Harnessing the Power of Nutrients

Chris Masterjohn, PhD's Substack 'Harnessing the Power of Nutrients' merges scientific insight with innovative thinking, focusing on health optimization through nutrition, genetic factors, and biochemistry. It challenges mainstream health narratives, explores nutrient impacts on health, and presents actionable advice based on personal health data and scientific research.

Nutritional Science Genetic Health Analysis Dietary Recommendations Mitochondrial Health Supplementation Metabolic Health Iron Metabolism Vaccine Analysis Health Policy Food Safety

The hottest Substack posts of Harnessing the Power of Nutrients

And their main takeaways

Understanding Iron

1997 implied HN points • 01 Jun 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Metabolism Disease Regulation
  1. Iron levels inside cells can be misunderstood, leading to confusion between deficiency and overload, especially for those with certain gene variants.
  2. Neurological, psychiatric, and cognitive issues could be linked to iron levels being too low or too high, affecting dopamine and myelin synthesis.
  3. Understanding the complexities of iron metabolism can help in interpreting lab data and making informed decisions to address iron-related problems effectively.

You Don't Understand Serum Ferritin

2216 implied HN points • 23 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Iron Testing Research
  1. Ferritin, used to measure iron in blood, holds little iron but plays a crucial role, impacting health at extremes.
  2. Iron balance is key for health - too much ages, affects skin, causes diseases; too little harms brain, hormones, energy. It needs to be just right.
  3. Understanding serum ferritin's purpose is unclear; we don't know how it gets into blood or why. Limitations exist in relying solely on ferritin for iron status.

The Acne Cure That No One Is Talking About

2316 implied HN points • 10 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Skincare Self-esteem
  1. Acne can have a significant impact on mental health, affecting self-esteem and causing anxiety and depression.
  2. The post discusses a powerful and safe acne remedy that has been overlooked for decades.
  3. The information provided is not medical advice, and readers are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional before making any health decisions.

This Is What Causes B6 "Toxicity"

1977 implied HN points • 21 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Toxicity Supplements
  1. Vitamin B6 is essential for various bodily functions like preventing low blood glucose, maintaining muscle health, and improving skin condition.
  2. Estrogen and inflammation can increase the body's need for B6, so monitoring intake is crucial, especially for individuals with high-protein diets or sulfur dysregulation.
  3. Neuropathy can be caused by B6 supplements, and there is a need to rethink the traditional concept of B6 'toxicity' and consider individual differences in tolerance levels.

The Three Nutrients You Need More Of on a High-Protein Diet

3474 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Diet Nutrients Weight Loss Longevity
  1. A high-protein diet is essential for muscle health and weight loss, as it helps maintain lean mass during weight loss.
  2. The amount of protein needed to preserve lean mass during weight loss is higher than the standard recommendation, with around 1.3 grams per kilogram being favored.
  3. High levels of protein in the diet can stress the body's requirements for certain vitamins and minerals, leading to various health issues like poor sleep, anxiety, and skin problems.
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Is Hydrogen Sulfide the New Estrogen?

1098 implied HN points • 15 Jun 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Hormones Research Metabolism
  1. Hydrogen sulfide, a gas with signaling roles, may have estrogenic effects in the body.
  2. High concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can have toxic effects, while lower concentrations are essential for placental function.
  3. Research suggests that hydrogen sulfide could mimic estrogen's effects, potentially leading to various health issues.

My Iron Deficiency Protocol

1078 implied HN points • 04 Jun 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplements Hormones
  1. Iron deficiency can manifest in various symptoms beyond anemia, including low sex hormones, fatigue, and hair loss.
  2. Optimizing iron levels can have significant impacts on hormone balance, immunity, and overall well-being, especially during aging.
  3. The iron deficiency protocol includes guidance on foods, supplements, inflammation management, and genetic factors to consider.

Is THIS Behind Your Muscle Tension?

958 implied HN points • 11 Jun 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Fitness Nutrition Holistic health Supplementation
  1. S-sulfocysteine could be a hidden cause of muscle tension and related symptoms, especially between meals.
  2. Supplementing with 600-1200 micrograms of molybdenum may significantly reduce muscle tension levels, but individual needs and metabolic complexities should be considered.
  3. Optimal muscle tone regulation is key, influenced by neurotransmitters like glutamate, glycine, GABA, and taurine, with molybdenum showing impressive results in reducing muscle tension.

