Liver King (Brian Johnson): Ancestral-lifestyle influencer with millions of followers and owner of 10-12 ancestral supplement companies generating over $100 million a year.
What this episode covers
Liver King traces his origins from a bullied, fatherless childhood that he frames as his first rite of passage, to becoming the barbarian persona he embodies today. He lays out his nine ancestral tenets (sleep, eat, move, shield, connect, cold, sun, fight, bond) as a simple antidote to modern depression, anxiety, and chronic disease. He shares the harrowing story of his son Rad's PANDAS disorder, which he says was reversed by removing cacao and honey and following a strict carnivore diet. He responds to Joe Rogan's steroid allegations by saying he is on cloud nine just to be discussed, and requests a face-to-face conversation, insisting he is natural. In a closing revelation he confesses to a crippling, lifelong fear of public speaking that he hid from his wife and kids before doing the Logan Paul podcast.
The guest's own work
The Barbarian
Liver King
“go learn the barbarian this is a workout that i created it's the hardest thing it's to write a passage a modern day rite of passage”— Liver King
Ancestral Supplements
Liver King
“some of the companies are dietary supplement companies like ancestral supplements strong jaw there's the fittest so there's a whole bunch of them”— Liver King
Strong Jaw
Liver King
“some of the companies are dietary supplement companies like ancestral supplements strong jaw there's the fittest”— Liver King
The Fittest
Liver King
“like ancestral supplements strong jaw there's the fittest so there's a whole bunch of them including heart and soil”— Liver King
Heart & Soil
Liver King
“there's the fittest so there's a whole bunch of them including heart and soil these are all companies i want to have 100 of these”— Liver King
Also referenced (named, not recommended)
Uvex blue light blocking glasses
Uvex
“after the sunset you need to shield yourself from some of the blue lights you can either wear the uvex glasses or put some candle lights up”— Liver King
EpiPen
Mylan
“they needed an epipen they wouldn't be released from the hospital because they couldn't breathe... every doctor just gave more epipen more benadryl”— Liver King
Benadryl
Johnson & Johnson
“every doctor just gave more epipen more benadryl stuff like that and for me the easiest thing to do was to implement a diet change”— Liver King
Big reveals from this episode
- Liver King describes his son Rad developing PANDAS, an autoimmune neurological disorder, saying they thought they were losing him.
- He says removing 100% cacao chocolate and raw honey, on advice from Paul Saladino, reversed his son's condition within days.
- He confirms making over $100 million a year from his businesses.
- He reveals he owns 10 or 12 companies, all ancestral-related supplement brands.
- He confesses a completely crippling, lifelong fear of public speaking where words physically won't come out.
- He admits he didn't sleep for the longest time before the Logan Paul podcast and told no one how terrified he was.
- On Joe Rogan's steroid accusations, he says he was on cloud nine and just wants a face-to-face conversation, claiming he is natural.
- He details making his 15-year-old son complete the Barbarian against the family's wishes as a rite of passage.
Worth remembering
- His nine ancestral tenets are sleep, eat, move, shield, connect, cold, sun, fight, and bond.
- He sleeps on a wooden plank with only a thin wool mat for cushion.
- He claims to not brush his teeth and says he hasn't brushed in a decade, with his retired-dentist wife checking it.
- The Barbarian workout is 70-pound kettlebells in each hand, 70 pounds in a backpack, 120 pounds on a sled, 20-pound ankle weights, for one mile.
- He spends three or four hours in the gym every day and does a five-day water-only fast once a quarter.
- He says the Maasai eat only blood, milk, and meat and points to their jawlines and health.
- His kids get only 40 minutes of screen time a day, and only if they earn it.
- He cites statistics that 80% live paycheck to paycheck, 70% are overweight, 50% on prescription meds, and 20% can't have babies.
- He spends 10 hours every Saturday with his wife as part of their relationship system.
- His wife introduced herself as Liver Queen when they met snowboarding; they celebrated their 18th anniversary.