I recently watched Poor Things which is basically a modern retelling of Frankenstein. Instead of putting the human body back together, the doctor instead puts the brain back in the body. It’s absurd and very good and quite telling. In real life, Brian Johnson, founder of Blueprint, is testing his own body with the simple goal of don’t die. I see a trend toward not just health and wellness, but in the overall improvement of human vitality emerging. And I think it’s probably a response to AI in our lives.
Cancer’s up
Multiple news sources have reported increases in cancer rates and a shift in the demographics of patients from older to more middle-aged adults.
Colorectal cancer is increasing for patients under age 55, part of a demographic cancer shift that is skewing younger for reasons that aren’t completely clear.
These increases, along with persistent disparities, threaten the progress made over the past three decades in reducing cancer deaths. - Many Cancers Are on the Rise in the U.S., Even as Overall Deaths Fall, WSJ
Noting the shift:
The report found that the demographics of cancer patients are increasingly shifting from older to more middle-age adults, despite cancer being known as a disease of aging. The changes are due to both sharp decreases in prostate and smoking-related cancers in older adults, and rising cancer risks for younger people born since the 1950s, the report said. - WSJ
According to a similar article in the New York Times:
In the late 1990s, colorectal cancer was the fourth leading cause of death for people younger than 50. Now it is the leading cause in men under 50 and the second leading cause in women. Doctors cannot say why. - Cancer Deaths Are Falling, but There May Be an Asterisk, NYT
So younger people are at higher risk for cancer, but the treatment of cancer has gotten much better so overall deaths are down. While both reports make it a point to say that doctors cannot say why, I noticed two things when reading on this in terms of related articles and what the algorithm serves up. Specific to colorectal cancer, the risk factors include a low-fiber, high-fat diet, and a sedentary lifestyle, which would cover health and wellness. But there’s also a question of exposure. Which is when I came upon the headline:
Microplastics Everywhere
Harvard Medicine published an article last year that discussed the extent to which microplastics — particles smaller than 5 millimeters that slough off plastic as it degrades — posed a threat to human health was still being studied. It’s no longer a question of whether we’re consuming microplastics, instead, it’s how bad is it.
Lessons from the field of environmental toxicology raise flags about cancer and reproductive issues. Studies in cell cultures, marine wildlife, and animal models indicate that microplastics can cause oxidative damage, DNA damage, and changes in gene activity, known risks for cancer development. Microplastics have been found in human breast milk and meconium, an infant’s first stool. A few studies in mice have found reproductive effects such as reduced sperm count and quality, ovarian scarring, and metabolic disorders in offspring.
It’s too early to tell if our consumption of microplastics over the past 20+ years is the root cause, but it’s worth looking into the history of plastics. Specifically the classic water bottle:
First patented in 1973 by American entrepreneur Nathaniel Wyeth, the PET bottle has many advantages over glass: lightweight for transport and safe in that it’s virtually unbreakable.
The PET polymer was developed specifically to contain pressurised carbonated drinks, though its popularity as a container for still beverages, above all water, has boomed in the 21st century.
The economics of mass-produced, cheap plastic products have led to a single-use culture, and today around 500 billion PET bottles are sold every year.
This figure is increasing, and the majority of these bottles end up in our oceans, degrading into microplastics. - The age of plastic, Science Museum
In the same fashion that the age of plastic was brought on by business, I think the same can be said for our broader salvation. One quote that stuck out to me from the WSJ article referenced above was that we’ve gotten better at treating cancer but not at preventing it. I said in my intro that I see a trend toward human vitality, and this is what I mean. The subscription model works well because it’s a much better guarantee of income and people tend to forget to cancel them. If we pair that with the growing use of AI, then you’ll start to see that (1) a lot of existing software will melt into AI tools and (2) a demand for the importance of humans — which leads me back to health.
I know this sounds a bit cynical but hear me out: when you have products at the base level like Athletic Greens growing in popularity, and then on the other extreme you have Blueprint, a literal subscription for immortality - you have to wonder why are people buying them? Specifically, tech people. The same people who looked at the internet and built the world they saw are now doing whatever they can to stay alive. Keep an eye out for ads on new supplements and the like, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the tagline ‘War on Plastic’ doesn’t make an appearance with an ad for metal and glass kitchenware.
Thank you
A meta question to ask is why is this story getting so much press at this moment. Many of the articles cited were posted very close to each other in time (over the past week). There’s also the business side which I’ve already seen pushing for metal and glass products like bottles and tupperware. When studying trends, I like to follow the money. I’m really leaning into this belief that AI will lead to a more creative class which I’ve referenced with violet collar workers. An emerging renaissance of sorts, but in a weird and absurd way. The next step toward health will come because, as cheesy as it sounds, the best ideas are executed with a healthy mind. As always, if you have any questions, want more explanations, or strongly disagree, comment below, follow me on Twitter (X), follow me on Threads, follow me on TikTok, or shoot me an email. Oh, and Happy New Year.
Disclaimer: These views are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization with which I am affiliated with.