warning Signs

Q: What are the early warning signs of pancreatic problems?
A: Early pancreatic distress often shows up as greasy or floating stools, upper abdominal pain that radiates to your back, fatigue after eating, nausea following fatty meals, and unexplained weight loss. These symptoms indicate your pancreas is struggling to digest food or regulate blood sugar. Ignoring them allows inflammation or disease to progress silently.

Q: Why does the pancreas fail without obvious symptoms?
A: Your pancreas performs its work deep within your abdomen and doesn’t have many pain-sensitive nerves. Because of this, inflammation and enzyme loss happen quietly over time. By the time noticeable symptoms like jaundice or severe pain appear, the gland has usually been under stress for months or years.

Q: How does diet affect pancreatic health?
A: Industrial seed oils, refined carbs, and processed foods overwork and inflame your pancreas. Replacing these with stable fats such as tallow, ghee, or grass fed butter, and eating simple, whole-food meals helps reduce inflammation and restore balance. Foods like papaya and pineapple also support digestion by boosting natural enzyme activity.

Q: What daily habits support a healthy pancreas?
A: Eat smaller, consistent meals, limit alcohol, and avoid seed oils and processed foods. Keep blood sugar steady by pairing protein with unprocessed carbohydrates like fruit or root vegetables. Record any digestive changes — tracking symptoms like energy dips or stool changes helps you recognize when your pancreas is under strain and take corrective steps early.

Q: When should I seek medical attention?
A: If you develop persistent abdominal pain, yellowing of your skin or eyes, oily stools, or unexplained weight loss, seek medical evaluation immediately. These symptoms suggest significant pancreatic dysfunction that requires prompt testing to prevent lasting damage or detect cancer at an early, treatable stage.

The tiny patch of retina that lets you read these words, recognize a loved one’s face across a room, or thread a needle is smaller than the head of a pin — yet it generates roughly half of everything you see. New research from Johns Hopkins University reveals that vitamin A and thyroid hormone work together to build this remarkable structure.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, used lab-grown retinal tissue to overturn a long-held assumption about how the eye organizes its light-sensing cells and opens a new path toward understanding why central vision is so vulnerable to disease.1 Separately, eye specialists at Johns Hopkins Medicine emphasize that the nutrients you consume directly shape the long-term health and resilience of your eyes.

Vitamins, carotenoids and protective minerals all defend retinal tissue from the oxidative damage that drives age-related vision loss. Together, these insights reinforce a straightforward idea: your food choices influence not only how well your eyes age but how they were built in the first place.

Scientists Discover How Vitamin A and Thyroid Hormone Help Create Sharp Vision

For the PNAS study, researchers used lab-grown pieces of retinal tissue called organoids to observe how the eye develops over time.2 These tiny lab-grown models let the team observe, in real time, how light-sensing cells sort themselves into position at the center of the retina. Their focus was the foveola — the spot that lets you read fine print, recognize faces, and see detail. Even though this area makes up only about 2% of your retina, it produces about 50% of what you see.

• Sharp vision forms when certain eye cells change into more precise ones — Early in development, the center of the retina contains a mix of cone cells, including some that detect blue light. As the eye matures, that area ends up filled almost entirely with red- and green-detecting cones, which provide the sharpest vision. The researchers discovered that these blue cones don’t move away as scientists once believed.
Instead, many of them gradually change into red and green cones. This overturns an assumption that shaped eye research for nearly three decades — that blue cones physically migrated out of the foveola rather than transforming in place.3 The results show that the retina actively reshapes itself during development to produce clearer vision.
• Vitamin A helps control which types of light-sensing cells form — One important step in this process involves a substance made from vitamin A called retinoic acid. In the developing retina, a special enzyme breaks down retinoic acid in the center of the eye.
Think of it like a sculptor removing material to reveal a shape — the retina clears away retinoic acid in precisely the right spot so that red and green cones, rather than blue ones, fill the center of your vision. This step matters because retinoic acid encourages the formation of blue cones. When the retina reduces this chemical, fewer blue cones appear and more red and green cones develop instead.
The study showed that when researchers increased retinoic acid levels in their lab-grown retinal tissue, blue cones increased while red and green cones decreased. In simple terms, too much of this vitamin A compound pushes the retina toward the wrong cell types for clear central vision.
• Thyroid hormone finishes the job by converting the remaining cells — The second signal in this process involves thyroid hormone activity inside the retina. The scientists identified strong activity of an enzyme that increases thyroid hormone signaling in the center of the eye.
This signal encourages the remaining blue cones to switch into red and green cones. The researchers reported that sustained thyroid hormone activity helped generate the cone cells responsible for high-resolution vision. Thyroid hormone helps turn less useful cone cells into the ones needed for sharp eyesight.
• Your retina behaves like brain tissue — Your retina is actually part of your central nervous system, along with your brain and spinal cord. Tissues in this system require large amounts of cellular energy to function properly.
In fact, the retina is one of the most metabolically active tissues in your body, consuming oxygen at a rate comparable to your brain. Because thyroid hormones regulate metabolism and energy production, strong thyroid function supports the demanding energy needs of retinal cells.
Bioenergetic researcher Georgi Dinkov points out that this classification helps explain why thyroid activity has such a direct influence on vision quality — the retina simply can’t maintain normal function without robust energy production.4 Physiologist Ray Peat similarly recommended vitamin A and thyroid support for people with poor eyesight, especially older adults, because both sustain the metabolic processes that keep retinal cells healthy.

How Vitamin A and Thyroid Hormone Shape the Center of Your Vision

Together, these signals build the part of your eye responsible for clear sight. The developing retina uses a two-step system to shape the foveola. Vitamin A metabolism limits the formation of blue cones in the center of your retina.
Thyroid hormone then converts the remaining cells into red and green cones. The result is a dense cluster of highly specialized photoreceptors that produce extremely sharp vision. Without this coordinated process, the center of the retina would contain the wrong mix of cells and visual clarity would decline.

• This also explains why the center of vision is vulnerable to disease — Researchers emphasize that the foveola is often the first region damaged in macular degeneration. This condition gradually destroys central vision, making it difficult to read, drive, or recognize faces. Because the foveola relies on a very precise arrangement of cone cells, even small disruptions lead to noticeable vision loss. Understanding how these cells form gives scientists new insight into how vision problems develop.
• This discovery could lead to treatments that restore vision — The researchers view this work as an early step toward repairing damaged retinal tissue. Study leader Robert L. Johnston Jr. described the discovery as “a key step toward understanding the inner workings of the center of the retina.”5 By recreating the same biological signals in laboratory models, researchers hope to produce healthy photoreceptor cells that could replace damaged ones.
• The long-term goal is to rebuild the eye’s most important vision cells — Scientists involved in the project envision producing carefully designed populations of photoreceptors that could be transplanted into the eye. These cells would integrate with the existing retina and restore lost visual function.
Although this work is still in early stages, identifying how vitamin A signaling and thyroid hormone shape cone cells gives researchers a blueprint for developing future therapies aimed at restoring eyesight.

Nutrition Supplies the Protective Compounds That Defend Your Eyesight

The same retinal cells that vitamin A and thyroid hormone helped build during development still depend on a steady nutrient supply throughout your life. Once those cells are in place, your daily food choices determine how well they hold up.
Guidance from Johns Hopkins Medicine highlights how daily food choices shape the health of your retina and other delicate eye structures.6 Ophthalmologist Dr. Mona Kaleem, from the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Medicine, explains that many people focus on diet only for weight control or heart health, yet the same nutrients influence visual performance across your lifespan.
The nutrients required for healthy vision come directly from the foods you eat. Vitamins, carotenoids, flavonoids and minerals all work together to protect eye structures and support visual function. Building meals around nutrient-dense foods increases the supply of these protective compounds.
Certain nutrients help preserve vision quality and defend the eyes from age-related decline. Diet provides compounds that protect eye tissue from damage and deterioration caused by oxidative stress — the gradual cellular wear created by normal metabolism and environmental exposure. These protective compounds help maintain the structures that allow you to read, drive and recognize faces as you age.

• Antioxidants act as a protective shield for the delicate cells inside your eyes — Antioxidants play a major role in protecting the eye from damage caused by unstable molecules called oxidizing agents. These unstable molecules damage cells over time and contribute to aging in many organs, including the eye.
By neutralizing these harmful molecules, antioxidants slow the processes that lead to cellular damage and tissue breakdown. This protective effect supports the health of the retina, lens and other structures required for clear vision. Maintaining a steady supply of antioxidant nutrients through diet therefore supports the long-term durability of your eyesight.
• Several vitamins work together to maintain healthy eye tissue — Three antioxidant vitamins play especially important roles in eye health: vitamins A, C, and E. Each one protects eye structures through different biological actions. Vitamin C accumulates in the aqueous humor — the clear fluid located in front of the eye lens — where it serves as a protective antioxidant and helps prevent age-related cataracts.
Cataracts occur when the normally clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy, leading to blurred vision, glare sensitivity and difficulty seeing at night. By helping neutralize oxidative damage in eye tissues, vitamin C supports the clarity of the structures that focus light.
• Plant pigments help filter damaging light and support retinal health — Another important group of compounds includes carotenoids. These natural pigments give many fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors. Two carotenoids stand out for eye health: lutein and zeaxanthin. These compounds accumulate directly in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
Their presence inside retinal tissue supports visual function and protects cells exposed to constant light. Foods such as leafy greens, berries and certain fruits supply these compounds. By regularly eating foods rich in these pigments, you reinforce the protective systems that help your retina handle daily exposure to light and oxidative stress.
• Certain plant compounds strengthen the nerve pathways that carry visual signals — Flavonoids are another group of plant compounds linked to eye health. Flavonoids appear in many foods including berries, citrus fruits, tea, and dark chocolate. These compounds influence the function of retinal ganglion cells — specialized nerve cells that carry visual information from your eye to your brain.
When these cells work efficiently, signals from your retina travel more effectively through the optic nerve and reach your brain’s visual processing centers. This biological connection highlights how plant compounds contribute not only to eye structure but also to the communication pathways required for vision.
• Mineral nutrients also protect your eyes from degenerative diseases — In addition to vitamins and plant compounds, selenium is an important mineral involved in eye protection. Selenium functions as a preventive antioxidant and plays a role in defending the eye against degenerative conditions.
Selenium deficiency has been associated with thyroid eye disease, a condition that affects the tissues around the eyes and can cause swelling, discomfort, and visual disturbances. Adequate selenium intake therefore supports both antioxidant defenses and normal thyroid-related eye function.

How to Support the Nutrients and Signals That Protect Your Eyesight

Your eyesight depends on the health of your retina and the light-sensing cells that allow you to read, recognize faces, and see fine detail. When your retina lacks the nutrients and metabolic signals required for healthy photoreceptors, vision declines over time. Focus first on restoring the biological foundations that support retinal cells — nutrient status, cellular energy production and metabolic health.
When you strengthen those foundations, the structures responsible for sharp vision remain resilient as you age. The following steps address the root causes that influence retinal health and the development of the photoreceptor cells discussed earlier. Adopted consistently, these habits reinforce the same biological systems that built your retina’s sharpest vision cells in the first place.

