EP 1435
1435. Jenny McCarthy | The 3 Questions You’re NEVER Supposed to Ask
Host Dave Asprey sits down with Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, New York Times bestselling author, actress, and 14-season judge on The Masked Singer, who became one of the most trusted voices in the autism community after her son’s regression following a vaccine reaction, why she refused to sign the vaccine waiver after a gut instinct told her something was wrong, how removing wheat and dairy and aggressively detoxing candida brought her son’s first words back within two weeks, the connection between mold exposure, chronic strep, and PANS and PANDAS in children on the spectrum, why 80 percent of people with autism also have hypermobility and what that means for gut and brain barrier integrity, Dave’s own history with autism and how he addressed mitochondrial energy collapse and neuroinflammation to lose the diagnosis as an adult, the bile and binder protocol using activated charcoal to clear mold and gut toxins, why modafinil became one of Dave’s most important tools for focus and how it can help people on the spectrum who also have ADHD, Jenny’s decision to build her beauty brand Formless Beauty around Environmental Working Group standards instead of cutting corners for profit, Dave’s own mold poisoning story and the documentary he funded to help other families recognize the symptoms, why he used ibogaine to repair brain tissue rather than treat addiction, and a deep dive into peptides, hormone replacement therapy, and the anti-aging protocols women should start using in their 30s and 40s. Essential listening for anyone serious about biohacking, autism recovery, mold illness, longevity, and building a brain that runs on real power instead of survival mode.
Subscribe To The Human Upgrade
In this Episode of The Human Upgrade™...
Back with another long one! Autism, mold poisoning, and cognitive decline share more root causes than most doctors admit, and this episode hands you the biohacking playbook to reverse all three.
Want to try Jenny’s makeup and skincare line? Visit https://bit.ly/Formless-Beauty and use code DAVE to unlock a discount.
Host Dave Asprey sits down with Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, a New York Times bestselling author, actress, comedian, and 14-season judge on The Masked Singer who became one of the most trusted voices in the autism community after her son’s regression following a vaccine reaction. She documented his recovery in books including Louder Than Words and Healing and Preventing Autism, founded the vegan, cruelty-free beauty brand Formless Beauty, and now develops unscripted television, documentaries, and podcasts with her husband Donnie Wahlberg through their Work Baby Productions banner under a first look deal with Lionsgate.
Dave and Jenny trace her son’s autism diagnosis back to a vaccine reaction and walk through the biohacking protocol that helped him recover, including candida detox, activated charcoal binders, collagen and hypermobility support, and hacking his gut with a low toxin diet that removed wheat and dairy. They connect autism to mitochondria energy collapse and neuroinflammation, and explain how nootropics like modafinil restore focus without the crash of stimulants.
The conversation moves into longevity and human performance strategies for adults, covering low dose Cialis for brain blood flow, DHEA and thyroid optimization for women over 35, peptide protocols including melanotan and Retatrutide, cyclical ketosis and fasting alternatives, and why hormone replacement therapy reverses aging instead of causing cancer.
They dig into functional medicine tools for everyday life: electrolytes and salt for blood pressure and sleep optimization, blackout darkness for circadian repair, baking soda for metabolism and alkaline balance, and why Jenny trusts krill oil over fish oil for anti-aging support. Dave breaks down ibogaine and neuroplasticity for brain repair, defends his carnivore leaning diet, shares why Danger Coffee still starts his morning, and calls out AI chatbots for pushing censored health narratives.
This is essential listening for anyone interested in biohacking, human performance, longevity, functional medicine, brain optimization, and building a smarter, not harder approach to supplements and long-term health.
You’ll Learn:
- How mold and candida trigger PANS and PANDAS, and why they mimic autism symptoms
- Why activated charcoal timing determines whether it works as a binder
- The link between collagen, hypermobility, and leaky gut in autism and long-term brain function
- How modafinil, nicotine, and Cialis support brain optimization, focus, and mitochondria function
- Why hormone replacement therapy and DHEA reverse aging in women after 35
- The truth about ketosis supplements, structured water, and alkaline water myths
- How darkness, light exposure, and electrolytes rebuild sleep optimization and metabolism
Keywords: Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, autism recovery, vaccine injury, biohacking, longevity, mitochondria, neuroinflammation, candida detox, mold toxicity, activated charcoal, hypermobility, collagen, modafinil, nootropics, human performance, hormone replacement therapy, DHEA, peptides, melanotan, ketosis, fasting, functional medicine, Danger Coffee, Smarter Not Harder, Dave Asprey, anti-aging, sleep optimization, brain optimization, metabolism, carnivore, ibogaine, neuroplasticity, supplements, PANS PANDAS
Resources:
- Want To Try Jenny’s Makeup And Skincare Sine? Visit https://bit.ly/Formless-Beautyand use code DAVE to unlock a discount.
