(Mercola)—In a landmark ruling, the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Florida upheld a state law banning the sale and distribution of lab-grown or “cultivated” meat.¹ This law, enacted by the Florida Legislature, specifically prohibits companies from selling any meat or food product developed from cultured animal cells, like those grown in bioreactors.

The case centered on Upside Foods, a company at the forefront of cultivated meat technology, which argued that its lab-grown chicken should be treated like conventional poultry under federal law. However, under Florida’s new regulations, these products are barred from markets statewide.

For Upside Foods, this means any continued efforts to distribute their products in Florida could result in criminal penalties, civil fines and stop-sale orders. With this ruling, the court’s stance signals support for traditional meat production over cell-cultured alternatives in the Sunshine State.

Upside Foods’ Challenge to State Regulation

Upside Foods petitioned the court for an injunction to stop the ban’s enforcement, claiming that Florida’s restrictions contradicted federal law, namely the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA). They argued that the PPIA gives the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) exclusive authority over poultry inspection and labeling, which should extend to their cultivated chicken products.²

Upside Foods also cited its history of marketing and distributing lab-grown chicken in major markets like Miami, claiming that the Florida ban has hampered its business plans, including partnerships with chefs and local events.

However, during the court hearing, the judge found that Upside Foods failed to show its lab-grown chicken fell under USDA definitions of “poultry” or “poultry products” as intended in federal law, making it unlikely to succeed in its argument that federal law overrides state regulations.

Federal law defines poultry products as any carcass or product made from a bird, but the judge found this definition did not clearly encompass cultivated meats developed from cells instead of whole animals. Without a precise federal standard for cultivated meats, the judge ruled that Florida’s law could stand because it does not directly contradict any federal law regarding poultry.³

In his judgment, Chief Judge Mark E. Walker observed that since the USDA has yet to issue specific standards for cell-based meats, Florida has the authority to regulate these products as it deems appropriate. This ruling suggests that, for now, individual states have discretion in deciding how or whether cultivated meats can enter their markets.

Food Safety, Labeling and Ingredient Standards at Issue

Upside Foods also argued that Florida’s ban imposed inconsistent standards regarding ingredient labeling and food safety. Under the PPIA, only the USDA sets requirements for the labeling and composition of poultry products in the U.S. However, the judge did not find the ban imposed any new ingredient standards that would conflict with federal law, as it outright prohibits lab-grown meat rather than imposing complex labeling requirements.

The court noted that without specific federal guidelines for cultivated meat, there was no basis to conclude that Florida’s ban on the product’s sale created an inconsistent or “additional” ingredient requirement. Therefore, the judge upheld that Florida’s law does not impose conditions in conflict with the PPIA’s inspection and labeling requirements, allowing the state to exclude lab-grown products from shelves without breaching federal regulations.

This case highlights the ongoing debate over whether lab-grown meat will be regulated and accepted across U.S. markets, or if states will continue setting their own standards for such products. The court’s decision sets a precedent that could embolden other states to pass similar laws restricting lab-grown foods.

“We are not surprised by the judge’s rejection of Upside’s preliminary injunction,” Florida Sen. Jay Collins told Children’s Health Defense. “The dangers of cultivated meat far outweigh any misleading environmental claims. Floridians will not be lectured by billionaires like Bill Gates on how to feed their families.”⁴

High Environmental Costs of Cultured Meat Production

While lab-grown meat is often hailed as a sustainable alternative, research reveals its significant environmental footprint. A recent life cycle assessment (LCA) from the University of California, Davis, examined the “cradle-to-gate” environmental impacts of animal cell-based meat (ACBM).⁵

The findings suggest that cultivating lab-grown meat is more resource-intensive than traditional beef production. Specifically, cultured meat production requires substantial energy and water for creating growth mediums, refining cell-culture components and managing bioreactor systems.

The process also involves high greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel depletion. When growth medium purification is factored in — a necessity for safe production — the carbon emissions for cultivated meat rise dramatically, in some cases exceeding conventional beef’s emissions.⁶ The environmental burden of fake meat, therefore, may be higher than previously estimated, challenging the assumption that lab-grown meat is inherently eco-friendly.

Another major challenge in cultured meat production is the removal of endotoxins, toxic byproducts from bacterial contaminants. Endotoxins pose risks to cell health, and their presence in animal cell cultures requires purification methods that are both energy-intensive and costly.

The study highlighted that removing endotoxins from growth media could add up to 25 times more environmental impact than baseline levels.⁷ For example, purifying the medium for cultured meat production to meet food-grade standards consumes significant energy, exacerbating the production’s carbon footprint.

Current methods for endotoxin removal rely on advanced chemical processes, which drive up both resource use and emissions. This means the environmental toll from cultured meat production offsets its perceived sustainability benefits.

Dependence on Highly Refined Growth Mediums

Lab-grown meat relies on specific nutrients, proteins and vitamins to grow cells effectively in bioreactors. These refined components are typically sourced from animal byproducts like fetal bovine serum (FBS), which poses ethical and environmental issues. While alternatives to FBS are being explored, they still require a high degree of refinement to ensure cell safety.

Purifying these materials introduces significant environmental and financial costs, given the energy and resources needed to prevent contamination. The Davis study modeled scenarios involving refined mediums, finding that production of 1 kilogram of ACBM could demand over 1,000 liters of growth medium, depending on purity needs.⁸

This substantial input places further strain on the environment, countering claims that cultured meat is a low-impact alternative to livestock. Further, for lab-grown meat to become a staple, the industry must scale production, which would require extensive new infrastructure and energy investment.

The Davis study estimates that an industrial-scale lab-grown meat facility would demand nearly 10 million liters of bioreactor capacity.⁹ This massive infrastructure expansion would require high energy inputs and specialized facilities, which further add to its environmental costs.

Meeting production demands would also necessitate scaling the supply of growth medium components, intensifying the environmental load. Additionally, maintaining clean rooms and running bioreactors on a continuous cycle for mass production would multiply these energy requirements.

Lab-Grown Meat Poses Health Risks from Cellular Dysregulation

Lab-grown meat faces health risks linked to the process of cell culture. Culturing cells for meat requires extensive replication and division, raising the possibility of cellular dysregulation, a condition observed in cancer cells. Such uncontrolled cellular changes could alter the structure or nutritional properties of the meat, with unknown implications for human health.¹⁰

While production facilities may eliminate abnormal cell lines, the rapid, repeated cell divisions needed to create lab-grown meat introduce variability and the risk of unexpected biological behaviors. These concerns remain largely unexplored, as studies have yet to fully examine the health impact of long-term consumption of lab-grown meat.

Cultured meat’s nutritional profile may also lack the diversity and quality found in conventional meat. Lab-grown meat production allows some control over fat content but fails to naturally provide essential micronutrients like vitamin B12 and iron, both vital for human health.

Attempts to artificially enrich cultured meat with these nutrients risk compromising the natural matrix that enhances nutrient bioavailability in traditional meat. Moreover, studies suggest that the growth medium’s composition could inadvertently inhibit the absorption of certain micronutrients.¹¹ In other words, lab-grown meat could end up offering a nutritionally inferior product, lacking in essential compounds typically provided through whole animal sources.

Additionally, ethical debates persist. While lab-grown meat may use fewer animals, it still relies on animal-derived cells, negating its “cruelty-free” narrative. For consumers who value real, whole foods, lab-grown meat’s engineered origins are far from natural.

Fake Meat Is an Ultraprocessed Food Product

Fake meats are not primarily about health or environmental benefits; instead, they’re a means to phase out traditional farming and replace it with ultraprocessed, patent-controlled food products. If government and corporate entities gain control over food production through lab-grown options, they ultimately gain more control over the people.

Further, lab-grown meat products are examples of highly processed foods that come with a range of significant health risks. These ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are a disaster for your health, even if they’re “animal-free” or “plant-based.”

A study using data from the UK Biobank analyzed the cardiovascular impacts of UPFs within plant-based diets, showing that a 10% increase in plant-based UPFs raised cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by 5% and increased CVD mortality risk by 12%.¹²

Conversely, every 10% increase in consumption of minimally processed, plant-based foods was associated with a 7% reduction in CVD risk and a 13% reduction in CVD mortality. These findings suggest that the degree of food processing — rather than simply whether a food is plant-based — plays a key role in health outcomes.

Despite the growing popularity of plant-based meat alternatives, the evidence warns that their ultraprocessed nature undermines any perceived health benefits. These findings bring attention to the risks associated with other highly processed alternatives, such as lab-grown meat, which involves extensive processing methods similar to UPFs.

A Step Toward Consumer Protection Against Experimental, Ultraprocessed Foods

Florida’s ruling sets an important precedent in safeguarding consumers from the risks associated with lab-grown meats. From unknown health impacts to high environmental costs, these ultraprocessed products carry serious concerns that traditional food systems do not.

This decision stands as a critical move toward ensuring food safety, transparency and public health. By maintaining standards that favor traditional food sources, this ruling moves us closer to safeguarding the food supply against lab-grown products that remain more hype than health.

• ^1, 2, 3 Upside Foods V. Wilton Simpson October 11, 2024
• ⁴ Children’s Health Defense, The Defender October 23, 2024
• ^{5, 6, 7, 8, 9} bioRxiv April 21, 2023
• ^10, 11 Front. Nutr., February 6, 2020, Sec. Nutrition and Food Science Technology, Volume 7 – 2020
• ¹² The Lancet Regional Health Europe August 2024, Volume 43, 100948

(Mercola)—In this country, we’re often led to believe that vaccines are backed by solid science and have unquestionable safety. However, when you start to dig deeper, you’ll find that the evidence supporting their safety and effectiveness is often quite weak.

Since the rapid development of mRNA shots during the pandemic, many parents have been more proactive in making decisions about their children’s vaccinations. Recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)¹ reflect this shift, revealing that more parents of kindergarteners are becoming selective about which vaccines their child receives, or are choosing to delay certain vaccinations.

This change is driven by an increase in the number of recommended vaccines for children, coupled with rising concerns about their adverse effects. While mainstream media portrays this development as concerning, I believe it reflects a positive shift toward greater awareness and a desire among parents to make informed decisions about their children’s health care.

Fewer Parents Are Blindly Accepting the Scheduled Vaccines

According to the CDC,² for the 2023 to 2024 school year, vaccination coverage among kindergartners decreased for all reported vaccines, with the percentage for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) at 92.7% and the diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP) at 92.3%.

These numbers fall below the 95% threshold recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.³ The CDC has also noted a record increase in vaccine exemptions among kindergartners, with the percentage of children exempt from one or more required vaccines rising from 3% to 3.3% over the past year. This increase equates to approximately 80,000 to 127,000 children.⁴

The majority of these exemptions are non-medical, indicating that parents are increasingly making conscious decisions to opt out of certain vaccinations for reasons other than health contraindications. This decline continues a trend that began in the 2019 to 2020 school year, with over 30 states reporting lower vaccination rates compared to the previous year.⁵

State-by-state data shows variations in vaccination coverage across the country. Idaho reported the lowest vaccination coverage at 79.5%, while West Virginia maintained the highest at 98.4%. Fourteen states reported exemption rates exceeding 5%, indicating that in some regions, a substantial number of parents are choosing alternative approaches to vaccination.⁶

Unsurprisingly, this decline in vaccination rates has prompted fear-inducing reports from various news outlets and comments from health officials. For instance, in a report by AP News, Dr. Raynard Washington, chair of the Big Cities Health Coalition representing 35 major metropolitan public health departments, noted that the decline in vaccination rates “explains a worrisome creep in cases of whooping cough, measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases.”⁷

Previous Research Has Questioned the Effectiveness of the Vaccines

While declining vaccination rates are being linked to the resurgence of certain diseases, numerous studies have raised doubts about the efficacy of vaccines in preventing these illnesses from the outset. This raises valid concerns for parents who are wary of exposing their children to substances they believe carry more risks than benefits.

For instance, a paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine⁸ back in 2018 revealed that 25% of individuals vaccinated against mumps lose their immunity within eight years, while half lose it within 19 years. This decline in immunity helps explain the resurgence of mumps among college-age populations.

Moreover, virologist Stanley Plotkin stated in a Science report⁹ that research indicates the MMR vaccine produces a weaker immune response against current mumps strains compared to those from 50 years ago. Health officials subsequently recommended a third dose of MMR for 18-year-olds, further increasing the number of vaccines administered per individual. Another study published in Current Opinion in Virology showed similar findings. According to the authors:¹⁰

“Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) including measles and mumps have been re-emerging in countries with sustained high vaccine coverage. For mumps, waning immunity has been recognized as a major contributor to recent outbreaks … Accumulating serological and epidemiological evidence suggests that natural immunity induced by infection may be more durable compared to vaccine-induced immunity.”

