#845: How to Use Ketosis for Enhanced Mood, Cognition, and Long-Term Brain Protection — A Practical and Tactical Guide with Dr. Dominic D'Agostino (Plus: Deconstructing Tim’s Latest Keto Experiment)

Dr. Dominic D’Agostino (@DominicDAgosti2) is a tenured associate professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and a Visiting Senior Research Scientist at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition.

This episode is brought to you by:

• Gusto simple and easy payroll, HR, and benefits platform used by 400,000+ businesses: https://gusto.com/tim 
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• Coyote the card game​, which I co-created with Exploding Kittens: https://coyotegame.com

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Timestamps:

• [00:00:00] Who is Dominic D'Agostino?
• [00:04:37] Ketosis benefits: Quieting the mind, GABA elevation, metabolic psychiatry.
• [00:09:24] My Lyme disease story: Pseudo-dementia reversed in 3-4 days of ketosis.
• [00:13:50] Spirochetes are glycolytic: Starve the bug, boost the immune response.
• [00:19:20] Ketosis and cancer: Slowing glycolytic tumors, enhancing standard care.
• [00:20:50] My 18-day keto experiment: Mood stabilization, Alzheimer’s prevention hopes.
• [00:23:19] Metabolic memory: Carryover effects and Valter Longo’s fasting mimicking research.
• [00:27:11] Intermittent fasting as keto on-ramp: My 2-8 p.m. eating window.
• [00:29:15] Dom’s budget keto meal: Canned mackerel, MCT oil, apple cider vinegar.
• [00:33:28] My ketone measurement paradox: Feeling sharp at 0.2 mM readings.
• [00:36:56] The carburetor analogy: Ketone production vs. utilization explained.
• [00:38:43] Breath ketones vs. blood ketones: Better indicator in caloric deficit.
• [00:39:47] Gluconeogenesis fears: Fat, fiber, and salt to slow protein absorption.
• [00:45:25] The bunless double cheeseburger question: 80 grams of protein in one sitting.
• [00:49:03] Post-meal walking and GLUT4 activation: Timing your glucose disposal.
• [00:51:02] CGM and ketone monitor limitations: When your devices gaslight you.
• [00:58:05] Rabbit starvation and protein-veggie days: Why your body won’t bankroll its own ketosis.
• [01:05:44] Alzheimer’s prevention: Biomarkers, B12, hsCRP, and metabolic health.
• [01:09:40] My family history: Letrozole, metabolic dysfunction, and rapid cognitive decline.
• [01:13:17] Minimum effective dose: 80% of benefits from low-carb Mediterranean.
• [01:18:56] One week per month protocol: Aggressive calorie cut to ramp ketones.
• [01:23:12] GKI sweet spot: Target 1-4, aim for 1-2 during intensive weeks.
• [01:36:22] Exogenous ketones 101: Palatability, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, toxicity.
• [01:39:21] 1,3-Butanediol warnings: Liver toxicity, NAD depletion, dependency risk.
• [01:54:22] Intermittent fasting vs. ketogenic breakfast.
• [01:59:09] My accidental intoxication story.
• [02:03:23] Dr. Veech tribute: Student of Hans Krebs, ketone ester pioneer.
• [02:05:08] Fiber on keto: Wild blueberries, broccoli, apples, walnuts.
• [02:09:58] The tainted gummies incident: Dom’s forensic investigation underway.
• [02:13:08] Thanks to Dr. Boz and Medifoodz.
• [02:16:19] Parting thoughts.

For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.

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