1. Build your diet around foods that supply vitamin A and retinal nutrients — Vitamin A supports the pigments inside photoreceptor cells that allow your eyes to detect light. Prioritize whole food sources because they provide the nutrient in its natural form alongside supporting compounds. Focus on foods such as pastured egg yolks, grass fed liver, dairy products, and dark leafy greens, along with vegetables like carrots and spinach.
These foods also provide important carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which concentrate in the retina and help protect the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. If you already eat these foods regularly, you’re providing your retina with the raw materials needed to support healthy photoreceptors and maintain strong night vision.
2. Eat a variety of colorful plant foods that protect retinal tissue — Antioxidant nutrients defend eye cells from oxidative stress that damages delicate retinal structures over time. Use color as a simple guide — the more variety on your plate, the broader the range of protective compounds reaching your retina.
Aim to include several brightly colored fruits and vegetables each day — berries, citrus and peppers are excellent examples. These foods supply carotenoids, flavonoids and vitamin C that support retinal function and the nerve cells that carry visual signals from your eyes to your brain.
3. Protect mitochondrial energy production in your retinal cells — Your retina demands enormous amounts of cellular energy to convert light into visual signals. Protecting mitochondrial function is key because energy production drives every process inside your photoreceptor cells.
Replace seed oils — including soybean, canola, corn and sunflower — with heat-stable fats like grass fed butter, ghee or tallow. These seed oils are high in linoleic acid (LA), a polyunsaturated fat that, in excess, damages the mitochondria your retinal cells depend on for energy.
4. Protect your eyes and sleep by managing nighttime light exposure Artificial light from phones, computers and indoor lighting exposes your eyes to large amounts of blue wavelengths late at night. This light signals your brain to stay awake and suppresses melatonin production in the brain, which disrupts sleep cycles.
Limit screen exposure in the evening and reduce bright artificial lighting after sunset whenever possible. If you spend long hours on digital devices, blue-blocking glasses in the evening help support healthy circadian rhythms and better sleep, which also supports overall metabolic health.
While limiting artificial blue light at night protects your circadian rhythm, getting natural sunlight exposure during the day is equally important — sunlight stimulates dopamine production in your retina, which helps protect against myopia, and supports healthy vitamin D levels that benefit overall metabolic function.
5. Strengthen blood flow to your retina through regular movement — Your retina depends on a network of extremely small blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients. High blood pressure damages those vessels and restricts circulation to the eye. Daily movement is important because exercise lowers blood pressure and improves circulation. Regular physical activity also helps balance insulin and leptin levels, both of which influence metabolic health and retinal function.
6. Support thyroid function and metabolic balance to protect your retina — Your retina belongs to your central nervous system and requires significant cellular energy. Thyroid hormone regulates the metabolic rate that produces that energy, which explains why thyroid activity influences vision. If thyroid function slows, retinal cells struggle to maintain the energy required for clear sight.
Support thyroid function by maintaining strong metabolic health. This starts with eating adequate carbohydrates and balanced protein so your body produces enough cellular energy. Most adults function best with roughly 250 grams of carbohydrates daily and about 0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass (or about 1.76 grams per kilogram), with about one-third of that protein coming from collagen-rich sources like bone broth.
Selenium also plays a direct role here — as noted earlier, this mineral supports both antioxidant defenses in the eye and healthy thyroid function. Good sources include pasture-raised eggs, grass fed beef, organ meats and wild-caught seafood like sardines. When your metabolism runs efficiently, the retinal cells responsible for sharp vision receive the energy they need to function properly.

Optimizing thyroid health requires a holistic approach that includes dietary adjustments, lifestyle changes and careful consideration before relying on hormone therapies. For a deeper look at how to support your thyroid naturally, see my past interview with Dr. Alan Christianson, a leading expert in thyroid disorders, in “Unraveling the Mysteries of Thyroid Health.”

FAQs About Vitamin A and Thyroid Hormone for Eyesight

Q: Why are vitamin A and thyroid hormone important for eyesight?
A: Vitamin A and thyroid hormone work together to shape the part of your eye responsible for sharp central vision. During development, vitamin A signaling helps control which types of light-sensing cells form in the retina, while thyroid hormone converts remaining cells into the red and green cones that produce the highest visual resolution. This coordinated process builds the foveola — the small region that allows you to read fine print, recognize faces, and see detail clearly.

Q: What’s the foveola and why does it matter for vision?
A: The foveola is a tiny area in the center of your retina that produces the sharpest vision. Even though it makes up only about 2% of the retina, it accounts for roughly half of your visual perception. This region contains a dense cluster of specialized cone cells that detect color and fine detail, making it essential for tasks like reading, driving, and recognizing faces.

Q: How does nutrition influence the long-term health of your eyes?
A: Nutrients from your diet help protect the delicate tissues inside your eyes from damage caused by oxidative stress and aging. Vitamins A, C, and E support different protective systems in the eye, while plant pigments such as lutein and zeaxanthin accumulate in the retina and help shield it from light-related stress. Minerals like selenium also support antioxidant defenses and healthy thyroid-related eye function.

Q: Which foods support healthy retinal cells and vision?
A: Foods rich in vitamin A and protective carotenoids help supply the raw materials needed for healthy photoreceptors. Examples include pastured egg yolks, grass fed liver, dairy products, leafy greens, carrots, and spinach. Colorful fruits and vegetables such as berries, citrus, and peppers provide additional antioxidants and plant compounds that support retinal tissue and the nerve pathways involved in vision.

Q: What lifestyle habits help protect eyesight as you age?
A: Several everyday habits support long-term eye health. Eating nutrient-dense whole foods, avoiding seed oils, maintaining stable blood sugar levels and getting regular physical activity all help protect the retina. Managing nighttime light exposure to support healthy sleep cycles and maintaining strong thyroid and metabolic health also help ensure retinal cells receive the energy and nutrients they need to function properly.

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

Via which pathways does the body produce melatonin?

Liver and kidneys
Brain and digestive tract
Pineal gland and mitochondria
Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland at night and inside mitochondria during the day, where it acts as a local antioxidant triggered by near-infrared light. Learn more.

Adrenal glands and bloodstream

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A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

Frequent urination disrupts more than your daily routine. It chips away at your energy, focus, and confidence over time. Whether it hits during the day or pulls you out of sleep at night, the constant need to go often signals that something deeper is out of balance. It’s a problem that affects millions, especially as you age. But here’s what surprises most people: it’s rarely just about getting older.

The causes are often overlooked or misunderstood, leading many to suffer in silence for years. What feels like a minor inconvenience is sometimes a warning sign that deserves your attention. Let’s explore the most common causes of frequent urination, the hidden factors that make it worse and what to do right now to support your body and regain control.

The Root Causes of Frequent Urination

The Cleveland Clinic shed light on the many underlying causes of frequent urination, highlighting both common and rare contributors and offering a roadmap for determining when it’s time to take action.1 Frequent urination — defined as needing to urinate more than eight times in a 24-hour period — affects people of all ages, but certain groups are more vulnerable.

If you’re over 70, pregnant or living with an enlarged prostate, your odds of developing this issue go up significantly. But it’s not always about age or anatomy. This symptom stems from a broad range of physiological, hormonal, neurological, and behavioral factors.

• Frequent urination is often triggered by urinary tract infections (UTIs) — UTIs are the most common cause, especially among women. They inflame the bladder and urethra, which increases the urgency and frequency of urination.

• Pregnancy hormones play a role — Rising levels of progesterone and other hormones in early pregnancy increase blood flow to the pelvic region and stimulate kidney function, making frequent trips to the bathroom more common. In later stages, your growing uterus compresses your bladder.

• Diabetes forces the kidneys to flush excess sugar — This not only pulls more water into the bladder, but also strains your body’s hydration levels. Frequent urination is often an early sign of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Your Bladder Isn’t Acting Alone

Multiple organs, systems and lifestyle factors are involved in frequent urination. An enlarged prostate often blocks urine flow in men, for instance. The prostate gland surrounds the urethra. As it enlarges, often starting in the 50s, it presses on the urethra, making it harder to completely empty the bladder and increasing the frequency of urination.2

• Neurological conditions disrupt brain-bladder signaling — If you’ve had a stroke, spinal cord injury or conditions like fibromyalgia, your nervous system doesn’t always send or receive the right cues about when to release or hold urine. This results in an overactive bladder or urge incontinence.

• Pelvic organ issues aren’t just for women — Conditions like uterine prolapse or urethral prolapse affect how the bladder and surrounding tissues function. When these structures shift out of place, they put pressure on your bladder or urethra, creating the constant urge to urinate.

• Common medications trigger urinary urgency — Diuretics (often called water pills), antidepressants, blood pressure drugs, lithium and even antihistamines are all known to affect bladder control or urine production.3

• Your drink choices could be working against you — Caffeine and alcohol are both diuretics. They increase urine production and stimulate bladder muscles, which makes you feel like you need to go more often than usual.

• Bladder conditions and cancer are rare but serious culprits — Chronic bladder inflammation and bladder tumors mimic the symptoms of more benign causes like UTIs or overactive bladder. Blood in your urine, unexplained pain or urgency that doesn’t respond to lifestyle changes should prompt a medical evaluation.

Understanding How Often Is Too Often Depends on Your Baseline

If you’re urinating more than eight times per day, you fall into the frequent urination category, especially if it’s disrupting your sleep. Waking up more than twice a night is also a red flag. This condition, called nocturia, often points to underlying health concerns like congestive heart failure, diabetes or fluid retention in your legs.

• Your typical habits matter most — If you’ve always urinated frequently and nothing else has changed, you likely don’t need to worry. But if the frequency is new or worsening, it’s time to pay attention.

• Start with a symptom diary — Track what and how much you drink, how often you urinate and how much urine you produce. These details help you and your doctor identify patterns and rule out simple lifestyle triggers.

• Expect urine tests and imaging — If you see a doctor for frequent urination, a urinalysis helps identify infections or diabetes markers, while ultrasounds reveal bladder abnormalities, tumors or kidney issues. In complicated cases, procedures like cystoscopy allow a direct look inside your bladder to confirm or rule out structural issues.

• Sleep disruption adds a new layer of damage — Repeated nighttime urination fragments your sleep, which affects your immune system, mood, memory, and weight regulation.

Your Treatment Depends on the Cause, Not Just the Symptom

If a UTI is the reason for your frequent urination, it calls for immediate attention. If left untreated, the infection often travels up to your kidneys and causes long-term damage. Keep in mind that UTIs are one of the most overdiagnosed conditions in U.S. medicine, especially in seniors who often receive antibiotics without showing any infection symptoms. Pharmaceutical-grade methylene blue is one of the most effective agents I’ve found to stop UTIs at the source.

