These Epstein photos feature Trump, Clinton and other VIPs
House Democrats have released dozens of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate showing Bill Clinton, Woody Allen and other alleged sex traffickers.
Controversial wellness guru Peter Attia has appeared in the latest batch of Epstein files, raising questions about his ethics.
Although Attia denied having “participated in any criminal activity” due to public references to his name in the file, his interactions with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein exposed questions about his qualifications and background.
In a 2016 email to Epstein, Attia joked that female genitals are “certainly low in carbohydrates, but we’re still waiting for results on gluten content.” Other emails date appointments with Mr. Epstein and colleagues that appear to have occurred around the same time that Mr. Epstein’s one-month-old baby suddenly stopped breathing, an incident in which Mr. Epstein had previously written about and chastised himself for not being by his wife and son’s side.
His public image has already taken a hit, with his “60 Minutes” segment being pulled, a CBS News contributor demanding he be removed, and partnerships with multiple wellness ventures including a protein bar brand and powdered drink supplement AG1 reportedly cut off.
“I apologize and regret putting myself in a position where my emails (some of which were embarrassing, in bad taste, and inexcusable) were made public. That is my responsibility. I accept that reality and the humiliation that comes with it,” Attia said in a statement to X.
Attia is a strong advocate of longevity medicine and has an incredible influence, including 1.6 million followers on Instagram and a podcast, The Drive, which reportedly has over 100 million downloads. His popular book “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity” was a New York Times bestseller in 2023 and 2024.
In response to Attia’s apology statement, some people related to X defended Attia. “Please stop apologizing. Please don’t make me feel bad. Please don’t bring this up again,” one user posted.
“I believe and truly believe that you are driven by a passion for science (medicine). You have contributed widely to society through your work and research. Please stay positive,” one person wrote.
But experts say it’s a reminder to social media consumers that having a large number of followers doesn’t certify their credentials, and that it’s important to look at popular health influencers with a critical eye before “following” them.
Attia is a “great spokesperson” for the idea of healthy aging, but his background is not what his supporters would believe because of the way he presents himself, Dr. Douglas Vaughn, a professor of medicine at Northwestern, told USA TODAY.
“He’s not a scientist. He’s not a researcher,” Vaughn said. “He’s never done any real research in the field of aging, but he’s good at taking information in the field, putting it together, and packaging it in a way that people can understand and relate to.”
Vaughn, who is also director of the university’s Potokusnack Longevity Research Institute, has worked in the field for nearly 40 years, and he and his colleagues have struggled to win grants, organize labs, and test hypotheses.
“He hasn’t contributed to the field in terms of new information or new science,” Vaughn said. “He cherry-picks the information that is out there and packages it in a way that the public can understand.”
Wellness influencers and evidence-based medicine
Experts have long warned the public to be wary of health influencers without proper qualifications. Influencers often spread misleading or outright false information about health, from vaccines to raw milk.
For example, misinformation about the coronavirus has eroded trust in public health institutions, exacerbated already sharp political divisions, and created a near-constant challenge of separating fact from fiction, experts previously told USA TODAY.
“It’s heartbreaking,” said Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, an anesthesiologist and past president of the American Medical Association. “We work diligently to practice evidence-based medicine.”
And even if they disseminate information that contains a kernel of truth, that doesn’t mean everything they say should be taken as fact.
The “gold rush” of longevity medicine
In a now-deleted clip of her 60 Minutes interview with Attia, Norah O’Donnell said the billionaire’s patients were willing to spend six figures to see him.
“That’s a lot of money. What do you get for this?” she asked Atia.
“It’s a path that can help you achieve your goals of living better and living longer,” he says.
Vaughn says he’s wary of people who claim to have all the answers or who try to sell them.
“This is the Wild West. It’s a frenzy of gluttony. It’s a gold rush. You see people getting caught up in the frenzy and the momentum. But in 2026, there are more questions than answers,” he says of the proliferation of longevity drugs. He added that questions remain about the best way to slow aging, whether aging can actually be reversed, and how it can be done safely, effectively and affordably.
“If someone said they knew the answer today, I would be very skeptical,” he says.
Vaughn also said that companies are investing millions of dollars in “efforts to find the fountain of youth,” although there is still much work to be done.
“In the meantime, people will try to take advantage of this because there is an opportunity to make money,” he added.
For example, influencer Brian Johnson has amassed 2 million followers on Instagram as he aims to “achieve immortality by 2039” while also promoting phone apps and supplement products. In January 2025, he starred in Netflix’s Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever, a documentary about extreme exploration.
Follow the science, not the influencers
So who do you follow when an influencer turns out to be not what they seem?
Vaughan suggests consulting “real scientists” for health information.
“These are people who have dedicated their lives, their work, their science to the problems in this field,” he says. “These are programs, people and opportunities that the public should trust and have confidence in.”
For example, someone who runs a research lab and is the author of a peer-reviewed study.
He added that the most important thing when getting information from someone in the medical field is trust and confidence.
Public health scientist Jess Steyer runs a public health data consulting firm that produces the podcast Unbiased Science, which works to counter false health claims that are rampant online.
“I think 99 percent of what I’m doing right now is putting out the fires that wellness influencers have started,” she recently told NPR.
The actual current state of longevity medicine
Although it’s become a buzzword, longevity is not a “silver bullet,” but an evolving science, Vaughn explains.
When it comes to living longer and healthier, for example, several researchers previously interviewed by USA TODAY agree on a few fundamentals: ensuring adequate sleep, exercise, and social interaction. Limit stress. Eat a healthy diet and avoid obesity. Don’t smoke or drink too much. Please drive carefully.
Vaughan agrees that Attia has been an effective and passionate promoter of the importance of exercise and diet.
“I don’t think anyone would dispute this, but it’s unfair to think that he was a real scientist who actually did the research to understand what biological aging is and what we can do about it.”
Some say beware of “experts” who promise to “cure death” and are likely trying to sell you something, Dr. Eric Burdin, who runs the Buck Institute on Aging in Novato, California, previously told USA TODAY.
“There’s a spectrum of what we call crazy,” he said. “We’re not going to cure death. We’re not even sure that’s desirable.”
Contributor: Karen Weintraub
