Mastering Nutrition

You could be one metabolic bottleneck away from feeling amazing. Mitome is the first at-home test that measures your cellular energy directly and gives you a personalized roadmap to optimize energy, slow aging, and protect against disease. Find it at mito.me This is not medical advice and is for educational purposes only. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Aging is best explained by declining mitochondrial function over time. This answers its own "why." Mitochondria produce the energy needed for repair so if any of it gets lost it sets up a vicious cycle. And some *always* gets lost. But how much is under your control. From Joe Rogan Experience JRE 2420. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBn54YNnKD0 It's a vicious cycle initiated by the second law of thermodynamics which requires a constant input of energy to prevent the collapse of order. Hence, there will always be slippage, but how much slippage depends on genetics, environment, and behavior, and all slippage leads to loss of mitochondrial repair, which itself directly causes the loss of repair capacity as it weakens the defense against the imperative of the second law of thermodynamics.

This is a clip from Joe Rogan Experience JRE 2420. Watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBn54YNnKD0 Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

This is a clip from Joe Rogan Experience JRE 2420. Watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBn54YNnKD0

This is a clip from Joe Rogan Experience Episode 2420. You can watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBn54YNnKD0

Mitochondria govern everything. Watch this with the slides here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mED1_L3wZbc Mitochondria convert your food to usable energy in the form of ATP, which is used to produce, maintain, repair, distribute, and organize everything in your body. Abundant health right now, and preserving your health throughout the lifespan toward your longevity, all depends on your mitochondria. In fact the best explanation for aging is that its a vicious cycle of declining mitochondrial function. We should always be thinking of mitochondria first. SSRIs, acne treatments, and statins are given as examples. Targeting mitochondria without proper testing has its own set of problems. This video covers the top things we should all be doing for our mitochondria and how to figure out our own mitochondria's unique needs. This is not medical advice and is for educational purposes only. 1:20 Mitochondria govern everything because they convert food into usable energy 7:25 Mitochondrial dysfunction drives aging 10:43 Depression starts with your mitochondria 17:26 The problem with SSRIs 21:59 Acne should start with vitamin A, zinc, B5, and mitochondrial function 28:00 Cardiovascular disease starts with mitochondrial dysfunction 40:26 Statins are mitochondrial toxins 54:00 Targeting mitochondria without testing can be dangerous: three examples. 59:45 CoQ10: no one dose and no one supplement for everyone. 1:04:30 Methylene blue can make your mitochondria worse if you don't need it. 1:07:48 The power of mitochondrial testing: three examples 1:15:14 Mitochondrial biology 1:17:32 Your mitochondria are pointless if you don't have creatine 1:18:20 What Mitome is testing 1:20:42 What Mitome reports look like 1:21:57 Energetic bottlenecks are like traffic jams 1:25:01 Organic acid testing of mitochondrial function 1:26:53 Other mitochondrial tests 1:27:44 Five things everyone should do for their mitochondria right now. 1:40:48 We all have unique mitochondrial needs Do You Have Hidden Mitochondrial Dysfunction? Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the earliest signs of aging and chronic disease—and most people don't know they have it. Mitome is the first at-home test that measures your cellular energy directly and gives you a personalized roadmap to optimize energy, slow aging, and protect against disease. Find it at mito.me

Chris Masterjohn, PhD, Founder and Scientific Director of mito.me, explains why SSRI withdrawal is mitochondrial dysfunction and what to do about it. This is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 29 million Americans and about 5-10% of the world's population are on SSRIs, which have become the first-line treatment of depression. These can cause sexual dysfunction and emotional blunting in up to half of people, an unclear incidence of sleep disruption, and a rare risk of suicidality, self-harm, and new-onset psychosis. On the other hand, 20-50% of people who go off experience SSRI discontinuation syndrome. This can involve irritability, anxiety, mood problems, crying, dread, suicidal ideation, insomnia, nightmares, excessive dreaming, lethargy, fatigue, headache, tremor, sweating, anorexia, flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pain, numbness, tingling, feeling like something is crawling on the skin, electric shocks running through the brain or body, rushing noises, visual traces (seeing something persist when it is no longer there, or seeing moving objects leaving illusory streaks of light behind them, etc), dizziness, light-headedness, "brain zaps," vertigo, confusion, difficulty concentrating, amnesia, genital hypersensitivity, and premature ejaculation. A closely related problem is post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD), which can cause total inability to feel the penis for males or for females the genitals and nipples, loss of sexual pleasure, weak orgasms, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and premature ejaculation. PSSD is often associated with general anhedonia, apathy, and poor mood. In this video, Masterjohn maintains that the reason there are no good solutions to these problems is because we have completely misunderstood the role of serotonin and SSRIs. Serotonin's role is to help mitochondria adapt to changing demands for oxygen-based energy production. SSRIs enhance some of the mechanisms, and interfere with others. They enter the cell and stimulate independent mechanisms of mitochondrial stress adaptation, but in doing so they turn a cyclical and rhythmic pathway into a constantly stimulated one, creating mitochondrial dependence and making mitochondria vulnerable to new-onset dysfunction upon withdrawal. Once they make it to the mitochondria itself, the SSRIs act as mitochondrial toxins. Scientific references for everything covered in the video can be found in this series: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/prozac-is-a-performance-enhancing At the bottom of each article is a link to the next one. 0:30 SSRI Side Effects 1:00 SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome and PSSD 11:33 The Problem With Primary Care Doctors and Psychiatrists 14:56 The Reason We Don't Have Good Solutions Is Because We Don't Understand the Problem 16:22 Prozac Is a Performance-Enhancing Drug 18:40 Depression and Altitude 19:36 The Truth About Serotonin 25:10 How Serotonin Helps Us Breathe 30:05 Hypoxia Explains Why Serotonin Is So Abundant In the Gut 33:55 Serotonin, Melatonin, and the Mitochondria 35:50 Serotonin and Light 39:25 Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia Training 42:56 SSRIs Are Whole-Body, Primarily Non-Brain, Non-Neuronal, Mitochondrial Drugs 44:00 SSRIs and Birth Defects 46:37 SSRIs Deplete Serotonin 48:50 SSRIs Distort the Sigma-1 Receptor From a Cyclical to a Constant Activation 51:10 Different SSRIs Promote Different Ratios of Mitophagy and Mitochondrial Biogenesis 54:00 Going Off SSRIs Causes New-Onset Mitochondrial Dysfunction 58:30 Slow and Hyperbolic Tapers 1:02:10 What to Do About SSRI Withdrawal Mitochondrial Dysfunction Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondrial test Mitome. Do You Have Hidden Mitochondrial Dysfunction? Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the earliest signs of aging and chronic disease—and most people don't know they have it. Mitome is the first at-home test that measures your cellular energy directly and gives you a personalized roadmap to optimize energy, slow aging, and protect against disease. Find it here at mito.me