When it comes to DTaP vaccines, previous research has also raised concerns regarding their long-term effectiveness and safety profile. For example, a 2021 study published in the journal Vaccine¹¹ found that its effectiveness against pertussis (whooping cough) declines rapidly over time. This finding corroborates earlier studies that similarly indicated waning immunity associated with the DTaP vaccine.^12,13,14

Vaccines Have a History of Causing Adverse Events

If a vaccine is highly effective and the risk of the disease is significant, parents would likely feel that the vaccine’s benefits outweigh its side effects. They might even support getting an extra dose.

However, if the vaccine is ineffective or if the disease is not a serious threat, the risks do not seem justified, especially if it’s been associated with serious side effects. Unfortunately, that’s the case with many of the scheduled vaccines, which have been associated with thousands of serious adverse events and hundreds of deaths.

Unofficial surveys^15,16 suggest that highly vaccinated children have more chronic health problems than unvaccinated children, and that unvaccinated children have a far lower incidence rate of autism. There’s also a growing body of research suggesting that vaccines are associated with a variety of brain and immune system disorders, including an increased risk for:

• Learning and developmental disabilities
• Brain damage
• Allergies, asthma and gut problems
• Autoimmune diseases
• Chronic infections

A study published in the Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology¹⁷ examined the correlation between autism and three specific vaccines — MMR, varicella (chickenpox) and hepatitis-A vaccines. The authors of the study suggest that the introduction of vaccines derived from human fetal cell lines, specifically the WI-38 cell line, which may harbor fetal and retroviral contaminants, could be linked to rising autism rates.

They noted a sharp increase in autism prevalence coinciding with the release of these vaccines. While this hypothesis provides one avenue for exploring the rising incidence of autism among children, it highlights a broader issue — there are many questions about vaccine science and policy that must be answered quickly before more are added to the government-recommended and mandated list for children and adults. As noted by Children’s Health Defense:¹⁸

“The truth is none of those vaccines have ever been studied or considered for their relationship to autism, so no one has any idea. This would be like trying to identify the source of a plane crash, suspecting mechanical failure, solely analyzing one of the wings, and then declaring the entire airplane free of culpability.”

What Parents Need to Know About Aluminum in Vaccines

One important aspect of vaccine safety is the presence of aluminum, a neurotoxic substance linked to increasing rates of autism and Alzheimer’s disease. For years, I have cautioned that vaccines are a significant source of aluminum exposure.

Vaccines contain a variety of components, each playing a specific role in the product’s intended function. The primary ingredient is the antigen, typically a weakened or inactivated form of the target pathogen. Adjuvants are included to supposedly enhance the immune response, with aluminum being one of the most common. Preservatives, stabilizers and residual components from the manufacturing process may also be present in the final product.¹⁹

Aluminum adjuvants have been used in vaccines for nearly a century, and were approved based on their efficacy rather than safety data. The assumption of safety, rather than rigorous testing, has led to growing concerns about long-term effects. This is particularly worrisome given that injected aluminum bypasses the body’s natural filtration systems, making it more bioavailable than ingested aluminum.^20,21

The presence of aluminum in vaccines is especially concerning for infants and young children who receive multiple doses according to recommended schedules. Studies have shown that when adjusted for body weight, the current CDC childhood vaccine schedule exposes children to aluminum levels far exceeding estimated safe limits. This raises questions about aluminum accumulation in various organs, including the brain.

Research has demonstrated aluminum’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in brain tissue.²² Studies have found significant amounts of aluminum in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, often co-located with amyloid-beta protein plaques. Some researchers have even suggested that without aluminum exposure, Alzheimer’s disease might not occur within the normal human lifespan.²³

The biological effects of aluminum are wide-ranging and impact multiple bodily systems. Aluminum has been shown to adversely affect neuronal function, disrupt cellular signaling, worsen the effects of other heavy metals and influence gene expression. It also causes mitochondrial dysfunction and ATP depletion, setting the stage for various chronic diseases.²⁴

Why Protecting Vaccine Exemptions Is Important

These known side effects of vaccines remind us why it’s so important to protect our right to make informed choices about vaccinations and to obtain vaccine exemptions in the U.S. Every individual needs to have the freedom to choose what’s best for themselves and their children, including the option to decline certain vaccines if they believe the risks are too high.

Voluntary consent is a foundation of ethical health care. It allows families to consider the risks and benefits of vaccines based on their unique health conditions. Given the lack of the science behind vaccine safety, maintaining vaccine exemption is a necessary protective measure. This is not anti-science, but a call for more thorough, independent research and greater transparency.

When it comes to protecting your family’s health, staying informed is your best strategy. Take the time to do your own research, ask questions and trust your instincts instead of simply following mandates or giving in to societal pressure. By actively seeking out information, you’re ensuring that your family’s health is in your own hands — not dictated by fear or powers that be.

VAERS — An Important Resource for Vaccine Safety Monitoring

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) serves as an important tool for monitoring the safety of vaccines in the U.S. Established in 1990, VAERS is a national early warning system, co-managed by the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to detect possible safety issues with vaccines.²⁵

The system allows healthcare providers, vaccine manufacturers and the general public to submit reports of adverse events that occur after vaccination. Anyone can access and search the VAERS database, which includes information such as the type of vaccine administered, the timing of the adverse event and a description of the reported symptoms.

For parents considering whether to vaccinate their child, reviewing VAERS data can be part of the process of making an informed decision. For easy access, see OpenVaers.com.²⁶

• ^{1, 2, 4, 5, 6} CDC, New Findings on Vaccination Coverage and Exemptions Among Kindergartners (2023-2024 School Year)
• ³ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Healthy People 2030 – Vaccination Objectives
• ⁷ AP News, October 3, 2024
• ⁸ Sci Transl Med. 2018 Mar 21;10(433):eaao5945
• ⁹ Science, March 21, 2018
• ¹⁰ Current Opinion in Virology Volume 40, February 2020, Pages 48-54
• ¹¹ Vaccine. 2021 May 27;39(23):3120-3130
• ¹² American Academy of Pediatrics, June 10, 2019
• ¹³ Pediatrics (2016) 137 (3): e20153326
• ¹⁴ CMAJ November 01, 2016 188 (16) E399-E406
• ¹⁵ SAGE Open Med. 2020 May 27;8:2050312120925344
• ¹⁶ NewportRI.com March 21, 2019
• ¹⁷ Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology September 2014: 6(9); 271-286 (PDF)
• ¹⁸ Children’s Health Defense, August 11, 2020
• ¹⁹ Australian Academy of Science, What Is in a Vaccine?
• ²⁰ Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017 Sep 29;114(39):653–659
• ²¹ EFSA J. 2008 Jul 15;6(7):754
• ²² Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(8), 7228
• ²³ SciTechDaily.com, January 21, 2020
• ²⁴ Toxics. 2021 Jun 17;9(6):142
• ²⁵ CDC, August 7, 2024
• ²⁶ OpenVaers

(Mercola)—COVID-19 lockdowns accelerated brain aging in adolescents, according to a recent study.¹ The pandemic drastically changed daily routines, leaving many young people struggling with their mental and physical health. You might have noticed how isolation affected teens, especially girls, more than boys. Increased feelings of anxiety and depression became common as social interactions dwindled.²

As the lockdowns wore on, physical fitness levels among young adults began to decline sharply. Reduced opportunities for exercise and more time spent sedentary led to significant drops in both aerobic and anaerobic fitness.³ This decline isn’t just about physical health; it’s closely tied to mental well-being as well.

We’re only now beginning to see the many ways COVID-19 lockdowns impacted adolescent brain development and physical fitness; the full effects likely won’t be apparent for years or decades to come.

The Impact of Lockdowns on Adolescent Brain Development

Adolescence is a critical period for brain maturation, where emotional and social development take center stage. During this time, your brain undergoes significant changes, including synaptic pruning and myelination, which are essential for cognitive and emotional growth. However, the COVID-19 lockdowns disrupted these typical developmental trajectories, particularly in girls.⁴

Researchers used MRI scans to compare brain structures before and after the lockdowns, revealing that young girls experienced more rapid cortical thinning than boys did. Cortical thinning is a natural part of brain development during adolescence, where your brain’s outer layer, the cortex, becomes thinner as it matures.

This process is essential for improving cognitive functions like thinking, memory and emotional regulation. However, the study showed that the lockdowns caused this thinning to happen much faster than usual, especially in female adolescents. Girls experienced a mean brain age acceleration of 4.2 years compared to 1.4 years in boys.

The acceleration in brain maturation is linked to increased stress caused by the pandemic restrictions. Prolonged social isolation and the disruption of daily routines led to higher levels of stress hormones like cortisol. These hormones affect brain development, leading to the accelerated thinning observed in the study.

Moreover, the faster brain maturation in females is concerning because it’s associated with a higher risk of developing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. The rapid changes in brain structure may interfere with the normal development of emotional and social skills, making adolescents more vulnerable to neuropsychiatric disorders.

The study highlights the critical need for ongoing support and monitoring of adolescents who experienced the lockdowns. Providing mental health resources and promoting healthy lifestyles may help mitigate the negative impacts of accelerated brain aging, but early intervention is essential to address the long-term consequences on young minds.

Autobiographical Memories Impact Mental Health in Lockdown

Another study found that as lockdowns continued, children’s memories of that time became less detailed and more negative over time. Initially, kids could recall specific events and feelings from the lockdown, but as months passed, their memories lost some of that detail and leaned more toward negative emotions.⁵

Psychological well-being among children and adolescents also took a hit during the lockdowns, with girls showing the most significant decline. While all young people experienced increased anxiety and depression, female adolescents were particularly hard-hit, reporting the lowest levels of happiness and the highest levels of depressive symptoms.⁶

The content of these memories played a crucial role in mental health outcomes. Memories that were filled with negative emotions and detailed factual information about COVID-19 and the restrictions predicted poorer psychological well-being over time. Not surprisingly, kids who focused more on the negative aspects and the hard facts about the pandemic struggled more with their mental health.⁷

Overall, the findings suggest that the way children and adolescents remember and narrate their experiences during challenging times significantly influences their mental health. Negative memory narratives lead to worse psychological outcomes, highlighting the need for supportive interventions that help young people process their experiences in healthier ways.⁸

Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Physical Fitness in Young Adults

COVID-19 lockdowns also had a significant long-term impact on the physical fitness of young adults.⁹ Researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis involving over 5,300 university freshmen, comparing their physical fitness levels before and after the pandemic lockdowns. Again, not surprisingly, the lockdowns led to notable declines in both aerobic and anaerobic fitness compared to previous years.

The study showed that anaerobic fitness, which is essential for short bursts of intense activity like sprinting, decreased by an average of 0.84 points. More strikingly, aerobic fitness, crucial for sustained activities such as running or cycling, dropped by 2.25 points in males and a more substantial 4.28 points in females. This indicates that young adults became significantly less capable of performing endurance-based activities post-lockdown.

With gyms, parks and sports facilities closed, many young adults found themselves spending more time sitting or engaging in less physically demanding activities like video games or desk work.

Curiously, females experienced greater declines in aerobic fitness compared to their male counterparts. This gender disparity suggests that lockdown measures may have disproportionately affected girls in maintaining their cardiovascular endurance. Possible reasons include differences in how males and females engaged in physical activities during the lockdown or varying access to exercise resources and support systems.

The decline in physical fitness may lead to long-term health issues such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. The study underscores the urgent need to promote physical activity among young adults, especially in the aftermath of lockdowns or similar restrictions. Encouraging regular exercise and reducing sedentary time are essential steps in preventing these negative health outcomes and ensuring that fitness levels recover post-pandemic.

Furthermore, the research highlights that addressing fitness declines is important for supporting the overall health of young adults. Promoting accessible and enjoyable forms of exercise may help mitigate the long-term consequences of the pandemic on youth fitness and well-being.

Lockdowns Led to Vitamin D Deficiency, Worse Birth Outcomes in Pregnant Women

In related news, a team of Spanish researchers looked into the effects of strict lockdown on the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women, noting, “In Spain, a strict lockdown (SL) was declared, with the population being confined at home, therefore influencing their exposition to sunlight.”¹⁰

For this study, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) was defined as a vitamin D level below 20 ng/mL, and vitamin D insufficiency as a level between 20 and 30 ng/mL. This is notable, since it represents an extremely low level of vitamin D. While sufficiency begins around 40 ng/mL (100 nmol/L in European measurements), the target range for optimal health is 60 to 80 ng/mL (150 to 200 nmol/L).

If higher levels were used to define vitamin D deficiency in the study, even more women would have been deemed deficient. Still, even using 20 ng/mL as the deficiency cutoff, 55.5% of pregnant women in the region were vitamin D deficient. Among those on strict lockdown (SL), the prevalence was 77.8%.¹¹

While the study stopped short of examining the pregnancy outcomes of lockdown-driven vitamin D deficiency, past research has linked VDD with adverse effects in pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth and caesarean delivery.¹²

COVID-19 lockdown was also associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes, with risk increasing the longer the lockdown continued,¹³ as well as an increased risk of preterm birth.¹⁴

Other studies also suggest that lockdowns negatively affected pregnant women in other ways. For example, in a study comparing women who experienced a Level I lockdown in China during the pandemic with women who did not, the lockdown group had shorter gestational length and a higher risk of preterm birth.¹⁵

Brain Development and Fitness Are Suffering After Pandemic Lockdowns

To conclude, the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on adolescent brain development and physical fitness, particularly in young girls. These effects, coupled with increased stress and prolonged social isolation, have heightened the risk of mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression.