• Bladder training and pelvic therapy offer drug-free options — For overactive bladder or incontinence, exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor and physical therapy targeting your pelvic floor muscles help rebuild strength and control.

• Try adjusting your fluid intake — Reducing fluids before bed, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and timing your drinking schedule are low-effort ways to see if your symptoms improve.

• Most causes are manageable — Whether it’s changing your fluid habits, adjusting medications, or treating an underlying condition, there’s hope to reduce the frequency and reclaim your daily routine.

Overlooked Risk Factors Driving Urinary Frequency in Older Adults

A large population study uncovered just how common frequent urination is in aging adults. Published in Frontiers in Public Health, the study surveyed 4,796 adults aged 65 to 100 in China.4 Researchers set out to assess how widespread frequent or urgent urination is in this population — and more importantly, what underlying health issues drive it.

• Many participants lived with symptoms for years, often without seeking care — Nearly 17.3% of men and 9.9% of women had experienced frequent urination for between one and four years. A smaller but significant number — 4.9% of men and 2.3% of women — had suffered for a decade or longer.

• A wide range of health conditions were strongly linked to symptoms — Researchers found strong associations between frequent urination and other chronic illnesses, including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, constipation, anxiety, depression, and brain injury, affecting both men and women alike.

Participants with anxiety or depression had significantly higher rates of urinary frequency. This suggests a brain-bladder connection, where mental stress or nervous system disruptions interfere with normal bladder signaling.

• Constipation and brain trauma stood out as surprising contributors — Constipation and previous brain injury, such as stroke or head trauma, were both statistically significant contributors to urinary frequency in older adults.

One theory is that the nerves controlling the bladder and colon originate from the same spinal region, which means damage or strain in one area often spills over into the other. Long-term straining during bowel movements also weakens the pelvic floor, further aggravating bladder control.

• Older adults experiencing anxiety-driven symptoms are less likely to seek help — Beyond physical discomfort, frequent urination often creates emotional distress. The researchers pointed out that many older adults suffer in silence, either due to embarrassment, lack of awareness or assuming that their symptoms are simply part of aging.

How to Stop Frequent Urination by Targeting the Real Cause

If you’re peeing more than eight times a day or waking up multiple times a night just to run to the bathroom, it’s not something to ignore. Frequent urination is often the result of other underlying health issues.

Whether it’s inflammation from a UTI, blood sugar issues from diabetes or pressure from an enlarged prostate, your bladder is reacting to something deeper. That’s why solving the problem long-term means fixing what’s causing the symptom, not just masking it. Here are five simple, effective steps to get to the root of it and start feeling like yourself again:

1. Track what’s really happening with a bladder diary — If you’re not sure what’s triggering the frequent urination, a bladder diary gives you clarity fast. Write down what you drink, how much, when you urinate, and how urgent it feels. This single step often reveals clear patterns, whether it’s caffeine overload, poor fluid timing or signs of blood sugar trouble. You’ll start to see what’s stressing your bladder, and that makes it much easier to take the right action.

2. If it’s a UTI, use methylene blue and cranberries immediately — Don’t wait for a test result to start support. If your symptoms include burning, pressure or sudden urgency, and you suspect an infection, seek medical attention. In the meantime, pharmaceutical-grade methylene blue works fast. It concentrates inside your bladder where the bacteria live and kills them without harming your gut like antibiotics.

For a UTI, the dosing is generally one 65-milligram (mg) tablet three times daily after meals with water — for only a few days. Pair this with whole cranberries or organic cranberry juice to keep bacteria from sticking to your urinary tract lining. This one-two punch often clears symptoms quickly and avoids unnecessary antibiotics.

3. Support prostate health — Prostate enlargement is a common cause of frequent urination in men. While this becomes more common with age, metabolic dysfunction is also a key driver.

Excess linoleic acid, the primary polyunsaturated fat in vegetable oils, fuels chronic inflammation and disrupts hormone balance. Addressing insulin resistance, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress through diet, exercise and lifestyle changes will help slow prostate enlargement.

4. Rethink your fluid intake — not just how much, but when — If you’re drinking a lot late in the day or loading up on caffeine and carbonated drinks, your bladder’s going to fight back. Start hydrating earlier in the day and taper off by late afternoon.

5. Address underlying conditions that are stressing your bladder daily — If you’re dealing with constipation or even low mood, these are direct contributors. For constipation, fix your gut motility first: walk after meals, introduce soft fruits, and stay hydrated. And don’t underestimate the role of anxiety and depression. Lowering stress with daily movement and adequate sleep helps reset your body’s nervous system response.

Once you understand what’s triggering your frequent urination, take action that works with your body instead of against it. That’s how you stop chasing symptoms and start solving the problem at its source.

Frequently Asked Questions About Frequent Urination

Q: What qualifies as frequent urination, and when should I be concerned?
A: Frequent urination means you’re peeing more than eight times a day or waking up more than twice a night. If this is new for you, or if it’s affecting your sleep, daily life or energy, it’s time to investigate the cause. It’s not just an age thing — it’s usually a signal that something else in your body needs attention.

Q: What are the most common causes of frequent or urgent urination?
A: The leading causes include UTIs, diabetes, an enlarged prostate (in men), pregnancy and neurological conditions like stroke or spinal cord injury. Certain medications, caffeine, alcohol, and even emotional stress like anxiety also play a role. Each of these affects either your bladder’s function or the signals it receives from your brain.

Q: How do I figure out what’s causing my symptoms?
A: Start by keeping a bladder diary for a few days. Track when and how often you urinate, what you drink, how much and how urgent it feels. This helps you and your provider identify whether the issue is behavioral, neurological, hormonal, or inflammatory in nature.

Q: What are some natural ways to treat frequent urination caused by a UTI?
A: Use pharmaceutical-grade methylene blue (65 mg, three times a day after meals for a few days) to directly target bacteria in your bladder without harming your gut microbiome. Combine it with whole cranberries or organic cranberry juice to prevent bacteria from sticking to your bladder lining. This approach supports your body’s natural defenses without relying on antibiotics.

Q: Can emotional or nervous system issues really affect my bladder?
A: Yes. If you’ve had a stroke, brain injury or live with anxiety or depression, your bladder’s signals often become disrupted. This leads to urgency or incomplete emptying. Techniques like pelvic floor exercises, scheduled bathroom visits, nervous system support and managing emotional stress help improve your control and reduce urgency.

You already know poor sleep makes you sick more easily — but you probably don’t know exactly why. The mechanism behind that vulnerability hasn’t been fully mapped — until now. A 2025 narrative review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences pulled together two decades of research to answer a specific question: what actually breaks down between a short night of sleep and a weakened immune system?1 The answer centers on one hormone.

Melatonin does far more than make you drowsy. It coordinates immune cell activity, controls inflammatory signaling, and protects the energy systems inside every cell that mounts a defense against infection. When sleep loss suppresses melatonin night after night, those systems unravel — and the damage extends well beyond fatigue.

The review reveals how that unraveling plays out across your immune system, your gut, your stress hormones, and your cellular energy production, and it identifies who’s most at risk. Understanding the full chain of events clarifies why restoring melatonin isn’t optional but essential for immune resilience.

When Melatonin Drops, Sleep Loss Rewires Your Immune Defenses

For the study, researchers examined 50 studies published between 2000 and 2025 to determine how sleep deprivation alters melatonin and immune function.2 The goal was to identify whether reduced melatonin acts as the missing link between sleep loss and immune dysregulation.

• The findings consistently linked low melatonin to immune imbalance — Across the reviewed studies, consistent sleep loss lowered melatonin and coincided with elevated proinflammatory cytokines along with increased oxidative stress and reduced immune cell activity. Oxidative stress is essentially cellular rust — an accumulation of reactive molecules that damage the internal machinery your immune cells depend on.

Cytokines are chemical messengers that tell immune cells when to attack. When they stay elevated too long, your body shifts into a chronic inflammatory state. At the same time, natural killer cells and lymphocytes — white blood cells that destroy infected or abnormal cells — lost efficiency under sleep-deprived conditions. This translates into slower, weaker immune responses when your body needs them most.

• Certain groups showed stronger immune disruption — If you’re over 60, working night shifts or struggling with insomnia, you’re already starting with lower melatonin — and sleep loss compounds the deficit faster. Aging reduces melatonin production on its own, and night-shift light exposure suppresses it further.

In these groups, reduced melatonin aligned with higher infection risk and impaired immune regulation. If you fall into one of these categories, the biological stress from sleep loss compounds faster.

• Sleep deprivation amplified inflammatory markers — The review reported sustained increases in inflammatory markers even after sleep restriction ended in animal models, suggesting that immune disruption lingers beyond the night of poor sleep. One bad night doesn’t just cost you one day of weakened immunity — the inflammatory echo keeps reverberating even after you catch up on sleep.

• Immune balance shifted in measurable ways — Sleep deprivation revs up your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis — the hormonal relay system that connects your brain to your adrenal glands and controls your stress response. The result: elevated cortisol, your body’s main stress hormone.

Elevated cortisol reduced lymphocyte counts in people with insomnia, shifting immune balance. In simple terms, your immune system changes gears and becomes less effective at fighting viruses and intracellular threats. The review also described activation of a genetic switch that increases proinflammatory cytokine production.

• Gut integrity and microbiota were directly affected — Animal models reviewed showed that sleep deprivation damaged the intestinal barrier, disrupted the gut microbiota, and reduced short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

SCFAs are beneficial compounds produced by gut bacteria that calm inflammation and support brain and immune signaling. Lower SCFA levels aligned with neuroinflammation and cognitive deficits following sleep loss. That means poor sleep affects not just immunity but also mental clarity and gut resilience.

How Melatonin Powers Immune Cells and Controls Inflammation

The review described melatonin as a protector of mitochondrial function, meaning it helps immune cells produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) — the energy currency of your cells. Mounting an immune response is one of the most energy-demanding things your body does — a single activated T cell can burn through its ATP reserves in hours.

When melatonin levels fell, immune cells experienced higher oxidative stress and greater risk of cell death during immune activation. Without sufficient ATP, immune cells can’t mount coordinated responses. This connects sleep quality directly to cellular energy output.

• Melatonin directly modulated inflammatory signaling pathways — Melatonin interacts with immune cell receptors and inhibits macrophage activity, lowering nitric oxide production. Macrophages are immune cells that engulf pathogens but also drive inflammation when overstimulated.

By reducing these inflammatory outputs, melatonin helps maintain immune balance. The review also noted melatonin’s role in regulating signaling that governs expression of many proinflammatory genes.

• Circadian synchronization influenced immune timing — Melatonin, governed by the suprachiasmatic nucleus — your brain’s master clock — synchronized immune rhythms with the light-dark cycle. When sleep schedules were irregular, melatonin production dropped sharply, throwing off the timing of white blood cells and weakening their ability to carry out their core defense tasks. Desynchronization weakened coordinated immune action, increasing susceptibility to infection.