For a long time, most people believed that when we exercise, our muscles make lactic acid, this acidifies the muscles, and the acidity contributes to contractile failure, fatigue, and delayed-onset muscle soreness. Some people still believe this. You may have heard the argument against it from well-known figures like Andy Galpin, or, if you're deep into the science, you may have read the work of George Brooks. In this lesson, we are going to cover the biochemistry of lactate production. We will see that we never make lactic acid, ever. We make lactate. Making lactate is fundamentally alkalinizing. We will take a look at the presentation of glycolysis in the Berg and Lehninger biochemistry textbooks to see that, on the one hand, they give us everything we need to know to understand that the human body never makes lactic acid, but, on the other hand, they really do not equip us well to understand where acidity does comes from during exercise. This is because they do not consider acid-base balance important enough to completely present the proton balances of the chemical reactions. Finally, we will cover what does cause muscular fatigue, take a look at the research on lactate supplements, and come to some conclusions about the best way to manage acidity during exercise to maximize performance. This is part of a larger course on the biochemistry of how we derive energy from food and use it to fuel our wellness, performance, and longevity. Take the full course here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/masterclass-with-masterjohn-energy To see the slides, watch this lesson on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrpbLllsSHQ To obtain the written version with timestamped slides for better studying, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/how-lactate-alkalinizes-your-muscles This lesson is free for one week. After that it will be reserved for Masterpass members. You can learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about You can subscribe to the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/subscribe 2:52 How textbooks present glycolysis 3:36 What is acidity? 4:32 The acidfying and alkalinizing phases of glycolysis 7:09 Glycolysis: A brief review 10:08 The Principles 29:33 The Reactions -- and Where the Textbooks Go Wrong 38:59 Human beings do not make lactic acid 42:13 Lactate transport is even more alkalinizing to muscle 47:44 Robert Robergs Fights an Uphill Battle in Clarifying the Sources of Acidity and the Alkalinizing Effect of Lactate 1:01:08 What causes fatigue? 1:05:15 Does CO2 contribute to acidity? 1:13:45 Where is Glycolysis Getting Backed Up? 1:23:10 Conclusiuons: What's realy going on with exercise-induced acidosis. 1:26:34 Lactate supplements 1:30:53 How to use this information in training for optimal performance. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondrial test Mitome.

D-lactate is commonly stated to be exclusively a microbial metabolite. This is found in assumptions within the medical literature for decades even when it was long-known to be false. While D-lactate is indeed made by bacteria, D-lactate is also inarguably and irrefutably produced by human enzymes. In this podcast, moreover, I will argue the following: Microbial contribution to D-lactate in humans under normal circumstances is negligible. I coin the term "the D-lactate shuttle" to describe a role for D-lactate that should eventually make its way into biochemistry textbooks alongside the malate-aspartate shuttle and the glycerol phosphate shuttle. The D-lactate shuttle operates alongside these other shuttles to balance the priorities of conserving cytosolic NAD+, reducing cytosolic acidity, bypassing complex I, or generating ATP. It is uniquely useful as a shuttle when there is an absolute deficit of niacin or NAD(H). D-lactate is an important contributor to gluconeogenesis that could account for up to 11% of it and rival an individual amino acid. While D-lactate concentrations in human plasma are infinitesimal, when the downstream metabolism of D-lactate and L-lactate are blocked by genetic disorders, the concentrations of the two forms are similar in plasma. This contrasts wildly with the common claim that flux through D-lactate is "minuscule." Most likely D-lactate is produced in considerable quantities in liver and kidney but is rarely secreted into plasma because doing so would risk neurotoxicity. D-lactate should be taken seriously for its potential role in Parkinson's and in neurological problems generally, for its role in diabetes, and for its extremely underappreciated roles in glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and the respiratory chain. Oxalate powerfully impairs D-lactate clearance, so D-lactate should be investigated as a potential link between oxalate and autism, and oxalate-lowering strategies should be seen as a way to improve D-lactate clearance and reduce its potential role in diabetes and neurological disorders. See the sections on riboflavin, zinc manganese, and glutathione in Testing Nutritional Status: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet, as well as Does CoQ10 Deserve a Spot on Your Longevity Plan? and the How to Detox Manganese guide for managing the relevant nutrients. Read the written version for live links and references: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/d-lactate-groundbreaking-research Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

