Dr. Peter Attia, longevity expert, apologizes for “indefensible” emails to Jeffrey Epstein

Peter Attia, a doctor and author well known for his research on longevity, is apologizing for what he calls “embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible” emails he exchanged with Jeffrey Epstein, after the messages came to light in the Justice Department’s latest release of files related to the Epstein case. 

He has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing. But Attia’s name appears in the records released by the Justice Department hundreds of times and his communications with Epstein are more extensive than previously known. 

Attia was recently named as a contributor to CBS News. CBS’ parent company, Paramount Skydance, had no comment.

Among the messages, in 2016, Attia wrote to Epstein, “P***y is, indeed, low carb. Still awaiting results on gluten content, though.”

After news reports about the emails, Attia posted on X a long apology and account of his relationship with Epstein. He denied any involvement in criminal activity, said he never flew on Epstein’s plane, never visited his island and never attended “any sex parties.”

The last correspondence between Attia and Epstein appears to have occurred in the spring of 2019, shortly before Epstein’s arrest in July and death on Aug. 10.

He said he regretted “putting myself in a position where emails, some of them embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible, are now public,” and went on to say, “I accept that reality and the humiliation that comes with it.”

Attia said in his post that between 2014 and 2019, he met with Epstein “on approximately seven or eight occasions at his New York City home.” He said they met “regarding research studies and to meet others.”  

Included in the documents released Friday was an exchange from 2015 in which Attia had written a note — redacted by the Justice Department — that bore the subject line, “Got a fresh shipment.” Epstein responded, “me too,” with a photo that was also redacted. Attia responded, “Please tell (me) you found that picture on line … bastard.”

“fraid not,” Epstein said. 

Attia wrote back that “the biggest problem with becoming friends with you” is that “[t]he life you lead is so outrageous, and yet I can’t tell a soul.”

Attia claimed in his social media post that the “fresh shipment” referred to a redacted photograph of metformin, “a medication I had just received from the pharmacy for my own use.” (Attia used to take the drug for anti-aging reasons but said he stopped in 2018 because it had negative effects around exercise.)

Epstein’s “me too” response included “a photograph of an adult woman,” Attia said. 

“I responded with crude, tasteless banter. Reading that exchange now is very embarrassing, and I will not defend it. I’m ashamed of myself for everything about this,” Attia said. “At the time, I understood this exchange as juvenile, not a reference to anything dark or harmful.”

Epstein at that point had a record as a sex offender from a case in Florida where he’d accepted a 2008 plea deal to avoid federal charges. In 2019, he was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges. His death in his jail cell in August 2019 was ruled a suicide.

Attia said he asked Epstein about his 2008 conviction in Florida and said Epstein “characterized it as prostitution-related charges.” 

“In 2018, I came to learn this was grossly minimized,” Attia said. But he also maintained, “I never witnessed illegal behavior and never saw anyone who appeared underage in his presence.”

Attia is the founder of Outlive, an app that translates longevity science into personalized daily practice, and Early Medical, a medical practice that aims to help patients lengthen their healthy lifespan. He is the host of the podcast “The Peter Attia Drive” and author of “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity.”