Episode Details

GLP-1 Side Effects, Gut Microbiome & Brain Health, Toxoplasmosis Risks, and the Dirty Dozen Explained 

Plasma Acetate Emerges As Key Gut-Brain Messenger In Older Adults 

A study published in Nature Communications examined how gut bacteria relate to plasma acetic acid, a short-chain fatty acid produced when gut microbes ferment fiber, and found that higher acetate levels tracked with lower triglycerides, higher HDL cholesterol, lower body fat, larger thalamic brain volume, and stronger performance on judgment-related cognitive tasks. Mediation analysis showed acetate acts as a direct link between specific gut bacteria, including Oscillibacter and Coprococcus, and these health outcomes. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why this elevates fiber fermentation, not fermented beverages, as the real lever for gut-brain health, and separates the evidence-backed mechanism from the kombucha-as-shortcut assumption. 

Source: 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-026-01566-x 

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GLP-1 Drugs Linked To Sharp Rise In Smell And Taste Disturbances 

A JAMA Otolaryngology cohort study tracking over 438,000 GLP-1 users against matched controls found a 48% higher risk of new smell or taste disturbances over two years, with smell disturbances up 81% and taste disturbances up 52%. Diagnoses included anosmia, parosmia, and parageusia, with researchers pointing to GLP-1 receptor activity in the olfactory bulb and other chemosensory pathways as a possible mechanism. Host Dave Asprey unpacks why this signal got buried under muscle loss and gut motility headlines, and what it means for anyone currently on or considering GLP-1 therapy. 

Sources: 

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2850571 

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/10.1001/jamaoto.2026.1498 

https://trial.medpath.com/news/glp-1-receptor-agonists-linked-to-increased-risk-of-smell-and-taste-disturbances-study-finds 

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Scientists Push For Toxoplasmosis To Be Recognized As A Neglected Tropical Disease 

A viewpoint paper in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases argues that toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection carried by roughly one in three people globally, deserves WHO neglected tropical disease status given its outsized impact on vision and maternal-child health. Ocular toxoplasmosis is the most common intra-ocular infection worldwide, and an estimated 190,000 babies are born with congenital toxoplasmosis each year, concentrated in low-resource regions. Despite the scale, there is still no vaccine and no standard global treatment protocol. Host Dave Asprey explains why common, quiet health threats get chronically underfunded compared to dramatic outbreaks, and what pregnant listeners specifically should know about exposure risk. 

Source: 

https://www.sciencealert.com/parasite-affecting-1-in-3-people-is-a-serious-risk-to-human-health-scientists-warn 

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Yale-Oxford Data Shows Exercise May Boost Mental Health More Than A Raise 

An analysis of CDC survey data from over 1.2 million U.S. adults found tha