Summary
Overview
Andrew Herr, founder of Flykit, breaks down why flying leaves us exhausted and how to actually recover from travel. He explains that jet lag isn't just about time zones—it's about 'flight inflammation' caused by pressure changes, lower oxygen levels, and toxic air quality. The conversation covers everything from why airplane food is so salty to how hotel rooms might be making you sick, plus practical strategies for managing circadian rhythm shifts, surviving questionable street food abroad, and why you might lose weight on European vacations despite eating more.
Flight Inflammation: Why Flying Wrecks Your Body
Flying creates a perfect storm of physiological stress that goes far beyond simple fatigue. Cabin pressure equivalent to 8,000 feet altitude means you're breathing 26% less oxygen with every breath, triggering inflammation throughout your body. This pressure change activates the same inflammatory cascade as decompression sickness in divers, causing your immune system to react as if you're under attack. Combined with oxidative stress and toxic air quality during engine startup, your body enters a state of systemic inflammation that affects everything from brain function to blood clotting risk.
- Cabin pressure at 8,000 feet relative altitude means 26% less oxygen in every breath, lowering blood oxygen saturation into the 80s-90s instead of normal 99-100
- Pressure changes trigger inflammation similar to decompression sickness, causing immune system activation that makes you feel exhausted and foggy
- Blood clot risk on planes is caused by pressure changes, not just sitting—studies show dramatically higher clotting activation in pressurized environments
- VOCs and particulates spike to unhealthy levels during engine startup when exhaust gets sucked into cabin through bleed air system
- Fume events from burning engine oil containing organophosphates (nerve agent class compounds) occur over 100 times per million flights
" It turns out that it's not just because you're sitting for a long time. Many Americans sit on their couch for eight hours at a time, and they have done these studies, and it's the pressure change. "
" When we get sick, a lot of why we feel bad is our immune system. But it's because it can ramp up so aggressively. But it's an exponential system. So if you trigger the exponential parts of the system, then you can have a massive response from a small initial starting point. "
Airplane Air Quality: Breathing Toxins at 30,000 Feet
Airplane air quality involves three major problems beyond just recirculated air. The bleed air system that provides cabin air can suck in toxic engine exhaust during startup, creating unhealthy spikes in VOCs and particulates. Fume events occur when engine oil containing organophosphates gets into the cabin air, with over 100 incidents per million flights causing serious health effects including a 2024 death. Some international routes also spray insecticide in the cabin while passengers are onboard, creating additional toxic exposure that would be illegal in other contexts.
- HEPA filters work well for viruses/bacteria, but risk drops significantly if you're more than 2 rows away from sick passengers
- Bleed air system pulls air from engines before combustion, but during ground operations can suck in exhaust causing unhealthy VOC/particulate spikes
- Fume events from burning engine oil occur 100+ times per million flights; oil contains organophosphates in same class as nerve agents
- Some international routes spray insecticide in cabin during flight, exposing passengers to toxins that would require evacuation in other settings
- 787 and A350 aircraft have separate compressors instead of bleed air, plus better cabin pressure at 6,000 feet vs 8,000 feet, reducing inflammation
" In 2024, a Swiss Air flight attendant died as a result of one of these fume events. So then this started to get more and more attention. "
" Flying on a 787 or an A350 can help you feel better from the flight stress and the inflammation. Because of their composite structure, they pressurize the plane to about 6,000 feet relative altitude, whereas almost every other commercial jet is pressurized to 8,000 feet relative. "
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