Physical fitness has also taken a significant hit, with both aerobic and anaerobic capacities declining, especially among young women. The shift toward sedentary lifestyles and reduced opportunities for physical activity has had lasting effects on health and well-being, with implications for long-term health outcomes.

To mitigate these impacts, it’s essential to promote regular physical activity, provide mental health support and encourage healthy lifestyle habits. By understanding the unique challenges faced by adolescents during the pandemic, we can develop targeted interventions to support their recovery and ensure a healthier future for our youth.

Early intervention, consistent support and fostering resilience are crucial steps toward helping adolescents navigate these challenging times and safeguarding their mental and physical health.

• ^1, 4 PNAS September 9, 2024, 121(38)
• ^{2, 5, 6, 7, 8} Child Development August 14, 2024
• ^3, 9 Scientific Reports September 18, 2023, volume 13, Article number: 15430 (2023)
• ¹⁰ Nutrients 2023, 15(8), 1972
• ¹¹ Nutrients 2023, 15(8), 1972, Discussion
• ¹² Nutrients 2023, 15(8), 1972, Introduction
• ¹³ Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022; 13: 824245
• ¹⁴ Front Med (Lausanne). 2021; 8: 705943
• ¹⁵ BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021; 21: 795

(Mercola)—It’s long been acknowledged that obesity in American adults is a public health problem. However, there’s a related issue on the rise — childhood obesity. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 1 in 5 children and adolescents are now obese.¹

Much of the reason for the rise in childhood obesity is the preference for ultraprocessed foods. An estimated 67% of calories in children’s and teenagers’ diets come from these unhealthy products.² In addition, research is showing that these foods are causing liver problems in children.

The Threat of Ultraprocessed Foods to Liver Health

Could the ultraprocessed foods your child regularly consumes be silently fueling serious liver diseases? According to a study³ published in Nutrients, the answer is a resounding yes, depending on the food you give them. Specifically, high intake of ultraprocessed foods is closely linked to metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), insulin resistance, and increased adiposity in obese youth. MASLD is of particular concern. According to the researchers:⁴

“MASLD is a multisystem disease affecting various metabolic pathways and is strongly linked to insulin resistance and obesity. Mechanistically, fat overload in the liver may lead to the accumulation of diacylglycerol, which activates protein kinase Cε (PKCε), impairing insulin signaling and leading to insulin resistance.

Body fat, particularly trunk fat, promotes insulin resistance through increased hepatic lipogenesis, leading to metabolic disturbances in the liver. When insulin resistance occurs, the oxidation of fatty acids in the liver decreases, promoting further fat accumulation and worsening hepatic steatosis. This process disrupts insulin signaling in the liver and increases fat accumulation, triggering inflammatory responses.”

For the study, researchers selected 149 participants aged 8 to 17 years old who were assessed for their dietary intake using detailed food diaries. Other biomarkers were taken as well, such as body weight and blood results.⁵

To measure the liver fat percentage, a technique called magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) was used. This noninvasive method provides a detailed image of the liver. A liver fat percentage exceeding 5% is typically indicative of MASLD.⁶

The study, which lasted six months from baseline through follow-up, revealed that higher consumption of ultraprocessed food was strongly associated with increased insulin levels, a hallmark of insulin resistance. Furthermore, the research established a clear correlation between ultraprocessed food consumption and MASLD.

Children and adolescents who had the highest intake of ultraprocessed food were 1.75 times more likely to develop MASLD compared to those who ate less. The risk was even more pronounced for moderate-to-severe MASLD, where high ultraprocessed food consumers faced over four times the likelihood of developing advanced liver disease.

Other Research Highlights the Growing Concern of MASLD

The Nutrients study is not the only one to notice the increasing cases of MASLD among the youth. A study⁷ published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism reveals that an alarming 23.77% of U.S. adolescents aged 12 to 19 years are grappling with MASLD.

Using data taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2017 and 2020, researchers noted that participants with MASLD were also predisposed to other health issues, such as increased triglyceride levels, elevated glucose levels and obesity.

While the study didn’t go into the specifics of the cause, the answer is already right in front of everyone — ultraprocessed foods. Again, as much as 67% of a child’s calories come from these products.

Tips to Help Reduce Your Child’s Intake of Ultraprocessed Food

While kids enjoy the taste of ultraprocessed foods such as frozen pizzas and fish sticks, keeping up this habit will eventually ruin their liver health, as well as their overall health. Ultimately, your goal is to reduce — and eventually eliminate — ultraprocessed foods in your children’s diet, and this requires a multifaceted approach:

• Eliminate seed oils — Your first order of business is removing all seed oils. This ingredient is loaded with harmful linoleic acid (LA), which I believe is the most destructive ingredient in our modern diet today. A majority of ultraprocessed foods contain high amounts of LA, so make this your top priority.
• Replace ultraprocessed foods slowly — Gradually replace the ultraprocessed foods your child eats with whole foods. Start by replacing a snack or meal with whole foods, such as swapping out chips for fresh fruit. A slow approach helps children get used to new flavors without feeling overwhelmed.
• Get children involved — One powerful technique that will inspire children to eat more fresh food is by inviting them in meal planning and preparation. Let your kid choose recipes, and even shop for ingredients and cook the food. This way, they’ll develop a sense of ownership and pride in their food.By getting them involved, their willingness to try healthier meals will grow. Plus, teaching them to cook builds valuable life skills at a young age. Start by letting them with simple tasks, such as washing the produce, then move on to more complicated chores as they grow older.
• Change your family’s eating habits — The way your family eats during mealtimes will significantly impact your child’s consumption of ultraprocessed foods. Encourage them to eat meals together without distractions, such as TV or phones. Also, teach them to savor each bite of their food, as well as making them aware of their body’s hunger and fullness cues. This helps avoid mindless snacking while allowing them to build a healthy relationship with eating.
• Engage with the people around you — Community-based programs, such as food assistance benefits from local farmers markets, community gardens and cooking classes will contribute to a culture focused on whole-food consumption. These programs also increase the availability of fresh produce, which helps families to make better choices.
• Take advantage of technology — There are many available tools nowadays that help educate children and track their eating habits. For example, there are now apps that allow children to scan barcodes in food to learn about the ingredients in an engaging way. Some apps even go beyond by turning healthy eating into a game.

Removing Ultraprocessed Foods — The Foundation of Your Child’s Health

The evidence is clear — ultraprocessed foods will harm your child’s health in the long run. While designed to be convenient and appetizing, these products are wreaking havoc on their young minds and bodies, disrupting natural bodily processes, altering gut microbiomes and creating nutrient deficiencies. The health care costs are also alarming. According to the CDC, childhood obesity costs the U.S. economy $1.3 billion annually.⁸

While change starts at home, society must also walk in step to protect the long-term health of our youth. Advocating for policy changes, better education and environmental changes will result in a robust framework for reducing children’s consumption of ultraprocessed foods.⁹

• ^1, 8 CDC, Childhood Obesity Facts
• ² NPR, May 28, 2023
• ³ Nutrients 2024, 16(20), 3524, Abstract
• ⁴ Nutrients 2024, 16(20), 3524, Discussion
• ^5, 6 Nutrients 2024, 16(20), 3524, Materials and Methods
• ⁷ The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, dgae553, Abstract
• ⁹ BMJ 2023;383:e075294

(Mercola)—I’ve long warned about the dangers genetically modified organisms (GMOs) pose to human health and the environment, including the possibility of introducing new allergens into the food supply, decreasing biodiversity and increasing reliance on pesticides. Even more troubling is that the long-term health impacts of consuming GMOs remain largely unknown.

Despite these uncertainties, the biotechnology industry and Big Ag continue to push for widespread adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops, often downplaying their risks in favor of touted benefits. Now, a new threat looms over our food supply, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently approved the first-ever cultivation of genetically modified wheat in the U.S.¹

While proponents described this decision as a “milestone” for the country’s agriculture, it has sparked strong opposition from scientists, environmental organizations and consumer advocates, who argue that this move prioritizes corporate interests at the expense of public health and environmental protection.²

USDA Gives Green Light to Controversial GM Wheat

The world’s first genetically modified wheat, HB4, was developed by the Argentine company Bioceres in collaboration with the French seed company Florimond Desprez. This strain is engineered to be drought-tolerant, and Bioceres claims it’s the only genetically modified wheat variety in the world with such technology.³

HB4 wheat is marketed as a solution to food security challenges, especially in drought-prone regions, where it claims to increase yields and reduce production costs for farmers. However, its cultivation relies heavily on the herbicide glufosinate ammonium, for which it has been engineered for increased tolerance. This chemical has been banned in several countries, including those in the European Union, due to its known health and environmental effects.⁴

The United States, one of the largest wheat producers in the world,⁵ is the fourth country to permit the production of HB4 wheat, along with Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.⁶ While the USDA has concluded that HB4 can be safely grown and bred in the U.S. without posing significant risks to agriculture or the environment,⁷ consumer advocacy groups have pointed out that these claims are unfounded.

According to a report by Sustainable Pulse,⁸ there are several compelling reasons to question the safety and efficacy of GM wheat. First, there is no publicly available evidence demonstrating its safety for human health or the environment. The studies conducted by Bioceres are confidential, preventing independent scientists and the public from accessing or scrutinizing these findings.

Moreover, despite claims that HB4 wheat is drought-resistant, there are no independent studies to support this. In fact, Sustainable Pulse notes that available research indicates that this GM variety is less productive than conventional wheat, which means that its drawbacks could outweigh its purported benefits.

Argentina Has Become a Testing Ground for GM Wheat

While citizens in Argentina have the right to elect their leaders, they lack the ability to choose non-GMO food options because there is no labeling for genetically modified (GM) products. This allows a select group of individuals in influential positions within the government and scientific communities to make decisions that effectively force the entire population to consume GM products, leaving them with no alternative choices.

Since its approval in 2020, HB4 wheat has been widely cultivated across Argentina. Bioceres reported that by 2021, approximately 55,000 hectares of GM wheat had been harvested in the country.⁹ In the same year, the first shipment of flour made with GM wheat was exported to Brazil, the main export market for Argentinean wheat production.¹⁰

However, the process behind the approval and cultivation of GMOs in Argentina has been questionable. Sustainable Pulse’s report¹¹ points out that Argentina’s National Advisory Committee on Agricultural Biotechnology (CONABIA), which oversees GM approvals, is heavily influenced by the very corporations that produce GMOs.

This revolving door between government and corporate interests creates a conflict of interest, where those seeking approval are also involved in the decision-making process. Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) has ties with Bioceres as well, with its senior researcher, Raquel Chan, being involved in the development of GM wheat.

The lack of independent oversight is further compounded by the Argentine government’s reliance on confidential studies from these companies, with no independent research conducted to validate their findings. This has raised alarms in over a thousand scientists affiliated with CONICET and public universities, who have denounced the risks associated with GM wheat and its derivatives.

Widespread Opposition and Concerns Over GM Wheat Approval

There is a strong consensus against GM wheat among Argentinian farmers, indigenous groups and socio-environmental organizations.¹² The campaign “Con nuestro pan, no!” (which translates to “Not our bread!”) emphasizes that GM wheat is not a solution to hunger but rather a means to enhance the profits of the agro-industrial sector.¹³

The coalition also points out that Argentina’s experience with GM soy has yielded no tangible benefits for the public, questioning how GM wheat would be any different. Organizations across Latin America, Africa and Asia have also raised alarms about the dangers of GM wheat.¹⁴ Sustainable Pulse reported:¹⁵

“In a detailed 14-page document, social movements, peasants and indigenous people requested the intervention of United Nations (UN) special rapporteurs because of the risks to food, health and the environment posed by Bioceres’ GMO.

They confirmed that there are no independent studies confirming its harmlessness, denounced the dangerous herbicide glufosinate ammonium and also pointed out that it is less productive than conventional wheat.”

The small international nonprofit organization GRAIN has also voiced its opposition, condemning the irregular approval process for GM wheat in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, which, as stated, was based solely on studies provided by the manufacturer and confidential documentation.¹⁶

Health and Environmental Impacts of Glufosinate Ammonium

Glufosinate ammonium, the broad-spectrum herbicide used in the cultivation of HB4 wheat, works by inhibiting glutamine synthetase, an enzyme vital to plant growth.¹⁷ However, its impact is not limited to plants. The herbicide is classified as a neurotoxin, and long-term exposure has been linked to a variety of health issues in humans, including developmental, neurological and reproductive effects.¹⁸

Animal studies have shown that it interferes with the normal functioning of the nervous system¹⁹ and, in fetuses and infants exposed prenatally and perinatally, it has been linked to poor gut health,²⁰ behavioral abnormalities and motor function problems.²¹ This makes pregnant women and children particularly vulnerable to its harmful effects.

