'Indians justifiably outraged': Bryan Johnson shares study on air quality

A study shared by US entrepreneur Bryan Johnson showed that prolonged exposure to PM 2.5 pollutants lead to liver inflammation, blood fat imbalance, and presence of liver protein markers

US-based entrepreneur, Bryan Johnson, known for his work in anti-aging research, has once again drawn attention to India’s poor air quality. In a detailed post on X, Johnson referred to a study outlining the severe health risks associated with air pollution, including liver inflammation, fibrosis, blood fat imbalance, and gene dysregulation linked to cancer.  

 

“Indians are justifiably outraged by the poor air quality they are exposed to daily. It creates serious negative health effects. There’s no such thing as a safe level of PM2.5,” said Johnson.  

 

Indians are justifiably outraged by the poor air quality they are exposed to daily. It creates serious negative health effects.  Below is a study showing how air pollution causes liver inflammation, fibrosis, blood fat imbalance, and liver protein markers associated with… pic.twitter.com/SODON2KOh8

— Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) February 4, 2025

 

 

In another post on X, he said, “Improve the air quality in your home, apartment, office and gym by upgrading the air filter in the HVAC system.”

 

Improve the air quality in your home, apartment, office and gym by upgrading the air filter in the HVAC system.  The higher the MERV filter, the better. Not all HVAC systems can handle the higher MERV filter so get the best one you can.  Try to have MERV 13 at a minimum. pic.twitter.com/vruOv8NlKO

— Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) February 4, 2025

 

This comes days after he made headlines for walking out of a podcast with Zerodha CEO Nikhil Kamath, citing pollution as the reason.

 

‘No safe level of exposure'

The study shared by Johnson involved exposing mice to low levels of PM2.5 pollutants from traffic emissions over 12 weeks. The particulate matter was collected from the sides of busy roads and introduced into the mice’s noses via a saline solution. The results showed that prolonged exposure led to liver inflammation, fibrosis, blood fat imbalance, and the presence of liver protein markers typically associated with alcoholism. It also indicated gene dysregulation linked to cancer.    ALSO READ: Why anti-ageing millionaire Bryan Johnson left Nikhil Kamath's podcast midway

 

Johnson said that PM2.5 is particularly harmful as it penetrates deep into the lungs and enters circulation. He reiterated that there is no safe level of exposure and urged authorities to prioritise tackling air pollution, especially in heavily-polluted cities.  

 

The tech entrepreneur also shared practical ways to reduce exposure to poor air quality. His suggestions included monitoring PM2.5 levels, wearing an N95 mask, and using air recirculation mode in vehicles while travelling through polluted areas.  

 

Johnson’s concerns about India’s air quality were previously highlighted during his visit in December last year when he abruptly left Nikhil Kamath’s ‘WTF’ podcast, despite the presence of air purifiers in the room and his use of an N95 mask. The interview was recorded in a luxury hotel in Mumbai’s Bandra area, where the AQI at the time was around 120.  

 

While praising Kamath as a “gracious host”, Johnson said that the room was circulating outdoor air, rendering the purifier ineffective. He also criticised the extent to which air pollution has become normalised in India.  

 

‘Pollution is deeply normalised in India’

“This was my third day in India, and the air pollution had caused my skin to break out in a rash, with my eyes and throat burning. Pollution is so deeply normalised that no one even notices it anymore, despite the well-documented health risks. People were outside running, and babies and small children were exposed from birth. No one wore a mask, which could significantly reduce exposure. It was baffling,” he wrote on X.  

 

Meanwhile, Nikhil’s brother and Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath, who was also on the podcast with Johnson, has ignited a debate by suggesting that real estate prices should be tied to air quality. “So, shouldn’t property prices be linked to AQI? The higher the AQI, the lower the real estate prices should be. That means if an area has poor air quality, property prices and rents should be lower, and vice versa. After all, by living in such areas, you are accepting higher odds of respiratory ailments, cancer, etc,” Kamath wrote on LinkedIn.