Peter Attia, the longevity physician behind the 100M+ download podcast The Peter Attia Drive, has left his chief science officer role at David Protein. The departure comes days after his name appeared in over 1,700 documents released in the Jeffrey Epstein case, according to The New York Times.
David founder Peter Rahal announced the move on X Monday, offering no explanation beyond "Dr. Peter Attia has stepped down from his role as Chief Science Officer at David." Attia invested in David's $10M seed round in August 2024 and helped develop the brand's protein-to-calorie metric for its 28g protein, 150-calorie bars.
What's notable: Biograph, the longevity medical testing startup Attia co-founded and chairs, declined to comment on his status there. The silence is striking for a company that emerged from stealth just a year ago positioning Attia as its scientific face.
David raised $75M in a Greenoaks-led Series A in December and is tracking toward $100M+ first-year revenue. The company makes bars using EPG, a fat substitute produced by its acquired subsidiary Epogee. EPG cuts 92% of fat calories but has drawn lawsuits from suppliers over post-acquisition shortages. David blames the plaintiffs' lack of contracts.
The timing matters. David expanded to 3,000 US retail locations betting on protein-obsessed consumers, particularly those on GLP-1 drugs who need high-protein, low-calorie options. Rahal appeared on CNBC in January discussing exactly that market opportunity.
Critics have questioned David's ingredients regardless of Attia's involvement. The bars contain sucralose (linked to gut and cancer issues in animal studies), 9g sugar alcohols (digestive concerns), and zero fiber. Some call it hype over substance despite backing from Attia and fellow podcaster Andrew Huberman.
What happens to Attia's equity stake and whether this affects Biograph's trajectory remain unclear. For now, the longevity expert who built a brand on optimization and transparency is notably quiet on both fronts.