Beyond human health, the herbicide also poses significant risks to the environment. It contaminates soil and water sources, affecting non-target species. Aquatic organisms are especially susceptible, as runoff from fields treated with glufosinate pollutes nearby water bodies.^22,23 Despite these concerns, glufosinate ammonium continues to be used in the U.S. for controlling weeds.

The situation is further complicated by the increasing weed resistance to herbicides like glufosinate. As resistance grows, higher quantities of the herbicide are required for cultivation, exacerbating its health and environmental risks. This vicious cycle raises important questions about the sustainability of introducing yet another herbicide-reliant crop into U.S. agriculture.

Steer Clear of GMOs to Protect Your Health

Given these concerns, many health-conscious consumers are seeking ways to minimize exposure to GMOs and associated herbicides. The most effective approach is to make strategic changes to your diet. By prioritizing non-GMO, free-range and organic foods, you will significantly reduce your exposure to these harmful chemicals.

It’s important to be aware of common GMOs lurking in many processed foods without your knowledge. These include corn (often found in processed foods such as cornmeal, corn syrup, corn starch, corn flour, etc.), soy (which is sometimes listed as lecithin or starch, among others), canola and potato. By avoiding processed foods, you also reduce your intake of some of the most common inflammatory ingredients, including gluten, processed sugar and linoleic acid.

Additionally, it’s important to keep in mind that GMOs and pesticides also enter your diet through animal products. Many animals in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are fed herbicide-resistant GE grains like corn and soy. This is one of several good reasons for making sure your meats come from organically raised, grass fed animals.

A Guide to Choosing Organic Food

For a product to be labeled as organic, it must be free from genetic engineering and grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers.²⁴ Not all organic labels are the same, though. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) outlines four key classifications for consumers to be aware of:²⁵

• 100% organic — Products that have this label must be made with 100% certified organic ingredients. These items can display the USDA organic seal and make the “100% organic” claim.
• Organic — For a product to simply be labeled “organic,” at least 95% of its ingredients must be certified organic, with up to 5% nonorganic ingredients allowed, as long as they are listed on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.
• “Made with” organic ingredients — These items must contain at least 70% certified organic ingredients but cannot display the USDA organic seal or represent the entire product as organic.
• Specific organic ingredients — Products with less than 70% organic content cannot carry the organic seal or use the word “organic” on the packaging. However, certified organic ingredients can still be listed on the product’s ingredient panel.

Knowing these labels is just the first step. As the demand for organic products increases, some companies have tried to mislead consumers by falsely labeling conventionally grown products as “organic.” From 2020 to 2023, several farmers faced legal consequences for selling nonorganic produce as organic, with one case involving a staggering $71 million in fraud.²⁶

To protect yourself, it’s essential to be a vigilant consumer. Look beyond the label and research the sources of your organic products. The best way to find organic, chemical-free produce is to visit the farmers themselves. Shopping at farmers markets and talking directly to vendors provide valuable insights into their farming practices. Many of these small-scale operations prioritize sustainable methods and try their best to limit chemical use.

Additionally, consider joining a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program.²⁷ This subscription service allows you to receive regular deliveries of fresh produce from local farms that utilize sustainable agricultural practices. Some CSA farmers also offer educational programs to deepen your understanding of sustainable agriculture.

If you can’t join a CSA, the EWG’s “Dirty Dozen” list²⁸ will guide your shopping. This regularly updated list highlights the 12 fruits and vegetables most likely to be contaminated with pesticides, helping you make informed choices. Lastly, consider growing your own food using sustainable methods. By doing so, you’ll be able to ensure your food is as safe and chemical-free as possible.

Resources for Organic, Chemical-Free Produce

If you live in a dense, urban location in the U.S. that doesn’t have any local farmers markets, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to connect with reputable organic farmers who employ regenerative agricultural practices so you will still be able to purchase their products. Below is a list of websites I recommend:

• American Grassfed Association — The goal of the American Grassfed Association (AGA) is to promote the grass fed industry through government relations, research, concept marketing and public education.

Their website also allows you to search for AGA-approved producers certified according to strict standards that include being raised on a diet of 100% forage; raised on pasture and never confined to a feedlot; never treated with antibiotics or hormones; born and raised on American family farms.

• EatWild.com — EatWild.com provides lists of farmers known to produce raw dairy products as well as grass fed beef and other farm-fresh produce (although not all are certified organic). Here you will also find information about local farmers markets, as well as local stores and restaurants that sell grass fed products.
• Weston A. Price Foundation — Weston A. Price has local chapters in most states, and many of them are connected with buying clubs in which you can easily purchase organic foods, including grass fed raw dairy products like milk and butter.
• Grassfed Exchange — The Grassfed Exchange has a listing of producers selling organic and grass fed meats across the U.S.
• Local Harvest — This website will help you find farmers markets, family farms and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass fed meats and many other goodies.
• Farmers Markets — A national listing of farmers markets.
• Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals — The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, hotels and online outlets in the U.S. and Canada.
• Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) — CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.
• The Cornucopia Institute — The Cornucopia Institute maintains web-based tools rating all certified organic brands of eggs, dairy products and other commodities, based on their ethical sourcing and authentic farming practices separating CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) “organic” production from authentic organic practices.
• RealMilk.com — If you’re still unsure of where to find raw milk, check out Raw-Milk-Facts.com and RealMilk.com. They will tell you what the status is for legality in your state, and provide a listing of raw dairy farms in your area. The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund also provides a state-by-state review of raw milk laws.²⁹ California residents can also find raw milk retailers using the store locator available at RAW FARM.³⁰
• ^1, 7 USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, APHIS Issues Regulatory Status Review Responses: University of Florida and Bioceres Crop Solutions
• ^{2, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15} Sustainable Pulse, September 24, 2024
• ³ ISAAA Inc., October 14, 2020
• ⁴ Official Journal of the European Union, May 15, 2020
• ⁵ AgMRC, Wheat
• ⁶ ISAAA Inc., HB4 Wheat
• ⁹ Bioceres Crop Solutions, November 11, 2021
• ¹⁰ USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, December 8, 2023
• ¹³ Biodiversity Alliance, ¡Con nuestro pan NO!
• ¹⁶ GRAIN, January 30, 2024
• ¹⁷ Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Glufosinate Herbicide
• ¹⁸ Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Glufosinate (PDF)
• ¹⁹ NeuroToxicology Volume 69, December 2018, Pages 152-163
• ²⁰ J Hazard Mater. 2020 May 5:389:122152
• ²¹ Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 26;10(1):20647 (PDF)
• ²² Science of The Total Environment Volume 769, 15 May 2021, 144396
• ²³ Environmental Pollution Volume 296, 1 March 2022, 118742
• ²⁴ USDA, Organic 101: Can GMOs Be Used in Organic Products?
• ²⁵ USDA, Understanding the USDA Organic Label
• ²⁶ The Organic & Non-GMO Report, September 7, 2023
• ²⁷ GoodFoodCo., What Is CSA?
• ²⁸ EWG, Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce
• ²⁹ The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, State by State Review of Raw Milk Laws
• ³⁰ Raw Farm, Find Raw Dairy Products Near You

(Mercola)—According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. It’s the second-leading cause of cancer death behind lung cancer.¹ But despite its prevalence, a diagnosis is not an automatic death sentence.

Between 1993 and 2013, the death rate of prostate cancer declined by around half, and 3.3 million American men diagnosed with this disease at some point are still alive.² Furthermore, the National Cancer Institute predicts a 97.5% survival rate after diagnosis.³ But, we’re not out of the woods yet — plenty of research is still being done to learn more about treating this disease, and researchers from the University of Michigan have just pushed the frontier.

NSD2 Protein Implicated as an Activator of Prostate Cancer

In a study⁴ published in Nature Genetics, researchers discovered a key factor in the development of prostate cancer. Specifically, they noted that when the NSD2 (nuclear receptor binding SET Domain Protein 2) binds with the androgen receptor (AR), it leads to rapid cell division and growth that results in prostate cancer.

Before diving further into this, let’s define some of the basics. Androgens are essentially hormones that trigger the growth and development of the male reproductive system, and the most prominent example is testosterone. They’re responsible for the changes that males go through during puberty, such as thickening of the vocal cords that leads to a deeper voice.⁵

While androgens are largely associated with males, females produce androgens as well, but in smaller amounts. When androgens are released, they’re converted into estradiol, a type of estrogen. In this converted state, estradiol helps regulate menstruation, as well as conception and pregnancy.⁶

Now, what is the AR? It’s essentially a protein produced by the AR gene, which then binds to the androgens produced in your body. As noted by MedlinePlus:⁷

“The receptors are present in many of the body’s tissues, where they attach (bind) to androgens. The resulting androgen-receptor complex then binds to DNA and regulates the activity of certain genes that play a role in male sexual development. By turning the genes on or off as necessary, the androgen receptor complex helps direct the development of male sex characteristics.”

Going back to the Nature Genetics study,⁸ the researchers were able to crack the code, as it were, between NSD2 and AR using an epigenetics-targeted functional CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) screening. Interestingly, they noted that NSD2 is also an oncogene in hematologic cancers, and “harbors recurrent activating alterations in over 15% to 20% of multiple myeloma and 10% childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.”

Diving Deeper Into the Development of Prostate Cancer

The researchers used different methodologies that comprised human and animal test samples. For human samples, prostate tumor patient tissues were taken from the archives of University of Michigan archives, while mice were provided by the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan, which were kept under humane conditions.⁹ After completing their assays and analysis, the researchers published these findings:¹⁰

“Conventional plasmid-based reporter systems fail to capture intricate epigenetic or chromatin-level regulation of gene expression as they lack the native histone composition or higher-order chromosomal structure. Thus, we engineered an endogenous AR reporter system by using the CRISPR/Cas9 and homologous recombination methodologies.

We edited the KLK3 gene (also known as prostate-specific antigen, PSA) locus in AR-driven LNCaP cells to knock-in the mCherry coding sequence directly downstream of the endogenous promoter and fused in-frame via an endopeptidase sequence to the KLK3 gene …

Using these endogenous AR reporter cell lines, we carried out a functional CRISPR screen, wherein we treated the cells with a custom single guide RNA (sgRNA) library targeting druggable transcriptional cofactors for eight days, stimulated with DHT for 16 h and FACS-sorted into mCherry^HIGH and mCherry^LOW populations.

Genomic sgRNAs were sequenced and the ratio of normalized counts in mCherry^LOW to mCherry^HIGH cell populations was used to rank individual sgRNAs. Here, ranked alongside BRD4 and TRIM24, we identified NSD2 as an AR coactivator.”

The study is packed with dense information largely meant for oncology researchers, but the findings above summarize how the researchers were able to sift through large swaths of information and methodologies. Undoubtedly, this new breakthrough will be beneficial for all people receiving prostate cancer treatments.

The researchers concluded that NSD2 plays an important role in the development of prostate cancer. Furthermore, they proposed targeting this protein in further experiments to fully confirm the effectiveness of their findings. In a press release, co-author Dr. Arul M. Chinnaiyan elucidates further:¹¹

“By degrading NSD1 and NSD2, we can more directly target cancer and avoid the normal tissue. Our study suggests if we’re able to develop NSD1/2-targeting agents, they could potentially be combined with FDA-approved androgen receptor antagonists and have a synergist effect in terms of treatment.”

Choline Does NOT Cause Prostate Cancer

Considering the new information published, I’d like to debunk a medical myth about prostate cancer that’s been circulating for a few years now — choline intake and its association with this disease.

The primary study where this notion came from,¹² published in 2012, suggested there might be a link between increased choline intake and an increased risk of advanced, lethal prostate cancer. As noted by the authors, “Men in the highest quintile of choline intake had a 70% increased risk of lethal prostate cancer.” However, there are several questionable aspects surrounding this conclusion.

To start, the study was observational only, which means it only suggests associations but cannot prove causation. Since there are many factors, both dietary and environmental, that play a big role in predicting prostate cancer outcomes, pinning the disease to a single nutrient is problematic.

Furthermore, the researchers collected dietary information only six times during 22 years of follow-ups, which raises questions about the accuracy of their collated information. Many people can’t even recall what they ate several days ago, let alone the foods they consumed within a span of 22 years. Other shortcomings of this study include the following:

• It does not account for other components of the diet that could influence prostate cancer risk, such as phytonutrients, fiber and other vitamins and minerals.
• No dose-response relationship across quintiles of choline intake was established. Understanding whether the risk of prostate cancer increases linearly with choline intake or if there’s a threshold effect would be crucial for dietary recommendations.
• The study also looked at post-diagnostic intake of choline and its relationship with lethal prostate cancer among men who were initially diagnosed with nonmetastatic disease and here, no statistically significant link could be found.