• Supplementation restored immune markers in certain contexts — The review cited experimental and clinical evidence showing that melatonin supplementation restored antioxidant capacity, enhanced natural killer cell activity, and improved immune markers in specific populations, including individuals undergoing chemotherapy and children with Down syndrome.

Nutritional strategies such as tryptophan-enriched foods also supported melatonin synthesis and improved sleep quality. These findings demonstrate that restoring nighttime melatonin aligns immune rhythm and improves resilience.

Rebuild Melatonin to Strengthen Immune Balance

If your immune system feels inflamed, reactive or easily overwhelmed, focus on the hormone that coordinates the entire repair cycle: melatonin. Sleep is important, but melatonin is the signal that tells your immune cells when to calm inflammation, repair tissue and restore balance. When melatonin production drops, inflammatory cytokines rise, oxidative stress increases and immune timing falls apart. Your goal is to rebuild melatonin naturally — at the mitochondrial level and at night.

Your body produces melatonin through two distinct pathways — and both need support. The first is your pineal gland, a small structure deep in your brain that releases melatonin into your bloodstream after dark. This is the melatonin that governs your sleep-wake cycle, synchronizes immune timing and signals your body to enter nighttime repair mode. It depends entirely on darkness.

The second pathway operates inside your mitochondria — the energy-producing structures within nearly every cell, including your immune cells. This mitochondrial melatonin acts as a localized antioxidant, neutralizing oxidative stress right where it’s generated and protecting the cellular machinery your immune system depends on. It doesn’t follow a circadian rhythm. Instead, it’s triggered by near-infrared light from the sun penetrating your skin and tissues during the day.

These two systems are complementary. Daytime sunlight builds your internal antioxidant defense. Nighttime darkness activates your circadian immune repair signal. When either pathway is neglected — too much time indoors during the day or too much artificial light at night — your total melatonin output drops and your immune system loses both its shield and its clock. The steps below address both pathways.

1. Use sunlight to stimulate mitochondrial melatonin — Most of your melatonin is produced inside your mitochondria as part of your antioxidant defense system. Near-infrared light from the sun penetrates your skin and activates signals that trigger this internal melatonin production. If you spend your days behind glass, under LED lights or indoors, you miss this signal.

Get outside daily. Allow natural sunlight to reach your skin gradually and safely. Avoid harsh midday sun until you have reduced seed oils, which are high in linoleic acid (LA), for at least six months — high LA levels increase sun sensitivity. Sunlight strengthens your cellular melatonin defense from the inside out.

2. Reinforce nighttime melatonin release with darkness — Your pineal gland releases melatonin only in darkness. Even small amounts of artificial light suppress that release. Dim your lights after sunset. Remove glowing electronics from your bedroom. Block outside light with blackout curtains if needed. Darkness isn’t optional — it’s the trigger that tells your body to enter immune repair mode.

3. Support melatonin synthesis with proper nutrient balance — Melatonin forms from serotonin, which forms from the amino acid tryptophan. You need adequate protein intake — roughly 0.8 grams per pound of lean body mass (or about 1.76 grams per kilogram), with one-third from collagen-rich sources like bone broth — to supply these building blocks.

Undereating protein or chronically restricting carbohydrates stresses your metabolism and suppresses hormonal balance. Most adults require 250 grams of carbohydrates daily to maintain strong mitochondrial energy production. When your metabolism is stable, melatonin synthesis improves.

4. Lower inflammatory burdens that suppress melatonin signaling — Chronic inflammation interferes with melatonin’s protective effects. Remove seed oils high in LA, including soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, and all processed foods that contain them.

Replace them with stable fats such as tallow, ghee or grass fed butter. Avoid ultraprocessed foods that disrupt your gut microbiome and increase endotoxin load. When oxidative stress drops, melatonin functions more efficiently inside your immune cells.

5. Optimize your sleep environment to amplify natural melatonin release — Your brain releases its strongest pulse of melatonin during deep, uninterrupted sleep in a cool, dark, and quiet environment. Keep your bedroom temperature slightly cool, ideally between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit, to support deeper sleep cycles. Eliminate background noise or use steady pink noise to prevent stress-driven awakenings that blunt melatonin output.

Choose breathable bedding and avoid caffeine or alcohol, which fragment sleep and suppress nighttime melatonin signaling. When your sleep becomes deeper and more continuous, your melatonin curve strengthens, inflammatory signals calm down and your immune system regains its nighttime repair rhythm.

6. Use nanoliposomal melatonin strategically when needed — If your rhythm has been disrupted by travel, shift work or chronic stress, targeted support helps restore balance. Look for nanoliposomal (NLP) melatonin. NLP technology encloses melatonin in microscopic lipid particles that improve absorption and cellular delivery. This allows lower doses to achieve physiologic effects. Use it to reinforce your natural rhythm, not override it.

The objective is restoration of timing and immune coordination. When you rebuild melatonin at its source — through morning sunlight, evening darkness, the right nutrients and a lower inflammatory burden — your immune system doesn’t just recover. It regains the timing, precision and resilience it was designed to have.

FAQs About Melatonin and Immune Health

Q: How does sleep deprivation weaken your immune system?

A: Sleep deprivation suppresses melatonin, the hormone that coordinates immune timing and controls inflammation. When melatonin drops, inflammatory cytokines rise, oxidative stress increases and immune cells lose efficiency. Over time, this shift weakens your ability to fight infections and maintain immune balance.

Q: What role does melatonin play beyond sleep?

A: Melatonin does far more than make you sleepy. It protects mitochondrial function inside immune cells, helping them produce ATP — the energy required to mount a defense. It also regulates inflammatory signaling and keeps immune responses from becoming excessive or chaotic.

Q: Who is most vulnerable to low melatonin levels?

A: Older adults, people with insomnia and shift workers face greater risk because aging and nighttime light exposure reduce melatonin production. Chronic circadian disruption in these groups increases inflammation and raises susceptibility to infection.

Q: How does melatonin affect my gut and brain?

A: Sleep loss reduces melatonin and disrupts your gut microbiome, lowering SCFAs that help control inflammation. This weakens your intestinal barrier and contributes to neuroinflammation, which affects both immune resilience and cognitive clarity.

Q: What are the most effective ways to rebuild melatonin naturally?

A: Daily sunlight exposure, strict nighttime darkness, adequate protein and carbohydrate intake to support melatonin synthesis, elimination of inflammatory seed oils and strategic use of nanoliposomal melatonin all help restore proper melatonin rhythm. When melatonin timing is rebuilt, immune coordination and cellular energy improve.

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A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way

VIKTIG

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

Obesity now affects more than a billion people around the world,1 including nearly half of all adults in the United States.2 For decades, doctors and researchers have relied on body mass index (BMI) to gauge the risks linked to excess weight. The calculation is quick and straightforward, which is why it became so widely used. However, it flattens a complex condition into a single number and does not explain the full picture of how fat affects your health.

That limitation has led researchers to look beyond weight and toward the patterns of fat storage that shape long-term well-being. One study in the European Heart Journal set out to examine whether fat location offers clearer clues about cardiovascular health than BMI alone.3 Their findings shed light on why the number on the scale does not completely reflect the true state of your heart or your future health.

Why BMI Falls Short as a Health Measure

The body mass index (BMI) was introduced in the 19th century as a simple ratio of weight to height. In the mid-20th century, it began to gain traction as a public health tool. By the 1970s, as obesity rates climbed, BMI became the standard method for categorizing people as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.4,5

• BMI does not distinguish between muscle and fat — This means two people with the same BMI can have very different body compositions. It does not account for where fat is stored in your body, even though decades of research show that fat distribution influences health outcomes in important ways. BMI provides a general signal but not the deeper insights needed to understand how weight is affecting your long-term well-being.6

• Fat is not a uniform substance — It appears in distinct depots throughout your body, each with its own properties and effects on health. Subcutaneous fat is the layer just beneath your skin that gives shape to your body. This type of fat is generally considered less harmful and, in some cases, may even play a protective role by storing excess energy away from vital organs.7

• Visceral fat is very different — It sits deep in your abdomen, packed around your organs such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines.8 This fat depot is biologically active, releasing inflammatory molecules and hormones that influence metabolism, blood pressure, and vascular function.9

• Liver fat is a metabolic saboteur — Sometimes called ectopic fat because it builds up in an organ never meant to store energy, excess liver fat disrupts metabolic balance and is strongly linked to insulin resistance, impaired detoxification, and widespread inflammation that extends far beyond the liver itself.10

• BMI ignores metabolic health — A study published in The Lancet redefined obesity, emphasizing that many people with a so-called “healthy” BMI still harbor dangerous levels of hidden visceral or liver fat.11

These individuals may already have insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, or silent inflammation, yet their normal BMI gives a false sense of reassurance. At the same time, some people with high BMI but strong metabolic markers may not face the same risks, but are still classified as “obese” by the old system.

• It can lead to misdiagnosis and mistreatment — Labeling someone as obese based on BMI alone can send them down the path of unnecessary diets, medications, or even surgeries they may not need. Meanwhile, those who are truly metabolically unwell but maintain a “normal” weight can slip under the radar, missing opportunities for early intervention. Both overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis are harmful.12

• The numbers can be misleading — A BMI above 40 almost always signals excess body fat, but in all other ranges it’s a blunt tool. Researchers recommend that excess adiposity be confirmed by at least one other measure, like waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, or direct body fat scanning, before concluding someone is obese.13

This shows that fat is not simply a matter of volume. The way fat is distributed has direct consequences for your arteries, your metabolism, and the pace at which your cardiovascular system ages.

What Researchers Uncovered About Fat Patterns

In the featured study, researchers analyzed imaging and health data from more than 21,000 participants in the U.K. Biobank, one of the world’s largest population-based studies. Participants included both men and women who were between 40 and 69 years old. Using whole-body and cardiac MRI scans, the team measured fat volumes in different regions of the body and linked them with detailed markers of cardiovascular structure and function.14

• Aging hearts measured in biological time, not birthdays — With the help of machine learning, the researchers estimated each participant’s “cardiovascular age” and compared it to their chronological age, creating a metric called the “age-delta.” Age-delta reflects how much older or younger your cardiovascular system appears compared to your actual age.

• The study revealed striking sex-based differences in fat distribution — Women carried more subcutaneous and gynoid fat (fat around the hips and thighs), along with greater fat infiltration within muscle (myosteatosis). Men, by contrast, accumulated more visceral fat deep in the abdomen, more central or “android” fat in the belly region, and a higher total body fat mass.

• Age reshaped fat depots in different ways — With age, visceral fat rose more steeply in men, while both sexes experienced a steady increase in muscle fat infiltration and a modest decline in abdominal subcutaneous fat. These divergent patterns became central to the study’s exploration of how fat depots uniquely influence cardiovascular aging.

