Beginning Keto: A Rhonda Patrick-Inspired Guide

Dr. Rhonda Patrick is an expert on nutritional health and has dedicated her research career to finding proactive and preventive solutions to aging and longevity. She has a Ph.D. in biomedical science and hosts the Found My Fitness podcast. In one episode, she discusses the pros and cons of ketosis with Joe Rogan. In August 2021, she began experimenting with a ketogenic diet, curious about the potential cognitive benefits. In this article, we will explore her core diet strategies and how she integrates her DNA data into her diet choices. We will also delve into the specifics of her meals and the supplements she takes to cover all nutritional bases.

Achieving ketosis

Understanding Ketosis

Ketosis is a metabolic state where the body switches from burning glucose (derived from carbohydrates) to burning fatty acids and producing ketones for energy. This shift in energy source occurs when there is a reduction in carbohydrate intake and an increase in fat consumption. Ketones, such as beta-hydroxybutyrate, are signalling molecules that have therapeutic effects on the body, including improved cognitive function.

Measuring Ketosis

To determine if you are in ketosis, measuring blood ketone levels is the gold standard. This can be done using devices that measure blood ketones, with a level above 0.5 millimolar indicating ketosis. Ideally, blood ketone levels should be maintained between 1 and 3 millimolar. Additionally, monitoring blood glucose and insulin levels is important, as the suppression of insulin drives the body's ability to produce ketones.

Dietary Strategies

To achieve and maintain ketosis, it is crucial to follow a low-carbohydrate and high-fat diet. This typically involves cutting out refined grains and sugars, including white bread, rice, pasta, cakes, and cookies. Instead, focus on consuming vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish. Include healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, and nuts. It is important to note that simply reducing carbohydrate intake may not be sufficient, and a high-fat diet is essential to achieving ketosis.

Exercise Considerations

Exercise can impact ketosis. Aerobic exercises, such as running or spinning classes, can stimulate ketosis by depleting glycogen stores. On the other hand, strength training or high-intensity exercises can temporarily kick you out of ketosis as they may cause the body to utilise amino acids for muscle growth rather than burning fat. Therefore, it is important to find a balance between aerobic and strength training exercises when trying to achieve and maintain ketosis.

Supplements

For those who have difficulty reaching and sustaining ketosis, ketone supplementation may be beneficial. Exogenous ketones can help you achieve ketosis faster and experience the associated benefits, which may motivate you to continue with the keto diet. Additionally, supplementing with magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids may be necessary, especially during the initial stages of the diet.

Measuring ketosis

To be in a mild state of ketosis, you want to be around 0.9-1.2 millimolar, which can take several days to achieve. Ideally, you want to stay between one and three millimolar of ketones.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick has stated that most people who think they are in ketosis probably are not. She recommends measuring blood levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate to know for sure.

In addition to measuring blood ketone levels, it is also important to measure blood glucose and insulin levels. The suppression of the hormone insulin drives hepatic ketogenesis and the body's ability to make ketones.

Micronutrient-rich foods

Micronutrient-Rich Smoothies

Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a strong advocate of micronutrient-rich smoothies, which she uses as a convenient way to increase her intake of raw vegetables and essential vitamins and minerals. These smoothies are typically packed with leafy greens, fruits, and other nutrient-dense ingredients. She has shared several smoothie recipes, with ingredients like spinach, celery, parsley, cucumber, lemon, ginger, kale, beet, garlic, bell pepper, and carrot.

Time-Restricted Feeding

Dr. Patrick typically eats within an 8 to 10-hour window each day. This approach is based on research by Satchin Panda and his team at the Salk Institute, which has uncovered significant health benefits in animal studies. Human studies have also shown benefits, including improved insulin sensitivity, decreased blood pressure, and reduced oxidative stress. This strategy aligns with the concept of intermittent fasting, promoting better metabolic health.

Cutting Out Refined Grains and Sugar

Dr. Patrick avoids simple carbohydrates and refined sugars, such as white bread, rice, pasta, chips, cakes, and cookies. As a result, her diet consists primarily of vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish. She does consume some whole grains like oats, quinoa, and sprouted whole-grain bread. This approach helps reduce the intake of processed foods and simple sugars, which can have negative health consequences.

