Fat for Fuel

1. Your Mitochondria Are the Core of Your Health

When large numbers of mitochondria in your body stop functioning properly, it is simply impossible to stay healthy.

Tiny energy factories. Mitochondria are micro-organs within nearly all your cells, responsible for producing about 90% of your body's energy (ATP) by converting food and air. They account for roughly 10% of your body weight, with billions hard at work every second.

Vital functions. Optimal mitochondrial function is crucial for a well-functioning metabolism and overall health. They regulate energy production, control programmed cell death (apoptosis), and manage cellular cleanup processes like autophagy and mitophagy. Healthy mitochondria are essential for preventing chronic illness.

Vulnerable to damage. Mitochondria are prime sites for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which can lead to damaging free radicals. While ROS have beneficial roles, excess ROS from inefficient fuel burning (like sugar) damages mitochondrial DNA, membranes, and proteins, paving the way for inflammation and disease.

2. Chronic Disease Is Primarily a Metabolic Problem

I have come to see that we are losing the war against cancer because scientists are chasing a flawed paradigm: most adult cancers are not a disease of damaged DNA, but rather one of defective metabolism.

Beyond genetics. For decades, the focus has been on cancer and chronic diseases as genetic issues stemming from DNA damage. However, emerging science suggests the root cause lies in defective metabolic processes within your mitochondria, often due to insulin and leptin resistance from poor diet.

Metabolic dysfunction. When mitochondria are damaged, they can't efficiently use oxygen to burn fuel, relying instead on less efficient processes like glycolysis (the Warburg effect). This metabolic inflexibility is a hallmark of cancer cells and contributes to a wide range of chronic illnesses.

Empowering shift. Understanding disease as metabolic dysfunction is empowering because metabolism can be healed. By carefully choosing nutrients and employing strategies that optimize mitochondrial function, you can turn on your body's innate ability to prevent and heal from disease, reducing the likelihood of genetic damage.

3. The Low-Fat, High-Carb Diet Was a Failed Experiment

No one knows for sure just how many premature deaths have resulted from this low-fat diet recommendation, but my guess is that this number is easily into the hundreds of millions.

Historical shift. Starting in the early 20th century, industrially processed vegetable oils and hydrogenated fats (trans fats) replaced traditional animal fats like lard and butter, driven by marketing and later, flawed science like Ancel Keys's work. This shift was codified in the 1977 U.S. dietary guidelines recommending low-fat, high-carb diets.

Public health decline. Despite widespread adoption of these guidelines, U.S. public health has worsened dramatically.

• Diabetes diagnoses quadrupled from 1978 to 2013.
• Adult obesity rates nearly tripled from the 1970s to 2013-2014.
• Cancer incidence has increased.
• Cardiovascular disease prevalence remains high and is projected to rise.

Fueling the problem. The low-fat, high-carb diet promotes burning glucose, which generates more damaging free radicals than fat. High carb intake also spikes insulin, signaling the body to store fat and making weight loss difficult, contributing to the very conditions the diet aimed to prevent.

4. Fat Is a Clean, Efficient Fuel Source

Because ketones simply burn far cleaner than sugar, they cause far less oxidative damage, which is one of the core reasons why a fat-burning food plan such as MMT is so powerful.

Alternative energy. When carbohydrate intake is low, your liver converts fats into ketones (ketone bodies), water-soluble molecules that serve as an alternative fuel for your body and brain. This metabolic flexibility was crucial for human survival during food scarcity.

Reduced oxidative stress. Burning ketones for energy produces significantly fewer reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared to burning glucose. This means less oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA, cell membranes, and proteins, leading to stronger, healthier cells and reduced risk of disease.

Metabolic flexibility. Shifting your body to burn fat and ketones allows you to tap into your stored body fat for energy, providing a steady fuel source. This eliminates the energy crashes associated with glucose metabolism and frees you from constant hunger and cravings.

5. Choose High-Quality, Healthy Fats

The fats you choose must be high quality and, ideally, organic.

Not all fats are equal. While MMT is a high-fat diet, the type of fat is critical. You must eliminate industrially processed vegetable oils (canola, corn, soy, etc.) and trans fats, which are pro-inflammatory, prone to oxidation, and often contaminated with pesticides.

Prioritize healthy fats. Focus on high-quality saturated and monounsaturated fats.

• Saturated fats: Organic, grass-fed butter/ghee, coconut oil, chicken/duck fat, lard/tallow from organic animals.
• Monounsaturated fats: Avocados, extra virgin olive oil (used cold).
• Omega-3 fats: Wild-caught, low-mercury seafood (sardines, anchovies, wild salmon).

Benefits of healthy fats: Provide building blocks for cell membranes and hormones, act as carriers for fat-soluble vitamins, help you feel full, and serve as optimal fuel for mitochondria, producing fewer free radicals.

6. Excess Protein Can Be Detrimental to Longevity

Of all the nutrients that stimulate mTOR, amino acids—which are derived from protein—are the most potent.

Essential but limited. Protein is vital for building and repairing tissues, enzymes, and hormones. However, consuming more protein than your body needs can stress your kidneys and, crucially, stimulate the mTOR pathway.

mTOR and aging. mTOR is a key metabolic pathway that promotes growth and proliferation when activated (e.g., by excess protein). When inhibited (e.g., by lower protein, low glucose), it triggers cellular repair, maintenance, and autophagy, processes linked to increased health span and longevity.

