The SHOCKING TRUTH About The KETO DIET | Dom D'Agostino on Health Theory

The video is about the benefits of the ketogenic diet, including its use in treating Alzheimer's, its superiority as a fuel source compared to glucose, and its implementation in the military.

The video is an interview with Dom D'Agostino, a neuroscientist and physiologist who is known as the "king of keto." He discusses how the ketogenic diet can be used to treat Alzheimer's, why ketones are a better fuel source than glucose, and how the military is implementing keto for soldiers. D'Agostino also talks about his own experiences with extreme environments and his research on developing protocols to help ultra-elite operators thrive in hostile conditions. He explains how he discovered the benefits of the ketogenic diet and ketone esters for neuroprotection and performance enhancement, and why ketones are a superior fuel source for the brain and heart.

• Dom D'Agostino is a neuroscientist and physiologist known as the king of keto.
• He has worked with NASA and the US military to develop protocols for elite operators.
• Ketones are a superior fuel source compared to glucose and have anti-convulsion effects.
• The military uses ketone esters to rapidly induce ketosis and improve performance.
• Ketones are an alternative energy substrate that can be elevated through a strict ketogenic diet.
• Ketones can help manage Alzheimer's symptoms and restore brain energy metabolism.
• Not everyone with Alzheimer's will respond favorably to a ketogenic diet.
• Tools like MCT oil and ketone esters can be used to ease patients into a ketogenic diet.
• Interventions may be necessary for Alzheimer's patients who refuse to change their diet.

The SHOCKING TRUTH About The KETO DIET | Dom D'Agostino on Health Theory - YouTube

Introduction

• The guest is Dom D'Agostino, a neuroscientist and physiologist who is known as the king of keto.
• He has worked with organizations such as NASA and the US military to develop protocols to help elite operators thrive in hostile conditions.
• He has also gone through some of these protocols himself, including becoming a full-fledged aquanaut by spending ten full days underwater.

Interest in Environmental Extremes

• D'Agostino has always had an interest in environmental extremes and pushing the limits.
• He is interested in seeing the real-world applications of the things that are being studied in the lab.
• His PhD work focused on how the brain controls our physiology.
• He transitioned into studying why the brain has seizures and developing mitigation strategies.
• He discovered that the ketogenic diet was used when drugs fail to mitigate seizures.

Ketones as a Superior Fuel Source

• Ketones are a superior fuel source compared to glucose.
• Studies in the heart suggest that the hydraulic efficiency of the heart is enhanced when it's burning ketones relative to a fuel like glucose.
• Ketones shift brain energy metabolism and neurotransmitter systems to have an anti-convulsion effect.
• Ketones give the brain a source of energy that is objectively superior to glucose.
• Ketones are being studied by DARPA for warfighter performance enhancement.

The SHOCKING TRUTH About The KETO DIET | Dom D'Agostino on Health Theory - YouTube

Implementation of Keto in the Military

• The military did not like the ketogenic diet because it was too slow to get into ketosis and hard to implement.
• A ketone ester or exogenous ketone supplementation could rapidly induce ketosis within 30 minutes.
• The idea is to circumvent the dietary restriction but also have tight control using a metabolite that the body already makes.
• Elevating ketones to some extent changes the neuropharmacology of the brain and shifts neurotransmitter systems to have an anti-convulsion effect.
• Ketones are also a superior fuel source compared to glucose.

Benefits of Ketogenic Diet

• Ketones are an alternative energy substrate that the body uses under periods of fasting.
• The only way to elevate ketones in the blood is with prolonged fasting or a strict ketogenic diet.
• The ketogenic diet is a legitimate anti-seizure and neuro-protective strategy.
• The heart is more efficient at creating ATP per molecule of oxygen when using ketones as fuel.
• Ketones are a metabolic, calorie-containing substance that the body can use for energy.