Why You Should Track Your Diet in Cronometer

1018 implied HN points • 28 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Self-experimentation
  1. Tracking your diet in Cronometer helps you ensure you meet nutritional targets like protein, fat, carbs, vitamins, and minerals.
  2. Using Cronometer for self-experimentation provides insights by manipulating food components and controlling variables to observe changes.
  3. Cronometer offers precision in tracking, allowing for detailed analysis of nutritional intake which aids in making informed dietary adjustments.

Maybe THIS Is Why You're Hangry

1817 implied HN points • 19 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Metabolism Genetics Research
  1. Feeling hangry might not always be due to low blood sugar, other factors like S-sulfocysteine levels in your urine could play a role in overstimulation symptoms.
  2. Elevated S-sulfocysteine, a neurostimulant, can result from breakdown of protein when hungry for glucose and may lead to various overstimulation symptoms like anxiety and muscle tension.
  3. Testing for S-sulfocysteine levels in urine should be more widely implemented to understand its potential impact on psychological traits and neuro-psychiatric diseases.

The Mitochondrial Nutrient Missing From Every Supplement

2536 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplements Mitochondria Vitamins
  1. There's a key nutrient, MK-4, crucial for mitochondrial health that is often missing from many supplements.
  2. MK-4 and CoQ10 have similar structures and roles in the respiratory chain, but play distinct functions and cannot substitute each other.
  3. For optimal mitochondrial support, it's recommended to include MK-4 alongside CoQ10 in a ratio of around 1 microgram of MK-4 for every 1 milligram of CoQ10.

Iron Overload: Forget What You Thought You Knew

1817 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Genetics Diet Medical Research Health Risks
  1. Iron overload can lead to serious health issues like liver damage and heart problems, and may accelerate aging.
  2. Manganese overload is linked to symptoms like headaches and balance issues and can be a concern for those with genetic predispositions to iron overload.
  3. When managing iron overload, it's critical to limit dietary manganese intake, maintain a proper iron-to-manganese ratio, and be cautious about how blood donation affects manganese toxicity.

Are Seed Oils Behind Your Oxalate Problem?

1777 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Detoxification Antioxidants Metabolism Genetics
  1. High oxalate levels might be due to seed oils leading to glyoxal production which is a major source of oxalate.
  2. Reducing consumption of seed oils in favor of tropical oils, olive oil, and grass-fed animal fats might help lower oxalate production.
  3. Nutrients like biotin, B12, and folate play roles in detoxifying oxalate, and checking for energetic bottlenecks through comprehensive screenings can help address oxalate issues.

The Problem With Coconut

1577 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Genetics Diet
  1. Not everyone's genes are compatible with a high coconut diet, especially if you have a predisposition to iron and manganese overload.
  2. Coconuts are rich in manganese, which can be harmful if you struggle with regulating manganese absorption.
  3. If you experience symptoms like headaches, irritability, or tremors while consuming a lot of coconut, you might want to consider reducing your intake.

How to Finally Get Rid Of Your Lingering Cough

2256 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellness Immune System Health tips
  1. If you're still coughing after two weeks, the virus is likely gone, and there are simple changes you can make to help your body recover.
  2. Consider if your lingering cough is due to underlying conditions like asthma or long-COVID and seek appropriate help if needed.
  3. Optimizing the rhythm of immune defense can help you recover from sickness faster and get rid of a lingering cough.

How I Found My Health “Super Unlock” After 20 Years of Research and 20,000 Genes Tested

4034 implied HN points • 21 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Metabolism Diet Nutrition
  1. Each person has unique health unlocks that are specific to them and can be found through whole genome sequencing.
  2. Identifying rare metabolic disease genes through personalized testing can lead to targeted health improvements.
  3. Addressing individual genetic mutations related to energy metabolism can result in significant health benefits and improved overall wellness.

Alternate Day Iron Dosing: Does It Work?

519 implied HN points • 12 Jun 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Side Effects
  1. Iron absorption may not significantly increase with alternate-day dosing compared to daily dosing because total iron absorbed per unit time may fall.
  2. Studies comparing daily iron dosing to alternate-day dosing suggest that 30-40 milligrams of iron per day can be safer and as effective as larger doses.
  3. Alternate-day dosing of iron supplements may introduce complications without providing additional benefits compared to a consistent daily dose.

Thiamin Supplements: Not For Everyone

1697 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplementation Metabolism Mitochondria Toxicity
  1. Thiamin is crucial for various functions like stable blood glucose, calmness, tissue health, detoxification, and athletic performance.
  2. Thiamin deficiency can lead to issues such as mitochondrial dysfunction, nerve problems, and eyesight deterioration.
  3. Excessive thiamin supplementation may cause adverse effects and stress on metabolic pathways, so it's important to be mindful of when to supplement thiamin and when to stop.

