EP 1273
1273. The Real Reason You Still Feel Tired—Even When Your Bloodwork Looks Perfect | Dr Pompa
In this episode of The Human Upgrade, Dave Asprey sits down with Dr. Daniel Pompa—renowned cellular detox expert and root-cause health strategist—to explore a radical idea: your bloodwork might look perfect… while your cells are screaming for help.
Together, they uncover how hidden toxins, hormone resistance, and cellular inflammation silently sabotage your energy, mood, and metabolism—even when traditional lab tests say you’re healthy. From mitochondrial burnout to environmental toxicity and emotional trauma, this conversation exposes the real reasons so many people feel sick despite doing “everything right.”
If you’ve ever been dismissed by your doctor, trapped in chronic fatigue, or stuck chasing symptoms—this episode will rewire how you see your health and show you how to heal from the inside out.
Subscribe To The Human Upgrade
In this Episode of The Human Upgrade™...
Your bloodwork looks normal. Your doctor says you’re fine. But you still feel exhausted, inflamed, anxious—or worse.
In this episode, Dave Asprey talks with Dr. Daniel Pompa, a leading voice in cellular detox and root-cause healing, to expose the hidden stressors hijacking your energy, hormones, and metabolism—even when your labs say you’re healthy.
Dr. Pompa shares his personal health collapse and reveals how cellular dysfunction, neurotoxicity, and hormone resistance drive the chronic fatigue epidemic. If you’ve ever felt dismissed by “perfect” bloodwork, this conversation will rewire how you think about sickness—and show you how to reclaim real, lasting wellness.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why your bloodwork can be “perfect” while your cells are on fire
- The overlooked hormone resistances sabotaging your energy and metabolism
- The 3-legged stool of chronic illness—and what actually drives disease
- What “upstream detox” really means, and why most cleanses make you worse
- Why toxins trigger genetic expression (and how to shut that down)
- How to fix unexplainable fatigue, anxiety, and weight gain from the inside out
- Why true healing starts with fixing the cell, not the symptom
It’s time to stop chasing symptoms—and start upgrading from the root.
**Check out Dr. Pompas EXCLUSIVE protocol built for The Human Upgrade listeners at davetestkit.com and use code ‘10OFF’ for a discount!**
SPONSORS
-Zbiotics | Go to https://zbiotics.com/DAVE for 15% off your first order.
-Our Place | Head to https://fromourplace.com/ and use the code DAVE for 10% off your order.
“You don’t get well until you fix the cell.”
Dr. Daniel Pompa
- 00:00 Trailer
Quick-hit preview of what you’ll learn about detox, hormones, and why your bloodwork might be lying to you.
- 00:55 Intro
Dave and Dr. Pompa set the stage for a deep dive into cellular healing and chronic health dysfunction.
- 01:10 Healthy Is the New Sick
Why today’s version of “healthy” is a cover for unrecognized inflammation, fatigue, and dysfunction.
- 02:27 Bloodwork & Hormone Resistance
The reason standard lab panels miss cellular-level issues—and how hormone resistance drives symptoms.
- 04:32 Dr. Pompa’s Health Collapse
Pompa shares his journey through thyroid failure, misdiagnosis, and rebuilding his body from the inside out.
- 08:38 Toxins & Environmental Triggers
How everyday exposures—from mold to metals—disrupt cellular energy, gene expression, and hormone balance.
- 15:01 Why Most Detox Fails
Why gut cleanses and juice fasts often do more harm than good without upstream cellular support.
- 29:16 The 5 Rs of Cellular Healing
Dr. Pompa breaks down his core framework for restoring cellular function, energy, and detox capacity.
- 37:06 Olive Oil: Cure or Concern?
The powerful benefits of olive oil—and the oxidative risks when it’s misused.
- 38:11 Fat Balance for Energy
How to properly combine fats to fuel hormones, brain health, and mitochondrial function.
- 42:13 Cholesterol & Saturated Fat
Why the narrative around “bad fats” is outdated—and how cholesterol supports healing.
- 46:26 Restoring Cellular Energy
Strategies to rebuild energy at the mitochondrial level by targeting cell membrane health.
- 51:08 The Power of Diet Variation
How rotating foods and fasting windows improves metabolism, hormone function, and gut resilience.
- 56:57 Plant Toxins Explained
The dark side of plant compounds—from lectins to oxalates—and how they block healing for some people.
- 01:03:28 Emotional & Spiritual Detox
Why trauma, stress, and emotional patterns must be cleared to fully detox and heal at the root.
- 01:13:55 Final Thoughts
Dave and Dr. Pompa wrap with a call to action on taking control of your health at the cellular level.
Resources:
- Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated/
- Dr. Pompa’s Website – https://drpompa.com/
- Dr. Pompa’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/drpompa/?hl=en
- 2025 Biohacking Conference: https://biohackingconference.com/2025
- Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com
- Dave Asprey’s Website: https://daveasprey.com
- Dave Asprey’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/daveasprey
- Upgrade Collective – Join The Human Upgrade Podcast Live: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com
- Own an Upgrade Labs: https://ownanupgradelabs.com
- Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com
- 40 Years of Zen – Neurofeedback Training for Advanced Cognitive Enhancement: https://40yearsofzen.com
Enjoy the show!
LISTEN:
“Follow” or “subscribe” to The Human Upgrade™ with Dave Asprey on your favorite podcast platform.
REVIEW:
Go to Apple Podcasts at daveasprey.com/apple and leave a (hopefully) 5-star rating and a creative review.
FEEDBACK:
Got a comment, idea or question for the podcast? Submit via this form!
SOCIAL:
Follow @thehumanupgradepodcast on Instagram and Facebook.
JOIN:
Learn directly from Dave Asprey alongside others in a membership group: ourupgradecollective.com.
Subscribe To The Human Upgrade
Similar Episodes
Subscribe To The Human Upgrade
BOOKS
4X NEW YORK TIMES
BEST-SELLING SCIENCE AUTHOR
Smarter
Not Harder
Smarter Not Harder: The Biohacker’s Guide to Getting the Body and Mind You Want is about helping you to become the best version of yourself by embracing laziness while increasing your energy and optimizing your biology.
Also Available
