1393: Andrew Herr | Why Travel Leaves You Wrecked (and How to Fix It)

What It Covers

Andrew Herr, founder of FlyKit, explains the physiological mechanisms behind travel fatigue — including cabin pressure-induced inflammation, oxygen reduction of 26%, toxic bleed air, and circadian disruption — and provides specific, evidence-based strategies for aircraft selection, supplementation, hotel air quality, sleep temperature, and food safety abroad.

Key Questions Answered

• •Aircraft selection: Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A350s pressurize cabins to 6,000 feet relative altitude versus 8,000 feet on all other commercial jets, delivering measurably more oxygen per breath, lower inflammation risk, higher humidity, and reduced dehydration. The 787 also uses separate compressors instead of engine bleed air, eliminating exposure to organophosphate-containing engine oil fumes that have caused documented passenger illness and at least one flight attendant death.
• •Flight inflammation protocol: Exercising or using a sauna within a few hours before boarding activates stress-responsive genes and hormetic pathways that prime the body's protective systems against cabin-pressure-induced oxidative stress. Polyphenol compounds — from tart cherry, pomegranate, black currant, or anthocyanin extracts — activate cellular protective enzymes more effectively than vitamin C or zinc pills, which only help if the traveler is already deficient in those nutrients.
• •Jet lag has two distinct components: Flight-induced systemic inflammation disrupts REM sleep and blocks circadian resetting, compounding the time-zone shift. Addressing only one component — such as taking melatonin alone — produces incomplete recovery. Methylcobalamin (methylated B12) shifts circadian rhythm forward; magnesium glycinate calms the nervous system; melatonin shifts rhythm backward. Meal timing and light exposure must be coordinated with sleep timing to accelerate full circadian realignment across multiple time zones.
• •Blood clots and edema from pressure, not sitting: Studies placing subjects in simulated cabin pressure environments — without extended sitting — produced dramatically elevated blood-clotting activation. People with the Factor V Leiden genetic mutation face substantially higher risk and should take particular precautions. Leg swelling during flights is edema caused by inflammation weakening blood vessel integrity, not simply fluid pooling from inactivity, and can result in 0.5 to 1 liter of fluid shifting into the legs.
• •Hotel air quality and sleep temperature: Requesting fragrance-free cleaning — available at properties including Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey — reduces upper respiratory inflammation from synthetic fragrances linked to lung aging in professional cleaners. Sleeping at 67–69°F optimizes deep sleep by signaling the brain's sleep-wake center through rapid body temperature drop. Using skirt-clip hangers to seal blackout curtain gaps blocks disruptive light without requiring motorized blinds or additional equipment.
• •Traveler's diarrhea prevention: Starting saccharomyces boulardii probiotics one week before departure provides the most evidence-supported protection against foodborne illness abroad. Spicy food and garlic have no antibacterial effect on pathogens — bacteria lack the capsaicin receptor. Salt at high concentrations does inhibit bacterial growth, making saltier cooked foods marginally safer. Locals develop immune tolerance through childhood exposure, but people who emigrate and return lose that tolerance over time.