5 Healthyish Things, including fearmongering and protein shakes

Recently in this newsletter, we talked about how research in women’s health is overlooked. But it’s not just research—it’s funding, too. I’ve seen it repeatedly: Women’s health startups get dismissed as “too niche” by investors. And, you guessed it, most investors are male. 🫠 

When you look at the numbers, it’s actually astounding. The women’s health market is projected to reach $66B in the next eight years. Yet, startups in this space secure only 2% of venture capital funding directed toward healthcare. (If you’re thinking, WTH, I’m right there with you.)

One company that has refused to be overlooked (and I’m an early proud advisor to) is Allara, a telehealth platform for women who suffer from hormone conditions like PCOS. In the US alone, an estimated 5-6M women have PCOS—nearly the same amount as those who have Alzheimer's. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t call that “niche.” Thankfully, investors are finally catching up, leading Allara to announce a recent $26M in Series B funding.

Behind Allara is Rachel Blank, a total firecracker who’s been relentless in growing this business and has had to work twice—or even ten times—as hard to get here. And she’s finally seeing the payoff. I’m really excited for her and the other companies in women’s health having breakthroughs. 

Other recent ones that come to mind include Midi Health (Disclaimer: I help ‘em out!) and Maven Clinic. But they are still very far and few in between. Let’s hope Allara, Midi, and Maven can really grow more momentum for this critically important space.

Most men (65%) avoid seeking medical attention for as long as possible. (Not me 💁🏻‍♂️.) But SNL might've found the fix: Turn checkups into a podcast-style experience. It's like Hot Ones—but with stethoscopes. 

An embarrassing story I’ve shared a few times: I spent one summer drinking two Muscle Milks a day, thinking that would help me build muscle and be good for me. 🤦 Spoiler: It wasn't good for me (or for everyone).

But recently, a friend of mine helped found a company called Pioneer Pastures. (Disclaimer: Very minor investor.) And in the last few weeks, they launched at Target nationwide! 

Some background: All cows used to produce milk with A2 beta-casein (“A2 milk”), but now most produce milk with A1 beta-casein instead (“A1 milk”) because of a genetic mutation. The difference? A1 milk breaks down in the gut to something called beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7), which research suggests causes tummy troubles (and potentially even worse things like diabetes and autism too). A2 milk doesn’t produce BCM-7 and is typically easier to digest.

Pioneer Pastures only has A2 milk-producing cows—and they’ve milked those cows to launch two product lines: Milks (Whole Milk and Reduced Fat Chocolate Milk) and protein shakes (Vanilla and Chocolate). The shakes come with clean ingredients, a lactase enzyme that ensures it’s completely lactose-free, and–no joke–30g of protein, 2.5g of fat, and 3g of carbs. (Plus 0g of added sugars.) 

Their protein shakes are “ultra-filtered” to remove excess lactose, water, and more—basically getting more protein and less sugar, as I understand it. It is worth mentioning that some ultra-filtered brands (like Fairlife, which sells similar products) have been flagged for high levels of microplastics. 😬 But there’s a lot we still don’t know here. (Microplastics is a topic for another time, though.)

I was skeptical at first, but the milkshakes are suuuper good. And it's especially satisfying for lactose-intolerant people like me. I think they’re going to be big, and it wouldn’t hurt if you bought some at Target this weekend. I'm just saying.

I covered LMNT in a prior edition of this newsletter. I remain a big fan, but they’ve come under scrutiny in a way that I think really illustrates how easy it is to fearmonger about health on the Internet. I’m biased because I like the product, the co-founder & CEO is a friend, and whenever I look under the surface of these controversies, I don’t feel like my decisions should be any different.

Of course, they’ve made some missteps—not great for maintaining brand trust. But name a company that has gotten big and not been called out for something (or by competitors trying to bring them down). There are also nuances to anything trying to innovate—and no product is perfect for everyone. So, let’s break down the big, scary controversies to see what’s what. 