The Fat Depots That Drive Cardiovascular Aging

After mapping how fat is distributed across the body, the researchers dug into a bigger question — which of these hidden fat depots actually drive premature cardiovascular aging? They found that not all fat behaved the same. Some types were strongly tied to faster arterial aging, while others seemed neutral or even protective in certain groups.15

• Visceral fat is the most damaging — Visceral fat emerged as one of the strongest predictors of accelerated cardiovascular aging in both men and women. Higher volumes of visceral fat were consistently associated with a greater age-delta, meaning that arteries and heart tissues looked older than expected. In participants with diabetes, visceral fat amplified the degree of premature cardiovascular aging.

• Liver fat was another independent predictor — When researchers adjusted for age, gender, lifestyle, and conventional cardiovascular risk factors, individuals with higher amounts of liver fat still showed signs of premature cardiovascular aging. Using advanced MRI protocols to measure liver fat fraction, the study found a significant association with increased cardiovascular age-delta in both men and women.

• Fat infiltration into skeletal muscle accelerates vascular aging — When fat accumulates inside muscle fibers, it interferes with glucose metabolism and muscle function. In this study, higher levels of muscle fat infiltration were associated with a higher cardiovascular age-delta, further emphasizing that fat in unexpected locations influences how quickly your heart and blood vessels age.

• Subcutaneous and gynoid fat played different roles — Abdominal subcutaneous fat was linked with aging in men but not consistently across sexes. Gynoid fat appeared protective in women, especially in those who were premenopausal, and genetic analyses supported a causal role for gluteofemoral (gynoid-type) fat in reducing cardiovascular aging risk. Total trunk and whole-body fat mass also showed protective associations in women.

• Blood biomarkers and hormones shaped risk — The study found that certain blood markers and hormones tracked closely with whether someone’s arteries looked “older” or “younger” than their actual age.

People with higher levels of apolipoprotein B, a protein that carries LDL particles (often called “bad cholesterol”), tended to show faster cardiovascular aging. By contrast, higher HDL cholesterol (“good cholesterol”) seemed to offer some protection. A marker of long-term inflammation called glycoprotein acetyls was also tied to quicker aging.

Hormones played a role, too. Estradiol, the primary form of estrogen, was protective in premenopausal women but appeared harmful in men, while free testosterone was linked with slower aging in both sexes. Interestingly, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), a protein that regulates hormone availability, was associated with accelerated aging in women.

• BMI alone missed these associations — While BMI showed a statistical link with cardiovascular aging, it was a weak predictor compared to fat distribution. The researchers noted that BMI often misclassified risk, labeling women with normal fat mass as overweight and men with high visceral fat as normal. According to them:

“We found that BMI was a weak predictor of age-delta in either sex, reflecting that accelerated aging is not predicted by overall body mass. BMI also showed a sex bias in terms of over-representing women with normal fat mass as overweight and vice versa for men.

These observations highlight the limitations and biases of aggregate measures such as BMI, and the potential for MRI-based body composition analysis, or accurate surrogate assessments, to personalize clinical risk prediction. Our data showed that visceral adipose tissue, liver fat, and to a lesser extent, muscle fat infiltration all predicted an increased age-delta in both sexes.”16

A higher cardiovascular age-delta didn’t just look bad on a scan — it translated into a greater likelihood of serious health problems, including atrial fibrillation and Type 2 diabetes. Notably, the study did not find an association between age-delta and overall mortality or major adverse cardiovascular events during the follow-up period.

Finding Out Where You Really Stand in Fat Composition

The researchers noted that while advanced imaging techniques like MRI can reveal exactly where fat is stored in the body, such scans are costly and not realistic for routine checkups. That’s why they emphasized the importance of turning to accurate surrogate assessments — methods that are easier to access but still give you meaningful insight into whether fat is accumulating in ways that could affect your health.

• Look beyond BMI in your health checkups — If your weight category was defined by BMI alone, it’s worth asking your health care provider about more precise evaluations. These include fasting blood sugar, cholesterol profiles, inflammatory markers, and body composition scans that show where fat is stored. Together, they provide a more reliable view of your risk.

• Pay attention even if your BMI looks “normal” — A normal BMI doesn’t always mean your body is free of risk. If you experience fatigue, signs of insulin resistance, or other unexplained health concerns, hidden fat accumulation could be the culprit.

• Measure your waist-to-hip ratio — To calculate it, divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement (using the same unit, such as inches or centimeters). Once you have the number, you can see how it lines up with risk categories:

Waist-to-hip ratio
Men
Women

Ideal
0.8
0.7

Low risk
0.85

• Another option is the waist-to-height ratio — Divide your waist circumference by your height, making sure both are in the same units. For example, if your waist measures 32 inches and your height is 64 inches, your ratio is 0.50. For adults, a healthy range is between 0.40 and 0.49. A value between 0.50 and 0.59 indicates excess weight and an increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease, while 0.60 or higher signals obesity and a significantly greater risk.17

For children, this same measure can provide helpful guidance. A waist-to-height ratio below 0.46 is considered healthy between the ages of 6 and 18, while anything higher points to an increased likelihood of obesity-related health concerns later in life.

Protect Your Heart by Addressing Obesity at Its Root

Addressing obesity is about more than losing weight. To protect your cardiovascular health, you also need to restore how your body manages energy, processes nutrients, and keeps inflammation under control. Here are some practical steps to help you get started:

1. Check your metabolic markers — Instead of focusing only on weight, pay attention to the tests that reflect how well your body is working. A fasting insulin test, your HOMA-IR score (a measure of insulin resistance18), and simple waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios reveal whether you’re dealing with hidden risks such as insulin resistance or central fat storage.

2. Choose the right carbohydrates for insulin balance — Your metabolism depends on quality carbohydrates, not on avoiding them altogether. If you’ve relied heavily on low-carb or fasting plans, it may be time to reconsider. Most adults, especially those who are active, function best with 250 to 300 grams of carbs per day from whole food sources. Begin with simple, easily digested starches like whole fruits and white rice.

3. Eliminate hidden fats that disrupt metabolism — Excess seed oils (commonly called vegetable oils) fuel inflammation, impair mitochondrial activity, and encourage fat to accumulate in unhealthy ways.

To avoid them, steer clear of processed foods, restaurant meals, and even “healthy” alternatives like nut butters and seed-based snacks. Instead, use traditional fats such as grass fed butter, ghee, or tallow, and consider coconut oil for cooking. Pair these with whole, nutrient-dense foods to help restore metabolic and cellular health.

4. Correct micronutrient deficiencies — If you’re experiencing fatigue, check for deficiencies in nutrients that directly affect metabolism. Magnesium and vitamin D are two key players; without them, your body cannot manage fat efficiently.

To optimize vitamin D, aim for midday sunlight exposure — but first, remove vegetable oils from your diet for at least six months, since they heighten your risk of sunburn and skin damage. For more detailed instructions, read “Vitamin D Deficiency Complicates Autoimmune Diseases.”

5. Retrain your body to use energy efficiently — If you’ve been told that exercise alone will solve obesity, you’ve been misled — it’s only one part of the picture. The real issue isn’t lack of movement but the suppression of metabolic function driven by poor diet and toxic exposures. Put simply, most Americans are living with sluggish metabolisms, consuming unhealthy calories, and maintaining lifestyles that steadily promote weight gain.

To reverse this, strength training is especially valuable because it directs nutrients toward building and repairing muscle instead of storing fat. Complement this with daily walks to boost overall fitness. For more detail, see “Interval Walking Training — Going Beyond Step Count.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Hidden Fat and Heart Health

Q: Why isn’t BMI an accurate way to know if I’m obese?
A: BMI only compares your weight to your height, so it can’t tell the difference between muscle and fat or show where fat is stored in your body. Two people may have the same BMI but very different health risks. You could still be storing fat in places like your liver, muscles, or deep in your abdomen (visceral fat), even if your weight looks “normal” on paper.

Q: Why is visceral fat so harmful compared to other types of fat?
A: Visceral fat sits deep in your abdomen, surrounding organs like the liver and pancreas. Unlike the fat under your skin, this type of fat is metabolically active. It releases inflammatory chemicals and hormones that raise blood pressure, worsen blood sugar control, and stiffen arteries, all of which accelerate cardiovascular aging.

Q: How does liver fat affect my heart?
A: Your liver isn’t designed to store much fat. When excess fat builds up there, it disrupts detoxification, drives insulin resistance, and fuels chronic inflammation that spreads throughout your body. These changes put extra strain on your cardiovascular system and increase the risk of premature aging of your arteries.

Q: What health problems are linked to a higher cardiovascular age-delta?
A: In the featured study, people with a higher cardiovascular age-delta were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation and Type 2 diabetes. However, the measure was not associated with overall mortality or major cardiovascular events during the follow-up period.

Q: If BMI isn’t reliable, how do I measure my risk?
A: Start with your waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio, which are simple to measure at home. Pair these with blood tests for fasting insulin, cholesterol, and inflammation markers. These measures give you a clearer picture of your cardiovascular and metabolic health than BMI alone.

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way

VIKTIG

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

You’ve probably heard that letting off steam by hitting a punching bag or going for a run helps you cool down when you’re angry. But recent evidence says otherwise. A review published in Clinical Psychology Review found that these approaches don’t just fail to reduce anger — they might make it worse.1

That’s a problem, because anger isn’t just uncomfortable. It’s dangerous. While anger is a normal emotion, it becomes a serious threat to your health and relationships when you don’t have the tools to calm it down. Instead of “blowing off steam,” you need to cool the system down. Let’s look at the science behind what really works to settle down when you’re overwhelmed by anger.

Calming Down Is Better Than Blowing Off Steam

A large-scale meta-analysis published in Clinical Psychology Review reviewed 154 studies involving 10,189 participants to uncover what actually works for reducing anger.2

The goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of activities that either increase or decrease bodily alertness — things like hitting a punching bag or going for a jog versus meditation or intentional breathing. The popular belief that venting helps you feel better didn’t hold up. In fact, the opposite was true. Only calming, arousal-reducing activities consistently helped.

• Anger dropped significantly in those who practiced calming techniques — The researchers found that calming activities like breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga led to a large reduction in anger. In contrast, activities that increased arousal had no meaningful effect on anger or aggression. In other words, trying to “let it out” by doing something intense didn’t help.

• Anger, hostility and aggression all improved with calming interventions — The data showed that these calming methods didn’t just reduce angry feelings — they also lowered hostility, which is the mental attitude behind anger, and aggressive behavior — how that anger gets expressed.

• Time didn’t reduce the effectiveness of calming methods — Calming methods worked regardless of how long the session was or how many sessions someone completed. Whether the intervention was a single 20-minute guided breathing practice or a longer multi-week meditation program, the effect remained stable. So, if you’re pressed for time, even short sessions make a difference, as long as they help you slow down rather than rev up.

