| Superpower Signals â 17 October, 2025 | Hi readers! Welcome to Signals â and happy World Menopause Day (for tomorrow). | Half the world will experience menopause, yet itâs still treated like a niche issue. But before you say, âTash! Iâm young, healthy â thatâs an issue for old ladies,â did you know perimenopause can start as early as your mid 30s? Yeah. Anyhoo... | This week:
⢠3 new science and health discoveries (yes, including sperm racing đď¸)
⢠Superpowered by You: Coaching for performance + recovery
⢠The Lab Note: TSH â your thyroidâs command signal | | One number: |  | That number goes to $26.6 billion p.a if you include medical expenses [PMID: 37115119]. |
| | Latest news: | đď¸ $10M startup turns sperm count into sport | An 18-year-old founder just raised $10M to livestream âsperm racesâ â complete with commentary, college tours, and high-speed cameras tracking the action. His goal? To make declining male fertility a conversation topic, not taboo [the raise]. | Our take: Beneath the absurdity lies fascinating biology. Average sperm counts have dropped by ~50â60% over the past half-century - a debated but telling trend that parallels rising obesity, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Sperm are a live readout of mitochondrial health, fueled by hormones (testosterone, LH, FSH) and nutrients (zinc, selenium, carnitine, CoQ10). Each tailâs mitochondria power movement, so when cellular energy drops, sperm slow down long before disease appears. Luckily, they renew every 2â3 months - meaning better sleep, nutrition, and metabolic health can quite literally upgrade your swimmers [more on sex hormone biomarkers]. | | | | Julija R (Clinical Strategy, Superpower) |
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| | đ TrumpRx is promising big | The new TrumpRx website and Pfizerâs Medicaid deal make headlines for âslashing drug costs,â but experts are skeptical it may lower prices for most Americans, and key details remain secret or unfinished [coming soon website]. | Our take: TrumpRx and the Pfizer x Medicaid âdealâ promises fireworks. The reality? You'll probably just get a damp sparkler and the faint smell of sulfur. Until we actually get rid of PBM rebates, patent fortresses, and spread pricing rackets, your copay will outlive us all. Wake me when they list BPC-157 next to your Lipitor and call it innovation. | | | | Shaun M (VP Medical Ops, Superpower) |
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| | đ§ Low-normal B12 linked to brain decline | UCSF found that even within the ânormalâ range, people with lower B12 had slower thinking and more white-matter damage, hinting that todayâs cutoff for deficiency might be too low [the study]. | Our take: Most people assume ânormalâ means healthy. But in blood work, it often just means not deficient. B12 is a perfect example: small drops can quietly affect energy, mood, and memory long before symptoms show up. We target optimal at 650â900 pg/mL, where brain and nerve function run smoothly. B12 is kind of like the wifi signal at your crappy hotel: technically fine at 30%, but for optimal performance you want closer to 100%. | | | | Brittany K (Longevity Clinician, Superpower) |
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| âOur takeâ is a quick, off-the-cuff perspective on the health trends catching our eye this week. It might be a personal anecdote, a gut-check, or a philosophical lens. Itâs not medical advice, just our two cents. Read with nuance. Disagree with our take? Donât unsubscribe, hit reply. We read everything! |
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| | Superpowered by You: Coaching. | A good coach can spot your blind spots faster than you can say âgrowth mindset.â | And it turns out, the science backs that up. | A meta-analysis of 36 randomized controlled trials found that professional coaching has a moderate effect on performance and well-being (thatâs science-speak for âit actually worksâ), reporting higher self-confidence, stronger leadership skills, and greater clarity around goals [the study]. | Researchers think it works because of a few key things: structure, accountability, and perspective. |  | Will this be the future of high-performance coaching? (I sure hope so.) |
| Lately, weâre seeing a new wave of coaching programs that go deeper â combining leadership guidance with health data and recovery science. Platforms like Lume do this by pairing clients with experienced coaches and tracking things like energy, sleep, and focus, so growth isnât just about âdoing more,â but doing it sustainably. | Superpower members have the best life hacks and health stacks. Got one? Reply and we might feature it in the newsletter...or even surprise you with a Hoodie. |
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| | The lab note: | | Our optimal range: 0.5â1.5 IU/L | What it tests for: How much thyroid-stimulating hormone your pituitary gland releases to regulate thyroid hormone production (T4 and T3). | What it tells you about your health: TSH shows how well your thyroid and pituitary are communicating. High TSH usually means your thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism), while low TSH suggests itâs overactive (hyperthyroidism). Even small shifts can affect energy, mood, weight, and metabolism. Levels can also change with medications, pregnancy, illness, autoimmune thyroid disease, or hormonal transitions like menopause. | | | | | | Give Superpower Signals a read and hit reply to let me know what you think. Your feedback shapes where we go next. | DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this newsletter is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health or wellness routine. |
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