Melatonin Long-Term Risks and Study Findings

Upgrade your biology in 10 minutes with this week’s rundown from Dave Asprey. This episode breaks down the six biggest stories in biohacking and health tech, from sleep hormones to mitochondrial rejuvenation, giving you the data you need to live longer, think faster, and perform at your peak. 

This episode covers: 

• The Melatonin Heart Warning Everyone Missed 

A major new study from the American Heart Association reveals that long-term melatonin users face nearly twice the risk of heart failure and 3.5 times higher hospitalization rates. Once considered a harmless sleep aid, melatonin’s hormonal effects may disrupt cardiovascular recovery, testosterone, and blood pressure regulation when used nightly. The takeaway: melatonin is a short-term circadian reset tool, not a forever supplement. 

Source: American Heart Association — newsroom.heart.org/news/long-term-use-of-melatonin-supplements-to-support-sleep-may-have-negative-health-effects 

• Bryan Johnson’s Extreme Microplastics Detox 

Biohacker Bryan Johnson shared lab-verified results showing an 85% reduction in microplastics in his semen after one year of daily 200°F dry saunas followed by ice packs on the groin. It’s not peer reviewed yet, but it’ssparking global discussion about environmental toxins, fertility, and detoxification. Whether or not you follow his protocol, this study highlights how widespread microplastics have become and how heat, sweat, and smarter exposure control may help fight back. 

Source: New York Post — nypost.com/2025/10/23/health/biohacker-bryan-johnson-got-rid-of-85-of-microplastics-from-his-semen 

• Urolithin A: The Mitochondrial Molecule That Strengthens Immunity 

A peer-reviewed human trial published in Nature Aging found that four weeks of daily Urolithin A (Mitopure®) supplementation improved immune function in adults aged 45–70, increasing youthful CD8 T-cells, natural killer cells, and mitochondrial performance inside immune cells. By triggering mitophagy, your body’s cleanup process for old mitochondria, Urolithin A enhances energy, resilience, and immune strength. It’s the clearest evidence yet that we can modulate immune aging through mitochondrial renewal. 

Head to timeline.com/dave to get 10% off your first order. 

Source: BioSpace — biospace.com/press-releases/timeline-continues-to-build-the-most-clinically-researched-longevity-products-targeting-immune-brain-and-muscle-aging 

• Google’s New AI Model That “Talks” to Cells 

Google DeepMind and Yale launched Cell2Sentence-Scale, an open-source AI model that lets scientists query cellular pathways in natural language. The system can predict how cells transition from healthy to cancerous states and identify molecular switches that might reverse those changes. It’s compressing years of biology into days and democratizing research for small labs and independent scientists alike. Isn’t AI a beautiful thing? 

Source: Google DeepMind — blog.google/technology/ai/google-gemma-ai-cancer-therapy-discovery 

• Omega-3s Calm the Brain and the Temper 

A massive new meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials shows omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) reduce aggression by up to 28%. That includes both reactive anger and planned aggression. By lowering neuroinflammation and stabilizing cell membranes, omega-3s appear to balance dopamine and serotonin, proving that healthy fats aren’t just heart food, they’re emotional regulators too. 

Source: Science Alert — sciencealert.com/one-dietary-supplement-was-shown-to-reduce-aggression-by-up-to-28 

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Finally Gets a Biomarker 

For the first time, researchers have developed a blood test that accurately identifies chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) using DNA methylation and micro-RNA expression patterns. This breakthrough distinguishes CFS from other autoimmune and viral conditions, marking a turning point for millions of patients long dismissed by traditional medicine. It’s proof that data-driven diagnostics can transform how we understand mystery illnesses. 

Source: Science Daily — sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251102205021.htm 

All source links provided for easy reference to the original reporting and research above.  

This is essential listening for fans of biohacking, hacking human performance, functional medicine, and longevity who want actionable tools from Host Dave Asprey and a guest who embodies what it means to age with energy, clarity, and vitality. 

Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. 

New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. 

Keywords: melatonin heart risk, sleep hormones, microplastics detox, Bryan Johnson, Urolithin A, mitophagy, mitochondrial health, immune aging, DeepMind AI, cellular modeling, omega-3 aggression, neuroinflammation, chronic fatigue biomarker, ME/CFS test, biohacking news, longevity research 

Thank you to our sponsors!  

-LYMA | Go to https://lyma.sjv.io/gOQ545 and use code DAVE10 for 10% off the LYMA Laser.

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Resources:  

• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15  

• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)  

• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)  

• Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com  

• Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated 

• Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com  

• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com  

• 40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com  

Timestamps: 

0:00 — Intro 

0:18 — Story 1: Melatonin & Heart Health 

1:58 — Story 2: Microplastics Detox 

3:39 — Story 3: Urolithin A & Immune Function 

5:19 — Story 4: AI Cell Model 

6:57 — Story 5: Omega-3 & Aggression 

8:43 — Story 6: CFS Blood Test 

9:59 — Weekly Upgrade Protocol 

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