Meditation and Mindfulness Deliver the Strongest Benefits

Not all calming techniques worked equally. Meditation delivered the strongest results, followed by mindfulness, relaxation and yoga. This shows structured practices that help you focus your mind and body — not just passive rest — have a powerful effect on cooling down your internal state.

• Combining cognitive and calming strategies produced stronger results — Activities that combined a calming physical experience, like slowing your breath, with a cognitive process, like focusing your thoughts or practicing kindness, were more effective than physical relaxation alone.

Cognitive-focused interventions lowered anger more than arousal-only approaches. This suggests that your mindset matters — calming your body helps, but calming your thoughts amplifies the effect.

• Arousal-increasing activities failed to reduce anger and even made it worse — Dealing with anger physically didn’t help. Whether it was punching a bag, doing martial arts or going for a run, these arousal-increasing methods had little or no impact on anger levels. In some cases, they made things worse.

For example, jogging was associated with an increase in anger. Stair climbing and rowing also showed trends toward increased anger, while only ball sports and aerobic group activities produced slight improvements. But the majority of these intense, energizing activities failed to bring emotions down.

• Jogging may increase anger by fueling frustration — Researchers noted that jogging might raise anger because of its repetitive nature. It may not offer enough mental stimulation or emotional release, which makes frustration worse instead of better. Some people also feel trapped or powerless while jogging — like on a treadmill — which feeds feelings of irritation or stress.

• Relaxing techniques lower heart rate and engage the parasympathetic nervous system — While the study didn’t dig deeply into biological mechanisms, the known science behind relaxation helps explain why it works.

Calming practices stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system — also called the “rest and digest” branch — which helps slow your heart rate, lower blood pressure, and ease muscle tension. This shuts off the fight-or-flight response that fuels anger and aggression.

• Mindfulness increases self-awareness and emotional control — Mindfulness — intentionally paying attention to the present moment — activates parts of your brain that help regulate emotion. When you practice it regularly, you gain more control over impulsive reactions and develop more patience. It builds what psychologists call “self-efficacy,” or your belief that you can manage your feelings and actions effectively.

Use Relaxation to Interrupt the Anger Loop

You don’t have to be at the mercy of your anger. You can stop the stress response before it spirals out of control — but to do that, you need to interrupt the cycle early. When you feel your body revving up, your breathing changing or your shoulders tightening, that’s your signal to act. The research is clear: the more you try to blow off steam, the more pressure you build. The only reliable path out is through relaxation.

Your goal is to reduce your physiological arousal — the state of high energy and tension that primes you to lash out. Whether you’re dealing with everyday irritations or chronic anger that affects your relationships and health, these strategies give you tools to regain control. Below are five steps you can take to cool your nervous system and calm your mind.

1. Shift from reaction to awareness with mindfulness — If you’re a person who reacts quickly when upset, learning mindfulness will help you notice what’s happening before you explode. That’s your opportunity to choose a different response. Mindfulness means paying attention to your thoughts, body, and feelings without judging them.

Try to observe your breath or sensations for five minutes a day. This gives your brain space to reset and reduces emotional reactivity over time.

2. Use intentional breathing to lower your internal pressure — Instead of taking deep, vertical breaths that trigger the stress response, practice horizontal breathing. This means expanding your ribcage sideways rather than lifting your chest upward. Horizontal breathing promotes relaxation by avoiding the activation of stress pathways in your nervous system.

Do this for a few minutes, especially when you notice frustration building. You’ll likely feel your heart rate slowing and your shoulders dropping. This is your body exiting the fight-or-flight state that fuels anger.

3. Try meditation to retrain your stress response — If you struggle with persistent anger or resentment, meditation is a valuable long-term strategy. The research found it was the most powerful calming tool available.

You don’t have to do anything fancy — just sit quietly, close your eyes and focus on your breath or a calming word. Guided meditations are helpful if you’re just getting started. Aim for 10 minutes a day. Over time, this rewires how your brain handles stress and improves emotional control.

4. Use movement wisely to release — not increase — tension — If you’re someone who usually punches a bag or goes for a hard run to deal with anger, be aware that those high-intensity efforts could make it worse. Instead, try yoga, walking in nature, or gentle stretching. These movements help lower adrenaline and cortisol, the hormones that drive your internal storm. They also keep your body active while allowing your nervous system to calm.

5. Practice regular relaxation before the anger hits — If your stress builds over the day and then explodes, you’re not alone — but you don’t have to wait until the pressure gets too high. Build calming routines into your life daily, such as listening to calming music, doing progressive muscle relaxation, taking a quiet walk after work, or sitting on your porch without your phone.

The key is consistency. You’ll start to notice that your baseline anger level drops, and you’ll have more space to respond instead of react. When you calm your body, you calm your mind. And when your mind is calm, you take back control over your choices. That’s how real change starts.

FAQs About Anger

Q: How does anger affect my health if I don’t deal with it properly?
A: Uncontrolled anger activates your fight-or-flight stress response, which raises your heart rate, blood pressure, and adrenaline. Over time, this state of constant arousal increases your risk of heart disease, weakens your immune system and contributes to chronic inflammation. It also harms relationships and decision-making.

Q: Is venting or “blowing off steam” actually helpful for anger?
A: No. Contrary to popular belief, venting makes anger worse. According to the Clinical Psychology Review, venting — through yelling, punching pillows or aggressive workouts — tends to reinforce angry behavior and increase hostility rather than reduce it.

Q: What’s the most effective way to calm down when I’m angry?
A: The most effective approach is to calm your body through relaxation techniques like intentional breathing, meditation, and mindfulness. These practices reduce physiological arousal and interrupt the anger cycle. Over time, they help rewire your brain to handle stress more calmly.

Q: What type of exercise helps with anger control?
A: Low-arousal movement like yoga, walking, or stretching is ideal. High-intensity workouts — like running or boxing — actually increase anger for some people. Choose movement that soothes rather than stimulates.

Q: How often should I practice these techniques to see results?
A: Daily practice is key. Even five to 10 minutes of mindfulness or relaxation each day helps lower your baseline stress and makes you less reactive. You don’t need to wait until you’re angry — using these tools consistently helps prevent outbursts before they start.

You probably know you should move more, sleep better, and eat cleaner — but the gap between knowing and doing feels enormous. Two large studies now show that the gap is much smaller than you think. The first, published in The Lancet and drawing on wearable-device data from more than 135,000 adults, found that remarkably small increases in daily movement — and modest reductions in sitting — were associated with meaningful drops in mortality.1

The second, published in eClinicalMedicine and tracking 59,078 U.K. Biobank participants, went further by measuring what happens when you combine tiny upgrades across sleep, physical activity, and diet simultaneously.2 The combined approach proved far more powerful than improving any single habit alone. Cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and dementia continue to shorten both lifespan and healthspan for millions.

These conditions don’t appear overnight. They build through years of accumulated metabolic stress — stress that even small daily habits either feed or reverse. The takeaway from both studies is the same: you don’t need an extreme regimen. You need micro-improvements that stack — small daily deposits into a health account that compounds over years.

5 Minutes That Shift Survival Odds

For The Lancet study, researchers examined data from adults across Norway, Sweden, the U.S., and the U.K. Biobank. Instead of relying on memory-based questionnaires, they used wearable devices to measure real movement and sitting time.

They then modeled a simple question: how many deaths could be prevented if people moved just five to 10 more minutes per day or sat 30 to 60 minutes less? This isn’t about marathon training. It’s about realistic, bite-sized changes that fit into your current routine. Participants were followed for about eight years on average.

Just five extra minutes of brisk movement per day was linked to preventing up to 1 in 10 deaths among most adults — and about 1 in 17 among even the least active. Cutting sedentary time by 30 minutes per day was associated with preventing about 7% of deaths in most adults and about 3% in the most sedentary group. That means small shifts across a population translate into thousands of lives.

• Returns scaled with effort — Ten minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous activity was linked to about a 15% reduction in mortality for most adults and 9% for the least active — roughly 50% more benefit for double the time.
Moderate intensity includes brisk walking at about 3 miles per hour. Vigorous intensity includes activities that make you breathe hard. A one-hour reduction in sedentary time was linked to a 13% reduction in deaths in the majority of adults and 6% among the least active group.
• The greatest gains showed up in those who moved the least — The study highlighted that “the greatest benefit was observed if the least active 20% of the population increased their activity by five minutes per day.”3 So, if you’re currently doing almost no brisk movement, you stand to gain the most from a tiny upgrade. That creates a powerful opportunity.
• Sedentary time mattered independently of exercise — Many adults in the study spent 10 to 12 hours per day sedentary. The researchers showed that even trimming 30 minutes off that sitting time had measurable associations with reduced mortality. Sedentary time means hours spent sitting or lying down awake. Long, unbroken sitting slows muscle activity, which affects how your body handles blood sugar and fats. Breaking that pattern resets muscle contractions and circulation.
• Moderate-to-vigorous activity improves insulin sensitivity — This means your cells respond better to insulin and clear glucose from your bloodstream more efficiently. That lowers strain on your pancreas and reduces metabolic stress.
Physical activity also improves mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are the energy generators inside your cells. Think of mitochondria like batteries that recharge through use. When you move regularly, your cells build more of them and retire damaged ones — a process called mitophagy. When you sit for hours, that cleanup stalls, and worn-out mitochondria generate excess free radicals that accelerate aging.
• Small actions compound because they affect multiple systems at once — Movement influences blood pressure, lipid metabolism, inflammation, and vascular function. When you walk briskly for five minutes, your muscles contract. Those contractions act like pumps, improving blood flow and oxygen delivery.
Over time, that repeated signal reshapes cardiovascular health. Those findings raised a key next question: if tiny increases in movement help, what happens when you stack small improvements across multiple habits at once?

Tiny Combined Upgrades Unlock Extra Years

For the eClinicalMedicine study, researchers set out to determine the minimum combined improvements in sleep, physical activity, and nutrition linked to longer lifespan and healthspan.4

Participants wore wrist accelerometers to measure sleep and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, while diet quality was scored using a 0–100 Diet Quality Score based on intake of vegetables, fruits, grains, meats, fish, dairy, oils, and sugary drinks. Researchers essentially asked, “What’s the smallest realistic change that still adds measurable years?”

