Questions on Cognitive health, MCT oil, claimed harms of whey protein, methyl donor intolerance
Questions on Cognitive health, MCT oil, claimed harms of whey protein, methyl donor intolerance
Here is your early access to the next three months of Q&A Files!
In December and January, I will be releasing the following Q&As on all my social media channels, but here on Substack you now have access to them immediately!
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https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/752142/s/23264.rss
That will import all the early-access Q&A Files snippets into your app automatically as they are released. Or, just watch or listen using the links to each episode below!
These are snippets from the live Q&A sessions I run once a month with Masterpass members. To access the full recordings and transcripts, become a Masterpass member. You can learn more about it here. Get 10% off the membership fee using this link.
Does glucose handling in the brain decline with age? And if so, does this serve as a rationale to supplement with MCT oil to prevent cognitive decline?
Short Answer: Energy metabolism in general declines across the body with aging, but energy metabolism seems to stay healthy enough in the brain in people who do not experience cognitive decline. Cognitive decline does appear to be driven by decreases in brain energy metabolism, but these are not best described as a specific impairment in glucose handling. MCT oil can be modestly beneficial and a ketogenic diet can probably be somewhat more beneficial in people who have cognitive decline from any type. There is no evidence to support using it as a preventative. For prevention, I believe we should focus on aerobic fitness, nutrients required for healthy energy metabolism and antioxidant defense, and maintaining metabolic health with a healthy body composition and a healthy physical activity routine that includes the proper spread of a portfolio of different types of exercise.
Does whey protein hurt the kidneys or otherwise hurt our health?
Short Answer: The main problem with too much protein, particularly animal protein, is that acidity may hurt the bones and increase the risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones, but this can be obviated by balancing it with organic acids, which have bicarbonate-sparing effects that are alkalinizing. The best index of the organic acid content of foods is the potassium content. This balance can be achieved with 750 to 1500 milligrams of potassium for every 100 grams of protein. This is not specific to whey protein. Other than allergies, none of the claimed harms of whey protein are convincing.
Why would someone not tolerate methyl donors even if they need them?
Short Answer: I believe most methyl donor intolerances are a result of deficiencies in the glycine buffer system, which requires glycine, vitamin A, fasting (glucagon), androgens, riboflavin, unmethylated folate (THF), and iron. No one should expect to tolerate 30 milligrams of folate, however, and there is almost never a reason to use doses that high.
The Full Recordings and Transcripts
These Q&A Files episodes are free snippets taken from three recent AMAs. To access the full recordings and transcripts, become a Masterpass member. You can learn more about it here. Get 10% off the membership fee using this link.
Here are the links that Masterpass members can use, as well as a preview of the content contained within them:
Ask Me Anything | September 14, 2022
Cognitive health, MCT oil, claimed harms of whey protein, methyl donor intolerance, iron metabolism, balancing fat-soluble vitamins, time limits to high-dose supplements, water and hunger, and more.
The questions include:
Why isn't my ferritin as high as diabetics when my transferrin saturation is higher?
Why are vitamins A and E needed alongside D and K?
Sunflower lecithin versus phosphatidylcholine supplements
How do I reduce congestion while consuming dairy?
Could eggs be raising triglycerides by curing fatty liver?
Why would homocysteine ever be high when you can just use it to make glutathione?
Why did my eye start twitching after sweating more than usual this weekend?
Why do I now think A and D should be in roughly 1:1 ratios?
Would MK-7 be enough to take with D or do I need MK-4?
Why does water make me hungry?
What's the proper ratio of calcium to magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K2?
Is it safe to take zinc carnosine long term?
Why did I recommend only using high-dose zinc for COVID protection for one year?
Why did I recommend limiting quercetin phytosome to three months?
Why take MK-4 when it has such a short half-life?
How to make bowel movements more regular?
Could freeze dried animal beef supplements cause gut infections?
Do I recommend food sensitivity testing?
What are the nutritional causes of restless leg syndrome?
What do I think of drinking deuterium-depleted water for COVID severity?
Click here to see when the next Q&A is or to register for it if you are a Masterpass member. You can learn more about it here. Get 10% off the membership fee using this link.
Thanks to everyone who participated, and I hope you find these useful!
Chris