Bryan Johnson, The Man Who Refuses To Die, Couldn't Survive India For More Than A Few Days. Here's Why
Johnson revealed that within three days of being in India, he developed a skin rash and experienced throat and eye irritation. His concern extended beyond personal discomfort.
Bryan Johnson, the tech entrepreneur and anti-ageing advocate who drives the 'Don't Die' campaign and community, recently cut short his appearance on Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath's podcast due to poor air quality. Johnson, known for investing heavily in age-reversal technologies, shared his discomfort during the podcast session and described India's air pollution as a serious health threat.
Pollution Causing 'Skin Rash, Throat And Eye Irritation'
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Johnson explained that he ended the podcast prematurely despite Kamath being a gracious host. "The problem was that the room we were in circulated outside air which made the air purifier I'd brought with me ineffective," he noted, adding that the Air Quality Index (AQI) inside the room was 130, with PM2.5 levels at 75 µg/m³ — equivalent to smoking 3.4 cigarettes over a 24-hour period.
Johnson revealed that within three days of being in India, he developed a skin rash and experienced throat and eye irritation. His concern extended beyond personal discomfort; he highlighted that air pollution poses a greater threat than cancer and emphasized the urgency for India to address the problem.
"Air pollution has been so normalized in India that no one even notices anymore despite the science of its negative effects being well known. People would be outside running. Babies and small children exposed from birth. No one wore a mask which can significantly decrease exposure. It was so confusing," Johnson remarked. He found it perplexing that no national emergency had been declared over the worsening air quality.
When in India, I did end this podcast early due to the bad air quality. @nikhilkamathcio was a gracious host and we were having a great time. The problem was that the room we were in circulated outside air which made the air purifier I'd brought with me ineffective.
— Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) February 3, 2025
Inside,… https://t.co/xTkpW567Xv
Calling for collective action, Johnson urged measures such as wearing masks and installing air filters to mitigate exposure to pollutants. "I am unsure why India's leaders do not make air quality a national emergency. I don't know what interests, money and power keep things the way they are but it's really bad for the entire country," he said, stressing that pollution control may yield more benefits than advancements in cancer treatment.
Johnson's remarks shed light on an ongoing concern about India's pollution crisis, prompting renewed calls for stricter environmental measures and increased public awareness.
Obesity Issue In The US
Johnson also drew parallels with health issues in his home country. "When I returned to the U.S., my eyes were fresh to see what is normalized to me. I saw obesity everywhere. ," he said, noting that 42.4 per cent of Americans are obese.
Comparing long-term health threats, Johnson remarked, "In many contexts, obesity is worse than air pollution in the long term. Why wouldn't American leaders declare a national emergency on obesity? What interests, money and power keep things the way they are but are really bad for the entire country."
Calling for immediate action on both air quality and obesity, Johnson emphasized the need for societal and governmental efforts to tackle these health crises head-on, advocating for greater public awareness and policy-driven solutions.
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