Controversy #1: Too much lead

Recently, a “groundbreaking report” claimed to find lead in LMNT's electrolyte mix—and the Internet (especially the moms) lost it. LMNT does seem to have lead, but many natural and minimally-processed foods (like root vegetables, leafy greens, and pink salt) contain trace amounts of heavy metals. LMNT’s lead levels fall within Proposition 65 limits, and, for comparison, a single serving of spinach can contain up to 5 mcg of lead. That's 10X more than Prop 65’s limit.

Buuuut lead is a cumulative toxin, so drink it in moderation—and I’d probably steer clear of giving it to kids and pregnant women. Even I don’t use a full packet, but pour small amounts in if I’ve done some super heavy-weight training. My wife does the same. One packet can sometimes last us a week!

Controversy #2: They lied about an ingredient called maltodextrin

LMNT markets itself as having no sugar or dodgy ingredients. Yet, a lab test shared by a Reddit user showed LMNT containing trace amounts of maltodextrin (a highly processed carbohydrate from starch, often used as a thickener and filler in foods). LMNT never listed maltodextrin on the label, leading to accusations of false marketing. 

LMNT claims maltodextrin isn’t added to their labels because it’s a “flavor carrier” rather than an added ingredient. I’ve recently started to formulate my own CPG product (!) and learned that many flavor compounds (like citrus extracts) are difficult to handle in pure form, so they get blended with a tiny amount of maltodextrin as a “stabilizer.”

Another argument is that maltodextrin is basically an added sugar. While maltodextrin does contain a high glycemic index (GI) value, LMNT says they’ve done tests and never seen a blood sugar increase when drinking LMNT… Probably because the amount of maltodextrin in LMNT's electrolyte mixes is so small that it’s insignificant from a health or metabolic standpoint—between 250-550mg per serving or 1/10th of a teaspoon. (For comparison, one slice of white bread contains 5-20X more maltodextrin-like starch.) 

Even though the maltodextrin content is minuscule, it probably should have been disclosed earlier to maintain trust, especially for consumers following specific diets and wanting to know all the ingredients. That said, it’s not industry practice to list it. Is LMNT held to a different standard practice? I can definitely see the argument it should be. FWIW LMNT offers alternatives like Raw Unflavored Drink Mix for those looking to avoid natural flavors, including maltodextrin.

LMNT is inherently built on a controversial take: Not adding sugar and deliberately including very high sodium can be a “healthier” way to replenish electrolytes. To my knowledge, they were the first mover in this space—and that’s awesome and the direction is positive. It’s unfortunate people attack them–or any brand–with claims that essentially have no impact. If something egregious happens, attack away. But if it’s just something for shock value, that’s lame.

(Of course, NOT everyone needs as much salt as LMNT provides. There are risks with having too much, just as there are risks of sodium deficiency. Add salt accordingly.)

Last week, I formally announced the launch of Healthyish Content—a premium content and organic marketing agency 100% focused on health! 🥳🎉 

To kick it off, I wrote an epic (read: long) article about why all health companies should invest in content marketing and broke down how to create the best answer on the Internet for your audience. After years of helping awesome health companies like Midi Health, Oshi Health, NOCD, Parsley Health, Propel, GoodRx, and Ro grow through content and SEO, there's no doubt in my mind that content is key to converting customers at a time when healthcare marketing is harder than ever.

If you’re a health brand ready to scale (or just a fan of my writing?), give it a read. (And reply here if you want to learn more).

• People are dropping $20K for longevity treatments—and this is a closer (though very opinionated) look at some of the best ones.

• You already know I’m a huge fan of Farmer’s Fridge. They pulled off the impossible in healthy airport food—and their recent Fast Company feature is worth a read.

• Neko just raised $260M to make body scanning as common as your yearly checkup, and they’re coming to the US. More scanning!

• MAHA's RFK Jr. is in the midst of his confirmation hearings for Secretary of Health and Human Services. My guess is he gets confirmed, then we'll really see how much he can do.

• Bryan Johnson’s back and replacing his plasma? (Warning: Plasma in a bag looks gross 🫣.)