Nutrition affects everything in the human body and therefore is an essential component of biohacking.

As mentioned in the previous point, we can use the results of genetic profiling to determine the strengths and weaknesses of our body. We do this so that we can optimize these attributes.

We’re essentially “hacking” our nutrition to meet the strengths and weaknesses of our DNA.

For example, there is a gene known as APOE that a lot of genetic testing companies look at. There are 3 possible variants of this gene that can determine our ability to process fats.

Depending on the APOE gene variant you have, it may be more beneficial to go on a high-fat diet than a high carb diet or vice versa.

Other findings may indicate a reduced ability to metabolize and absorb iron. This suggests that we adopt supplemental iron or iron-rich foods to our diet to boost this disadvantage.

The list goes on.

Ketosis

One of the major nutritional techniques biohackers are using is a process called ketosis. This is based off the fact that the majority of people (78%) have the APOE3 gene variant. This allows us to process fats more efficiently than other sources of energy [1].

The basic concept behind ketosis is to change the body’s primary source of fuel from sugar (glucose) to fats (ketones).

Ketones supply twice as much energy per gram than carbohydrates (37 to 17 kJ respectively). They also eliminate the ups and downs in energy levels that come with a glucose-based system.

When in ketosis, we experience more stable energy levels throughout the day. We’re then better able to manage or avoid our hunger and food cravings.

You can think of it like this: fat burns like coal, long and steadily for many hours. On the other hand, glucose is like jet fuel, it burns quickly and with a lot of energy. The downside is the energy produced from sugar doesn’t last long at all.

Ketosis Offers More Consistent Energy Levels

Ketosis is useful because it changes the way our body burns energy.

With glucose as our primary source of fuel, we experience large swings in energy levels.

Think about how you feel before a meal… weak and irritable. Once we’ve eaten we get a rush of energy for an hour or two, only to crash again a few hours later.

It’s like a rollercoaster ride of energy levels.

With ketosis, we begin burning fat as a primary source of fuel instead of glucose.

This allows us to maintain much more stable energy levels throughout the day and allows us to go longer between meals.

Ketosis Boosts Cognitive Function

Ketosis has also been shown to have a positive impact on cognitive function. It induces flow states and protects our brain from degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis [2, 3, 6, 8].

Ketosis Improves Athletic Performance

Athletes are hacking their diet with ketosis in order to perform longer and harder than ever before.

Part of the reason for this is the fact that ketosis doesn’t drain the bodies glycogen reserves. These reserves are used to supply energy to the body when blood glucose levels dip.

There are 2 problems with glycogen:

It results in a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles, causing damage and fatigue faster and makes repair take longer between workouts. It has a relatively small fuel tank to draw from for energy, lasting roughly 90 minutes before reaching exhaustion.

Athletes that have switched over to ketosis are better able to avoid lactic acid buildup. They’ve also provided the body with access to a much larger fuel tank to support energy levels. This fuel tank is the fat stores of the body, which in healthy individuals can sustain exercise for many hours.

How Do We Achieve Ketosis?

Ketosis involves a change in dietary philosophy to favor fats and reduce the intake of carbohydrates and proteins. There are a lot of different preferences on the exact proportions of this diet, but a good starting point would be to consume:

75% fats

15% proteins

10% or fewer carbohydrates

For the first few days, our blood glucose levels will begin to lower. This causes our cells to produce hormones that give us cravings for sugar so that we can boost these blood sugar levels.

If we push through this uncomfortable stage, our cells begin to look for energy elsewhere. This is when our body begins to optimize itself for consuming ketones, which are readily available from the fat content in our body.

Fat stores will begin to break down into tiny molecules known as ketones. These ketones enter the blood and feed our mitochondria directly to produce the energy we need. Over time, our body begins to prefer this system and will use it as the primary source of fuel.

Inducing ketosis can take between 1 and 2 weeks and reaches its full effects after about 6 months of regular practice.

Supplements for Promoting Ketosis

There are a few supplements suggested for promoting ketosis within our bodies.

Some examples include:

Exogenous ketones

DHEA

Fish oil

MCT oil

Caffeine

L-glutamine

Electrolytes

Vitamin D

One of the most popular supplements for promoting ketosis is Bulletproof coffee. This is simply a combination of a fat like butter or coconut oil, and caffeine (in the form of coffee).

The caffeine in the coffee stimulates the breakdown of fat into ketones. The fat content then provides a rich dietary fuel for the body to use immediately.

Bulletproof coffee can be used on a daily basis to “train” the body to begin the process of ketosis.