My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Chronic inflammation is a common underlying driver connecting diverse conditions (depression, neurodegeneration, autoimmune disorders) and explains why seemingly different interventions (psychedelics, cold exposure, fasting) work across multiple conditions
The Reasoning
Different therapeutic interventions that seem unrelated (psychedelics, cold plunges, vagus nerve stimulation, fasting) all have strong anti-inflammatory effects. If chronic inflammation underlies many seemingly different conditions, this would explain why these diverse treatments work across multiple conditions
What Needs to Be True
- Chronic inflammation plays causal role in mental health conditions
- Anti-inflammatory effects of psychedelics account for some therapeutic benefits
- Microglial cell dysfunction contributes to neurodegeneration
- Inflammatory cytokines directly impact mood and cognition
- Various treatments work through common anti-inflammatory pathways
Counterargument
Conditions like depression and neurodegeneration have distinct neurochemical and genetic causes that aren't reducible to inflammation; anti-inflammatory effects might be correlation rather than causation
What Would Change This View
Rigorous studies showing anti-inflammatory interventions don't improve mental health outcomes, or evidence that psychedelics work through mechanisms unrelated to inflammation
Implications for Builders
Focus on developing safe anti-inflammatory treatments
Look for business opportunities in inflammation monitoring
Consider anti-inflammatory effects when evaluating health interventions
Build products around lifestyle interventions that reduce inflammation
Example Application
“A health tech company develops continuous inflammation monitoring devices, helping people optimize diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices based on real-time inflammatory markers rather than just traditional health metrics”