CoQ10 Deficiency Is Sulfur Toxicity

1358 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Toxicity Supplementation Metabolism Genetics
  1. CoQ10 deficiency is linked to sulfur toxicity, impacting various bodily functions and potentially causing issues like anxiety after eating meat or taurine consumption.
  2. Hydrogen sulfide, a necessary gasotransmitter, can turn toxic at high concentrations, affecting the body's ability to convert food energy to ATP.
  3. Taurine can help counteract the effects of sulfur toxicity by suppressing the trans-sulfuration pathway, which can prevent the overproduction of hydrogen sulfide and sulfite.

How Vinegar Can Kick You Into And Out of Ketosis

1637 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Ketosis Biochemistry Diet Metabolism
  1. The dose of vinegar is crucial for its impact on ketosis - too little may not kick you into ketosis, and too much can kick you out
  2. Vinegar works by influencing the balance of acetyl CoA to oxaloacetate, which is important for ketogenesis
  3. Careful moderation is key - excessive consumption of vinegar can lead to metabolic abnormalities and kick you out of ketosis

Will Longevity Diets Wreck Your Hormones?

1377 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Hormones Nutrients
  1. Certain diets can impact hormonal balance and potentially shorten lifespan if essential nutrients are lacking.
  2. Various diets were studied for their effects on kidney protection, with calorie restriction showing benefits.
  3. Hydrogen sulfide pathways play a role in kidney protection, but the diet impacts may have unintended consequences like affecting hormones and neurotoxicity.

Is Vitamin C Destroying Your Mitochondria?

1617 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplements Mitochondria Oxidative stress Metabolism
  1. High doses of Vitamin C can inhibit CoQ10 synthesis and decrease copper status, affecting mitochondrial function.
  2. Excessive Vitamin C intake can lead to the generation of oxalate, a mitochondrial toxin, causing potential mitochondrial damage.
  3. While high doses of Vitamin C can have benefits in specific cases, for general use, it's safer to stick to doses from a Vitamin C-rich diet.

A Simple DIY Home Test for Molybdenum Deficiency

1437 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition DIY Supplements Detoxification Testing
  1. Molybdenum is crucial for converting toxic sulfite to useful sulfate in the body. Deficiency can lead to various health issues like anxiety, sleep problems, and more.
  2. Lab testing for molybdenum status is often inadequate, with tests focused on ruling out toxicity rather than assessing deficiency.
  3. A simple DIY home test for molybdenum status can be done with minimal equipment, a molybdenum supplement, and a few days of data collection, providing a potentially more practical approach to monitoring levels.

Cheat Sheet Version 3!

499 implied HN points • 03 Jun 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplements Screening
  1. Cheat Sheet Version 3 provides new information on iron and manganese, includes free copper calculations, and aligns with the Comprehensive Nutritional Screening for simplicity.
  2. Masterpass members have exclusive access to Version 3 of Testing Nutritional Status: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet and all future updates.
  3. The Cheat Sheet has been updated to be more user-friendly and compatible with the Comprehensive Nutritional Screening on the website.

Overcome OCD With Walking Sensory Meditation

1397 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Mindfulness Neurobiology Therapy Personal Development
  1. Overcoming OCD can be aided by a walking sensory meditation that focuses on physical sensations and external stimuli, helping to balance analytical thinking.
  2. OCD involves complex neurobiological aspects like increased dopamine input, decreased activity in the salience network, and decreased responsiveness to punishment.
  3. Practices like walking sensory meditation can help address the sensory-cognitive balance in the brain, similar to how exercise improves cerebellar functions.

Does CoQ10 Deserve a Spot on Your Longevity Plan?

1517 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Supplementation Longevity
  1. CoQ10 supplementation offers various health benefits like improved fertility, blood glucose control, and decreased cardiovascular risks.
  2. The dosage of CoQ10 needs to be carefully personalized as different individuals have varying needs and responses to the supplement.
  3. There are contrasting results on the effects of CoQ10 at different doses, highlighting the importance of determining the right dose and the necessity of using CoQ10 for each person.

Testing Nutritional Status: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet

559 implied HN points • 24 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Lab Tests Supplementation Symptoms
  1. The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for testing nutritional status is an 82-page eBook containing a comprehensive system using lab tests, dietary tracking, and signs and symptoms.
  2. The system offers approaches that are cost-saving and time-saving based on individual needs.
  3. The Cheat Sheet is exclusive for Masterpass members, providing access to download for those who subscribe to Masterpass membership.

