Longevity is an exploding science, and Rhonda Patrick is one of its most recognisable faces. Earning her PhD in Biomedical Science and publishing research in some of the field’s leading journals, Rhonda started FoundMyFitness - a health and science-based platform through which she shares advice on optimising healthspan, longevity, and physical/cognitive performance. Boasting over 1.1M+ followers on Instagram, she is one of the most popular science communicators of our time.
Why did we invite her on?
”At least you have your health” is a cliche for good reason. Whatever hardships are mounted against you, having your physical well-being in order is a prerequisite for a good life.
So what happens when you lose it? What happens when it’s taken?
At a time when more is known about the human body than ever before, it feels increasingly difficult to treat it well. Modern work is less physically demanding yet more emotionally taxing than ever. Food is now mysterious - we don’t always know what we’re eating. We don’t even go outside. It’s never been easier to survive, but that may be at the cost of living well.
The most disturbing changes are invisible. Diminishing testosterone, mildly depleted cognitive function, and the increasing presence of micropolitics in the body. We wanted to know: how serious is the problem? What can we do about it? How much time do we have to solve it?
Rhonda was the ideal candidate, and we were thrilled when she agreed to join us for a conversation.
What did we learn?
”We can’t see them. We can’t smell them. But they’re there. They’re insidious. Every day, we’re being exposed to them. It’s a public health crisis.”
And what is ‘them’?
’Endocrine disruptors’ - chemicals that interfere with the human body’s natural hormone production. You might not have heard of them, but they surround you. These chemicals are woven into everyday items and leak into the things we eat, drink and put on our skin.
”BPA and BPS. They’re in plastic bottles, recyclable packages, aluminium cans, the to-go coffee cups that you use… It’s everywhere.”
Their effects are not benign.
”Lower libido, cardiovascular disease, bone health, your mental health, energy levels. And they’re lowering testosterone. They’re worsening the quantity and quality of sperm that men are producing.”
But that’s not all.
Phalates - synthetic chemicals added to plastics to soften them - are just as ubiquitous, and the effects are arguably even more fundamentally damaging.
”They’re in makeup products, hair products, even the pipes your tap water travels through. And they’re disguised under the words “parfum” or “fragrance” - they extend the half-life of the fragrance, so these items smell better for long. They’re not just lowering testosterone - they’re lowering it at every stage of life. It’s really important to have regular testosterone levels when you’re developing, and women who have high levels of phalates (either from the water or the products they use) are much more likely to have sons with sexual development problems. Undescended testicles, fertility issues, even testicular cancer.”
The omnipresence of these chemicals means there’s no real control group - nobody alive in the developed world will have managed to avoid them their whole life. But that raises a different question: how is society different today to how it might have been without them?
”If I’m speculating… hormones affect your view on things. If you feel anxiety, which low testosterone causes, your view on a variety of topics is going to be affected. I’m not an expert, but it seems obvious to me.”
Another trend we’ve seen in recent years is the increased prevalence of diagnoses of learning difficulties and neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly ADHD and autism.
Many put this down to improved knowledge and sensitivity of testing, while quacks have their competing pet theories. Is there a connection between that trend and what we’re talking about today?
”Yes, there is. There literally is something in the water.”
