In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter explains some observations he’s noticed since switching to a 3-day fasting regimen, the various things he’s measuring, and some helpful tips for getting through a prolonged fast. He also discusses the role of exogenous ketones in fasting and ketogenic diets as well as their impact on autophagy, specifically. Finally, Peter provides some practical advice for those looking to fit exercise for longevity into their busy life. Once again, Bob Kaplan, Peter’s head of research, will be asking the questions. If you’re not a subscriber and listening on a podcast player, you’ll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you’re a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your private RSS feed or on our website at the AMA #13 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits here.

We discuss:

  • Peter’s observations since switching from a 7-day to a 3-day fasting regimen [1:25];
  • Ketone measuring devices—blood and breath [7:40];
  • Can zero-calorie sweeteners affect ketone production? [10:40];
  • Will there be a continuous insulin monitor anytime soon? [11:55];
  • Exogenous ketones—Role in fasting and ketogenic diets and their effect on insulin, blood glucose, and autophagy [14:10];
  • 5 tips to help you get through a multi-day fast [25:55];
  • Relationship between BHB levels, glucose levels, and autophagy—Are high levels of ketones enough to produce autophagy? [34:10];
  • Why is measuring blood insulin so much harder than blood glucose? [36:55];
  • Advice and resources for people wanting to stay up to date on developments related to health and longevity (and how to quickly sift through all the bad science) [40:10];
  • Advice for those looking to fit exercise for longevity into their busy life [51:10]; and
  • More.

§

Get Peter’s expertise in your inbox 100% free.

Sign up to receive Live Better, Longer: An Introductory Guide to Longevity by Peter Attia, weekly longevity-focused articles, and new podcast announcements.



Peter’s observations since switching from a 7-day to a 3-day fasting regimen [1:25]

Switching from 7-day fasting to 3-days fasting

  • Previously, Peter has been doing 7-day fasts once a quarter
  • For 2020, he has switch to a 3-day fast once a month
  • So he’s still fasting a roughly equal amount of time per year in total
  • The rationale for the switch was twofold:
    • 1) 7-day fasts are quite intrusive on life
    • 2) In doing the 7-day fasts, Peter has noticed that on the second day of his fasts, his glucose levels will normalize and his ketone levels really start to rise — so something interesting is happening at that point so at least doing a slightly less extreme version (3 days) will give him some of that benefit that we got from the seven day fast

-Observations about the 3-day fast compared to 7-day:

{end of show notes preview}

Would you like access to extensive show notes and references for this podcast (and more)?

Check out this post to see an example of what the substantial show notes look like. Become a member today to get access.


Become a premium member

MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES

  • Exclusive Ask Me Anything episodes
  • Best in class podcast Show Notes
  • Premium Articles on longevity
  • Full access to The Qualys podcast
  • Quarterly Podcast Summary episodes

Related Content

Guest Episode

Optimizing endurance performance: metrics, nutrition, lactate, and more insights from elite performers

Ep. #331 with Olav Aleksander Bu

AMA

Special AMA: Peter on exercise, important labs, building good habits, promising longevity research, and more

Ep. #329

AMA

Optimizing nutrition for health and longevity: myth of a “best” diet, complexities of nutrition science, and practical steps for building a sustainable diet

Ep. #328 (AMA #66)

Disclaimer: This blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this blog or materials linked from this blog is at the user’s own risk. The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.