In this podcast we cover elevated creatinine, insomnia, cramps constipation, water retention, hair loss, irritation and anger, lightheadedness during lifting, bloating, aggravation of restless leg syndrome, irritation of asthma, bloody noses, anxiety, headaches, heart palpitations, twitching, and fast or slow heartbeat. The full podcast and article can be found here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/handling-creatine-side-effects Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Creatine is like your second mitochondria. Or, the mitochondria's chief of staff. Or its co-pilot. Your mitochondria make ATP so you can see clearly, hear accurately, digest your food, power your brain, show off your your shiny skin, lift heavy things, and perform your best at the challenges you face. They do that all with the help of creatine. Creatine is responsible for spreading the impact of mitochondrial ATP production into the general area of the cell known as the cytosol, and into every organelle outside the mitochondria. While it is more important in cells with high ATP requirements, variable ATP requirements, and long distances between mitochondria and the source of ATP utilization, it is still incredibly important in every cell. There is no point in optimizing your mitochondria if you don't also optimize your creatine. Many people may believe that the high muscle creatine stores that athletes achieve with creatine supplements are "unnatural" and something not achievable until creatine supplements were available. Here, I argue that nothing could be further from the truth. Every muscle fiber wants to be exactly as rich in creatine as achieved with creatine supplementation. All of your cells want to be rich in creatine. Your brain is dying to be this rich in creatine. Your muscles are starving to be this rich in creatine. It is completely natural to be this rich in creatine, yet most of us in the modern era who don't supplement just aren't that optimized. The creatine we require to be optimized is likely etched deep into our beings by our ancestral consumption of one to two pounds of meat per day. When red and rare, one pound can give the dose that saturates tissue stores. When white and well done, two pounds may be required. But can we synthesize enough creatine ourselves when all the precursors in place? Here we examine that question. But first, a brief review of creatine's lesser known benefits. This is educational in nature and not medical or dietetic advice. The article version has live links, graphs, and references: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/your-cells-are-starving-for-creatine Handling Creatine Side Effects will be released as a podcast tomorrow but is available as a written article right now: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/handling-creatine-side-effects Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: Is whole food vitamin C superior to natural because it is part of a tyrosinase complex? Short Answer: Vitamin C is nearly ubiquitously distributed in plant tissues, and is never bound to any enzyme as a structural complex. Vitamin C promotes absorption of iron from plant foods, inhibits copper absorption, and de-loads copper from ceruloplasmin, which may play a role in distributing copper to tissues. Vitamin C is not capable of destroying ceruloplasmin. These functions follow directly from vitamin C as an electron donor and there is no evidence whatsoever that whole food vitamin C behaves differently in these respects than synthetic vitamin C. However, daily needs in most contexts are 2-400 milligrams of vitamin C per day, which is below the dose shown to potentially cause problems with copper. Getting this from whole foods or whole food supplements is better than using synthetic vitamin C because it avoids GMO corn and Chinese synthetics and provides a host of other beneficial constituents alongside the vitamin C. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-hair-trace-mineral-analysis In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: Is Hair Mineral Testing Useful? What's the Deal With Seed Oils? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the June 16, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: Butyrate for Hashimoto's? What else? What in the comprehensive nutritional screening is helping to interpret lactate/pyruvate and ketone ratios? Is the solution to a respiratory chain disorder to take Niagen? If I have high manganese on an HTMA, do I need to detox? Should CFS patients target reducing their serum BH4? What to do about low alkaline phosphatase? If my glucose spikes above 140, should I eat fiber and take ACV before the meal, eat cinnamon with the meal, chew slowly, and move for ten minutes after my meals? Difficulty getting Quest to do the lactate/pyruvate ratio correctly. Is 38 milligrams of niacinamide enough to rule out niacin deficiency as a cause of low NAD+? How does optimizing body composition help optimize energy metabolism? Can impaired energy metabolism make someone fatter? Is monounsaturated fat the best fat? Manganese followup. Do you need to stop taking biotin before a biotin test? What in "a bunch of supplements" flip the lactate/pyruvate ratio from high to low? NAD infusions, yay or nay? Why do I feel better after a warm shower, even better than after sunshine? Should I cut back on vitamin A if I have toxicity symptoms but cutting back makes me get sick? Do home blood drop tests have to be pricked at the finger? Is it true that my boyfriend was just born a night owl? How much eating out is too much? When measuring ketones, lactate, and glucose at home to optimize energy metabolism, what time of day should we take the measurements? Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-june-a55 Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: What Is the Real Issue With Seed Oils? Short Answer: The main issue with seed oils is that they present an oxidative liability. They do not acutely cause oxidative stress, but their polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are more vulnerable than any other macronutrient to oxidative damage. Oxidative stress can increase because of nutrient deficiencies, toxins, infections, other sources of inflammation, alcohol, or smoking, and it will inevitably increase as a function of aging. As oxidative stress increases, more PUFAs in the tissues mean more damage. At least 0.6 milligrams of vitamin E should be gotten per gram of PUFA in the diet, but vitamin E cannot fully protect against PUFA, so their intake should be moderated to the very low levels needed, as obtained by eating fatty fish once or twice a week, eating eggs daily, and eating 4-8 ounces of liver per week. Additional secondary problems with them include residual solvents and heat damage prior to intake, but the main issue is that we do not want to increase our tissue PUFA content more than needed. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-hair-trace-mineral-analysis In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: Is Hair Mineral Testing Useful? Is Whole Food Vitamin C Really Different? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the June 16, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: Butyrate for Hashimoto's? What else? What in the comprehensive nutritional screening is helping to interpret lactate/pyruvate and ketone ratios? Is the solution to a respiratory chain disorder to take Niagen? If I have high manganese on an HTMA, do I need to detox? Should CFS patients target reducing their serum BH4? What to do about low alkaline phosphatase? If my glucose spikes above 140, should I eat fiber and take ACV before the meal, eat cinnamon with the meal, chew slowly, and move for ten minutes after my meals? Difficulty getting Quest to do the lactate/pyruvate ratio correctly. Is 38 milligrams of niacinamide enough to rule out niacin deficiency as a cause of low NAD+? How does optimizing body composition help optimize energy metabolism? Can impaired energy metabolism make someone fatter? Is monounsaturated fat the best fat? Manganese followup. Do you need to stop taking biotin before a biotin test? What in "a bunch of supplements" flip the lactate/pyruvate ratio from high to low? NAD infusions, yay or nay? Why do I feel better after a warm shower, even better than after sunshine? Should I cut back on vitamin A if I have toxicity symptoms but cutting back makes me get sick? Do home blood drop tests have to be pricked at the finger? Is it true that my boyfriend was just born a night owl? How much eating out is too much? When measuring ketones, lactate, and glucose at home to optimize energy metabolism, what time of day should we take the measurements? Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-june-a55 Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: How useful is hair trace mineral analysis (HTMA) for nutritional testing? Short Answer: Hair trace mineral analysis is included as an optional add-on in the comprehensive nutritional screening from Testing Nutritional Status: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet, because it can capture data for some ultra-trace minerals for which there are no better-validated tests, and it might capture a pattern that might not be picked up as quickly with blood work, such as a mineral transport issue. However, its utility is limited by the fact that hair mineral content is not well validated as a test for any specific mineral, is generally anti-validated when there is enough science on a mineral (such as zinc, where hair zinc does not go down in deficiency), and should not be used as a central piece of data without corroboration from other more well-validated tests, which exist for most of the nutrients. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-hair-trace-mineral-analysis In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: What's the Deal With Seed Oils? Is Whole Food Vitamin C Really Different? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the June 16, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: Butyrate for Hashimoto's? What else? What in the comprehensive nutritional screening is helping to interpret lactate/pyruvate and ketone ratios? Is the solution to a respiratory chain disorder to take Niagen? If I have high manganese on an HTMA, do I need to detox? Should CFS patients target reducing their serum BH4? What to do about low alkaline phosphatase? If my glucose spikes above 140, should I eat fiber and take ACV before the meal, eat cinnamon with the meal, chew slowly, and move for ten minutes after my meals? Difficulty getting Quest to do the lactate/pyruvate ratio correctly. Is 38 milligrams of niacinamide enough to rule out niacin deficiency as a cause of low NAD+? How does optimizing body composition help optimize energy metabolism? Can impaired energy metabolism make someone fatter? Is monounsaturated fat the best fat? Manganese followup. Do you need to stop taking biotin before a biotin test? What in "a bunch of supplements" flip the lactate/pyruvate ratio from high to low? NAD infusions, yay or nay? Why do I feel better after a warm shower, even better than after sunshine? Should I cut back on vitamin A if I have toxicity symptoms but cutting back makes me get sick? Do home blood drop tests have to be pricked at the finger? Is it true that my boyfriend was just born a night owl? How much eating out is too much? When measuring ketones, lactate, and glucose at home to optimize energy metabolism, what time of day should we take the measurements? Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-june-a55 Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Nutrition is far more powerful than drugs to improve cognitive performance. We start by looking at cocaine, Adderall, and Ritalin, and show why these drugs cannot possibly hold a candle to nutrition. Optimal nutrition can definitely optimize the function of dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, histamine, creatine, and the methylation system, and in doing so can simultaneously optimize focus, motivation, sustained attention, and mental flexibility, and methylation, all while eliminating anxiety, depression, and distraction. Yet, popular nutritional cognitive stacks in the nootropic space do not have convincing evidence behind them, and this is probably a result of them trying to do too many things in one capsule. This presentation covers the low-hanging fruit of nutrition for brain power, supplements that help, the importance of individual nutritional optimization, and the central power of finding one's genetic "health super-unlock." For my simple protocol to optimize methylation, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/mthfr-protocol For more detail on finding your own personal genetic health super-unlock, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/unlocking-performance-and-longevity Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Debunking the myth that vitamin C in plants is found in a special "tyrosinase complex." For the written article with references, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/vitamin-c-whole-food-vs-synthetic For issues of vitamin C dosing and balancing with other nutrients, see these two links: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/the-powerful-duo-how-glutathione https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/balancing-vitamin-c-and-glutathione-d6f Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Watch or listen to the full critique here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMPvCiOkEtQ Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Is high-dose vitamin C good for you? High-dose intravenous vitamin C can selectively kill cancer cells in live patients and can save sepsis patients from dying, but it acts as a pro-oxidant in cancer and an antioxidant in sepsis. So what does it do in the rest of us? Oral doses of 2000 milligrams raise oxalate levels in most people, and as little as 400 milligrams raises oxalate in some people. This seems to be the most sensitive indicator of a delicate imbalance with glutathione and other factors needed to recycle vitamin C. Such a balance actually needs to be avoided when killing cancer yet is critical to maintaining health in every other context. Given that vitamin C is important to immunity and general health, how do we take advantage of these benefits without upsetting the delicate balance with glutathione and the propensity to generate oxalate? That is the topic of this podcast. This podcast is a preview of a video only available to Masterpass members. Get evergreen access to the video and podcast, as well as the written article with references, here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/balancing-vitamin-c-and-glutathione-d6f Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: How to Find the Root Cause of Autoimmunity? Short Answer: Autoimmune conditions are likely driven by deficiencies of vitamins A and D, which contribute to post-infectious autoimmunity by compromising the rhythmic rise and fall of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and to autoimmunity regardless of infections through impaired suppression of Th17 helper T cells. More broadly, infections and tissue damage are the most likely drivers of autoimmunity onset. However, energy metabolism governs everything through the second law of thermodynamics, which holds that energy must be used to prevent everything from randomly mixing, and this includes randomly mixing the immune defense against pathogens with immune attacks on the host. In this example, we discuss how a respiratory chain disorder would compromise absorption and distribution of zinc and compromise the oxidation of NADH to NAD+, and how both of these would interact with a genetic impairment in acetaldehyde dehydrogenase to prevent the activation of vitamin A to retinoic acid. Autoimmunity thus results as one of many symptoms of vitamin A deficiency driven not by lack of vitamin A, but rather by impaired activation of vitamin A, secondary to impaired energy metabolism. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-nac-biofilms-vitamin In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: Can NAC hurt your gut health? Why Would Vitamin C Cause Joint Pain, Muscle Pain, and Brain Fog? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the May 13, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: GLA to lower hydroxyhaemopyrrolin-2-one? When would I use the StrateGene and Genova Methylation Panel for nutritional testing? Energy metabolism as a root cause of gut issues? Nutrition for skin healing? Nutrition for hypnic jerks? Suggestions for snoring or sleep apnea? Nutrition to protect against restaurant meals? What is the cause of crusty eyes in the morning? What causes brain fog? How much oxalate should one eat each day? Should I be concerned about low alkaline phosphatase? What nutrients give tall children to short parents? Energy metabolism impairment mimicking Wilson's disease. Can taking digestive enzymes reduce our own production? Rapid-fire response to non-winners from the question contest. Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-may Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

