5HT: 5 Healthyish Things, including whole body deodorant and spit sensors

Once upon a time, deodorant’s job was simple: Keeping your underarms from betraying you in meetings or while nervously waiting for a text back. 😅

Then, deodorants came to save pits and privates. Lume, created by an OB/GYN, was one of the first to enter the space—launching in 2018 to bring freshness to “pits, privates, and beyond.” Around the same time, Ballsy launched products for men’s below-the-belt odor control. (Tbh, this being a thing is new to me.)

Now, you’ve likely seen whole-body deodorants everywhere, bringing freshness to more than just your pits and nether bits. Brands like Dove, Megababe, Mando, and Dr. Squatch (which, btw, did a strange thing with Sydney Sweeney's bathwater 🤨) are in on it—selling odor control from feet to skin folds. Or as Lume says: “Anywhere you have odor but wish you didn’t.”

Technically, the science checks out. Anywhere trapped sweat and bacteria mingle can produce odor, sure. But is this part of a bigger trend of always wanting to be clean? A revolt against natural deodorants? Or brands trying to earn a buck by making us think we’re smelly?

I’ve personally never been tempted to use deodorant anywhere but my underarms 🤷 buuut smelling like coconut in even more places does sound kinda nice. 😂

Brb: Taking a break from the word “pits” for a while. 😅

You’ve probably heard of the Liver King—real name Brian Johnson (not that Bryan Johnson)—or seen his Netflix documentary. Essentially, he turned eating raw testicles 😐 into an Instagram career and launched a supplements company before the steroid scandal hit. I’ve mostly avoided him out of a lack of interest. 🤷‍♂️

But now the Primal Queen (unrelated!) has entered the organ meat market—and she’s trending. Her brand focuses on beef organ supplements 🥩 made for women by women. Their blends are grass-fed, non-GMO, and backed by clinical data. In a triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study of 100 women by an independent third party, they reported improved mood, reduced cramps, and more energy—especially by cycle three.

Cool to see someone making products like this specifically for women—and having the data to back it up. I do think there are benefits to organ meat (just not when wrapped in wellness theatrics), which I wrote about in this edition, if you’re curious.

There’s a new wearable in town—and this one lives in your mouth? Lura Health (which recently received a grant from ​​the National Science Foundation) is a micro sensor about the size of a grain of rice that sticks to your back molar and analyzes your saliva. Turns out, saliva—like blood—can reveal 100s of biomarkers, from glucose and electrolyte levels to biologics. 

It’s being touted as a noninvasive and pain-free alternative to health monitoring and is basically like having a metabolic panel camping out in your mouth. When I first saw this, I couldn’t believe it 🤯. Naturally, I immediately dropped it into our 5HT+ members-only feed.

Buuut does it work? We’ll see. They recently completed their first first-in-human clinical study and received IRB approval for a Non-Significant Risk Designation. I also think it’s smart they’re launching with a focus on glucose monitoring, becoming a competitor to CGMs. If effective, it could be a major breakthrough. But time (or spit?) will tell. 

It reminds me a bit of Throne, which is like the WHOOP for poop 💩 and recently raised $4M in a seed round for their bathroom diagnostics. (Congrats, Scott!) Both point to the same trend: People want more preventative healthcare, they’re willing to pay for it, and the more accessible, the better.

I’m definitely going to try it and report back.

Two sisters—a doctor and an award-winning toy creator—walk into a bar…and walk out redesigning kids’ medical devices.

Okay, they didn’t actually walk into a bar (or maybe they did, but that detail didn’t make the About page 👀). But these two sisters behind Playhouse MD really are reimagining children’s medical tools.

After seeing how scared kids were of standard (read: uninspiring) medical devices, they combined their skill sets to add smiles to sick days. From a giraffe thermometer 🦒to a rocket medical dispenser 🚀, they believe in playful design for more playful parenting.

I’m into it. And as the dad of two girls, I’d definitely opt for a narwhal nasal bulb that lights up over the generic, grey one. 😆

GLP-1 is the hormone everyone’s talking about lately. Supplements that naturally increase GLP-1 production are also joining the party. 🎉

Buuut if you’re skeptical about supplements, I get it. Cause, guess what? I mostly am, too. I generally think there’s too much hype, too little evidence. It’s why I’m hyper-selective with what I take.

One of the few brands earning my trust? Pendulum. Here’s why 👇🏼 

Oh, and it’s backed by Catwoman. Halle Berry takes Pendulum, too. So technically, Halle Berry and I have the same gut routine. 😏

Their flagship probiotic, Akkermansia, which I’ve told you about before, has been shown in preclinical studies to increase GLP-1 production*—something few probiotic brands can claim.

How else do you increase GLP-1 production? Pendulum did the research (so I didn’t have to). Here’s what may help:

Pair these practices with Akkermansia, and your gut will thank you. (My biomarker results certainly did.)

And look, as Pendulum says, it takes guts to be healthy. I’d add: Making something trustworthy in a crowded supplement aisle also takes guts. 

So this is your last chance to grab Pendulum’s exclusive deal for 5HT readers and improve your gut health. Get it before it’s gone.👇🏼  

*This product is not intended for weight loss

👋 Who are you again? I’m Derek Flanzraich—founder of two venture-backed startups in Greatist (👍) and Ness (👎). I’ve worked with brands like GoodRx, Parsley, Midi, Ro, NOCD, and Peloton. I now run Healthyish Content, a premium health content & SEO agency (among other things).

Every Thursday, I share 5 health things I feel strongly about so you can live healthyish. (Disclaimer: I’m more your friend with health benefits. None of this is medical advice.) 

And oh, you also feel strongly about some health things? Hit reply—I’d love to hear it.