Modified Ketogenic Diet for Optimal Health & Exercise | Dr. Dominic D'Agostino

Live Longer World Podcast #24

"I guess the question is if the ketogenic diet is optimal for exercise performance and gaining muscle? I would say no, but if you want to enhance body composition in regards to maximum fat loss and muscle retention, I would say that a modified ketogenic diet is probably superior for some people." 

Live Longer World Podcast #24 has been released!

This is Part 2 of my 2 part conversation with Dr. Dominic D’Agostino. Dom has so much knowledge to share and in this episode we dive into the ketogenic diet for exercise performance, keto for women & children, Dom's diet & supplement routine + more!

Reminder on Dom’s background: Dr. Dom D’Agostino may require no introduction especially in the world of ketogenic diets, but here’s a short one: He is an Associate Professor, College of Medicine Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology at the University of South Florida, with his research focusing on metabolic therapies, ketogenic diets, ketone supplements, and other metabolic based drugs. He is also a research scientist at the Institute of Human and Machine Cognition.

Dom runs the website ketonutrition.org where he educates people on his research on metabolic therapies and ketogenic diets.

Part 1 with Dom on Ketogenic diets for Brain Health and Longevity: here

[If you are a premium subscriber, you can also read the transcript of the episode below]

Best, Aastha

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: here

Spotify:

YouTube:

Google / All Platforms: here

---

Time Stamps:

0:00 Ketogenic diet for muscle performance

0:50 Dom’s supplements & modified keto diet

3:20 Keto, NAD+, NMN

7:12 Biomarkers tracked by Dom

9:30 LDL, Triglycerides, Fatty Foods & Keto diet

14:15 Dom’s routine & supplements

18:09 Melatonin benefits for anti-cancer & antioxidant

22:37 Ketogenic diet for women

30:55 Ketogenic diet for children

32:48 Genetic aspect to keto diet?

38:32 Metformin for suppressing cancer

46:30 Ketogenic diet & Alzheimer’s

54:40 Exercise for mental health

55:53 Keto for exercise performance & bodybuilding

59:32 Endogenous metabolite & psychedelics

1:09:05 Connect with me (Aastha)

---

Support Live Longer World:

If you enjoy my work and wish to support it, consider sharing it with a friend or two, leaving a review on Apple podcasts or signing up as a premium member to help crowdfund transcripts.

And if you are further inclined to show love and support, you can donate on Patreon.

You can also connect with me on Twitter @aasthajz & Instagram @aasthajz

If you wish to receive updates on future podcasts and posts I release, you can subscribe below.

FIND ALL LIVE LONGER WORLD PODCAST EPISODES:

Website | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | Google | All Platforms

---

Premium Subscriber Transcript:

Aastha: You said you take a beta-hydroxybutyrate supplement, is that to elevate your ketone bodies even more in addition to the modified keto diet you do?

Dom: Yes. The diet that I follow, it's actually pretty heavy in carbohydrates relative to a ketogenic diet because I'm eating a lot of cruciferous vegetables, a lot of Brussels sprouts broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, and berries, have berries every night, and a little bit of dark chocolate. I try to get some nuts too, maybe walnuts or almonds occasionally.

My beta-hydroxybutyrate in the morning is really low, like 0.3, 0.2 or something like that. Throughout the day, as my metabolism revs up, I'm usually about like 1. I like to get it up to 1 in the morning. I think that actually elevates beta-hydroxybutyrate enough with like a ketone electrolyte salt to start getting some of the signaling effects, the anti-inflammatory effects, the epigenetic effects even, and the signaling effects.

There's different salts like on the market. You could do MCTs too. I don't take a ketone ester although we tend to do a lot of research with them for different things, but I use a product called keto start. It has sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. It's in a formulation that you can consume enough that it doesn't cause GI upset and can get your ketones as high as like 2 if you want it. I just take a third of the packet in the morning, I can feel it. Then I take the rest of the packet like midday.

The ketones do give your brain a little bit of a kick, and you feel it. I mix it. I'm a big proponent of creatine monohydrate, so I take ketone electrolytes with creatine monohydrate and acetyl-L-carnitine. On a keto diet, your body's transporting a lot of fat to the mitochondria. We tend to see carnitine depletion in kids, especially if they're not eating meat. Acetyl-L-carnitine crosses the blood-brain barrier. People use it as a nootropic. Studies are being done on depression with it. There's a lot of very interesting things. It's one of the few supplements that I take.

I'm trying to think of the supplements. Vitamin D, magnesium, creatinine, beta-hydroxybutyrate salt. Melatonin I do take at night. I know that's a bit controversial. Then, NMN. The ketogenic diet will elevate NAD plus, but I've been experimenting with a supplement that's nicotine mono nucleotide with resveratrol, and I've used it on and off in trying to get an opinion about it. I think there are some benefits especially with-- When I take a higher dose and I exercise, it gives me a second wind.