High-dose intravenous (IV) vitamin C has the potential to kill cancer cells and prolong the survival of terminal cancer patients. This podcast is a preview, the full video is available only to Masterpass members. See the written article with links to references here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/the-powerful-duo-how-glutathione Subscribe to the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/subscribe I am not a medical doctor and this is not medical advice. Please do not make cancer prevention or treatment decisions based on this information and if you make any such decisions discuss them with your physician first. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

The ability to become startled is an adaptive behavior that protects us from being injured by a sudden threat, and prepares us for the fight-or-flight response when necessary. Nevertheless, getting startled too easily can be a sign that something is wrong. Here's what to do about it. For the written version with links to references and links to testing, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/startled-try-glycine Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Hormones matter, but they are never in charge. Their abnormalities are never the root cause of anything. All hormones do is communicate the biochemistry of one tissue to the biochemistry of another tissue. In this episode: Three Reasons For Hormones to Be Messed Up Exceptions to the Rule Leptin, Insulin, and Thyroid Hormone As an Example How to Approach Hormones For the written version, the links to references, and the links to testing, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/hormones-are-never-in-charge Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Most people who take biotin take it for their hair and nails. Yet biotin does much more than this. Learn what to use it for, how much to take, and how to avoid adverse effects in less than ten minutes. Read the written and fully referenced version here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/biotins-health-benefits-way-beyond Get my short and sweet tips on each nutrient in the Cliff Notes here: https://chris-masterjohn-phd.myshopify.com/products/the-vitamins-and-minerals-101-cliff-notes It's free to Masterpass members here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/paid-subscribers-now-have-free-access Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