• Surprisingly small combined shifts were linked to one extra year of life — Compared to people at the lowest end of sleep, activity, and diet quality, an additional five minutes of sleep per day, 1.9 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per day, and a five-point increase in diet quality score were associated with one additional year of lifespan.
• Four additional disease-free years required modest but coordinated effort — For healthspan, a combined improvement of 24 extra minutes of sleep, 3.7 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity, and a 23-point increase in diet quality score was associated with about four additional years free of major chronic disease. A 23-point diet score shift reflects changes such as adding one cup of vegetables daily.
• Higher combined scores linked to nearly a decade of added years — Participants in the most favorable groups — roughly 7.2 to eight hours of sleep, more than 42 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous activity, and higher diet quality — were associated with 9.35 additional years of lifespan and 9.45 additional years of healthspan compared to the least favorable groups. The pattern showed a near-linear trend: as combined behaviors improved, years gained increased.
The study reported a modest positive synergistic interaction for all-cause mortality, meaning the combined effect of sleep, activity, and diet was greater than the sum of each alone. Improving all three together multiplies the impact. When examined individually, much larger increases in a single behavior were required to achieve the same gain in lifespan.
• Physical activity drove the largest share of benefit — Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity appeared to be the primary contributor to lifespan and healthspan gains within the combined model. Benefits rose as sleep increased up to about 7.5 hours, then declined — meaning both too little and too much sleep were associated with worse outcomes. Diet alone showed a subtle association, but its role strengthened when combined with the other behaviors.
• Why combined changes outperform isolated ones — Shared physiological pathways, including energy regulation and metabolic adaptations, connect sleep, activity, and diet. Inadequate sleep disrupts appetite hormones and glucose control.
Low activity reduces metabolic efficiency. Poor diet worsens cardiometabolic strain — the combined burden on your heart, blood vessels, and blood sugar regulation. When you improve all three, you stabilize energy balance and reduce cumulative stress on your body.

How to Improve Sleep, Movement, and Diet with Small Daily Changes

The root cause driving shorter lifespan and shrinking healthspan isn’t a single disease. It’s the slow, daily erosion of metabolic function from too little movement, poor sleep, and low-quality food. You don’t need an extreme reset to see improvement. You need consistent, layered upgrades that raise your baseline health — think in terms of stacking small achievements that compound. Here’s how you take control.

1. Add five intentional minutes of brisk movement every day — If you’re mostly sedentary, start with five extra minutes of moderate movement, such as walking, daily. That means walking fast enough that talking feels slightly harder. Set a timer and treat it like a non-negotiable appointment. If you’re already active, add another five minutes to your current routine. Track your streak on a calendar and work your way up to a one-hour walk daily.
2. Cut 30 minutes of sitting by breaking it into micro-bursts — If you sit for work, stand up every hour and move for three minutes. March in place. Climb stairs. Walk the hallway. Six short breaks equal 18 minutes. Add a brief evening walk and you cross 30 minutes. Your muscles act like metabolic engines when they contract. Frequent activation resets your physiology throughout the day.
3. Prioritize high-quality sleep — If you’re not sleeping enough, extend your time in bed by five to 15 minutes this week. Darken your room. Remove screens at least 60 minutes before bed. Wake at the same time daily, even on the weekends. If you sleep more than nine hours and still feel exhausted, tighten your schedule and prioritize morning light exposure. Your brain and metabolism stabilize when sleep timing stabilizes.
4. Upgrade your diet with one measurable change at a time — Add half a serving of vegetables to one meal daily. Replace one processed snack with whole fruit. Swap vegetable oils for grass fed butter, ghee, or tallow. You’re not chasing perfection. You’re raising your daily average.
5. Layer the three habits together instead of overhauling one — If you try to double your exercise while ignoring sleep and food, you stall. Instead, combine small changes across all three areas. Add five minutes of sleep, two minutes of brisk movement, and one food upgrade in the same week.
That coordination drives the strongest gains in lifespan and years free of disease. You build momentum through repetition. If you’re overwhelmed, focus on one micro-target in each category this week. Your body responds to steady signals. Stack them daily, and the trajectory of your life shifts in your favor.

FAQs About the Impact of Small Lifestyle Changes

Q: Do small lifestyle changes really make a difference in lifespan?
A: Yes. Large population studies show that even very small improvements in daily habits are linked to longer life. Adding just five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day was associated with preventing up to 10% of deaths in most adults, showing that tiny increases in movement have measurable effects on survival.

Q: Why does combining sleep, diet and physical activity matter more than improving just one habit?
A: Sleep, movement, and nutrition influence many of the same biological systems, including energy balance, metabolism, and hormone regulation. When you improve all three together, the combined effect becomes stronger than focusing on only one area. This coordinated approach was associated with significant gains in both lifespan and years lived without chronic disease.

Q: How much change is needed to start seeing benefits?
A: The improvements linked to longer life were surprisingly small. Research found that adding about five minutes of sleep, roughly two minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and a modest improvement in diet quality were associated with one additional year of lifespan.

Q: Who benefits the most from small improvements in physical activity?
A: The greatest gains were seen among people who were the least active to begin with. Individuals who rarely engage in brisk movement experienced the largest reductions in mortality risk when they increased activity by just a few minutes per day.

Q: What are the simplest steps to improve lifespan and healthspan?
A: Start with small daily adjustments that build over time. Add a few minutes of brisk walking, break up long periods of sitting, prioritize consistent high-quality sleep, and improve diet quality with simple food upgrades like adding vegetables or replacing processed snacks with whole foods. These small actions accumulate and create meaningful long-term health benefits.

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 often-overlooked feature of food strongly affects how much you eat?

Color of the meal

Food texture
Harder-textured foods slow eating and reduce intake by about 20% to 26%, while soft foods are eaten faster, leading to higher calorie consumption. Learn more.

Serving size
Time of cooking

1 Which drugs form the backbone of standard colon cancer treatment?

Paclitaxel and vincristine
Cisplatin and carboplatin
5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin
5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin target DNA and are widely used together as core treatments in colon cancer, reflecting standard clinical practice. Learn more.

Methotrexate and cyclophosphamide

2 Which test helps assess insulin resistance using a simple blood sample?

Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR)
The Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) uses fasting glucose and insulin levels to estimate how well the body responds to insulin. Learn more.

Oral glucose tolerance test
Hemoglobin A1c measurement
Fasting lipid panel

3 Which mineral does magnesium help regulate by blocking excess entry into cells?

Potassium
Iron
Sodium
Calcium
Magnesium acts as a natural calcium blocker, preventing excess calcium from entering cells, which helps maintain nerve function, muscle control, and stable heart rhythm. Learn more.

4 What do early hunger, cravings, and energy crashes after eating indicate?

Disrupted appetite signaling and poor blood sugar control
Frequent hunger and energy crashes point to poor blood sugar control and disrupted gut-brain signaling, making it harder for your body to recognize fullness. Learn more.

Strong metabolism and efficient digestion for better energy
High protein intake during meals, which uses plenty of energy to digest
Improved communication between gut and brain

5 When do PMS symptoms typically occur during the menstrual cycle?

During menstruation
At the start of the cycle
In the second half of the cycle
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms like fatigue, mood changes, pain, and sleep disruption typically appear in the second half of the menstrual cycle. Learn more.

After ovulation has fully ended

6 How does improved fitness affect your brain during exercise?

The brain improves its response to physical activity but without mood benefits
Memory function declines as workouts become easier
The brain produces a stronger BDNF response
As fitness improves, the brain releases more brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) during exercise, enhancing attention, decision-making, and impulse control. Learn more.

Mental focus improves with repeated training but not reaction times

7 When whole foods like sweet potatoes are turned into chips, what changes most?

Flavor becomes stronger and more appealing for those who don’t eat them
Processing reduces fullness while increasing calorie intake
Removing water concentrates calories and reduces volume, so stomach stretch signals stay low. This makes chips easier to overeat compared to whole foods. Learn more.
Presentation improves, raising the overall cost but allows more nutrient intake
Texture becomes crunchier and more enjoyable

Test Your Knowledge with
The Master Level Quiz

1 What natural source does salicylic acid in aspirin originally come from?

Green tea leaves
Pine tree resin
Eucalyptus bark
Willow bark
Salicylic acid, the core component of aspirin, was originally derived from willow bark and has been used for pain and inflammation for thousands of years. Learn more.

2 Even if proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are said to reduce stomach acid, what could be a harmful effect?

These drugs can interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption
Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) lowers stomach acid, which may ease heartburn but can impair digestion, nutrient absorption, and defense against harmful bacteria. Learn more.

PPIs can make parasites in the stomach multiply uncontrollably
There are no bad effects because it is an over-the-counter remedy
They work only for short-term symptom relief

3 Which cellular energy sensor is activated by salicylate?

Cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme
Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway
Insulin receptor signaling system
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key energy sensor. Salicylate activates AMPK, triggering metabolic changes that disrupt cancer cell growth. Learn more.

4 Which cancers are most strongly linked to insulin resistance?

Lung, brain, and skin
Uterine, kidney, and esophageal
Insulin resistance is strongly linked to uterine, kidney, and esophagus cancers, with additional risk seen in pancreatic, colon, and breast cancers across the body. Learn more.

Thyroid, bone, and blood
Prostate, bladder, and liver

5 Which of the following is a common symptom of high cortisol?

Stubborn belly fat
High cortisol promotes fat storage around the abdomen; it’s also linked to poor sleep, fatigue, and blood sugar spikes. Learn more.

Stronger immune resistance
Lower blood sugar levels
Increased energy throughout the day

6 What is the medical name for athlete’s foot?

Onychomycosis
Tinea pedis
Tinea pedis or athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that thrives in warm, moist areas like sweaty shoes, locker rooms, and between the toes. Learn more.

Seborrheic dermatitis
Contact dermatitis

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way

VIKTIG

A New Series of Health Insights Is on the Way
Our team has been working behind the scenes to prepare new research and practical health strategies for our readers. While we finish preparing what’s coming next, we invite you to explore one of the most-read articles from our library below. See exactly what’s changing →

About 40 million Americans live with varicose veins,1 yet most don’t think much about them until they start to hurt. These enlarged veins are often dismissed as a cosmetic problem — unwelcome in appearance but not taken seriously. That mindset keeps many people from paying attention early on, even when subtle symptoms start interfering with their daily life.

However, varicose veins are more than a surface issue. They reflect real changes in your circulation that, if overlooked, will lead to more persistent and serious health problems. Knowing what causes varicose veins and what they’re telling you about your overall vascular health allows for timely interventions and makes it easier to take care of your body long-term.

Understanding Varicose Veins — Causes, Risk Factors, and Diagnosis

Any vein close to the skin’s surface can become varicosed, meaning enlarged and twisted, but the veins in the legs are affected most often. These varicose veins tend to appear bluish or purple, raised above the skin, and may feel warm or tender to the touch. They often become more pronounced after long periods of standing or sitting.2

Although they may look similar to spider veins, varicose veins are deeper, larger, and more disruptive to healthy blood flow. Their presence reflects your body’s inability to move blood upward against the force of gravity.

• Healthy circulation depends on one-way valves in the veins — Beneath the surface, healthy veins rely on a network of one-way valves to return blood to the heart. These valves work in sync with muscle contractions in the lower body to keep blood moving upward, against gravity.3

With each step, your calf muscles compress nearby veins, helping blood overcome the long vertical distance back to the chest. This mechanism depends on vessel integrity and the coordination of many small components that maintain pressure and direction. When the system functions well, blood flows steadily and without interruption.4

• Varicose veins begin to form when these one-way valves no longer close completely — When the valves weaken or fail, blood slips backward and settles in the lower section of the vein. This accumulation increases local pressure, gradually distending the vessel and further impairing valve function.