In truth, choline is beneficial for your health. Several studies have shown that increasing choline intake has important benefits, such as decreased risk for heart disease,¹³ cancer¹⁴ and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.¹⁵ Based on these findings, you’d be better off increasing your dietary choline intake, and the best sources include grass fed meat and milk, as well as pastured eggs.

Address the Root of Cancer — Poor Mitochondrial Health

I believe that virtually all major diseases like cancer, heart disease and obesity are linked to an inability to produce cellular energy due to impaired mitochondrial function. Without optimal cellular energy, your body cannot properly initiate the repair processes essential to preventing and recovering from disease.

Through the years, I’ve identified three pernicious toxins that damage your mitochondrial function, mainly by affecting intracellular calcium that subsequently impact your cellular health. In essence, exposure to these toxins raise intracellular calcium, which results in increased superoxide and nitric oxide levels. These combine into peroxynitrite, a potent reactive oxygen species that contributes to poor health. These three primary culprits are:

• Excess linoleic acid (LA) intake — An omega-6 polyunsaturated fat (PUFA), LA is abundantly found in seed and vegetable oils as well as ultraprocessed foods, and is one of most harmful ingredients in the Western diet. When consumed in excess, it negatively affects your metabolic rate and gut microbiome, which are the two of the most important factors that impact your health.
• Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) — Exposure to EDCs from sources like microplastics is over-activating your estrogen receptors. Microplastics are so pervasive that you’re probably eating a credit card’s worth of plastic every week.¹⁶ These plastics are loaded with phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), which activate estrogen receptors. Estrogen increases intracellular calcium levels, which results in the generation of peroxynitrite.
• Excessive electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure — People are bombarded with EMFs, such as from cellphones, every day with hidden consequences to public health. EMFs activate voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) receptors within the cell, catalyzing the production of peroxynitrite by triggering an influx of calcium.

Addressing these three factors will help repair and return your mitochondrial function back on track to producing optimal cellular energy. Ultimately, this is the crucial first step to warding off all chronic disease that plague Americans today, such as cancer, and the best way to do it is limiting your exposure to them. To start, I recommend minimizing your LA intake below 5 grams from all dietary sources. If you can get it below 2 grams, that’s even better.

Next, minimize your EMF exposure by turning off the Wi-Fi and using hardwired connections instead. I also recommend using an analog alarm clock instead of relying on your phone’s alarm clock, which most people put beside their bed. The next strategy is reducing your exposure to plastics, which is accomplished by opting for products sold in glass containers and using reusable products over single-use ones.

This is just a preview of the strategies available to restore and repair your mitochondrial function. My newest book, “Your Guide to Cellular Health: Unlocking the Science of Longevity and Joy,” goes into great detail about how these three factors affect your mitochondrial function, as well as practical, healthy strategies to address them.

The eBook is now available, while the print edition will be released on December 10, 2024. I encourage you to pick up a copy, as this contains my latest research that corrects many long-held beliefs I’ve had in the previous years.

Another Anticancer Tip — Aspirin

In addition to addressing the main factors of mitochondrial function, there are other strategies available to help you prevent cancer. One approach is taking aspirin, a drug well-known for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory uses.

In my interview with bioenergetic medicine expert Georgi Dinkov, he discusses research using a combination of B vitamins and aspirin against a highly lethal form of human mantle cell lymphoma. He discovered that while the vitamins stopped tumor growth, adding aspirin into the equation regressed the tumor in the animal test subjects. Below, he explains the theoretical basis:

“One of Ray [Peat]’s main theories was that … cancer cells … [are] metabolically dysfunctional, we all know that, and typically a cell like that commits apoptosis. But in order to commit apoptosis, that mechanism is controlled almost entirely by the intracellular pH. And in order for apoptosis to occur, it needs to be in the acidic range.

But the cancer cells are alkaline due to exporting lactate and hydrogen ions. So, if anything can drop the intracellular pH, those cancer cells, because they’re deranged, should actually disappear by themselves.

And one of Peat’s suggestions at the time was, ‘Why don’t you use the drug acetazolamide?’ which as a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, increases carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is acidic, and then that should allow cancer cells to commit apoptosis.

There are some studies in vitro and in vivo showing that acetazolamide may work, but it didn’t really cure the tumors. It was a slower growth, partial regression, but it showed that the idea was on the right track.

So, I said, ‘Let’s find something that’s much more acidic than carbon dioxide.’ And that is this 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid, which is just one extra hydroxyl group on top of aspirin. Salicylic acid, really, which is 2-hydroxybenzoic acid. And then this thing is about 10 times more potent than aspirin.”

That said, consider adding aspirin into your health routine. But don’t just select any aspirin available — opt for immediate-release formulations instead of the coated extended-release varieties. Pay attention to the ingredients as well. Ideally, corn starch should be the only additive listed.

After doing my own research, I identified a product meeting these criteria. The appropriate dosage ranges from 82 mg to 325 mg daily, taken with your largest meal, depending on your individual needs.

In the context of cancer prevention, the dosage and duration of aspirin are crucial factors. Low doses (75 to 300 mg/day) have been shown to be as effective as higher doses in reducing colorectal cancer-related mortality,¹⁷ which means there’s no need to take large amounts to gain the benefits.

Consistency and long-term use seem to be key, however. Studies indicate that aspirin’s benefits increase with duration, with significant reductions in cancer risk observed after five to 7.5 years of consistent use.¹⁸

I personally take 111 mg daily using Health Natura’s USP grade 60 gram aspirin powder, which costs less than $20. This 99% pure USP aspirin powder appeals to me due to its prometabolic, antilipolytic, anti-inflammatory, anticortisol and anti-estrogen effects. Its safety profile is also well-established.

• ^1, 2 American Cancer Society, “Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer”
• ³ National Cancer Institute, “Cancer Stat Facts: Prostate Cancer”
• ⁴ Nat Genet. 2024 Sep 9. doi: 10.1038/s41588-024-01893-6, Abstract
• ⁵ Britannica, “Androgen”
• ⁶ Cleveland Clinic, “Androgens”
• ⁷ MedlinePlus, “AR Gene”
• ⁸ Nat Genet. 2024 Sep 9. doi: 10.1038/s41588-024-01893-6, Main
• ⁹ Nat Genet. 2024 Sep 9. doi: 10.1038/s41588-024-01893-6, Ethical Statement
• ¹⁰ Nat Genet. 2024 Sep 9. doi: 10.1038/s41588-024-01893-6, Functional CRISPR Screen Reveals NSD2 as an AR Coactivator
• ¹¹ Michigan Medicine, September 9, 2024
• ¹² American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2012 Oct; 96(4): 855–863, Abstract
• ¹³ Nutrients. 2023 Sep; 15(18): 4036, Abstract
• ¹⁴ Scientific Reports, volume 13, Article number: 22144 (2023), Abstract
• ¹⁵ European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, volume 77, pages 1160–1166 (2023), Abstract
• ¹⁶ World Wildlife Fund, Assessing Plastic Ingestion from Nature to People, page 7
• ^17, 18 Cureus. 2024 Feb; 16(2): e54658, Review

• Ozempic and similar weight loss drugs have been linked to 162 deaths in the U.S., with adverse reactions increasing by 40% in six months as usage expands
• These medications are associated with serious side effects, including pancreatitis, bowel obstruction and stomach paralysis, with 80% to 90% of users experiencing at least one adverse event
• Studies have found a significant link between semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic) and suicidal ideation, particularly in patients also taking antidepressants or antianxiety medications
• Emerging reports indicate severe kidney problems in some patients using these weight loss drugs
• Akkermansia, a beneficial gut bacteria, is a natural alternative to stimulate GLP-1 production, offering similar benefits without the risks associated with drugs like Ozempic

(Mercola)—Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, including semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy — have taken the world by storm. Originally developed for Type 2 diabetes, these drugs’ weight loss properties quickly caught the attention of researchers and the public alike.

Their effectiveness in shedding pounds has led to a global shortage, with an estimated 20 million people using them annually.¹ But as with any quick fix, there’s often a catch. According to data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), these medications have been linked to 162 deaths in the U.S.²

The Daily Mail reports that fatalities mentioning weight loss drugs have increased by 40% in just six months, jumping from 117 to 162 reported deaths.³ This sharp rise coincides with the expanding use of these medications, as more formulations hit the market and off-label prescriptions become commonplace.

However, your risk doesn’t disappear simply because you’re using these drugs as directed. The FAERS data show that adverse reactions occur in patients using these medications for their approved purposes, whether for diabetes management or weight loss.

Ozempic-Related Deaths and ‘Serious’ Reactions on the Rise

The FAERS database reveals a disturbing trend in adverse reactions to weight loss drugs containing semaglutide and tirzepatide (used in Mounjaro and Zepbound). Since 2018, there have been 62,000 reported reactions to these medications in the U.S.⁴

What’s particularly alarming is that 46,000 of these reports — nearly three-quarters of the total — occurred after 2022. This coincides with the increased availability and marketing of these drugs. Of the 162 reported deaths, 94 were linked to semaglutide-based drugs, while 68 were associated with tirzepatide medications. It’s worth noting that in 2023, tirzepatide was linked to nearly twice as many adverse reactions as semaglutide.⁵

The FAERS system has recorded 10,000 “serious” reactions to these weight loss drugs, defined as events resulting in hospitalization or life-threatening conditions. These aren’t just minor inconveniences; they’re significant medical events that could have long-lasting impacts on your health.

For instance, Daily Mail reports a case of a 30-year-old man on Ozempic who was hospitalized with pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas that causes severe abdominal pain. In another case, a 49-year-old woman taking Ozempic experienced mania and a dangerous surge in blood pressure, requiring hospitalization.⁶

While 1.7% of Americans — approximately 5.6 million people — were prescribed weight loss drugs in 2023, recent surveys suggest that number has grown to about 6% of U.S. adults, or 15.5 million people.⁷ This rapid increase in usage means more individuals are exposed to the serious side effects.

Ozempic Linked to Suicidal Ideation

A comprehensive study analyzing the World Health Organization’s database of adverse drug reactions uncovered more troubling findings about Ozempic.⁸ The research, which looked at over 36.1 million reports, found a significant link between semaglutide and suicidal ideation.

Out of 30,527 total reports for semaglutide, 107 cases of suicidal or self-injurious reactions were identified, and the association remained significant even after accounting for other factors. The research revealed a 45% increased risk of suicidal ideation in patients taking semaglutide compared to other medications.⁹

Further, people taking antidepressants or antianxiety medications alongside semaglutide were at an even higher risk of reporting suicidal thoughts — a 150% to 300% increase in suicidal ideation was found among this group.¹⁰

A study in Frontiers in Psychiatry revealed insights into semaglutide’s impact on your emotional state and psychological well-being.¹¹ The drug’s main component targets GLP-1 receptors, which are present not just in your digestive tract but also in critical brain areas. These regions, such as the lateral septum and hypothalamus, are essential for managing emotions, reward systems and appetite control.

Semaglutide’s interaction with these receptors modifies the functioning of neural pathways involved in these processes. Particularly noteworthy is its influence on dopamine, a neurotransmitter closely associated with mood regulation and reward perception.

Research indicates that stimulating GLP-1 receptors may enhance dopamine transporter expression, leading to decreased free dopamine levels in specific brain regions. This shift in dopamine signaling might lead to alterations in your mood, motivation levels, and even how you experience pleasure.

Up to 90% of Ozempic Users Experience an Adverse Event

The most common side effects linked to Ozempic and similar drugs are gastrointestinal, including nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. In clinical trials, a staggering 80% to 90% of participants experienced at least one adverse event.¹² Though most were mild to moderate, they led some people to discontinue the medication.

Further, these drugs are intended for long-term use — stopping them often results in weight regain — further increasing the risk of side effects over time. While nausea and diarrhea might seem manageable, more severe health risks, including pancreatitis, are a real concern. A study of 16 million patients found that those taking liraglutide or semaglutide had over nine times the risk of developing pancreatitis compared to those on other weight loss medications.¹³

The same study showed a four-fold increase in the risk of bowel obstruction and nearly four times the risk of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis). Gallbladder issues are another significant concern. Clinical trials revealed higher rates of gallstones and cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation) in people taking these drugs.¹⁴

While rare, some patients required surgery for these complications. It’s also worth noting that these medications increase heart rate.¹⁵ There’s also the potential for aspiration during anesthesia. These drugs slow down stomach emptying, which means you may still have food in your stomach even after fasting for the recommended time before surgery. This increases the risk of aspiration pneumonia, a serious complication.

The FDA has also warned that Ozempic causes an intestinal blockage called ileus,¹⁶ which can lead to life-threatening complications if not treated promptly.