This is how to use a simple home measurement to expose the harmful effects of a supplement before they even happen. Read the article here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-biotin Subscribe to my newsletter to get my series on improving respiratory chain function as soon as new articles come out: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/subscribe See the "super unlock" article here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/unlocking-performance-and-longevity Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: Why Would Vitamin C cause muscle pain, joint pain, and brain fog? Short Answer: Acutely, vitamin C would likely cause these effects by generating oxalate, which could cause crystals that lead to muscle and joint pain, and could cut energy metabolism in half, leading to brain fog. This vulnerability could result from deficiencies of any of the B vitamins, any of the electrolytes, or of iron, copper, or sulfur; from diabetes, low adrenals, or hypothyroidism; or from any of the hundreds of genetic defects in energy metabolism, only one of which is glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency; or any one of a huge number of toxins that impair energy metabolism. Chronically, vitamin C may increase the harms of iron overload or contribute to copper deficiency. The main ways to manage these latter issues are to take vitamin C away from meals, to maintain good copper status through proper dietary intake, and to treat iron overload with phlebotomy. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-nac-biofilms-vitamin In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: Can NAC hurt your gut health? How to Find the Root Cause of Autoimmunity? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the May 13, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: GLA to lower hydroxyhaemopyrrolin-2-one? When would I use the StrateGene and Genova Methylation Panel for nutritional testing? Energy metabolism as a root cause of gut issues? Nutrition for skin healing? Nutrition for hypnic jerks? Suggestions for snoring or sleep apnea? Nutrition to protect against restaurant meals? What is the cause of crusty eyes in the morning? What causes brain fog? How much oxalate should one eat each day? Should I be concerned about low alkaline phosphatase? What nutrients give tall children to short parents? Energy metabolism impairment mimicking Wilson's disease. Can taking digestive enzymes reduce our own production? Rapid-fire response to non-winners from the question contest. Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-may Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

If you are eating a high-protein diet, you probably aren't getting enough biotin. This is especially true if you are a protein-fueled athlete and find your skin too oily, too itchy, or too red; if your blood sugar is getting out of control; or if you simply feel down in the dumps. And it's especially true if you find your hands or feet tingling or get subtle sensations of something crawling on your skin. Alternatively, if you're pregnant or looking to conceive, this is something you really need to understand. This is a free preview of an episode reserved for Masterpass members. Get the full episode as well as the written and fully referenced article here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/high-protein-you-need-more-biotin Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

The use of high-dose biotin supplements has increased almost 30-fold over the last twenty years for such problems as diabetes, smell and taste disorders, disorders of the hair, skin, and nails, and multiple sclerosis. Studies show it can improve diabetes, and case reports show it can miraculously recover lost smell and taste even when smell and taste were lost as a result of surgery or the side effects of medications or other supplements. Yet, some studies show multiple sclerosis gets worse on high-dose biotin. I personally developed clumsiness, short-term memory loss, and a short temper on high-dose biotin. Some studies show it makes blood sugar get better, yet it made my blood sugar get worse. High-dose biotin can also cause wide-ranging errors in lab tests with the potential to mask recent heart attacks, pregnancies, or allergies; to misdiagnose thyroid conditions; to give false signals about the presence or progression of tumors; to falsely raise vitamin D, B12, and folate levels; to falsely alter many hormone levels; to generate false positives for HIV and hepatitis; and to lead to unnecessary surgery and possibly even death as a result of diagnostic errors. Most people need more biotin than they get. Some one in 30 people need high-dose biotin for genetic reasons, and most other people should be getting lower doses. So, how do we know how much we need, and whether we are getting the right amount? When is the right time to break open the bottle of the ten-milligram capsules? This article covers the safety and efficacy of high-dose biotin for all the conditions documented in the literature, its potential anti-fertility effects, and how and when to balance it with other vitamins. This podcast is a preview of a podcast reserved for Masterpass members. Get permanent access to the video and podcast, and get the written and fully referenced article, here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/when-high-dose-biotin-is-truly-needed Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

