Olive Oil Fasting Doubles Autophagy and Stops Insulin Resistance (just one day)

About this video

• Video Title: Olive Oil Fasting Doubles Autophagy and Stops Insulin Resistance (just one day)
• Channel: Thomas DeLauer
• Speakers: Thomas DeLauer
• Duration: 11:48

Overview

This video explains how to leverage olive oil, specifically its compound oleocanthal, to mimic the benefits of fasting, such as increased autophagy and improved insulin sensitivity, without the necessity of a multi-day water fast. It details the biochemical mechanisms involving AMPK and mTOR activation and suppression, and suggests protocols for incorporating olive oil, MCT oil, and exogenous ketones to enhance these effects.

Key takeaways

• Oleocanthal as a Fasting Mimic: High-quality extra-virgin olive oil contains oleocanthal, a compound that can trick the body into activating cellular cleanup processes (autophagy) and suppress mTOR while activating AMPK, similar to fasting.
• Autophagy Explained: Autophagy is the body's cellular cleanup process that removes damaged components like misfolded proteins, damaged mitochondria, and senescent (zombie) cells, and helps reboot the immune system.
• AMPK vs. mTOR: AMPK is a low-fuel sensor that promotes cellular cleanup, while mTOR is a growth and abundance sensor that, when active (e.g., after eating), inhibits cleanup processes. Oleocanthal activates AMPK and suppresses mTOR.
• Amplifying Benefits: Incorporating MCT oil or exogenous ketones (like beta-hydroxybutyrate) alongside olive oil can further enhance autophagy and cellular repair by providing fuel and acting as epigenetic modulators that unlock longevity genes.
• The "Olive Oil Fasting" Protocol: This involves consuming 1-2 teaspoons of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil with MCT oil or exogenous ketones every few hours for a day, instead of regular meals, to trigger autophagy and metabolic benefits without a full water fast.