Another Ozempic Dark Side: Kidney Damage

Troubling reports of severe kidney problems due to Ozempic are also emerging. Research published in the Clinical Kidney Journal reported two patients experienced acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), a serious kidney inflammation, after starting semaglutide.¹⁷

One case even involved focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a type of kidney scarring. These findings suggest these drugs pose significant risks to your kidney health, especially if you have pre-existing kidney issues. The first case involved a 68-year-old woman with chronic kidney disease who started semaglutide for weight loss.

Within weeks, she developed severe nausea and vomiting, leading to a dramatic increase in her creatinine levels — a key indicator of kidney function. Even after stopping the medication, her kidney function worsened upon restarting it. A biopsy confirmed acute interstitial nephritis, likely triggered by semaglutide.¹⁸

The second case was even more alarming. A 49-year-old woman with no prior kidney issues developed severe swelling and protein in her urine after three months on semaglutide. Her kidney biopsy revealed not only AIN but also FSGS, a condition that can lead to kidney failure.

The study authors suggest that risk factors for these complications may include chronic kidney disease, advanced age, obesity and concurrent use of other medications that can affect the kidneys. A review of the FDA’s adverse event reporting system revealed 2,375 kidney-related events associated with GLP-1 drugs between 2010 and 2022.¹⁹

Acute kidney injury was the most common, accounting for nearly 59% of reports. Other reported issues included high blood pressure, electrolyte imbalances and, in rare cases, severe protein loss in the urine.

Akkermansia: A Natural Ozempic Alternative

Sustainable weight loss involves more than just a quick fix. It requires a holistic approach that considers your overall health, including your mental well-being. As tempting as these drugs might seem, especially with their popularity on social media, it’s crucial to make decisions based on scientific evidence rather than anecdotal reports or trends. Your health is too important to gamble with unproven or potentially dangerous solutions.

In my interview with Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe, a molecular biology scientist and the CEO and co-founder of Pendulum, a company that creates microbiome products, she explained that, instead of using Ozempic, you can naturally elevate your GLP-1 levels by increasing the presence of the beneficial bacteria Akkermansia in your gut:

“What happens in your body naturally, if you’ve got all the right microbes, is that you eat a meal, your microbiome metabolizes that food and generates postbiotics [excretions from beneficial bacteria] like butyrate [and] a protein called P9. Some of these postbiotics then signal your body to produce GLP-1.

All that signaling is happening from the microbiome directly to the L cells. And so you eat a meal, your microbiome digests them, these postbiotics get created and tell your L cells, ‘Hey, go produce GLP-1,’ and then you get a spike in GLP-1 in your body.

GLP-1 stimulates your body too. It says, ‘We’ve got to metabolize the sugar in the bloodstream, release insulin.’ It also signals to your brain, ‘We just ate, we’re full, we don’t need to eat again.’ After a period of time, GLP-1 goes down — until the next time you eat a meal. Then it spikes again.

So that’s the natural way of things. There are only two strains that have been published, to date, that have been shown to be able to stimulate L cells to produce GLP-1, and one of them is Akkermansia. It actually secretes three different [postbiotics] that stimulate L cells to produce GLP-1.

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

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

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

Many People Are Lacking Akkermansia

Research published in Nature Microbiology found that Akkermansia increased thermogenesis and GLP-1 secretion in mice fed a high-fat diet.²⁰ While Akkermansia plays a vital role in maintaining intestinal health, many individuals have insufficient levels due to compromised mitochondrial function and oxygen leakage in the gut.

One of Akkermansia’s primary functions is the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including butyrate. These fatty acids serve as fuel for your colonocytes, which in turn produce mucin, a gel-like protective substance that coats your gut lining.

SCFAs also help remove oxygen from your colon, creating an environment where beneficial bacteria can flourish. Mucin acts as a barrier, shielding intestinal cells from damage, harmful microorganisms and digestive irritants.

Additionally, mucin enhances your immune system. It contains antibodies and antimicrobial peptides that help fight infections. Mucin also functions as a trap for potential pathogens, facilitating their elimination through the digestive process. Akkermansia is so beneficial that it should, ideally, constitute about 10% of your gut microbiome.

Make Sure Live Akkermansia Probiotics Reach Your Colon

When selecting Akkermansia probiotics, opt for products with bacterial counts in the billions rather than millions. Generally, a higher bacterial count is beneficial, but there’s an important caveat: the delivery method is crucial.

Look for probiotics in delayed-release capsules. This feature is essential because it ensures the beneficial bacteria have a higher likelihood of reaching your colon alive. Without this protective mechanism, most of the bacteria may not survive the journey through your digestive system.

Akkermansia are very sensitive to oxygen. This makes their journey through your digestive system very challenging. These beneficial microbes thrive in an oxygen-free environment, and even a brief exposure to oxygen can be fatal for them. This trait makes the delivery method of Akkermansia supplements crucial to their effectiveness.

In fact, a lower-dose probiotic (in the hundreds of thousands of bacteria) that successfully reaches your colon can be more effective than a high-dose product (with hundreds of billions of bacteria) that doesn’t make it to its intended destination. Remember, when it comes to probiotics, successful delivery to the colon is just as important as the initial dosage.

Understanding this helps you choose the most effective supplement. You want to nurture your gut microbiome with live, active Akkermansia, as dead or inactive ones won’t do you as much good as they don’t reproduce.

If you want to use Akkermansia supplements, look for ones with advanced, dual-timed release capsules or microencapsulation. These technologies keep Akkermansia dormant and protected until it reaches your colon, usually in two to four hours.

To maximize its effectiveness, take it on an empty stomach, ideally first thing in the morning after an overnight fast. Wait at least one to two hours before eating to reduce transit time, allowing the bacteria to reach your colon faster — usually within two hours. This will greatly increase the number of live bacteria that make it to your colon.

Avoid taking probiotics with food, as this can extend your transit time to over eight hours, likely killing the bacteria long before they reach your colon. Being mindful of when and how you take your Akkermansia probiotic will maximize the benefits of this powerful probiotic.

• ^1, 8, 9 JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Aug 20;7(8):e2423385
• ^{2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7} Daily Mail September 8, 2024
• ¹⁰ ZeroHedge August 21, 2024
• ¹¹ Front Psychiatry. 2023 Aug 29;14:1238353
• ^{12, 13, 14, 15} Obes Pillars. 2024 Aug 31;12:100127
• ¹⁶ U.S. FDA, Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes, Ozempic September 22, 2023
• ^17, 18, 19 Clin Kidney J. 2024 Aug 13;17(9):sfae250
• ²⁰ Nature Microbiology volume 6, pages 563–573 (2021)

• Ozempic and similar weight loss drugs have been linked to 162 deaths in the U.S., with adverse reactions increasing by 40% in six months as usage expands
• These medications are associated with serious side effects, including pancreatitis, bowel obstruction and stomach paralysis, with 80% to 90% of users experiencing at least one adverse event
• Studies have found a significant link between semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic) and suicidal ideation, particularly in patients also taking antidepressants or antianxiety medications
• Emerging reports indicate severe kidney problems in some patients using these weight loss drugs
• Akkermansia, a beneficial gut bacteria, is a natural alternative to stimulate GLP-1 production, offering similar benefits without the risks associated with drugs like Ozempic

(Mercola)—Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, including semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy — have taken the world by storm. Originally developed for Type 2 diabetes, these drugs’ weight loss properties quickly caught the attention of researchers and the public alike.

Their effectiveness in shedding pounds has led to a global shortage, with an estimated 20 million people using them annually.¹ But as with any quick fix, there’s often a catch. According to data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), these medications have been linked to 162 deaths in the U.S.²

The Daily Mail reports that fatalities mentioning weight loss drugs have increased by 40% in just six months, jumping from 117 to 162 reported deaths.³ This sharp rise coincides with the expanding use of these medications, as more formulations hit the market and off-label prescriptions become commonplace.

However, your risk doesn’t disappear simply because you’re using these drugs as directed. The FAERS data show that adverse reactions occur in patients using these medications for their approved purposes, whether for diabetes management or weight loss.

Ozempic-Related Deaths and ‘Serious’ Reactions on the Rise

The FAERS database reveals a disturbing trend in adverse reactions to weight loss drugs containing semaglutide and tirzepatide (used in Mounjaro and Zepbound). Since 2018, there have been 62,000 reported reactions to these medications in the U.S.⁴

What’s particularly alarming is that 46,000 of these reports — nearly three-quarters of the total — occurred after 2022. This coincides with the increased availability and marketing of these drugs. Of the 162 reported deaths, 94 were linked to semaglutide-based drugs, while 68 were associated with tirzepatide medications. It’s worth noting that in 2023, tirzepatide was linked to nearly twice as many adverse reactions as semaglutide.⁵

The FAERS system has recorded 10,000 “serious” reactions to these weight loss drugs, defined as events resulting in hospitalization or life-threatening conditions. These aren’t just minor inconveniences; they’re significant medical events that could have long-lasting impacts on your health.

For instance, Daily Mail reports a case of a 30-year-old man on Ozempic who was hospitalized with pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas that causes severe abdominal pain. In another case, a 49-year-old woman taking Ozempic experienced mania and a dangerous surge in blood pressure, requiring hospitalization.⁶

While 1.7% of Americans — approximately 5.6 million people — were prescribed weight loss drugs in 2023, recent surveys suggest that number has grown to about 6% of U.S. adults, or 15.5 million people.⁷ This rapid increase in usage means more individuals are exposed to the serious side effects.

Ozempic Linked to Suicidal Ideation

A comprehensive study analyzing the World Health Organization’s database of adverse drug reactions uncovered more troubling findings about Ozempic.⁸ The research, which looked at over 36.1 million reports, found a significant link between semaglutide and suicidal ideation.

Out of 30,527 total reports for semaglutide, 107 cases of suicidal or self-injurious reactions were identified, and the association remained significant even after accounting for other factors. The research revealed a 45% increased risk of suicidal ideation in patients taking semaglutide compared to other medications.⁹

Further, people taking antidepressants or antianxiety medications alongside semaglutide were at an even higher risk of reporting suicidal thoughts — a 150% to 300% increase in suicidal ideation was found among this group.¹⁰

A study in Frontiers in Psychiatry revealed insights into semaglutide’s impact on your emotional state and psychological well-being.¹¹ The drug’s main component targets GLP-1 receptors, which are present not just in your digestive tract but also in critical brain areas. These regions, such as the lateral septum and hypothalamus, are essential for managing emotions, reward systems and appetite control.

Semaglutide’s interaction with these receptors modifies the functioning of neural pathways involved in these processes. Particularly noteworthy is its influence on dopamine, a neurotransmitter closely associated with mood regulation and reward perception.

Research indicates that stimulating GLP-1 receptors may enhance dopamine transporter expression, leading to decreased free dopamine levels in specific brain regions. This shift in dopamine signaling might lead to alterations in your mood, motivation levels, and even how you experience pleasure.

Up to 90% of Ozempic Users Experience an Adverse Event

The most common side effects linked to Ozempic and similar drugs are gastrointestinal, including nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. In clinical trials, a staggering 80% to 90% of participants experienced at least one adverse event.¹² Though most were mild to moderate, they led some people to discontinue the medication.

Further, these drugs are intended for long-term use — stopping them often results in weight regain — further increasing the risk of side effects over time. While nausea and diarrhea might seem manageable, more severe health risks, including pancreatitis, are a real concern. A study of 16 million patients found that those taking liraglutide or semaglutide had over nine times the risk of developing pancreatitis compared to those on other weight loss medications.¹³

The same study showed a four-fold increase in the risk of bowel obstruction and nearly four times the risk of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis). Gallbladder issues are another significant concern. Clinical trials revealed higher rates of gallstones and cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation) in people taking these drugs.¹⁴

While rare, some patients required surgery for these complications. It’s also worth noting that these medications increase heart rate.¹⁵ There’s also the potential for aspiration during anesthesia. These drugs slow down stomach emptying, which means you may still have food in your stomach even after fasting for the recommended time before surgery. This increases the risk of aspiration pneumonia, a serious complication.

The FDA has also warned that Ozempic causes an intestinal blockage called ileus,¹⁶ which can lead to life-threatening complications if not treated promptly.

Another Ozempic Dark Side: Kidney Damage

Troubling reports of severe kidney problems due to Ozempic are also emerging. Research published in the Clinical Kidney Journal reported two patients experienced acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), a serious kidney inflammation, after starting semaglutide.¹⁷

One case even involved focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a type of kidney scarring. These findings suggest these drugs pose significant risks to your kidney health, especially if you have pre-existing kidney issues. The first case involved a 68-year-old woman with chronic kidney disease who started semaglutide for weight loss.

Within weeks, she developed severe nausea and vomiting, leading to a dramatic increase in her creatinine levels — a key indicator of kidney function. Even after stopping the medication, her kidney function worsened upon restarting it. A biopsy confirmed acute interstitial nephritis, likely triggered by semaglutide.¹⁸

The second case was even more alarming. A 49-year-old woman with no prior kidney issues developed severe swelling and protein in her urine after three months on semaglutide. Her kidney biopsy revealed not only AIN but also FSGS, a condition that can lead to kidney failure.