The most useful tests are the ones no one ever orders. This podcast is available for free for 48 hours, and then will only be available to Masterpass members. The written and fully referenced article, the podcast, and the permanently available video can be found here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/how-to-interpret-ketone-ratios-and Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: Can NAC hurt your gut health? Short Answer: N-acetylcysteine or NAC can be used at a dose of 600 to 2,400 milligrams per day for 5-10 days to disrupt biofilms and make it easier for antimicrobials to kill bacteria. Animal studies suggest that acute doses up to 6 grams do not deplete mucus or cause ulceration, but that an acute dose of 17.5 grams can deplete mucus and cause ulcers within two hours. Human studies suggest that 10 grams per day can be used for 24 weeks with fewer than 1 in 6 people complaining of gastrointestinal side effects. Yet, chronic use of NAC will thin the mucus, disrupt the biofilms used by normal healthy microbiota, and possibly deliver excessive sulfur to certain components of the microbiome. Therefore, I would not use it except for specific, targeted reasons, and I would not use it at a dose higher than needed or for a duration longer than needed. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-nac-biofilms-vitamin In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: Why Would Vitamin C cause muscle pain, joint pain, and brain fog? How to Find the Root Cause of Autoimmunity? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the May 13, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: GLA to lower hydroxyhaemopyrrolin-2-one? When would I use the StrateGene and Genova Methylation Panel for nutritional testing? Energy metabolism as a root cause of gut issues? Nutrition for skin healing? Nutrition for hypnic jerks? Suggestions for snoring or sleep apnea? Nutrition to protect against restaurant meals? What is the cause of crusty eyes in the morning? What causes brain fog? How much oxalate should one eat each day? Should I be concerned about low alkaline phosphatase? What nutrients give tall children to short parents? Energy metabolism impairment mimicking Wilson's disease. Can taking digestive enzymes reduce our own production? Rapid-fire response to non-winners from the question contest. Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-may Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Each person has one to six highly unique unlocks that will only work for them, and this is how to find them. This podcast is only available here for the next 48 hours. This video is a free preview of a full-length 69-minute podcast. You can access the full video, full podcast, and the written and fully referenced article here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/unlocking-performance-and-longevity Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: How can I protect against oxalates? Short Answer: Getting 300-400 mg calcium between food and supplements at each meal will minimize oxalate absorption. Maintaining postprandial urine pH in the 6.4-6.8 range by getting 3-5 grams of potassium per day from food or from organic acid salts such as potassium citrate will prevent its crystallization in the kidney. Reducing dietary oxalate will prevent any possible damage in the gut. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-blood-glucose-and-oxalate In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: Why Should Postprandial Glucose Be Kept Under 140 mg/dL? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the April 12, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: What Causes Hypercholesterolemia and Does It Matter? How to Reverse Coronary Calcification? How to do a comprehensive nutritional screening How long after eating improperly cooked egg whites should I wait to take biotin? Is the extrusion process as harmful as some claim? How long can one fast before micronutrient deficiencies become an issue? Do B vitamins compete with each other for absorption? Why is thirst a symptom of diabetes? Do I agree with Peter Attia that ApoB should be driven as low as pharmacologically possible? During a fast, does the body break down muscle? How do you rest and refeed your brain? Why would someone have high RBC magnesium but low serum magnesium? GLA deficiency? Should we eat for our ethnicity? How convincing are polyphenol studies? Can coronary calcium be driven by oxalate? Citrulline for vasodilation How to reduce catabolism Rapid-fire run-through of orphaned questions from the submission contest, including a detailed look at Nadia's thyroid numbers Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-april Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: Why should postprandial blood glucose be kept under 140 milligrams per deciliter? Short Answer: When blood glucose rises above 140 mg/dL, this is the approximate point at which it spills into the polyol pathway at a greater-than-normal rate, which represents a suboptimal state of metabolism that is likely to hurt antioxidant status and compromise detoxification pathways as well as the recycling of vitamin K and folate. It must be kept in mind that a healthy person will adapt to glycemic loads they consume regularly. Thus, a one-time spike above 140 mg/dL should never be used to conclude anything whatsoever. Only repeated spikes above this level with repeated consumption of the same glycemic load over several days to several weeks should be used as a cause for concern. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-blood-glucose-and-oxalate In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: How can I protect against oxalates? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the April 12, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: What Causes Hypercholesterolemia and Does It Matter? How to Reverse Coronary Calcification? How to do a comprehensive nutritional screening How long after eating improperly cooked egg whites should I wait to take biotin? Is the extrusion process as harmful as some claim? How long can one fast before micronutrient deficiencies become an issue? Do B vitamins compete with each other for absorption? Why is thirst a symptom of diabetes? Do I agree with Peter Attia that ApoB should be driven as low as pharmacologically possible? During a fast, does the body break down muscle? How do you rest and refeed your brain? Why would someone have high RBC magnesium but low serum magnesium? GLA deficiency? Should we eat for our ethnicity? How convincing are polyphenol studies? Can coronary calcium be driven by oxalate? Citrulline for vasodilation How to reduce catabolism Rapid-fire run-through of orphaned questions from the submission contest, including a detailed look at Nadia's thyroid numbers Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-april Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Watch the full-length video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhgGGbdw4zE&t=8621s Get my free 51--page report, Methylene Blue: Biohacker's Delight or Playing With Fire?, here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/the-guide-to-methylene-blue Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Get the written and referenced version here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/the-guide-to-methylene-blue This is a 51-page guide in which you will learn the following: The Origin of Methylene Blue The Entry of Methylene Blue Into Medicine From Malaria to Many Uses in Medicine How Methylene Blue Works A Redox-Reactive Dye The Blue Bottle Experiment Methylene Blue Radicals, Photoexcited States, and Demethylated Metabolites Methylene Blue Can Oxidize and Reduce Many Targets Methylene Blue Can Rewire the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Rewiring the Respiratory Chain Does Not Make It Better Methylene Blue Increases Hydrogen Peroxide Hydrogen Peroxide Kills Microbes, Has Hormetic Benefits, But Is Still Ultimately Toxic Methylene Blue Causes Redox Cycling of Hemoglobin Methylene Blue Is a Strong Monoamine Oxidase A Inhibitor Methylene Blue Inhibits Nitric Oxide Synthase Mechanistic Conclusions Is Methylene Blue Fundamentally Hormetic? Methylene Blue Fails in Alzheimer's, and Causes a Worrisome Side Effect Whether Methylene Blue Helps Or Hurts Depends on Whether You Need It Natural Alternatives for Hormesis and Rewiring the Respiratory Chain Who Should Use Methylene Blue? Once more you can get it here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/the-guide-to-methylene-blue Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: What is the relationship between copper and estrogen? Short Answer: Estrogen moves copper from the mother's bloodstream to the fetus during pregnancy. Its action at the intestines is poorly understood but I believe estrogen and progesterone interact to promote intestinal copper absorption. Maintaining pregnancy-level hormones while not pregnant poses a risk of promoting too much absorption of copper from food without transferring it to a growing baby. Copper status should be monitored when using supplemental hormones to avoid copper toxicity. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-hair-graying-copper In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: How to slow or reverse graying of hair? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the March 14, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: How to slow or reverse graying of hair? What about that new erythritol study? Can nicotinamide riboside cause hemolytic anemia in someone with G6PDH deficiency? Why is citric acid alkalinizing? If I switch my vitamin E to tocotrienols, am I missing anything? Vitamin A deficiency and toxicity symptoms at the same time? Vitamin A in pregnancy How long should I wait to measure whole blood riboflavin after making a change to my supplement? How to stack supplements for blood pressure? Rejuvant calcium alpha-ketoglutarate for anti-aging? Are dietary AGEs a problem? Is it safe to keep taking high-dose zinc? What's the best way to get phosphorus? Weight loss question. How to eat to 80% full Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-march Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

This is now subscribers-only and is available here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/why-would-citrate-or-malate-cause Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

