Breakthroughs in metabolic health
Our take on the most notable personal stories and scientific studies of MHS 2024
Earlier this year, Senza virtually attended the Metabolic Health Summit 2024, a leading medical and scientific conference on metabolic health. Each year, the event brings together a diverse mix of thought leaders to discuss the latest breakthroughs in our understanding of human health and evolving treatments for deficiencies in how the body produces and uses energy. This is one of the best gatherings we have found for learning about emerging research on applying ketogenic diets as a medical intervention for various health conditions. Hearing personal testimonies and success stories alongside the scientific presentations gives us invaluable insight into the experiences of patients and practitioners.
This is all to say, we had high hopes for MHS 2024, and the agenda did not disappoint! Even though we missed out on Beach Yoga and the Dry Farm Wines tasting, we heard perspectives that will shape how we enhance the Senza platform for keto and fasting going forward. Throughout the three-day conference, we heard about new approaches to fasting, and ketogenic diets came up in the context of everything from anti-aging and athletics to insulin load and even a video that’s gone viral comparing the effects of consuming Oreos to taking statins. For this edition of Fix the Food, we’ve compiled some of the highlights from the event.
Fun Fact: Senza first launched our mobile app for keto at the MHS 2017 conference in Tampa!
The Latest Fasting Research
Valter Long, PhD, University of Southern California — Fasting Mimicking Diets in Disease Prevention and Treatment
Internationally distinguished scientist and The Longevity Diet author, Professor Valter Longo, gave the opening keynote with a perspective on Fasting Mimicking Diets(FMD), which are designed to imitate the effects of fasting and have the potential to reverse chronic disease and extend healthspan. Over the years, Longo has made significant contributions to our understanding of how dietary interventions can influence aging and age-related diseases. He developed the Fasting Mimicking Program at USC Longevity Institute, which he directs.
Keto for Mental Health
Iain Campbell, PhD, University of Edinburgh — A Pilot Study of Ketogenic Diet for Bipolar Disorder
Dr. Iain Campbell discussed the importance and efficacy of a keto diet as a form of therapy for bipolar disorder, touching on both personal experience and clinical research. Campbell explained how bipolar can be an “energy-specific disorder” - meaning, a certain amount of energy is required to keep the brain functioning on a stable wavelength, and when the amount of energy required is in a deficit, the brain becomes susceptible to metabolic dysregulation, leading to symptoms of mental health disorders.
One notable aspect of Campbell’s presentation was his emphasis on the importance of including medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil in a ketogenic diet for individuals with neurological or mental health disorders. We’ve been enthusiastic about MCT as a source of quick energy that helps with concentration, but it was interesting to hear a new perspective. According to Campbell’s bipolar theory, integrating MCT oils helps to boost fat intake, leading to increased ketone and energy production, particularly in the brain. The takeaway: Supplementing with MCT oil has the potential to improve cognitive function and even prevent cognitive decline!
Matt Baszucki, Bipolar Cast — Bipolar Illness & Metabolic Health: My Story
Matt Baszucki shared a testimonial of how he achieved remission from bipolar disorder through a ketogenic lifestyle. Prior to discovering keto, he had become a drug-resistant bipolar patient who could not find relief through standard treatments. Matt described how changing his diet, along with other lifestyle factors, improved his mental and physical wellbeing. In addition to nutrition, he now understands his circadian rhythm and sleep requirements, keeping to a strict sleep schedule that allows his body enough time to fully rest and recover.
Thanks to these dietary changes, Matt now leads a normal life, completely changed from what it was before. He is able to socialize with friends and participate in the work of the Baszucki Group - a foundation that’s funding research into the benefits of ketogenic diets in the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry.
Ready to give the ketogenic diet a try? We designed this 14-Day Intro to Keto meal plan for activating ketosis. You can vary the protein sources and customize amounts to fit your personal macros for therapeutic or nutritional ketosis.
Keto for Cardiovascular Health
Dr. Jeff Volek, PhD, The Ohio State University — Exploring the Keto-Adapted Phenotype: Focus on Muscle
Dr. Jeff Volek is a pioneer of the keto movement and co-founder of Virta Health. His primary research involves analyzing how the human body adapts to a diet restricted in carbohydrates, as well as exogenous ketones. If you’re not familiar with his work, he has published and contributed to numerous different clinical studies related to ketogenic diets, exogenous ketones, and fasting.
This time, Volek spoke about the role a ketogenic diet plays in both diabetes management and heart disease prevention. We paid attention when he brought up a new and interesting point of research related to benefits of ketone production in cardiovascular health. By researching the potential for keto to help athletes, he found that ketones benefit the heart in measurable ways - a major breakthrough in the keto medical community.