The study authors suggest that risk factors for these complications may include chronic kidney disease, advanced age, obesity and concurrent use of other medications that can affect the kidneys. A review of the FDA’s adverse event reporting system revealed 2,375 kidney-related events associated with GLP-1 drugs between 2010 and 2022.¹⁹

Acute kidney injury was the most common, accounting for nearly 59% of reports. Other reported issues included high blood pressure, electrolyte imbalances and, in rare cases, severe protein loss in the urine.

Akkermansia: A Natural Ozempic Alternative

Sustainable weight loss involves more than just a quick fix. It requires a holistic approach that considers your overall health, including your mental well-being. As tempting as these drugs might seem, especially with their popularity on social media, it’s crucial to make decisions based on scientific evidence rather than anecdotal reports or trends. Your health is too important to gamble with unproven or potentially dangerous solutions.

In my interview with Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe, a molecular biology scientist and the CEO and co-founder of Pendulum, a company that creates microbiome products, she explained that, instead of using Ozempic, you can naturally elevate your GLP-1 levels by increasing the presence of the beneficial bacteria Akkermansia in your gut:

“What happens in your body naturally, if you’ve got all the right microbes, is that you eat a meal, your microbiome metabolizes that food and generates postbiotics [excretions from beneficial bacteria] like butyrate [and] a protein called P9. Some of these postbiotics then signal your body to produce GLP-1.

All that signaling is happening from the microbiome directly to the L cells. And so you eat a meal, your microbiome digests them, these postbiotics get created and tell your L cells, ‘Hey, go produce GLP-1,’ and then you get a spike in GLP-1 in your body.

GLP-1 stimulates your body too. It says, ‘We’ve got to metabolize the sugar in the bloodstream, release insulin.’ It also signals to your brain, ‘We just ate, we’re full, we don’t need to eat again.’ After a period of time, GLP-1 goes down — until the next time you eat a meal. Then it spikes again.

So that’s the natural way of things. There are only two strains that have been published, to date, that have been shown to be able to stimulate L cells to produce GLP-1, and one of them is Akkermansia. It actually secretes three different [postbiotics] that stimulate L cells to produce GLP-1.

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

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

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

Many People Are Lacking Akkermansia

Research published in Nature Microbiology found that Akkermansia increased thermogenesis and GLP-1 secretion in mice fed a high-fat diet.²⁰ While Akkermansia plays a vital role in maintaining intestinal health, many individuals have insufficient levels due to compromised mitochondrial function and oxygen leakage in the gut.

One of Akkermansia’s primary functions is the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including butyrate. These fatty acids serve as fuel for your colonocytes, which in turn produce mucin, a gel-like protective substance that coats your gut lining.

SCFAs also help remove oxygen from your colon, creating an environment where beneficial bacteria can flourish. Mucin acts as a barrier, shielding intestinal cells from damage, harmful microorganisms and digestive irritants.

Additionally, mucin enhances your immune system. It contains antibodies and antimicrobial peptides that help fight infections. Mucin also functions as a trap for potential pathogens, facilitating their elimination through the digestive process. Akkermansia is so beneficial that it should, ideally, constitute about 10% of your gut microbiome.

Make Sure Live Akkermansia Probiotics Reach Your Colon

When selecting Akkermansia probiotics, opt for products with bacterial counts in the billions rather than millions. Generally, a higher bacterial count is beneficial, but there’s an important caveat: the delivery method is crucial.

Look for probiotics in delayed-release capsules. This feature is essential because it ensures the beneficial bacteria have a higher likelihood of reaching your colon alive. Without this protective mechanism, most of the bacteria may not survive the journey through your digestive system.

Akkermansia are very sensitive to oxygen. This makes their journey through your digestive system very challenging. These beneficial microbes thrive in an oxygen-free environment, and even a brief exposure to oxygen can be fatal for them. This trait makes the delivery method of Akkermansia supplements crucial to their effectiveness.

In fact, a lower-dose probiotic (in the hundreds of thousands of bacteria) that successfully reaches your colon can be more effective than a high-dose product (with hundreds of billions of bacteria) that doesn’t make it to its intended destination. Remember, when it comes to probiotics, successful delivery to the colon is just as important as the initial dosage.

Understanding this helps you choose the most effective supplement. You want to nurture your gut microbiome with live, active Akkermansia, as dead or inactive ones won’t do you as much good as they don’t reproduce.

If you want to use Akkermansia supplements, look for ones with advanced, dual-timed release capsules or microencapsulation. These technologies keep Akkermansia dormant and protected until it reaches your colon, usually in two to four hours.

To maximize its effectiveness, take it on an empty stomach, ideally first thing in the morning after an overnight fast. Wait at least one to two hours before eating to reduce transit time, allowing the bacteria to reach your colon faster — usually within two hours. This will greatly increase the number of live bacteria that make it to your colon.

Avoid taking probiotics with food, as this can extend your transit time to over eight hours, likely killing the bacteria long before they reach your colon. Being mindful of when and how you take your Akkermansia probiotic will maximize the benefits of this powerful probiotic.

• ^1, 8, 9 JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Aug 20;7(8):e2423385
• ^{2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7} Daily Mail September 8, 2024
• ¹⁰ ZeroHedge August 21, 2024
• ¹¹ Front Psychiatry. 2023 Aug 29;14:1238353
• ^{12, 13, 14, 15} Obes Pillars. 2024 Aug 31;12:100127
• ¹⁶ U.S. FDA, Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes, Ozempic September 22, 2023
• ^17, 18, 19 Clin Kidney J. 2024 Aug 13;17(9):sfae250
• ²⁰ Nature Microbiology volume 6, pages 563–573 (2021)

• Ozempic and similar weight loss drugs have been linked to 162 deaths in the U.S., with adverse reactions increasing by 40% in six months as usage expands
• These medications are associated with serious side effects, including pancreatitis, bowel obstruction and stomach paralysis, with 80% to 90% of users experiencing at least one adverse event
• Studies have found a significant link between semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic) and suicidal ideation, particularly in patients also taking antidepressants or antianxiety medications
• Emerging reports indicate severe kidney problems in some patients using these weight loss drugs
• Akkermansia, a beneficial gut bacteria, is a natural alternative to stimulate GLP-1 production, offering similar benefits without the risks associated with drugs like Ozempic

(Mercola)—Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, including semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy — have taken the world by storm. Originally developed for Type 2 diabetes, these drugs’ weight loss properties quickly caught the attention of researchers and the public alike.

Their effectiveness in shedding pounds has led to a global shortage, with an estimated 20 million people using them annually.¹ But as with any quick fix, there’s often a catch. According to data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), these medications have been linked to 162 deaths in the U.S.²

The Daily Mail reports that fatalities mentioning weight loss drugs have increased by 40% in just six months, jumping from 117 to 162 reported deaths.³ This sharp rise coincides with the expanding use of these medications, as more formulations hit the market and off-label prescriptions become commonplace.

However, your risk doesn’t disappear simply because you’re using these drugs as directed. The FAERS data show that adverse reactions occur in patients using these medications for their approved purposes, whether for diabetes management or weight loss.

Ozempic-Related Deaths and ‘Serious’ Reactions on the Rise

The FAERS database reveals a disturbing trend in adverse reactions to weight loss drugs containing semaglutide and tirzepatide (used in Mounjaro and Zepbound). Since 2018, there have been 62,000 reported reactions to these medications in the U.S.⁴

What’s particularly alarming is that 46,000 of these reports — nearly three-quarters of the total — occurred after 2022. This coincides with the increased availability and marketing of these drugs. Of the 162 reported deaths, 94 were linked to semaglutide-based drugs, while 68 were associated with tirzepatide medications. It’s worth noting that in 2023, tirzepatide was linked to nearly twice as many adverse reactions as semaglutide.⁵

The FAERS system has recorded 10,000 “serious” reactions to these weight loss drugs, defined as events resulting in hospitalization or life-threatening conditions. These aren’t just minor inconveniences; they’re significant medical events that could have long-lasting impacts on your health.

For instance, Daily Mail reports a case of a 30-year-old man on Ozempic who was hospitalized with pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas that causes severe abdominal pain. In another case, a 49-year-old woman taking Ozempic experienced mania and a dangerous surge in blood pressure, requiring hospitalization.⁶

While 1.7% of Americans — approximately 5.6 million people — were prescribed weight loss drugs in 2023, recent surveys suggest that number has grown to about 6% of U.S. adults, or 15.5 million people.⁷ This rapid increase in usage means more individuals are exposed to the serious side effects.

Ozempic Linked to Suicidal Ideation

A comprehensive study analyzing the World Health Organization’s database of adverse drug reactions uncovered more troubling findings about Ozempic.⁸ The research, which looked at over 36.1 million reports, found a significant link between semaglutide and suicidal ideation.

Out of 30,527 total reports for semaglutide, 107 cases of suicidal or self-injurious reactions were identified, and the association remained significant even after accounting for other factors. The research revealed a 45% increased risk of suicidal ideation in patients taking semaglutide compared to other medications.⁹

Further, people taking antidepressants or antianxiety medications alongside semaglutide were at an even higher risk of reporting suicidal thoughts — a 150% to 300% increase in suicidal ideation was found among this group.¹⁰

A study in Frontiers in Psychiatry revealed insights into semaglutide’s impact on your emotional state and psychological well-being.¹¹ The drug’s main component targets GLP-1 receptors, which are present not just in your digestive tract but also in critical brain areas. These regions, such as the lateral septum and hypothalamus, are essential for managing emotions, reward systems and appetite control.

Semaglutide’s interaction with these receptors modifies the functioning of neural pathways involved in these processes. Particularly noteworthy is its influence on dopamine, a neurotransmitter closely associated with mood regulation and reward perception.

Research indicates that stimulating GLP-1 receptors may enhance dopamine transporter expression, leading to decreased free dopamine levels in specific brain regions. This shift in dopamine signaling might lead to alterations in your mood, motivation levels, and even how you experience pleasure.

Up to 90% of Ozempic Users Experience an Adverse Event

The most common side effects linked to Ozempic and similar drugs are gastrointestinal, including nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. In clinical trials, a staggering 80% to 90% of participants experienced at least one adverse event.¹² Though most were mild to moderate, they led some people to discontinue the medication.

Further, these drugs are intended for long-term use — stopping them often results in weight regain — further increasing the risk of side effects over time. While nausea and diarrhea might seem manageable, more severe health risks, including pancreatitis, are a real concern. A study of 16 million patients found that those taking liraglutide or semaglutide had over nine times the risk of developing pancreatitis compared to those on other weight loss medications.¹³

The same study showed a four-fold increase in the risk of bowel obstruction and nearly four times the risk of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis). Gallbladder issues are another significant concern. Clinical trials revealed higher rates of gallstones and cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation) in people taking these drugs.¹⁴

While rare, some patients required surgery for these complications. It’s also worth noting that these medications increase heart rate.¹⁵ There’s also the potential for aspiration during anesthesia. These drugs slow down stomach emptying, which means you may still have food in your stomach even after fasting for the recommended time before surgery. This increases the risk of aspiration pneumonia, a serious complication.

The FDA has also warned that Ozempic causes an intestinal blockage called ileus,¹⁶ which can lead to life-threatening complications if not treated promptly.

Another Ozempic Dark Side: Kidney Damage

Troubling reports of severe kidney problems due to Ozempic are also emerging. Research published in the Clinical Kidney Journal reported two patients experienced acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), a serious kidney inflammation, after starting semaglutide.¹⁷

One case even involved focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a type of kidney scarring. These findings suggest these drugs pose significant risks to your kidney health, especially if you have pre-existing kidney issues. The first case involved a 68-year-old woman with chronic kidney disease who started semaglutide for weight loss.

Within weeks, she developed severe nausea and vomiting, leading to a dramatic increase in her creatinine levels — a key indicator of kidney function. Even after stopping the medication, her kidney function worsened upon restarting it. A biopsy confirmed acute interstitial nephritis, likely triggered by semaglutide.¹⁸

The second case was even more alarming. A 49-year-old woman with no prior kidney issues developed severe swelling and protein in her urine after three months on semaglutide. Her kidney biopsy revealed not only AIN but also FSGS, a condition that can lead to kidney failure.

The study authors suggest that risk factors for these complications may include chronic kidney disease, advanced age, obesity and concurrent use of other medications that can affect the kidneys. A review of the FDA’s adverse event reporting system revealed 2,375 kidney-related events associated with GLP-1 drugs between 2010 and 2022.¹⁹

Acute kidney injury was the most common, accounting for nearly 59% of reports. Other reported issues included high blood pressure, electrolyte imbalances and, in rare cases, severe protein loss in the urine.

Akkermansia: A Natural Ozempic Alternative

Sustainable weight loss involves more than just a quick fix. It requires a holistic approach that considers your overall health, including your mental well-being. As tempting as these drugs might seem, especially with their popularity on social media, it’s crucial to make decisions based on scientific evidence rather than anecdotal reports or trends. Your health is too important to gamble with unproven or potentially dangerous solutions.