This is now subscribers-only and can be accessed here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/what-to-do-about-constipation Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: How to slow graying of hairs and potentially reverse it? Short Answer: What works for any given individual will likely be to find the weakest link and fix it, from among the following systems: the signaling of energy abundance (body fat, insulin sensitivity, thyroid hormone, adequate protein, individualized meeting of carbohydrate needs, good management of psychosocial stress, supporting neuroendocrine signaling with copper, vitamin C, zinc, and glycine, and supporting thyroid function with iodine and selenium); the biochemical infrastructure of energy production (all the B vitamins, iron, copper, sulfur, magnesium, potassium, and managing genetic idiosyncrasies impacting energy metabolism), and antioxidant protection (protein, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, copper, selenium, iron, and manganese). This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-hair-graying-copper In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: What is the relationship between copper and estrogen? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the March 14, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: What is the relationship between copper and estrogen? What about that new erythritol study? Can nicotinamide riboside cause hemolytic anemia in someone with G6PDH deficiency? Why is citric acid alkalinizing? If I switch my vitamin E to tocotrienols, am I missing anything? Vitamin A deficiency and toxicity symptoms at the same time? Vitamin A in pregnancy How long should I wait to measure whole blood riboflavin after making a change to my supplement? How to stack supplements for blood pressure? Rejuvant calcium alpha-ketoglutarate for anti-aging? Are dietary AGEs a problem? Is it safe to keep taking high-dose zinc? What's the best way to get phosphorus? Weight loss question. How to eat to 80% full Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-march Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: How much iron can we absorb at once? Short Answer: High-dose iron will produce more total absorbed iron, but will also leave more in the gut, which could cause constipation or disturb the gut microbiome. If desperate for quick relief, 200 milligrams per day of iron taken in the morning will work faster than lower doses or the same dose taken in the afternoon. For most people, however, I believe it is best to start with 18 milligrams of iron, and only increase it to 27 or 36 milligrams, or higher, if needed. If it is difficult to raise iron with a supplement, try eating a temporary carnivore diet that includes egg yolks but not whites, or at least try taking your iron with a breakfast that matches this description. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-vitamin-d-sulfate-synthesis In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answers to these questions: Is It Important to Get Vitamin D Sulfate Specifically From the Sun? What cofactors are needed to synthesize and recycle BH4? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the February 15, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: Is It Important to Get Vitamin D Sulfate Specifically From the Sun? What cofactors are needed to synthesize and recycle BH4? What nutrients are important for long-term PPI use? For how long does transferrin saturation respond to recent iron-rich food? Muscle spasms: creatine, creatinine, sodium, and potassium. Hematologists ignore iron saturation. How to detox arsenic? Could folic acid supplements impair BH4 recycling? How to increase butyrate? More on hematologists and transferrin saturation. Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-february Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: What cofactors are needed to synthesize and recycle BH4? Short Answer: Zinc, magnesium, potassium, and niacin are the cofactors needed for the synthesis and recycling of BH4. Folate and methylation are not involved, though high-dose folate or folic acid could hypothetically hurt BH4 recycling since both are recycled by dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-vitamin-d-sulfate-synthesis In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answers to these questions: Is It Important to Get Vitamin D Sulfate Specifically From the Sun? How Much Iron Can We Absorb At Once? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the February 15, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: Is It Important to Get Vitamin D Sulfate Specifically From the Sun? How Much Iron Can We Absorb At Once? What nutrients are important for long-term PPI use? For how long does transferrin saturation respond to recent iron-rich food? Muscle spasms: creatine, creatinine, sodium, and potassium. Hematologists ignore iron saturation. How to detox arsenic? Could folic acid supplements impair BH4 recycling? How to increase butyrate? More on hematologists and transferrin saturation. Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-february Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: Is it important to get vitamin D sulfate specifically from the sun? Short Answer: It is important to get morning outdoor sunlight as close to every day as possible for your circadian rhythm, and to get some exposure to unprotected sunlight during the day when UV is available, but at doses less than needed to cause reddening, and it is equally important to always avoid burning. There are many reasons for this, and the cholesterol sulfate hypothesis — to which the vitamin D sulfate hypothesis is peripheral — is an interesting and worthy hypothesis but should not be the final arbiter of your sun exposure habits. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-vitamin-d-sulfate-synthesis In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answers to these questions: What cofactors are needed to synthesize and recycle BH4? How Much Iron Can We Absorb At Once? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the February 15, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: What cofactors are needed to synthesize and recycle BH4? How Much Iron Can We Absorb At Once? What nutrients are important for long-term PPI use? For how long does transferrin saturation respond to recent iron-rich food? Muscle spasms: creatine, creatinine, sodium, and potassium. Hematologists ignore iron saturation. How to detox arsenic? Could folic acid supplements impair BH4 recycling? How to increase butyrate? More on hematologists and transferrin saturation. Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-february Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

These are considered rare, yet this reinforces the pattern of never looking for them, leading them to likely be massively under-diagnosed. Many are highly relevant to nutrition. Written Version: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/when-to-consider-inborn-errors-of Mitochondrial Energy Summit: https://drtalks.com/mitochondrial-summit/?uid=406&oid=47&ref=3053 My MTHFR Protocol: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/mthfr-protocol Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Iris from Denmark has generously donated an hour of her consulting time with me to you, the community, so that her case can be used to raise awareness of the importance of arachidonic acid and the pitfalls of getting too much EPA. In this podcast, we cover: 00:27 Iris's history of too much omega-3 and not enough omega-6. 01:52 The symptoms that have improved upon reversing this. 04:54 Is it correct that the body needs both arachidonic acid and DHA to resolve inflammation? 09:03 How to navigate this during pregnancy, where DHA and AA are both important for the baby but EPA is still a concern? 14:06 Does the body have a storage supply of omega-3? 18:00 What is more important, AA/EPA balance or total PUFA intake? What is more harmful, signaling compound imbalance, oxidative damage, or membrane fluidity distortion? 31:05 Is the proper strategy supplementing AA while reducing EPA, or is it getting more vitamin E? 33:30 What about the ratio of PUFA to saturated fat or total fat? 35:55 Vitamin E cannot protect against all the risks of PUFA. Here are the other things that matter. 41:50 Supporting the marine ecology. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

