Deepinder Goyal's proposed solution involves daily sessions on inversion tables, which tilt users upside down to potentially increase blood flow to the brain.
Published Nov 22, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 22, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Deepinder Goyal. (X)
Synopsis: The 42-year-old entrepreneur’s theory centres on three interconnected claims: that upright posture reduces cerebral blood flow, that neurons controlling aging processes are particularly vulnerable to reduced circulation, and that these brain regions govern systemic aging throughout the body.
Deepinder Goyal, the billionaire founder of Zomato and longevity start-up Continue Research, has ignited a heated scientific debate with his “Gravity Aging Hypothesis” (GAH), which proposes that decades of standing upright may be shortening human lifespans by restricting blood flow to the brain.
The 42-year-old entrepreneur’s theory centres on three interconnected claims: that upright posture reduces cerebral blood flow, that neurons controlling aging processes are particularly vulnerable to reduced circulation, and that these brain regions govern systemic aging throughout the body.
“I am saying gravity shortens lifespan,” Goyal wrote in a series of posts on X this week, positioning the hypothesis as an open-source contribution to longevity science rather than a commercial venture.
His proposed solution involves daily sessions on inversion tables, which tilt users upside down to potentially increase blood flow to the brain. According to Goyal, preliminary research by his team found that six weeks of daily inversion table use for more than 10 minutes increased average daily brain blood flow by 7 percent, which he claimed could “possibly nullify 10 years of loss” associated with aging.
Goyal’s theory went viral after he was photographed wearing a small device on his right temple, prompting widespread speculation about his longevity research. However, the entrepreneur quickly acknowledged missteps in his initial presentation.
“I did not explain the Gravity Aging Hypothesis well, the first time. I brought my consumer internet brain into a deep scientific field and I miscommunicated,” Goyal wrote in a follow-up post, adding, “I tried to compress years of research and thinking into a dramatic social media reveal. That made the hypothesis sound absolute and commercial – while it’s really not.”
He emphasized that GAH is not a proven theory but an open scientific idea requiring rigorous testing. “A ‘hypothesis’ is an idea that is suggested as the possible explanation for something that has not been found to be true or correct,” he clarified.
I did not explain the Gravity Aging Hypothesis (GAH) well, the first time.
I brought my consumer internet brain into a deep scientific field and I miscommunicated. I tried to compress years of research and thinking into a dramatic social media reveal.
That made the hypothesis… pic.twitter.com/I4dq0XkTPg
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) November 20, 2025
The hypothesis has drawn sharp criticism from medical experts who argue that aging is far more complex than Goyal’s theory suggests.
Dr. Arvinder Singh Soin, a Padma Awardee and liver transplant surgeon, offered a detailed rebuttal on social media. “Aging is a complex cellular process and governed not just by a math equation ‘gravity + standing upright,'” he wrote, listing several scientific objections.
Dr. Soin pointed out that the body has protective systems ensuring consistent oxygen delivery to the brain regardless of posture, that brain cells adapt to minor blood flow changes, and that aging is driven by DNA damage, mitochondrial wear, inflammation, and hormonal changes—not simply posture.
He also questioned the logic of the hypothesis by noting that astronauts in zero gravity show signs of accelerated aging rather than longevity, and that many people maintain sharp mental acuity well into their nineties despite a lifetime of upright posture.
“Suggesting hanging upside-down as anti-aging mantra? This lacks real clinical evidence,” Dr. Soin cautioned, warning that inversions could be risky for people with high blood pressure, spine issues, and certain eye conditions.
Blaming gravity for aging? @deepigoyal
That’s one way to defy medical science and physics in one swipe! 😒
Aging is a complex cellular process and governed not just by a math equation “gravity + standing upright.”
Here are some indisputable facts that your hypothesis, as…
— Dr. Arvinder Singh Soin (@ArvinderSoin) November 20, 2025
Other critics have expressed concern that the theory appears speculative and could be a commercial prelude for potential anti-aging products, though Goyal has maintained that Continue Research operates as a research team and seed fund rather than a commercial company.
Goyal described himself as a “curious nerd who is positively obsessed with staying healthy” rather than a neuroscientist, explaining that a “penny drop moment” two years ago led him to the hypothesis.
“I am not rooting for this to be right, only tested,” he said. “If even part of it holds, it changes how we think about posture, blood pressure, and brain health for the next century.”
The entrepreneur has invested $25 million of personal funds into Continue Research, which aims to extend healthy human function through open-source biological research. He framed short human lifespans as civilization’s “core bug,” arguing that 80-year lives make people “reckless” because they won’t face long-term consequences of decisions.
Goyal emphasized that his hypothesis doesn’t claim gravity is the sole cause of aging or that microgravity is anti-aging. Instead, he argued that “gravity-driven stress on brain perfusion might be one major upstream axis we have underexplored.”
Goyal said Continue Research is working with scientists to test and challenge the hypothesis, though he provided no peer-reviewed studies or institutional backing in his posts. He claims “eminent scientists from around the world” have supported the theory and called it potentially groundbreaking.
“Our commitment: We’ll ‘continue’ to fund and support work that proves or disproves it,” he said, adding that the company would fund research whether it validates or refutes the hypothesis.
The entrepreneur included disclaimers that his statements don’t constitute medical advice and urged readers to consult physicians before attempting inversions. He also acknowledged that even if humans learn to live better with gravity, “we won’t defy death. But we might just unlock two, three, or maybe even five more decades of healthspan.”
Whether the gravity-aging theory gains traction in the scientific community remains to be seen. For now, Goyal is asking the public and scientific establishment to weigh in on what he describes as “a starting point for rigorous testing rather than a proven fact.”
As one X user cautioned: “You are fixated on an idea or an hypothesis which has faulty premises. You are going deeper in a dark cave without an escape hatch. Return back leaving your ego inside that. You will feel lighter. I wish you would divert your smartness and financial resources in improving the health-span rather than lifespan.”
