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Try This: 4 Fascinating (and wild) Things I’ve Come Across This Week

Lead Poisoning, Advancements in Therapies, Genetic Risk Factors, and More

Author

Dhru Purohit
July 04, 2025

This week I’m sharing four fascinating (and wild!) things I’ve come across this week!

Today at a glance: 

  • Wild Theory: The crazy connection between heavy metal poisoning and the brains of serial killers. Yes, serial killers!

  • New Study Alert: If you or anyone you know is navigating chemotherapy, you need to see this promising study. Hint: it’s all about chronobiology.

  • A Possible Cure? There is no known cure for the autoimmune condition called type 1 diabetes…yet! A promising new trial has the medical community hopeful.

  • Cheaper Than Sauna: Could this free tool give you the same (or even better) results as regular sauna use?

    Let’s get into it…

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My sister came across this article on social media, which brought about the questions, why were there so many serial killers at a particular time in our history, and why were many of them from a specific area of the Pacific Northwest? Could lead be partly to blame? Yes, lead—the heavy metal. This is the fascinating and frightening subject of this article and a new book called Murderland.  

Researchers have found strong links between childhood lead exposure and aggressive, impulsive behavior later in life. This could have been the case in an area of Washington with smelters that caused there to be high amounts of heavy metals in the water and air—an area that a few serial killers (like Ted Bundy and Charles Manson) lived in. While this doesn’t mean lead alone “made” them serial killers, it could help explain why so many emerged from that generation and why rates have dropped as lead exposure has declined. 

Lead is not completely a thing of the past. Water pipes, old paint in old homes, and other even older toys can be hidden sources of lead that we need to look out for, especially with young children. If you suspect your kids are being exposed to lead, it’s best to remove the source completely and work with a functional medicine or integrative doctor to protect their brains as much as possible. 

If you know anyone who is currently going through chemotherapy, this is really important. 

In a recent study, patients with lung cancer who got chemo-immunotherapy before 11:30 a.m. had a 54 percent lower risk of death and an overall improved treatment response compared to those who received the therapy after eleven thirty. 

While this was a retrospective study and we can’t jump to more definitive conclusions until randomized trials are done, it’s still worth paying attention to. 

So, what could potentially be going on here? Why is treatment responding to our circadian biology? Brandon Luu, MD, explains: 

This is potentially more evidence that our body works in a very particular rhythm, and honoring that rhythm can be really powerful. This emerging science is super fascinating and something I hope physicians will start to pay attention to, as it might improve treatment outcomes.

On the topic of cancer, I'm also impressed by the work of Dr. Valter Longo showing that fasting before chemotherapy or immunotherapy dramatically improves their effectiveness.

In this brand-new, fascinating study researchers point to a potential new treatment for type 1 diabetes. Twelve individuals with type 1 diabetes were given stem-cell-derived pancreatic islets. Not only did they start producing insulin again, but after a year, 10 of them no longer needed insulin AT ALL. Whoa! This is huge. 🤯 

As @cremieuxrecueil explains, after a month of treatment, participants’ A1C started to improve toward prediabetic levels, and they were able to maintain stabler blood glucose levels. 

What does this mean? 

I couldn’t have said it any better. The future of treating type 1 diabetes is looking very promising. 

A recent review dropped a surprising insight: hot baths may actually outperform saunas when it comes to supporting your heart, improving circulation, and giving your immune system a boost.

That’s right. When researchers directly compared hot water immersion to sauna use, the humble bath came out on top. People who soaked in hot water experienced better vascular function and greater reductions in inflammation than those who used the sauna.

Here’s why it works: soaking in hot water increases your core body temperature, causes blood vessels to widen, and nudges your heart rate higher. These effects mimic the benefits of light exercise. It’s a mild stressor that trains the body to adapt, grow stronger, and recover faster.

The protocol that worked best? Just 20 to 30 minutes in a hot bath set to around 104°F (40°C), repeated four to five times per week (in the study, they had participants do 45 minutes). No infrared tech. No gym membership. No complicated biohacking gear. Just you, your tub, and a bit of consistency.

To be clear, saunas are still a fantastic tool. If you have access, most experts recommend two to three sessions per week at 176°F to 212°F for 5 to 20 minutes. Saunas are especially helpful for stress reduction and long-term cardiovascular support. But the takeaway is this: hot baths aren’t second place. In some cases, they may actually be the better option.

If you have a bathtub, you already have everything you need. Hot baths are free, accessible, and incredibly underrated. This is one of those low-tech and high-reward tools that deserves more attention.

Sometimes the most powerful interventions aren’t complicated. They’re simple, repeatable, and already within reach.

Reminder: If you are new to sauna and hot water immersion, take it slow and never choose a temperature that you're uncomfortable with to start.

That’s a wrap,
Dhru Purohit

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