This may explain why high-dose biotin causes "oxalate dumping" symptoms in some people but not others. Written and referenced version: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/can-b12-and-folate-help-detoxify Mitochondrial Energy Summit: https://drtalks.com/mitochondrial-summit/?uid=406&oid=47&ref=3053 My MTHFR Protocol: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/mthfr-protocol Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: If a person has a hereditary weakness for Branched Chain Amino Acid Catabolism would this impact the type of diet they might choose to loose weight? Should they limit protein if it will increase their need for nutrients like Biotin?What are all the possible cofactors we should consider supplementing to support Leucine catabolism? Short Answer: Metabolizing branched-chain amino acids requires all B vitamins except folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and chloride. If you have a genetic impairment in this pathway, then reducing branched-chain amino acid intake and doubling down on cofactors is important during weight loss because the pathway will be stressed more in the catabolic state. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-plant-compounds-and In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answers to these questions: Can plant foods and their phytochemicals be used to reduce arterial plaque? How do I consume omega-3 without hurting my omega-6 status? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the January 21, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: Can plant foods and their phytochemicals be used to reduce arterial plaque? How do I consume omega-3 without hurting my omega-6 status? Could carnitine help a fatty acid oxidation disorder? Should anti-inflammatories be taken away from workouts? How does vitamin C affect autoimmune disease? Folate form and purines Can methylene blue help the respiratory chain? Best references for omega-3 and inflammation resolution? Smoothies and blood sugar Is transdermal magnesium oil effective for osteoarthritis? Why do K2 and Mg help my nerve pain? Should I separate my potassium benzoate and vitamin C supplements? The best and most simple comprehensive micronutrient panel. How much K2 is needed in pregnancy? How do I accentuate the fasting-feeding cycle? Could K2 help with environmental pollution? Why do shoulders crack when we get older? Why do I react poorly to anti-inflammatory foods? Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-january Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: If I don't want to hurt my omega 6 status through my omega 3 intake, how do I do that? Is it simply a question of taking them at separate times? Or is it a question of dose? And if it is a question of dose, how do I know when to start eating fish and taking my omega 3 supplement again? Short Answer: How they are combined in meals is not important, but it is important not to have too much EPA in cell membranes relative to arachidonic acid, and this is driven by cumulative intake over years. For someone who has consumed too much EPA for many years, the best approach is to eat liver and egg yolks for arachidonic acid while getting omega-3s from a DHA supplement and not from fish, fish oil, or fish liver oil. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-plant-compounds-and In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answers to these questions: Can plant foods and their phytochemicals be used to reduce arterial plaque? If I have a hereditary weakness in breaking down branched-chain amino acids, what cofactors do I need to consider, and do I need to restrict my protein when losing weight? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the January 21, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: Can plant foods and their phytochemicals be used to reduce arterial plaque? If I have a hereditary weakness in breaking down branched-chain amino acids, what cofactors do I need to consider, and do I need to restrict my protein when losing weight? Could carnitine help a fatty acid oxidation disorder? Should anti-inflammatories be taken away from workouts? How does vitamin C affect autoimmune disease? Folate form and purines Can methylene blue help the respiratory chain? Best references for omega-3 and inflammation resolution? Smoothies and blood sugar Is transdermal magnesium oil effective for osteoarthritis? Why do K2 and Mg help my nerve pain? Should I separate my potassium benzoate and vitamin C supplements? The best and most simple comprehensive micronutrient panel. How much K2 is needed in pregnancy? How do I accentuate the fasting-feeding cycle? Could K2 help with environmental pollution? Why do shoulders crack when we get older? Why do I react poorly to anti-inflammatory foods? Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-january Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

That was not an exaggeration. Everything. In this podcast I cover why riboflavin abolished my allergies, why a respiratory chain disorder could cause an autoimmune condition, and why a hypothetical athlete who went keto to take home the silver might be able to use thiamin to take home the gold. Most importantly, I cover why these are idiosyncratic needs, not general rules. The generalizable principle is that nothing is more central to life and health than energy. Read the written version with links here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/energy-metabolism-governs-everything Get the methylation protocol here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/mthfr-protocol Check out my course on energy metabolism here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/masterclass-with-masterjohn-energy Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: Can plant foods and their phytochemicals be used to reduce arterial plaque? Short Answer: Yes, but if you don't have specific intolerances to plant compounds the best thing to do is simply aim to meet your vitamin and mineral targets from a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, rather than trying to use specific plant compounds from specific studies in any specific amount. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-plant-compounds-and In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answers to these questions: How do I consume omega-3 without hurting my omega-6 status? If I have a hereditary weakness in breaking down branched-chain amino acids, what cofactors do I need to consider, and do I need to restrict my protein when losing weight? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the January 21, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: Can plant foods and their phytochemicals be used to reduce arterial plaque? How do I consume omega-3 without hurting my omega-6 status? If I have a hereditary weakness in breaking down branched-chain amino acids, what cofactors do I need to consider, and do I need to restrict my protein when losing weight? Could carnitine help a fatty acid oxidation disorder? Should anti-inflammatories be taken away from workouts? How does vitamin C affect autoimmune disease? Folate form and purines Can methylene blue help the respiratory chain? Best references for omega-3 and inflammation resolution? Smoothies and blood sugar Is transdermal magnesium oil effective for osteoarthritis? Why do K2 and Mg help my nerve pain? Should I separate my potassium benzoate and vitamin C supplements? The best and most simple comprehensive micronutrient panel. How much K2 is needed in pregnancy? How do I accentuate the fasting-feeding cycle? Could K2 help with environmental pollution? Why do shoulders crack when we get older? Why do I react poorly to anti-inflammatory foods? Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-january Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

Question: What can be done about twitching? Short Answer: Most twitching will be driven by glutamate/GABA balance or acetylcholine regulation, and the most likely nutritional issues are any of the electrolytes or any factor that influences energy metabolism. The best way to address it is to consider the conditions that influence it and then trial and error your way through each potential nutritional issue in order of which ones make the most sense for your individual case first. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-phosphatidylcholine In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answers to these questions: Phosphatidylcholine and TMAO Vitamin K2 and Undercarboxylated Osteocalcin If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the December 14, 2022 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what's included: Inositol, What Is It Good For? If I am at risk of heart disease, and phosphatidylcholine raises my TMAO, should I stop the supplement? If undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOCN) has health benefits and vitamin K2 decreases it, what does that mean for vitamin K2 supplementation? Maragen Calcium Could slow methylation cause high selenium levels? My current thoughts on cholesterol and heart disease If I already have oxidative stress, what ducks should I have in a row before supplementing with iron? Is it safe to take eight milligrams of zinc daily without copper? What to do about developing sensitivities to an increasingly broad range of foods? What else to do about hemochromatosis besides phlebotomy? If gestational diabetes is just a biotin deficiency, why are women who are insulin resistant prior to pregnancy at higher risk for it, including women with PCOS? What to do about chronically elevated amylase and lipase? What to do about a non-drinker having very high GGT and occasionally high ALT? What are the most common vitamin and mineral deficiencies? What are the best supplements, vitamins, and minerals for OCD and depression? What is the connection between low pyruvate and high ketones? Is high LDL a concern if the carotid IMT and coronary calcium scan are clear? Do I trust food allergy tests? Here's a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-december Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here. Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.

This is a hypothesis that may reconcile some anecdotes and has many hints suggested in the enzymological literature. First, make sure you get my MTHFR Protocol, my free 7-page quick guide to optimizing and personalizing your methylation status, here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.com/blog/2019/03/01/start-here-for-mthfr-and-methylation For the written version with references, as well as the 58 comments, including from Susan Owens, head over to Substack: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/can-biotin-help-detoxify-oxalate Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.