Sulforaphane

Dr. Patrick regularly consumes sulforaphane, a compound derived from cruciferous vegetables like broccoli sprouts. She includes it in her smoothies 2-3 times a week. Sulforaphane activates a pathway called NRF2, which increases the expression of cell-protective genes and has potential health benefits.

Nutrigenomics

Dr. Patrick integrates her DNA data into her dietary choices. She considers specific genetic variations (SNPs) that may impact how individuals process certain foods. For example, some people may need to supplement with folate, while others may need to reduce saturated fat intake and opt for polyunsaturated fats instead. This approach, known as nutrigenomics, allows her to personalize her diet based on her genetic makeup.

Overall Dietary Recommendations

In addition to the strategies mentioned above, Dr. Patrick emphasizes the importance of a diverse diet rich in fermentable fiber. She recommends including foods like blueberries, nuts, mushrooms, dark leafy greens, onions, and garlic. She particularly highlights wild Alaskan salmon, dark leafy greens, avocado, and blueberries as part of her daily diet.

Time-restricted eating

The circadian system is composed of multiple cellular clocks found throughout the body that regulate the expression of genes involved in metabolic processes such as carbohydrate, lipid, and cholesterol metabolism. By restricting food intake to a specific window of time, time-restricted eating helps maintain synchronized circadian rhythms between the master clock and peripheral clocks, promoting overall health.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick typically practices time-restricted eating, with an eating window of 8 to 10 hours. This approach is based on research by Dr. Satchin Panda and his team at the Salk Institute, who have uncovered significant health benefits in animal studies. Human trials are now underway to understand the applicability of these benefits to humans fully.

One key benefit of time-restricted eating is its positive impact on metabolic health. Animal studies and human trials have shown that this practice can lead to weight loss, reduced fat mass, improved heart function, and enhanced aerobic capacity, without altering diet quality or quantity. For example, a study involving obese individuals following an 8-hour time-restricted eating regimen for 12 weeks resulted in a 3% weight loss, while a control group's weight remained stable.

Furthermore, time-restricted eating can reduce appetite and increase feelings of fullness by decreasing levels of ghrelin, an appetite-stimulating hormone. This effect may contribute to weight loss by reducing overall calorie intake.

In addition to metabolic benefits, time-restricted eating has been linked to improved cognitive function and longevity. A woman with ApoE4 and Alzheimer's disease who followed a time-restricted ketogenic diet and exercised experienced improvements in cognitive function and markers of metabolism. Animal studies have also shown that time-restricted feeding can increase lifespan, with mice fed one meal per day living 11-14% longer than those with unrestricted access to food.

In summary, time-restricted eating is a powerful tool for improving health and longevity. By confining food intake to a specific window of time, this practice helps synchronize the body's circadian rhythms and promotes metabolic health, weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced appetite. Additionally, it has been linked to enhanced cognitive function and increased lifespan in animal studies. As more human trials are conducted, we will further elucidate the benefits of time-restricted eating and its potential as a therapeutic intervention for various health conditions.

Exercise and ketosis

Dr. Rhonda Patrick recommends a combination of aerobic and high-intensity training, strength training, and yoga/ballet exercises. Specifically, she suggests weight lifting 2-3 times a week (including squats and lunges), a three-mile run three times a week, and a sauna session lasting 20-30 minutes, three times a week. She also boosts her VO2 Max using the Norwegian 4x4 protocol, which involves four intervals of four minutes each, with a three-minute active recovery period between each interval, and is designed to maintain a heart rate of 85-95% of the maximum.

According to Patrick, exercise can be tricky when trying to achieve ketosis. Aerobic exercise can stimulate ketosis, whereas strength training can have the opposite effect. Initially, it may be difficult to work out with high intensity while the body is adapting to ketosis. However, exercise can stimulate ketosis because it depletes glycogen stores.

Patrick also notes that ketone salts, which enhance fat burning, may impair high-intensity exercise performance. Beta-hydroxybutyrate, produced from a ketogenic diet, fasting, or high-intensity exercise, dampens inflammation via the blocking of the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Frequently asked questions