American entrepreneur and longevity advocate Bryan Johnson cut short a podcast recording during his visit to India, citing concerns over the country’s air quality. The 47-year-old founder of Kernel and OS Fund took to social media to explain why he had to end the conversation early with host Nikhil Kamath on his podcast WTF.“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,” Johnson wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “The problem was that the room we were in circulated outside air, which made the air purifier I’d brought with me ineffective.”
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.
Inside,… Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) February 3, 2025
According to Johnson, the air quality index (AQI) inside the recording space reached 130, with PM2.5 levels at 75 µg/m³—comparable to smoking 3.4 cigarettes over 24 hours. The poor air quality, he said, caused skin irritation, burning eyes, and a sore throat.ALSO READ: 10 reasons why Nithin Kamath expects men’s grooming industry to explode“This was my third day in India, and the air pollution had made my skin break out in a rash and my eyes and throat burn,” he stated.Johnson also expressed surprise at how normalised air pollution has become in India. “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,” he said.Calling for urgent action, he remarked, “The evidence shows that India would improve the health of its population more by cleaning up air quality than by curing all cancers. I am unsure why India’s leaders do not make air quality a national emergency.”
Comparing pollution to obesity in the USJohnson also drew a parallel between air pollution in India and obesity in the US, suggesting that both crises have been largely ignored.“When I returned to the US, my eyes were fresh to see what is normalised to me. I saw obesity everywhere. 42.4% of Americans are obese, and because I was around it all the time, I had been mostly oblivious to it,” he wrote.“In many contexts, obesity is worse than air pollution in the long term,” he added, questioning why American leaders have not taken stronger action. “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?”The millionaire seeking to reverse ageingJohnson is widely known for his focus on health, longevity, and anti-ageing efforts. After selling his payments company Braintree to PayPal for $800 million in 2013, he launched Project Blueprint, an initiative aimed at biologically reversing his age. He claims that his regimen—comprising a strict vegan diet, exercise, and experimental medical treatments—has reduced his biological age by five years.His extreme efforts include blood transfusions from younger donors and controversial cosmetic procedures. One such experiment, dubbed Project Baby Face, involved injecting donor fat into his face to restore lost volume. However, the procedure triggered a severe allergic reaction, causing his face to swell so dramatically that he temporarily lost his vision.Undeterred, Johnson continues to push the boundaries of longevity science, spending an estimated $2 million a year on health interventions. His daily routine includes a tightly controlled meal schedule, six-day-a-week exercise regimens, and regular medical testing—ranging from MRIs and ultrasounds to stem cell injections and plasma exchanges.While his radical approach has sparked both fascination and criticism, Johnson remains committed to his mission: slowing down ageing and extending human life.ALSO READ: PM Modi recalls defying security and emotions during the 2002 Godhra tragedy
