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Since 2019, fasting has been the most searched diet-related term in the world. The skyrocketing interest on the subject is accompanied by a lot of noise, both from adopters and detractors. To contribute with the discussion, we reached out to scientist James W Clement, one of the world's leading researchers on the relation between fasting, calorie restriction, ketogenic diet and longevity.
Clement leads cutting edge studies about aging and supercentenarians at his non-profit organization, Betterhumans, which has been featured on NY Times. His book, "The Switch: Ignite Your Metabolism with Intermittent Fasting, Protein Cycling, and Keto" (Brazilian title: "Vire a Chave", ed Globo) presents a comprehensive and engaging analysis about mTOR, the mechanism through which the organism triggers autophagy to repair cells.
He joined us from his home in Florida to give a masterclass on how to live a longer and healthier life through fasting, calorie restriction and the ketogenic diet.
On this episode:
(3:42) From science nerd to lawyer to scientist: the making of one of the world's leading longevity researchers. The formation years, first readings and on being the 12º person in the world to have his genome sequenced, meeting Harvard scientists George Church and David Sinclair. The first lab, the supercentenarian research study, moving to Florida to live amongst 135 k senior citizens. Finding his purpose through non-profit research: getting cutting-edge science to the masses.
(19:53) The Switch: breaking down his book about the relation between mTOR and autophagy, the mechanism that promotes longevity. The insight to research fasting/calorie restriction, the ketogenic diet and their role in cell repair. Switching from mice to human research.
(27:08) How mTOR and autophagy works. The discovery of rapamycin in Rapa Nui. Switching mTOR on/off: nutrition to promote growth x restriction to repair. Autophagy, the cells way to clean the organism.
(31:22) How humankind evolved to switch mTOR on and off regularly, but most people keep it on the ON position through most of their lives. Switch on: BCAA aminoacids as a main mTOR upregulator. Switch off: short-circuiting glucose.
(38:10) Fasting and cell repair: what the latest research says. Weight loss and preventing comorbidities. Keeping up with the way we evolved: our organisms weren't built for constant abundance of food. Wealthy malnutrition as the standard root problem of the western world.
(49:31) The history of fasting: introduction in early cultures to cope with increased calorie intake, sedentarianism and "the maladies of the wealthy". "Comfort foods" and their relation with serotonin production.
(55:20) LDL cholesterol as a comorbidity biomarker: sugar consumption as a greater risk factor than fat. "The Hispanic Paradox" of people that consume sugar but don't develop morbidities. Calorie restriction and fasting, observation of biomarker improvement in many species.
(1:00:56) Diabetes: completely reversing the condition by adopting fasting/CR or ketogenic diet. Predictor of atherosclerosis: how glycation (glucose binding to proteins) harden and damages blood vessels. Alzheimer: type 3 diabetes.
(1:04:44) Fasting isn't suffering: time restricted window, keto adaptation and macronutrient cycling strategies. Keto as the easiest way to develop metabolic flexibility. James' own fasting protocol, eating window, personal experience and blood test results. Longer fasts: why James only goes as far as 48 hours.
