Five Quick Q&As

Hello Newsletter Subscribers,

The video I’ve posted below is a special one that we recorded over four years ago, back in August of 2020. It was part of a nearly three-hour livestream that I did with my Insulin IQ cofounders when we launched Insulin IQ online, but I’ve taken just a few small snippets to share with you here today, totaling about 10 minutes.

The content of this livestream was never widely distributed so very few people saw it. I thought it would be a nice thing to share with my newsletter subscribers this week.

First, we discuss the possibility of an at-home insulin test. While I believe the science might progress to allow this one day, it’s unlikely to happen soon due to the complexity of measuring protein-based hormones like insulin.

I also critiqued the “Fasting Mimicking Diet,” which advocates restricting protein and calories to promote longevity by suppressing mTOR activation. While animal studies suggest mTOR suppression can extend lifespan, human studies show that mTOR activation, especially from protein, supports health as we age. Protein is essential for muscle and bone health, and I argue that the focus should instead be on regulating insulin, rather than unnecessarily restricting protein.

I touched on the insulin-to-glucagon ratio, noting its limited practicality due to variability in glucagon measurement between labs.

Finally, I also reflected on my shift from studying muscle physiology to focusing on fat cells, explaining how their endocrine roles and connection to type 2 diabetes, inflammation, and metabolic health sparked my fascination.

As a Reminder... You can use the “gear” icon at the bottom of any video to watch at various speeds. You can also click on “Chapters” to go directly to:

• (00:00) “Why isn’t there an at-home insulin test yet?”
• (01:29) “Are there cases where high ketones don’t indicate low insulin?”
• (02:10) “What’s your opinion on the Fasting Mimicking Diet?”
• (05:05) “How practical is the insulin-to-glucagon ratio for assessing metabolic health?”
• (07:13) “Why did you transition from studying muscle physiology to fat cells?”

Summaries with Timestamps

1. (00:00) “Why isn’t there an at-home insulin test yet?”
   I explained that the complexity of measuring protein-based hormones like insulin makes it unlikely in the near term. Instead, I suggested using ketone levels as a proxy, as they generally reflect low insulin levels.

2. (01:29) “Are there cases where high ketones don’t indicate low insulin?”
   I pointed out rare exceptions, like during extreme physical exertion or when consuming high carbohydrates. Still, ketones are a reliable marker in most scenarios.

3. (02:10) “What’s your opinion on the Fasting Mimicking Diet?”
   I critiqued the diet’s low-protein approach, arguing that while mTOR suppression extends lifespan in animals, human studies suggest protein is crucial for longevity, especially in aging populations.

4. (05:05) “How practical is the insulin-to-glucagon ratio for assessing metabolic health?”
   I explained that while the ratio is theoretically valuable, inconsistent glucagon measurements limit its real-world use. Elevated insulin levels in insulin resistance also skew the ratio. Also, here is the link to the Low-Carb Breck 2018 lecture that I did.

5. (07:13) “Why did you transition from studying muscle physiology to fat cells?”
   I shared how fat cells’ endocrine roles and their link to inflammation and type 2 diabetes sparked my interest, leading me to focus on their role in metabolic health.

I hope you’ve found some of this information this week useful. Thank you again for your support during these first few weeks of our website launch. Never hesitate to let us know if you have questions by using the chat icon in the lower right-hand corner of the page.

Warm regards,

Ben