Over time, the walls of the vein lose their elasticity and begin to bulge outward, creating a visible enlargement. Gravity amplifies this effect, especially in your legs, where the vertical distance from the heart is longest and the circulatory demand is greatest.5

• Several factors influence the likelihood of this process — Your risk of developing varicose veins increases with age, as the wear and tear on vein walls and valves builds gradually over time. If you’re a woman, hormonal shifts, especially during pregnancy or menopause, further relax the vein walls and make you more susceptible.

During pregnancy, circulating blood volume increases, hormone levels shift, and the expanding uterus compresses the pelvic veins, all of which elevate the pressure in leg veins. Genetics also play a strong role, along with obesity and sedentary behavior, which increase venous burden and reduce the efficiency of the muscle pump.

If your work keeps you on your feet for long stretches or seated for hours without movement, your veins face added stress. You’re also more vulnerable if you’ve had deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a leg injury, or a condition that affects connective tissue strength and flexibility.6,7,8

• How are varicose veins diagnosed? — A clinician will evaluate your legs while you’re standing, looking for visible swelling, bulging, or color changes. If venous reflux is suspected, a duplex ultrasound will be ordered to assess the direction and speed of blood flow, valve function, and signs of obstruction.

This test also helps differentiate between superficial veins and the deeper veins embedded within the muscles. Identifying where dysfunction originates allows for more precise treatment and helps rule out other vascular or lymphatic conditions.9,10

• Complications emerge as the condition advances — While many people live with varicose veins for years with minimal discomfort, it could turn into more serious problems if left unaddressed. One of its complications is superficial vein thrombosis, where a section of the vein becomes hardened, red, and painful due to clotting.

In some cases, these clots may extend into deeper veins, raising the risk of DVT, which carries the risk for a life-threatening embolism if a clot dislodges and travels to the lungs. As venous pressure continues to build, the skin around the ankles might become discolored, fragile, or inflamed, setting the stage for ulcers.

Chronic swelling, known as edema, places additional stress on the surrounding tissues, and fragile veins rupture with minimal trauma, causing spontaneous bleeding.11

Symptoms of Varicose Veins You Need to Watch Out For

The progression of varicose veins tends to be slow and subtle, so their early signs are often missed or dismissed, especially when the skin remains intact and the surrounding tissue appears normal. Paying attention to the following symptoms is key not just for relief but also to prevent more serious complications from taking hold:12,13,14

• A sense of heaviness often develops toward the end of the day — If you spend long hours standing or sitting, you’ll start to notice a dull ache in your legs that eases with rest but gradually returns more often. The area will feel tight or swollen, and walking upstairs or standing still for too long makes the discomfort more noticeable.

• Pain may shift from dull to throbbing or cramping — You’ll feel a throbbing sensation near the enlarged veins, sometimes accompanied by sharp or pulsing aches. The discomfort takes the form of a deep, cramping feeling that spreads through your calves or behind your knees.

You’ll also notice itching, tingling, or a burning sensation along the affected veins. These symptoms often intensify in the evening, making it harder to relax or get restful sleep.

• Swelling in the lower legs becomes more common and persistent — This is because your calves and ankles start to hold onto fluid that doesn’t go away quickly. By late afternoon, your shoes will feel tight, and your socks will leave deep marks around your ankles. In some areas, the skin over the swelling will look taut or slightly shiny, and you’ll begin to see subtle changes in color around the clusters of visible veins.

• Skin changes near affected veins signal advancing dysfunction — As your veins stay under pressure, the skin around them becomes increasingly vulnerable. Discoloration will begin to develop, often taking on a rusty or brown hue just above your ankle.

The skin in this area will feel thinner and more fragile. The texture will become dry or leathery, and you’ll notice more frequent itching. These changes show that the surrounding tissue is no longer getting enough oxygen or nutrients, an effect of impaired blood flow and poor venous return.

• Slow healing and venous ulcers may develop in later stages — If you leave the underlying dysfunction unaddressed, even small injuries in the affected area will take longer to heal. Minor scratches will linger and turn into shallow, stubborn wounds.

Over time, you’ll develop venous ulcers, often near the ankles, that resist healing and become prone to infection. These ulcers will continue to return unless the pressure in your veins is reduced, and they will require ongoing care to prevent further skin breakdown and tissue damage.

• Persistent symptoms signal the onset of chronic venous insufficiency — Chronic venous insufficiency is the term used when your symptoms become persistent and continue to worsen. At this stage, your veins will no longer be able to maintain healthy circulation. The discomfort will spread beyond individual veins and affect your entire lower leg, leading to fatigue, limited mobility, and difficulty staying on your feet for extended periods.

If these symptoms begin to appear, don’t ignore them or assume they’ll resolve on their own. The longer the underlying pressure builds, the harder it becomes to reverse the damage.

Strategies to Address Varicose Veins

Managing varicose veins requires more than cosmetic correction — it involves addressing the underlying pressure, restoring circulation, and protecting surrounding tissue from long-term damage. The following strategies are commonly used in conventional care for varicose veins:

• Compression therapy is the standard first-line approach — Medical-grade compression stockings apply graduated pressure to the lower legs, which helps support the vein walls and encourages blood to flow upward toward the heart.

This approach does not reverse the condition, but it often reduces discomfort and swelling. When compression isn’t enough, medical providers recommend procedures that close or remove dysfunctional veins to reroute blood through healthier ones.

• Minimally invasive procedures are used to collapse or remove damaged veins — The most commonly used techniques include sclerotherapy, where a chemical agent is injected to scar the vein shut, and endovenous thermal ablation, which uses heat from lasers or radiofrequency to collapse the affected vessel.

In some cases, mechanochemical ablation combines mechanical disruption with a sclerosing agent to enhance effectiveness. For larger or more stubborn veins, surgical options such as ambulatory phlebectomy or vein ligation may be used to physically extract or tie off the damaged vein.

For those seeking alternatives beyond mechanical or surgical correction, several noninvasive therapies are available to help you support your vascular tone more holistically:

• Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) offers a broad-spectrum alternative for vascular support — DMSO is a naturally occurring substance with potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and circulation-enhancing effects. When applied topically, it penetrates deep into the tissues. In people with varicose veins, this often translates into reduced visibility of enlarged veins, diminished pain or itching, and lessened pressure in the lower legs.15,16

• DMSO plays a significant role in healing venous ulcers and skin damage caused by poor circulation — In clinical studies and long-term case reports, it has shown an ability to promote rapid tissue repair, support granulation, reduce swelling, and prevent infection.17,18

Among diabetic patients with chronic foot ulcers, daily DMSO application helped restore tissue integrity in cases that had resisted conventional care.19 Its effectiveness appears to extend not only to wound healing but also to reducing the hyperpigmentation, thickening, and fragility often seen in longstanding venous insufficiency.20,21

• Users report improvements in vein tone, skin integrity, and local circulation — As a venotropic compound, DMSO improves the tone and responsiveness of veins, helping to normalize blood return over time. It also appears to reduce capillary bleeding and post-inflammatory discoloration.22 Take a deeper look at how DMSO supports skin repair and vascular health in “How DMSO Revolutionizes Skin Care and Dermatology.”

• Inclined bed therapy uses body positioning to enhance venous return — It offers a structural, systemic method for improving venous return without any invasive measures. By raising the head of the bed by 6 inches (5 degrees), your body lies at a gentle angle that uses gravity to assist the movement of blood and lymph as you sleep.

This method originated from the observation that plants circulate fluids using density and gravitational gradients, and that similar forces may support human circulation as well. In one experiment, varicose veins disappeared after four weeks of sleeping on a 6-inch incline, which is a sign that “a positive change in circulation” had been achieved.23

To explore this method in greater depth, watch the video below and read “The Surprising Benefits of Inclined Bed Therapy” for a full breakdown of how it works to support circulation.

How to Lower Your Risk of Varicose Veins

You can’t change your genetics or the natural aging process, but you do have control over how much daily stress your veins are forced to handle. Supporting healthy blood flow is one of the most effective ways to prevent varicose veins from developing or worsening. That means finding ways to reduce the pressure in your lower legs throughout the day. I recommend adopting these strategies:24

1. Move regularly — If you sit or stand for long stretches at work, make a point to change positions often. Flex your ankles, shift your weight from leg to leg, or take brief walks to keep the blood in your calves moving upward. When you’re seated, avoid crossing your legs or holding your knees tightly together for long periods, since this limits circulation and increases pressure in your lower limbs.

2. Raise your legs during the day — This helps relieve venous pressure by letting gravity assist circulation rather than working against it. Whenever possible, rest with your legs elevated above the level of your heart. This gives your veins a break and helps reduce swelling, especially after activity. Using pillows or a wedge cushion while lying down or reclining can make this a regular part of your daily routine.

3. Choose your shoes wisely — High heels reduce the ability of your calf muscles to contract fully, weakening the natural pumping action that moves blood upward. Choose shoes with lower heels and enough support to let your calves engage properly. Tight clothing around the waist, thighs, or calves also interferes with venous return, especially if worn for long hours.

4. Manage your weight — This reduces unnecessary strain on your lower body. Even a modest loss of excess weight will ease the burden on your venous system and improve overall circulation. Daily walking, swimming, or cycling keeps the blood moving and strengthens the muscle groups that support vein function. You don’t need intense workouts — what matters is consistency and rhythm, especially in the legs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Varicose Veins

Q: What are varicose veins and why do they develop?

A: Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted veins that usually appear in the legs. They form when the one-way valves in your veins begin to fail, allowing blood to flow backward and pool. This buildup increases pressure, stretches the vein walls, and causes the veins to bulge outward. Over time, this signals an underlying problem with circulation, not just a surface issue.

Q: What do varicose veins look and feel like?

A: You’ll usually notice them as bulging, bluish or purple veins raised above the skin’s surface. They may feel warm or tender to the touch, and symptoms like aching, swelling, or heaviness often intensify after standing or sitting for long periods. As the condition progresses, you may also experience throbbing, itching, or skin discoloration.

Q: Are varicose veins dangerous?

A: Yes, especially if left untreated. Over time, they lead to superficial vein thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, venous ulcers, skin breakdown, and chronic swelling. These complications may begin subtly but grow more serious without early intervention.

Q: How does DMSO help with varicose veins?

A: DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) helps ease inflammation, improve circulation, and promote healing in damaged tissue. It’s especially helpful for reducing pain, shrinking visible veins, and speeding recovery from ulcers or skin changes caused by poor circulation.

Q: How do I use inclined bed therapy for varicose veins?

A: Raise the head of your bed by 6 inches to create a gentle downward slope from head to toe. This sleeping position improves fluid drainage, reduces nighttime swelling, and supports better circulation in the legs.

It might feel counterintuitive at first, since you’d expect elevating your feet to be the goal, but tilting the entire body allows gravity to assist blood and lymphatic flow more continuously. Many people report visible improvements within weeks of consistent use.