#2420 - Chris Masterjohn

In this comprehensive three-part episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Joe Rogan welcomes nutrition researcher Chris Masterjohn to explore mitochondrial health as the cornerstone of longevity and disease prevention. Masterjohn dismantles the myth that turkey causes post-Thanksgiving drowsiness, attributing it instead to overeating and the body’s shift into 'rest and digest' mode, while emphasizing sleep’s critical role in allowing mitochondria to recover and regenerate. The conversation spans a wide range of topics, including the benefits of creatine for cognitive function and brain injury recovery, the systemic support of red light therapy and methylene blue (when used appropriately), and the dangers of seed oils—particularly their role in oxidizing LDL particles and driving atherosclerosis. Masterjohn critiques the historical overemphasis on cholesterol as the primary cause of heart disease, pointing to suppressed data from the Minnesota Coronary Survey and the later revelations of key researchers like Daniel Steinberg, who found that damaged seed oil fats—not cholesterol—are the real culprits. He advocates for a 'food-first, pharma-last' approach, promoting nose-to-tail eating, diverse protein sources, and avoiding industrial seed oils due to their hexane processing and long-term risks, including increased cancer and mortality. The discussion further explores micronutrient deficiencies caused by modern dietary advice—such as iodine deficiency from salt avoidance—and highlights natural solutions like natto and natokinase for reducing clotting risk. Masterjohn concludes by reframing heart attacks not as blockages but as clot events triggered by inflamed, unstable plaques, with natto kinase and vitamin K2 offering a food-based strategy to mitigate risk.