In my interview with Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe, a molecular biology scientist and the CEO and co-founder of Pendulum, a company that creates microbiome products, she explained that, instead of using Ozempic, you can naturally elevate your GLP-1 levels by increasing the presence of the beneficial bacteria Akkermansia in your gut:

“What happens in your body naturally, if you’ve got all the right microbes, is that you eat a meal, your microbiome metabolizes that food and generates postbiotics [excretions from beneficial bacteria] like butyrate [and] a protein called P9. Some of these postbiotics then signal your body to produce GLP-1.

All that signaling is happening from the microbiome directly to the L cells. And so you eat a meal, your microbiome digests them, these postbiotics get created and tell your L cells, ‘Hey, go produce GLP-1,’ and then you get a spike in GLP-1 in your body.

GLP-1 stimulates your body too. It says, ‘We’ve got to metabolize the sugar in the bloodstream, release insulin.’ It also signals to your brain, ‘We just ate, we’re full, we don’t need to eat again.’ After a period of time, GLP-1 goes down — until the next time you eat a meal. Then it spikes again.

So that’s the natural way of things. There are only two strains that have been published, to date, that have been shown to be able to stimulate L cells to produce GLP-1, and one of them is Akkermansia. It actually secretes three different [postbiotics] that stimulate L cells to produce GLP-1.

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

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

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

Many People Are Lacking Akkermansia

Research published in Nature Microbiology found that Akkermansia increased thermogenesis and GLP-1 secretion in mice fed a high-fat diet.²⁰ While Akkermansia plays a vital role in maintaining intestinal health, many individuals have insufficient levels due to compromised mitochondrial function and oxygen leakage in the gut.

One of Akkermansia’s primary functions is the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including butyrate. These fatty acids serve as fuel for your colonocytes, which in turn produce mucin, a gel-like protective substance that coats your gut lining.

SCFAs also help remove oxygen from your colon, creating an environment where beneficial bacteria can flourish. Mucin acts as a barrier, shielding intestinal cells from damage, harmful microorganisms and digestive irritants.

Additionally, mucin enhances your immune system. It contains antibodies and antimicrobial peptides that help fight infections. Mucin also functions as a trap for potential pathogens, facilitating their elimination through the digestive process. Akkermansia is so beneficial that it should, ideally, constitute about 10% of your gut microbiome.

Make Sure Live Akkermansia Probiotics Reach Your Colon

When selecting Akkermansia probiotics, opt for products with bacterial counts in the billions rather than millions. Generally, a higher bacterial count is beneficial, but there’s an important caveat: the delivery method is crucial.

Look for probiotics in delayed-release capsules. This feature is essential because it ensures the beneficial bacteria have a higher likelihood of reaching your colon alive. Without this protective mechanism, most of the bacteria may not survive the journey through your digestive system.

Akkermansia are very sensitive to oxygen. This makes their journey through your digestive system very challenging. These beneficial microbes thrive in an oxygen-free environment, and even a brief exposure to oxygen can be fatal for them. This trait makes the delivery method of Akkermansia supplements crucial to their effectiveness.

In fact, a lower-dose probiotic (in the hundreds of thousands of bacteria) that successfully reaches your colon can be more effective than a high-dose product (with hundreds of billions of bacteria) that doesn’t make it to its intended destination. Remember, when it comes to probiotics, successful delivery to the colon is just as important as the initial dosage.

Understanding this helps you choose the most effective supplement. You want to nurture your gut microbiome with live, active Akkermansia, as dead or inactive ones won’t do you as much good as they don’t reproduce.

If you want to use Akkermansia supplements, look for ones with advanced, dual-timed release capsules or microencapsulation. These technologies keep Akkermansia dormant and protected until it reaches your colon, usually in two to four hours.

To maximize its effectiveness, take it on an empty stomach, ideally first thing in the morning after an overnight fast. Wait at least one to two hours before eating to reduce transit time, allowing the bacteria to reach your colon faster — usually within two hours. This will greatly increase the number of live bacteria that make it to your colon.

Avoid taking probiotics with food, as this can extend your transit time to over eight hours, likely killing the bacteria long before they reach your colon. Being mindful of when and how you take your Akkermansia probiotic will maximize the benefits of this powerful probiotic.

• ^1, 8, 9 JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Aug 20;7(8):e2423385
• ^{2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7} Daily Mail September 8, 2024
• ¹⁰ ZeroHedge August 21, 2024
• ¹¹ Front Psychiatry. 2023 Aug 29;14:1238353
• ^{12, 13, 14, 15} Obes Pillars. 2024 Aug 31;12:100127
• ¹⁶ U.S. FDA, Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes, Ozempic September 22, 2023
• ^17, 18, 19 Clin Kidney J. 2024 Aug 13;17(9):sfae250
• ²⁰ Nature Microbiology volume 6, pages 563–573 (2021)

(Mercola)—I’ve long been fascinated by cholesterol’s role in our health, and research published over the last few years challenges what we’ve been told for decades. For example, a groundbreaking study of over 23,000 people reveals surprising, never-before considered findings about the impact of race and genetics on cholesterol and its links to heart disease.

Is Lower Cholesterol Really a Good Thing?

You’ve been told that high cholesterol is bad and low cholesterol is good. But what if I told you that low cholesterol could actually harm your heart health? This might sound counterintuitive, but recent research has uncovered some surprising truths about cholesterol’s role in our bodies.

Cholesterol is a crucial component of cell membranes and a precursor to many important hormones.¹ It’s not just a harmful substance to be eliminated, but a vital part of our biology. In fact, cholesterol plays a key role in brain function, hormone production, and even vitamin D synthesis.

For decades, the medical community has focused on lowering cholesterol levels to prevent heart disease. This approach was based on studies like the Framingham Heart Study, which linked high cholesterol to increased cardiovascular risk. As a result, millions of people have been prescribed statins and told to follow low-fat diets.

However, new research is challenging this simplistic view. The REGARDS (REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) study² published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology examined data from 23,901 participants over a median follow-up of 10.7 years.

The researchers found that the relationship between HDL cholesterol and heart disease risk actually varied depending on race. Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — often called “good” cholesterol — were only associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease in White adults. Even more surprisingly, high levels of HDL cholesterol didn’t seem to protect against heart disease in either White or Black adults.

This revelation challenges decades of medical advice that has emphasized raising HDL cholesterol levels as a way to improve heart health. It also highlights the importance of considering racial differences in health research and treatment recommendations.

Another intriguing discovery is the “cholesterol paradox” observed in various health conditions.³ In some cases, individuals with low cholesterol levels actually had worse health outcomes than those with higher levels — a finding that flies in the face of long-held beliefs about cholesterol and health. As noted in one 2023 scientific review:

“On average, patients with a total cholesterol level of 232 mg/dl had a 25% higher survival rate than those with a total cholesterol level of 193 mg/dl who were suffering from heart failure. A total cholesterol level under 200 mg/dl is generally preferred.”⁴

These unexpected results raise important questions about how we assess cardiovascular risk and whether current treatment guidelines are appropriate for all populations. Clearly, the relationship between cholesterol and health isn’t nearly as straightforward as we once thought.

Complex Interplay of Factors Influence Cholesterol’s Effects

Aside from race, individual genetics also play a big part in how our bodies handle cholesterol. Some people naturally make more cholesterol, while others make less. This is why two people eating the same diet can have very different cholesterol levels.⁵

Inflammation and oxidative stress in our bodies can also impact how cholesterol affects our health. When there’s a lot of inflammation, cholesterol can act differently and cause problems that would not occur in someone that did not have the same level of inflammation. This is one reason why overall health is so important when thinking about cholesterol.⁶

This complex web of interactions makes it hard to predict exactly how cholesterol will affect each person’s health.⁷ Here’s a short list of factors that influence cholesterol’s effects:

1. Cellular energy production
2. Genetic factors
3. Inflammation and oxidative stress
4. Interaction with other metabolic processes

Understanding these relationships helps explain why low cholesterol isn’t always good and high cholesterol isn’t always bad.

Shifting Paradigms in Cholesterol Management

The revelations about cholesterol’s complex role in health are causing waves across the medical community and beyond. Importantly, these findings are prompting a reevaluation of cholesterol treatment guidelines that have been in place for decades.⁸

Healthcare providers are increasingly moving towards a more personalized approach to cholesterol management. Instead of relying solely on total cholesterol numbers, doctors are considering a wider range of factors including race, genetics, and overall health status when assessing cardiovascular risk.⁹

The pharmaceutical industry may need to adapt to new understandings of cholesterol’s role in health. As research reveals the complex relationship between cholesterol levels and heart disease risk across different populations, drug development and marketing strategies really ought to shift to reflect more personalized approaches to cardiovascular health management.¹⁰ Whether that will actually happen remains to be seen.

Public health messaging about cholesterol is also undergoing a transformation. The old mantra of “lower is always better” is being replaced with more nuanced advice. Dietary recommendations are shifting away from blanket low-fat guidelines to focus on overall diet quality and individual metabolic health.¹¹

These changes are empowering patients to take a more active role in their health management. With a better understanding of cholesterol’s complexities, you can make more informed decisions about your diet, lifestyle, and medical treatments.

Advanced lipid testing methods that provide more detailed information about cholesterol particle size and number are becoming increasingly important. These tests offer insights beyond standard lipid panels, allowing for more accurate cardiovascular risk assessment and targeted interventions.¹²

As our understanding of cholesterol continues to evolve, it’s clear that its impact extends far beyond individual health. It’s reshaping medical practice, influencing public health policy, and even affecting economic sectors.

To better understand the real-world implications of these findings, let’s look at some specific examples and case studies that illustrate the complexity of cholesterol management in different scenarios.

Real-World Scenarios Illustrate Complexity of Cholesterol Management

Consider the case of John, a 55-year-old White male with low HDL cholesterol levels. Traditional medical wisdom would have flagged him as high-risk for heart disease, and indeed, the REGARDS study^{13,14,15,16,17} confirmed that that low HDL cholesterol is associated with increased risk in White adults. So, for someone like John, a White male, the traditional wisdom about low HDL cholesterol increasing heart disease risk holds true.

In contrast, Maria, a 60-year-old Black woman with high HDL cholesterol, might have been considered at low risk for heart disease based on outdated guidelines. However, the new research suggests that high HDL levels aren’t necessarily protective for Black adults, prompting a reevaluation of Maria’s overall cardiovascular health beyond just her cholesterol numbers.

Another intriguing example is seen in highly trained, keto-adapted athletes. These individuals often display what appears to be paradoxically high cholesterol levels, yet they maintain excellent cardiovascular health.¹⁸ This phenomenon highlights the complex interplay between diet, physical activity, and cholesterol metabolism.

These scenarios underscore the need for a more nuanced and individualized approach to cholesterol management. They demonstrate that relying solely on standard cholesterol numbers can lead to misclassification of risk and inappropriate treatment decisions.

Given these complex scenarios, what can be done to optimize cholesterol management and improve health outcomes? The answer lies in a more holistic and personalized approach to health assessment and treatment.

Advanced Strategies for Optimizing Cholesterol Health

The takeaway is that improving cholesterol health goes beyond simply lowering your total cholesterol levels. A comprehensive approach that considers individual factors and overall metabolic health is key. Here are some strategies to promote optimal cholesterol balance. By embracing a more holistic strategy, you and your healthcare provider can work together to reduce your cardiovascular health risks.

• Personalized risk assessment — Healthcare providers should look beyond standard cholesterol numbers and consider factors like race, age, genetics, and lifestyle when evaluating cardiovascular risk.¹⁹
• Advanced lipid testing — This provides a more detailed picture of cholesterol levels than standard tests. These tests break down different types of LDL and HDL particles, giving you a clearer understanding of your individual heart disease risk.²⁰ Importantly, this detailed information helps identify individuals at risk even when their standard lipid panel appears normal.²¹
• Diet — Instead of focusing solely on lowering fat intake, focus on the quality of fats consumed. Incorporating foods rich in omega-3s, and saturated fats such as butter and coconut oil, will help you maintain a healthy cholesterol level while supporting your overall heart health.
• Exercise — Regular physical activity, especially a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training, helps improve lipid profiles and overall metabolic health.²²
• Targeted supplementation — For some individuals, targeted supplementation might be beneficial. For example, nutrients like omega-3s, niacin, and plant sterols have shown promise in supporting healthy cholesterol levels.²³

Sources and References

• ^{1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 18, 21, 22, 23} Int. J. Res. Ayurveda Pharm. 14(2), 2023
• ^{2, 8, 9, 13, 19, 20} Journal of the American College of Cardiology Volume 80, Issue 22, November 29, 2022, Pages 2104-2115
• ¹⁵ NBC News, November 22, 2022
• ¹⁶ Healio, November 21, 2022
• ¹⁷ Medical News Today, November 22, 2022