Self Experiments In the Biochemically Unoptimized State

Finally, the long-awaited results of my self-experiments conducted from September through January are released!

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

The primary abnormalities in my metabolism during this pre-biotin period were 1) 15 minutes of paradoxical rise in ketones after eating rice, 2) paradoxical rise in lactate during fasting that is suppressed by my meals, and 3) a massively outsized lactate response to alcohol. The first two were provoked by an 18-hour fast and the last by undereating prior to the alcohol.

These support a deficiency in the biotin-dependent, manganese-dependent, oxalate-poisoned enzyme pyruvate carboxylase.

This is long, and if your time is limited, you may want to skip to "The Bottom Line" in this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/self-experiments-in-the-biochemically

However, there are some major reasons to commit some time to reading the whole report: It serves as a crash course on the most relevant biochemistry of glucose, ketones, lactate, and ethanol across contexts that include general health, diabetes, infancy, and pregnancy. It includes a literature review of all of the relevant "normal" data.

For example, what usually happens to lactate during fasting?

What is the normal response of ketones to a glucose tolerance test at the 15-minute mark?

How high should you expect your lactate to go up when you drink vodka, bourbon, or beer?

I have laid out a model of self-experimentation that you can borrow from for your own experiments.

There are many thought-provoking nuggets in here.

For example: Is it possible that two pounds of extra body fat prevents peripheral neuropathy in me and perhaps others? I make the case that it may.

Has your fasting glucose gone up on low-carb? See why mine went down after doing repeated glucose tolerance tests on myself (which I don't recommend at home!)

And, learn why I can fast my way to a glucose of 70 or eat my way to a glucose of 70 and I would choose eating my way there every time.

The full written version with linked references is found here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/self-experiments-in-the-biochemically

And don't forget to 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

Chris Masterjohn, PhD, is the Founder and Scientific Director of the mitochondria test Mitome.