Internal medicine expert responds to Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal’s viral post on whether gravity contributes to ageing, and inversions help: ‘Need careful scrutiny’

In simple words, the theory is that ageing accelerates because gravity continuously pulls blood downward when we’re sitting or standing. By spending time upside-down using inversion tables or adopting head-below-heart yoga poses, the claim is that blood flow to the brain improves, thus slowing ageing.

But is there any truth to his claim?

“Although short inversions temporarily increase blood flow to the head, this does not translate to reversing biological ageing or causing life extension. Cellular processes of ageing are complex, and oxidative stress, metabolic factors, and genetic and lifestyle factors interact in ways that cannot be significantly changed by simply turning the body upside down. The hypothesis mixes physiological concepts with broad conclusions that current research does not support,” said Aniket Mule, consultant, internal medicine, KIMS Hospitals, Thane.

Caution is required when it comes to inversion practices, Dr Mule contended. “It increases pressure in the eyes, brain, and chest. People with hypertension, glaucoma, heart disease, vertigo, cervical spine problems, or those on blood thinners should completely avoid it. Even for healthy individuals, prolonged or frequent inversion will lead to dizziness, headache, blood pressure changes, or irregular heart rhythms. Risks do not justify an unproven anti-ageing benefit.”

Why did Goyal propose this?

Defending his stance, Goyal explained that “I’ve spent years optimising my health and performance”. “I’ve tracked my blood. I’ve fasted, trained, meditated, submerged myself in ice, sat in hyperbaric chambers, and taken countless supplements. Staying healthy is hard. It takes too much time,” the 42-year-old mentioned in an X thread.

Here’s what you should consider (Photo: Freepik)

He continued that he “racked his brain” to determine whether “humanity had overlooked a simple point” about gravity. “One day, I wondered if there was a leverage point that humanity had missed altogether. But how could that be? Humanity has been obsessed with longevity for millennia. If a straightforward answer existed, would we not have found it by now? But usually, the answers to the most complex problems are surprisingly simple. I thought that the only way humanity could have missed a big leverage point was if the answer was so obvious that all of humanity looked right past it. I racked my brain, searching for what that overlooked factor could be. What is constant across all organisms, inescapable by mutation or adaptation, obvious yet invisible? And then, a word surfaced in my mind. Gravity.”

As he asked a flurry of unresolved questions, he went on to share the idea behind the proposal. “I really hope that all these questions spark global research, something which is beyond my ability or my resources to achieve. At my end, I am going to continue doing my bit to develop this school of thought as much as I can. Including promoting the f out of this tweet so that scientists across the world take notice, and take this further, beyond what I will ever be able to do.”

Interestingly, before posting this tweet, he was pictured wearing a tiny device on his right temple touted to measure blood flow. Responding to a LinkedIn user’s speculation that the device, tentatively called ‘Temple’, is used to measure blood flow, Goyal acknowledged it but said it is not a marketing gimmick. “While conducting research on the Gravity Ageing Hypothesis, we had to make an experimental device to calculate Brain Flow accurately, in real-time, and continuously. Been using it for a year, and I’ve been feeling that this could shape into an important wearable the world needs. Brain Flow is already well accepted as a biomarker for ageing, longevity, as well as cognition. So this device is useful and relevant even if the Gravity Aging Hypothesis turns out to be wrong,” he explained in a post on LinkedIn.

“Temple is going to be a small, cute company, if at all. Nothing compared to Eternal. We didn’t cook up the Gravity Aging Hypothesis to sell Temple. Not my game to lose the trust our customers have in me over a marketing gimmick,” Goyal clarified.

So, what helps if you are looking at similar answers on tackling ageing?

Curiosity is natural, but bold claims around “ageing hacks” need careful scrutiny, cautioned Dr Mule. “Occasional, supervised inversion may be safe for healthy adults, but it isn’t a shortcut to longevity. Focus on well-established lifestyle habits to reap far more meaningful, sustainable benefits,” said Dr Mule.

Deepinder responded to a user’s comment (Photo: Screenshot from LinkedIn)

Good science keeps coming back to the same basic elements: a sensible diet, consistent exercise, good sleep, retaining muscular mass, stable metabolic function, and solid management of stress, affirmed Dr Mule. “These repeatedly are associated with quantifiable effects on inflammation, cardiovascular function, cellular repair, and overall life span,” said Dr Mule.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

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