The Unknown Testosterone Nutrient

1298 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrients Antioxidants Sexual Health
  1. Molybdenum is a powerful, yet often overlooked nutrient that plays a significant role in testosterone production and fertility.
  2. Consuming too much molybdenum can have negative effects on testosterone levels and fertility, so it's crucial to find the right balance.
  3. The interaction between molybdenum, sulfur amino acids, and other nutrients like zinc is vital for optimizing testosterone levels and overall health.

How to Detox Manganese

1058 implied HN points • 21 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Detox Nutrition Protocol
  1. Having too much manganese in the body can lead to various health issues like mood swings, muscle tension, and neurological problems.
  2. Manganese overload can result from factors like industrial exposure, water supply contamination, or a plant-heavy diet.
  3. New research is available on how to effectively remove excess manganese from the body, involving proper testing, observation, and a specific protocol.

I am aging at only 2/3 the normal rate!

1358 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Aging Longevity Fitness
  1. The individual shared exciting results from the DunedinPACE aging test, showing they are aging at 2/3 the normal rate.
  2. The DunedinPACE aging clock is considered highly reliable compared to other available options, and is the clock used for the Rejuvenation Olympics.
  3. To achieve top rankings in the aging test leaderboards, multiple tests over six months are required, and the individual plans to provide more detailed analysis of their results.

NMN Probably Won't Make You Live Forever

1298 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplements Longevity Research Disease
  1. The new research challenges the belief that supplements like NMN can significantly extend lifespan. High levels of 4PY, a niacin metabolite, were linked to increased cardiovascular inflammation and risk of early death.
  2. Limit niacin supplements to 250 milligrams per day for safety, and focus on meeting nutrient needs through a balanced diet to support NAD+ production.
  3. The study provides important insights on the potential risks of high-dose niacin supplements, highlighting the importance of moderation in supplementation and the need for more research in this area.

Will Eating Protein Wreck Your Arteries?

1298 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Research Atherosclerosis Metabolism Risk Factors
  1. A new paper claims that the amino acid leucine can stimulate atherosclerosis by stimulating mTOR in immune cells, in a manner similar to its role in muscle growth.
  2. Higher protein intake may lead to adverse effects on vascular health, especially in terms of atherosclerosis development.
  3. The study highlights a potential downside of excessive mTOR stimulation due to leucine intake, emphasizing the importance of cycling through feeding and fasting states for optimal health.

Missing From the Databases: Glutamine

1757 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Databases Biochemistry Diet Supplementation
  1. Glutamine is crucial for specific health conditions like illness, injury, surgery, and certain dietary needs.
  2. Nutritional databases lack accurate information on glutamine content because of flawed measurement methods, impacting the understanding of amino acid composition in foods.
  3. Animal proteins like leg meat of chicken and pork are high in glutamine, while dairy proteins are intermediate, and plant proteins have varying levels, highlighting the importance of diversifying protein sources for glutamine intake.

Manganese Toxicity Is a CoQ10 Deficiency

998 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplementation Toxicity Oxidative stress
  1. Excess manganese can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction by hindering CoQ10 synthesis.
  2. Manganese toxicity disrupts ATP production, causes oxidative stress, and hampers CoQ10 levels, impacting energy generation.
  3. CoQ10 supplementation, along with managing manganese levels and ensuring adequate iron, may help address issues related to CoQ10 synthesis and toxicity.

Prevent Kidney Stones (and UTIs?) by Optimizing Urine pH

918 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Prevention Diet
  1. Optimizing urine pH can help prevent kidney stones by finding a balance around 6.5-7, influencing crystal formation.
  2. Urine pH might not have a significant impact on UTIs, as it is more linked to the infecting organism's metabolism.
  3. Adjusting diet to control sulfur amino acids, collagen, potassium, and glutamine levels can be a potential strategy to optimize urine pH.

Why Would Creatine Cause Insomnia?

1338 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Sleep Supplementation
  1. Creatine supplementation may sometimes lead to insomnia, likely due to inhibiting glycine synthesis, an important neurotransmitter for sleep.
  2. Creatine decreases SAMe demand by 45%, affecting folate metabolism and potentially blocking glycine synthesis necessary for quality sleep.
  3. Mitigating creatine-induced insomnia may involve dietary adjustments like restricting methionine intake, maintaining high folate levels, and supplementing with glycine.