Microplastics In Glass Bottles & Lead In Salt?

Ben mentions that his book Boundless contains three full pages of jet lag protocols. He personally sleeps 8+ hours on the plane and feels zero jet lag by combining these strategies. He emphasises that international travel doesn’t have to be hard if you follow the rules.

The study’s resistance protocol used progressive overload and full‑body movements, and the cardio was steady‑state, not HIIT. Ben speculates that switching to HIIT could save time but might push cortisol too high, so for most dieters the longer steady‑state approach is safer. He also proposes a workaround: brisk walking to the gym while doing phone calls or listening to podcasts, then lifting, then brisk walking back — effectively embedding the cardio into the commute.

Ben developed this strategy for clients who lack time for long gym sessions. He calls it the ‘strike (caffeine), stroll (cardio), shiver (cold)’ method. While not directly backed by a single study, he says it works for him and many clients, keeping them lean with minimal mental friction.

The study compared Pilates, Tai Chi, core stabilization, McKenzie exercises, aerobic exercise, and yoga. All significantly reduced low‑back pain, but yoga ranked highest. Ben notes that yoga cleverly incorporates elements of all the others: pain‑free motion, deep core engagement, breath work, and even planking/stabilization. Practicing in a heated environment may add a gentle aerobic component.

Ben presents this as a personal habit, not a scientifically proven protocol. He mentions it in the context of microplastic elimination, saying that sweating, breathing, bowel movements, and coffee enemas all help, though he stresses that the biggest lever is limiting sources. He does it himself once a week.

Ben explains that he fills his Mobot or glass bottle from hotel gym RO water (most gyms have good filtration) rather than buying bottled water. This simple swap eliminates a large portion of exposure, especially from beer, lemonade, and soda in painted‑cap bottles.

The study examined cap paint composition, shape, and colour of microplastic particles found in the beverages; they matched the cap paint, suggesting mechanical abrasion during handling. Beer contained 60 particles per litre, lemonade 40, other soft drinks 30. Water (still or sparkling) had significantly fewer, likely because water-bottle caps are often unpainted. Wine with painted caps can also contain microplastics, but typically minimal. The toxicological significance is still debated, but the exposure is noteworthy.

Ben stresses that this is a modern inconvenience and not a reason to panic. He outlines extreme removal options — therapeutic apheresis, plasma exchange (expensive, rarely covered) or the Marker filtration protocol offered by Lumati in Tijuana (~$25,000) — but says they are unrealistic for most. Instead, he emphasises limiting sources: sweat (pores can pass ~100 Da particles), breathing, bowel movements, and he continues his once‑a‑week coffee enema (no direct research, but he believes it may stimulate glutathione and detox). The main advice is to audit your fridge and pantry: how much are you drinking from painted‑cap bottles and cans, especially beer and lemonade? He recommends using a stainless‑steel or glass bottle filled from a good reverse‑osmosis water filter. He still occasionally drinks Diet Coke but aims for 90% from his own container.

The trial used resistance training with progressive overload, multi‑joint, full‑body movements (squats, deadlifts, bench press, row, leg press, core work). The endurance component was 30–90 minutes of steady‑state aerobic exercise (treadmill incline, cycling, zone 2). The strength‑before‑cardio group lost more body fat percentage over 12 weeks. Ben cautions that the subjects were obese young males, so the results may not directly translate to lean trained individuals or older sedentary people.

He also discusses a possible time‑efficient alternative: finishing strength with a short HIIT session (e.g., 10×20 sec hard/40 sec rest), but warns that too much intensity could elevate cortisol excessively, leading to calorie retention and metabolic down‑regulation. Therefore, for most people with fat‑loss goals, the safer, proven route is strength then steady‑state cardio. He also offers a practical workaround for those short on time: brisk‑walk to the gym, lift, brisk‑walk back, combining transport with cardio.

Researchers assigned 45 resistance‑trained men (18–40 years) to 5 g creatine monohydrate or placebo (maltodextrin) per day for 12 weeks. They controlled diet and training, measured total and free testosterone, DHT, and used a TrichoScan/PhotoFinder system to assess hair density, follicular unit count, and cumulative hair thickness. Total testosterone rose slightly and free testosterone dipped across both groups, but these changes were insignificant and independent of supplementation. DHT levels and DHT:testosterone ratios did not differ between groups, and all hair‑growth parameters were unchanged. The study concludes that creatine neither promotes hair growth nor causes hair loss.

The review (published in a journal of musculoskeletal disorders) evaluated Pilates (deep spinal/pelvic stabilization using reformers or mat), Tai Chi (slow flowing movements, breathing), core stabilization (planks, bridges, bird‑dogs à la Stu McGill), McKenzie method (directional extension/flexion to reduce pain), aerobic exercise (walking, cycling, swimming), and yoga. All six were effective, but yoga was the clear winner. Ben suggests that yoga incorporates elements of the others: moving through a pain‑free range of motion, deep core engagement, breathing, and even some aerobic aspects, especially if practiced in a heated environment.

The complaint alleged that the 'fine ground' and 'light gray' Celtic sea salt contained 0.69 µg lead per serving (above California’s 0.5 µg daily dose) and 140 ppb arsenic (above EPA’s 10 ppb for drinking water). However, the case was resolved as a false‑advertising matter, not a safety recall; no product or packaging changes were required. Ben presents a chart showing lead in common foods: shrimp (0.69), spinach (0.70), chocolate cake (0.71), carrots (0.80), grape juice (1.06), sweet potatoes (1.68), red wine (1.91), baby food (2.94), water (3.56), white wine (4.68) — all exceeding Celtic salt’s 0.68 µg. The company confirmed that trace metals are naturally occurring in the clay that gives the salt its minerals, and the average lot tests around 110 ppb lead (20% of Prop 65 limit). The arsenic is organic, considered safe. Ben will continue using it.

In the study, rats received creatine orally, not at all, or via intranasal infusion (using creatine hydrochloride). The intranasal group showed higher brain creatine and better cognitive performance on the Barnes maze task. The logic is that the olfactory pathway bypasses the BBB, delivering compounds directly to the brain. Ben jokingly wonders when bodybuilders will start snorting creatine alongside smelling salts, and asks listeners to report if they try it.