- Check Out Formless Beauty On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@formlessbeauty
- Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
- Dave Asprey’s Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
- Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15?
- My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)
- Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)
"I literally had a conversation with God and said, 'If you help me heal my boy, I'll teach the world how I did it. I don't care how many people come after me, just show me the way.”
Jenny McCarthy
00:00 – Trailer
A preview clip teasing Jenny’s story of her son’s vaccine injury, autism diagnosis, and the recovery journey that followed.
01:20 – The Human Upgrade Starts
Dave introduces Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg and frames the episode around autism recovery and brain function.
07:13 – Detoxing Candida: The Turnaround
Jenny describes how removing wheat and dairy and aggressively detoxing candida brought her son’s first words back within two weeks.
15:00 – The Anti-Vaxxer Backlash
Jenny recounts going public on Oprah, being warned about a PR campaign against her, and getting labeled the most dangerous woman in America.
23:02 – The Many Flavors of Autism
Dave and Jenny break down different autistic strengths, from engineering pattern recognition to social super-connecting to heightened intuition.
29:36 – Powering Up the Autistic Brain
Dave explains the mitochondrial energy collapse behind autism and how restoring brain power lets the strengths remain while turning off the dysfunction.
35:59 – The Bile & Binder Protocol
Dave walks through timing activated charcoal and digestive enzymes around meals to clear gut and mold toxins without blocking nutrient absorption.
43:53 – Intuition, Trust & Integrity
Dave and Jenny discuss trusting gut instinct in relationships and business, including Dave’s decision to turn down a $75 million bribe.
53:40 – Building an Ethical Beauty Brand
Jenny explains why she built Formless Beauty around Environmental Working Group standards instead of cutting corners for profit.
58:34 – Sensory Sensitivities & Clean Living
Dave and Jenny compare notes on fragrance sensitivity, hormone disruptors, and why autistic brains react strongly to scented products.
01:04:00 – Modafinil: The Focus Drug
Dave shares how modafinil got him through business school and why it can sharpen focus for people on the spectrum who also have ADHD.
01:13:45 – Mold Illness, Memory & Brain Health
Dave connects childhood mold exposure to chronic strep, PANS and PANDAS, and lasting cognitive symptoms.
01:18:26 – Jenny McCarthy’s Show Starts
Jenny takes over hosting duties to run her own list of questions for Dave on longevity, hormones, and biohacking.
01:22:45 – Dave’s Mold Poisoning Story
Dave describes the nosebleeds, rashes, and behavioral symptoms that led him to make the documentary MoldyMovie.
01:31:04 – Nicotine, Ibogaine & Biohacking Extremes
Dave breaks down proper nicotine dosing for focus and metabolism, plus why he used ibogaine to repair brain tissue rather than treat addiction.
01:38:33 – When Biohacking Goes Too Far
Dave recalls giving himself hypothermia after an extended ice bath session and what he learned about pushing cold exposure too far.
01:45:07 – Peptides, Hormones & Anti-Aging Hacks
Dave covers his peptide stack, including melanotan for tanning and libido and Retatrutide for metabolic health.
01:52:24 – Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women
Dave makes the case for bio-identical hormone therapy starting at perimenopause and explains why the cancer-risk narrative around it is false.
Thank you to our sponsors!
– ZenBud | Dave’s Nervous System Biohack. Visit zenbud.health and use code DAVE15 at checkout for a discount.
– MOD | Visit https://mod.com/ for a consultation and get 10% off your first order plus free shipping with promo code DAVE.
– KILLSwitch | If you’re ready for the best sleep of your life, order now at https://www.switchsupplements.com/and use code DAVE for 20% off
– Butcher Box | Go to ButcherBox.com/HUMANUPGRADE to get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ground beef for life, or free chicken thighs or top sirloins in every box for a year with free shipping always.
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