Finding the balance. MMT recommends adequate, not excessive, protein intake, typically around 1 gram per kilogram of lean body mass. This minimizes mTOR activation for most people, supporting cellular repair. Athletes or the elderly may need slightly more, especially on strength training days, but chronic high protein should be avoided for optimal longevity.

7. Iron Overload Is a Hidden Danger to Your Health

Excess iron can also increase your risk of cancer, heart disease, and premature death; and that’s just for starters.

Mitochondrial damage. High iron levels are a serious threat because iron catalyzes the Fenton reaction, converting relatively harmless hydrogen peroxide (a normal mitochondrial byproduct) into highly destructive hydroxyl free radicals. These radicals decimate mitochondrial DNA, proteins, and membranes.

Wide-ranging harm. Excess iron contributes to numerous health problems:

• Increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's).
• Promotes growth of pathogenic bacteria.
• Linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes.
• Damages bones, contributing to osteoporosis.

Monitor and manage. The body has no natural mechanism to excrete significant iron, except menstruation. The best way to detect overload is a serum ferritin blood test (ideally 40-60 ng/mL). The safest way to reduce excess iron is through regular blood donation or therapeutic phlebotomy.

8. Mitochondrial Metabolic Therapy (MMT) Shifts Your Fuel Source

Simply put, MMT is a system of eating that will help shift your metabolism from burning glucose as your primary fuel to burning fat to fuel your body.

The core strategy. MMT is a high-fat, low-net-carb, adequate-protein eating plan designed to transition your body from burning glucose to burning fat and ketones. This optimizes mitochondrial function, reduces oxidative damage, and addresses the root cause of many chronic diseases.

Key components:

• Limit net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) to typically under 50g/day (often lower initially).
• Consume adequate protein (approx. 1g/kg lean body mass).
• Get the majority of calories (50-85%) from high-quality, healthy fats.
• Prioritize organic vegetables, healthy fats, and moderate amounts of clean protein sources.

Beyond macronutrients. MMT also incorporates when you eat (fasting) and managing iron levels. It's a comprehensive approach aimed at healing metabolism at the cellular level, not just weight loss or symptom management.

9. Fasting Is a Powerful Tool for Metabolic Health

Fasting is the oldest dietary intervention in the world.

Natural counterbalance. Fasting is the flip side of eating, a biological stressor that triggers beneficial metabolic processes. Unlike continuous feeding, which prevents repair, fasting allows the body to rest, regenerate, and optimize function, mimicking ancestral eating patterns.

Physiological benefits:

• Stabilizes blood sugar and lowers insulin levels, improving insulin sensitivity.
• Triggers autophagy (cellular cleanup) and stem cell activation.
• Increases metabolic rate and boosts fat burning.
• Reduces inflammation and slows the rate of aging.
• Protects brain function and may help prevent neurodegenerative diseases.

Intermittent fasting. Instead of long-term calorie restriction, intermittent fasting involves cycling between periods of eating and not eating. Peak Fasting (eating within a 6-11 hour window daily) is a recommended form, especially avoiding food for at least 3 hours before bed to optimize nighttime repair.

10. Track Your Progress to Optimize Your Plan

Without an accurate analytical tool for tracking food intake, it will be virtually impossible to assess and fine-tune your program.

Knowledge is power. Objectively tracking your food intake and key biometrics provides crucial feedback to customize MMT for your body. Guessing makes it impossible to know if you're hitting your macronutrient targets or how specific foods affect you.

Essential tracking:

• Blood glucose levels (fasting, pre-meal, bedtime) to gauge carb/protein impact.
• Ketone levels (blood or breath) to confirm fat burning (especially initially).
• Food intake (grams of carbs, protein, fat) using a tool like Cronometer.com.
• Body measurements (weight, waist size, body fat percentage).

Refine and adapt. Tracking helps you identify your personal carb tolerance, see how different foods affect your numbers, and ensure you're getting adequate nutrients. It provides motivation by showing progress and allows you to adjust your plan based on real data, not just subjective feelings.

11. Complementary Strategies Boost Mitochondrial Function

There are other complementary strategies you can use to support your mitochondria further.

Beyond diet and fasting. While diet and fasting are foundational, other lifestyle factors significantly impact mitochondrial health and biogenesis (creating new mitochondria). These strategies work synergistically with MMT.

Key complementary tools:

• Grounding: Connecting barefoot to the earth transfers free electrons, neutralizing free radicals and reducing inflammation.
• Sensible Sun Exposure: Sunlight provides beneficial wavelengths (UV, red, infrared) that energize mitochondria and support vitamin D production.
• Infrared Sauna: Delivers deep-penetrating red/infrared light to boost ATP production and helps detoxify the body.
• Exercise: Stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis and improves function (moderate initially, higher intensity later).
• Cold Thermogenesis: Increases brown fat (burns energy for heat), boosts norepinephrine/dopamine, and may protect brain cells.
• Targeted Supplements: Berberine (activates AMPK), Ubiquinol (mitochondrial antioxidant), Magnesium (ATP activation), Carnitine (fat transport).

Holistic approach. Optimizing mitochondrial health involves a multifaceted approach that addresses diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors to support cellular energy production and repair.

Last updated: June 7, 2025