
“Bodybuilding Destroyed My Hormones”: Jesse James West on Longevity, Fitness, and Self-Worth
Bryan Johnson
Aug 28, 2025
Mindsip insights from this episode:
Mineralize water to reduce urination frequency
If you drink straight water, you will urinate more frequently; adding minerals or electrolytes helps your body retain the fluid better.
Manage post-flight disruptions to restore body balance
A single international flight can disrupt your body's architecture for up to 15 days afterward, affecting things like blood glucose regulation.
Track urine stream speed as a biological health indicator
The speed of your urine stream is a biological marker that decreases as you age, so you can track it as an indicator of health.
Rank psychedelics for anti-aging benefits
Research suggests certain psychedelics can be ranked for anti-aging properties, with psilocybin, ketamine, and LSD being among the most promising.
Adopt a "don't die" mindset to combat poor health choices
Instead of accepting death as inevitable, actively train your mind to be aware of how you commit "slow suicide" by glorifying poor health choices as "living your best life.".
Make decisions based on what you are meant to do, not what you should do
To avoid depression and feeling trapped, make life decisions based on what you feel you are "meant to" do rather than what society or others say you "should" do.
Recognize hidden costs of good genetics on health
Even if you have good genetics and can eat junk food without visible consequences, you are still spending down your "life bank account" at a cellular level you cannot see.
Reconsider bodybuilding's impact on long-term health
Competitive bodybuilding is described as one of the only activities where people intentionally work out to become less healthy, sacrificing long-term health for aesthetics.
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