Research on Ketones

• There is still much research needed to understand the real-world applications of ketones.
• There are infinite amounts of ketone salts and different types of ketone esters that can be developed.
• Exogenous ketones, such as MCT oil and ketone esters, can be used to manage Alzheimer's symptoms.
• The etiology of Alzheimer's is largely unknown, but lifestyle factors and inflammation may play a role.
• Ketones can help restore brain energy metabolism in the face of impaired glucose utilization in the brain.

Implementation of Ketogenic Diet

• People with Alzheimer's may be resistant to being compliant with the ketogenic diet.
• The gut and neural inflammation may be associated with Alzheimer's disease.
• The brain is insulin resistant in Alzheimer's disease, and ketones can help restore brain energy metabolism.
• The standard of care for Alzheimer's disease is the ketogenic diet.
• Ketones can go around the glucose transporter to give energy to the mitochondria.

Future of Ketogenic Diet Research

• There is still much research needed to understand the best form, bioavailability, dosages, applications, tolerability, and safety of ketones.
• Dr. Mary Newport's use of MCT oil, coconut oil, and ketone esters to manage Alzheimer's symptoms sparked interest in using ketogenic fats in the ketogenic diet.
• Ketones are the fourth macronutrient and can be given as a fuel.
• The technology for ketones is still in its early stages, and more research is needed to understand its real-world applications.
• The goal is to find out what works best for using ketones as a fuel source.

Ketogenic Diet and Alzheimer's Disease

• Alzheimer's disease is related to the production or processing of amyloid plaques in the brain.
• The breakdown of these proteins is an energy-dependent process.
• Glucose metabolism in the brain goes down as we age, but ketone metabolism does not.
• Ketones can be more readily utilized by neurons and can help restore normal metabolic function.
• Ketones can boost neurotransmitter systems and accelerate ATP production.

Response to Ketogenic Diet in Alzheimer's Patients

• Not everyone with advanced Alzheimer's disease will respond favorably and robustly to a metabolic intervention like nutritional ketosis.
• Only a third of them respond in a robust fashion to a metabolic intervention like nutritional ketosis.
• People who are hyper responders to this are at most maybe 20 to 30 percent.
• Glucose hypometabolism is a consequence of Alzheimer's disease, but not everyone will respond favorably and robustly to a metabolic intervention.
• Implementation of a ketogenic diet is easier now than it was five to ten years ago.

Implementing a Ketogenic Diet for Alzheimer's Patients

• Assess the patient's activity and mental cognitive status before, during, and after various things are added to the protocol.
• Start with a lower carbohydrate diet and elevate their ketones by any means possible.
• Tools like MCT oil, exogenous ketone supplementation, and ketone esters are available and can be tried one at a time to ease the patient into something.
• It's likely that it's not going to be one thing that's even going to be helpful, but a combination of things used together.
• Whether or not that moves the needle is going to be dependent on that patient.

Dealing with Alzheimer's Patients Who Refuse to Change Their Diet

• Assume the most and have an intervention like bringing the family together and explaining the benefits of a ketogenic diet.
• Implementation of a ketogenic diet is easier now than it was five to ten years ago.
• There are tools available that can be tried one at a time to ease the patient into something.
• It's likely that it's not going to be one thing that's even going to be helpful, but a combination of things used together.
• Whether or not that moves the needle is going to be dependent on that patient.

Alternative Fuel Source for the Brain

• Exogenous ketone formulation can elevate ketone levels to supply the brain with a source of fuel.
• Reducing carbohydrates and cutting out sugar or processed carbohydrates can reduce glucose and insulin spikes.
• Lowering carbohydrate intake to under 100 grams a day of lower glycemic carbohydrates, such as vegetables, can help.
• Abruptly taking out glucose from the diet of someone who drinks lots of sugary drinks may initially cause a greater deficit in cognitive function.
• Adaptations associated with transporting and utilizing ketones can optimize the brain and the body's ability to use that fuel efficiently.

Watch the video on YouTube:
The SHOCKING TRUTH About The KETO DIET | Dom D'Agostino on Health Theory - YouTube