Optimizing Metabolic Health
Ben Bikman, PhD, Brigham Young University — Fat: Why it Matters and What to Do About It
Dr. Ben Bikman focuses on the molecular mechanisms that cause metabolic disease, such as diabetes, obesity, and dementia. Bikman is well known in both the professional health community and among individuals who have an interest in ketogenic and metabolic therapies. His Instagram @benbikmanphd is one of the best sources of information about insulin resistance.
At MHS 2024, Bikman’s presentation discussed how insulin affects fat cells, especially when the body becomes resistant to insulin. (Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells for energy.) He explained that insulin resistance can make fat cells more active, even when insulin is injected. He also provided some fascinating context for why low-fat diets became popular and how this way of eating leads to other health problems because the body needs energy from fats.
Nick Norwitz, PhD — Cookies & Cholesterol Controversy: Testing the Lipid Energy Model & Provoking Scientific Discourse
Dr. Nicholas Norwitz gave a provocative presentation on a self study, in which he tested the efficacy of Oreos vs. statins. (Yes, you read that right.) As a lean mass hyper-responder, his reaction to the ketogenic diet was elevated LDL cholesterol (the kind commonly called “bad” cholesterol). In an attempt to lower this number, Norwitz first supplemented with high-intensity statins for six weeks, then repeated the process for two weeks supplementing with a dozen Oreo cookies per day.
His prediction based on the lipid energy model was that his body should lower LDL cholesterol with any form of carb intake, which he had tested in previous self studies using bananas and other “healthy” carb options. However, for the sake of creating an attention-grabbing headline to open up the discussion about carbs and cholesterol, he wanted to use a metric that could not be called healthy. He found that the Oreos were almost three times more effective at lowering his cholesterol than the high-intensity statins!
Norwitz now works alongside Dave Feldman in researching and publishing more information on cholesterol, so that people who don’t understand why their cholesterol shoots up when following a low-carb diet have a place where they can go to understand why.
Dave Feldman, University of California Los Angeles — LMHR Study and Miami Heart: A Comparison Analysis
After switching to a ketogenic diet, Dave Feldman saw his own cholesterol skyrocket and has been working to understand why this happens to certain people ever since. With a background in engineering, Feldman created the Lipid Energy Model, which suggests how the body can utilize stored fat efficiently as a primary source of energy during periods of low carbohydrate intake or fasting. He also created the lean mass hyper-responder theory to explain why some people react differently in their cholesterol levels when following a low carbohydrate diet. His presentation this year addressed conflicting dietary research, emphasizing the need for further clinical studies to support the ketogenic diet's efficacy as a medical intervention, either alone or in combination with conventional treatments.
Human Optimization
Tommy Wood, MD, PhD, University of Washington — Demand-Driven Decline: A Systems-Based Model for Dementia Prevention
Dr. Tommy Wood is a neuroscientist who researches brain injury and lifelong health, with a focus on developing accessible methods for monitoring health, performance, and longevity in athletes and the general population. During his presentation, Wood discussed his model for dementia prevention, highlighting the multifaceted nature of lifestyle factors involved. He emphasized the importance of cognitive stimulation in maintaining brain health, noting that individuals who retire early may be at higher risk of cognitive decline due to reduced mental challenges. Wood's approach advocates for daily mental stimulation alongside dietary and lifestyle interventions to promote long-term cognitive acuity, including the use of ketones as brain fuel.
He also underscored the significance of tracking specific biomarkers, such as insulin, ApoB (aka Apolipoprotein B), and uric acid, to identify and prevent cognitive decline. These biomarkers provide valuable insights into overall health and offer potential avenues for intervention to safeguard cognitive function in the long term.
Lily Nichols, RDN, Women’s Health Nutrition Academy — Metabolic Health Starts In Utero
Lily Nichols is a practitioner who specializes in prenatal nutrition, diabetes, and related topics. Her talk highlighted the importance of both maternal and paternal health, as they collectively influence the baby's well-being. Particularly intriguing was the insight that we inherit the health status of our parents at the time of conception, rather than predisposed diseases from older generations. Takeaway: Both parents should be highly motivated to attain optimal health before conception!
Nichols also discussed the utilization of ketones during pregnancy and provided guidance on evaluating macronutrient needs. She noted that current carbohydrate recommendations may be excessive, while protein intake recommendations might be too low.
A bright future ahead
We wrapped up our virtual participation in MHS 2024 with the conclusion that the use of keto and fasting strategies as treatments for metabolic disease appears more promising than ever. Ongoing research undoubtedly will unlock their full potential as therapeutic tools. Our goal from the start has been to support professionals and individuals who are tackling the most serious metabolic health conditions with the most technically capable toolset for tracking nutrition, fasting, exercise, glucose, ketones, mood, sleep, weight, and more. MHS is where we launched our mobile app and where we continue to draw inspiration for the future.