The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

This solo masterclass on oxalates explains why many people who eat clean still struggle with joint pain, kidney stones, fatigue, brain fog, and chronic inflammation. You’ll learn how oxalates behave very differently from other plant compounds like lectins, phytates, and salicylates. Unlike those compounds, oxalates physically bind minerals and form microscopic crystals that can lodge in tissues, damage mitochondria, and accumulate over time. This episode will change how you think about superfoods, clean eating, and long term human performance. Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR Host Dave Asprey walks you through the real science of oxalates using decades of self experimentation, functional medicine research, and hands on biohacking. As the founder of the biohacking movement, Dave has tested fasting, ketosis, carnivore strategies, supplements, nootropics, sleep optimization protocols, and metabolic interventions to uncover what actually improves resilience, neuroplasticity, and mitochondrial function without unnecessary damage. In this masterclass, you’ll learn why oxalates cause problems even when digestion seems fine, why symptoms can show up in joints, kidneys, nerves, skin, and old injuries, and why reducing oxalates too fast can make you feel worse before you feel better. Dave explains oxalate dumping, candida driven oxalate overload, microbiome interactions, and why foods like spinach, almonds, cacao, and green smoothies often backfire over time. He also shares practical ways to lower your oxalate load safely, support mineral balance, and protect your metabolism and brain using a Smarter Not Harder approach. This episode is for you if you eat “healthy” but still feel off, deal with unexplained pain or inflammation, or want to improve longevity, brain optimization, sleep, and human performance without extreme restriction. You’ll Learn: • Why oxalates are different from lectins, phytates, and other plant toxins • How oxalates drain minerals and damage mitochondria • What oxalate dumping feels like and how to avoid it • Which superfoods cause the biggest problems and what to replace them with • How hydration, minerals, and supplements affect oxalate clearance • Why oxalates accelerate aging and tissue stiffness over time • Practical biohacking strategies to protect longevity and human performance Thank you to our sponsors! -ECHO Water | Go to http://echowater.com/dave and use code DAVE10 for 10% off your ECHO Flask. -Branch Basics | Get 15% off Branch Basics with the code DAVE15 at https://branchbasics.com/DAVE15. -BodyHealth | Go to https://bodyhealth.com/ and use code DAVE20 to save 20% off your first order of PerfectAmino. -Zbiotics | Go to https://zbiotics.com/DAVE for 15% off your first order. Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. Keywords: oxalates, oxalic acid, biohacking oxalates, oxalate dumping, plant toxins explained, lectins vs oxalates, phytates and mineral absorption, anti-nutrients, superfoods controversy, clean eating problems, kidney stones oxalates, joint pain inflammation, mineral depletion, calcium oxalate crystals, metabolism dysfunction, brain fog causes, neuroplasticity and inflammation, longevity nutrition, anti-aging nutrition, functional medicine oxalates, supplements for oxalates, hydration and kidney health, urinary pH balance, candida and oxalates, microbiome and oxalates, fasting and oxalates, ketosis and oxalates, carnivore diet transition, human performance nutrition, sleep optimization inflammation, nootropics and brain optimization, Dave Asprey oxalates Resources: • Join Our New Low-Oxalate Challenge! https://daveasprey.com/2026-low-ox-reset/ • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com • 40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com Timestamps: 0:00 – Trailer 1:25 – Introduction 3:18 – What Are Oxalates 5:40 – Oxalates vs Other Plant Toxins 7:18 – Oxalate Sources and Chemistry 9:17 – Kidney Stones and Crystal Formation 10:19 – Oxalate Dumping Explained 12:03 – System Level Effects 14:54 – Inflammation, Mitochondria, and Aging 16:56 – Who Should Pay Attention 19:32 – High Oxalate Foods 24:56 – Smart Food Swaps 27:22 – Exercise and Hydration 29:07 – Clearing Oxalates Safely 31:01 – Summary and Key Takeaways See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This video reveals the hidden mistake most people make when fasting that causes muscle loss instead of fat loss. You’ll learn how to flip the body’s fat-burning switch so your fast protects muscle, boosts energy, and actually melts fat. It’s positioned around one of the many solutions Dave did to lose 100 pounds.*** Dave's Biohacking Holiday Gift Guide | Go to https://daveasprey.com/giftguide/ to explore the full guide. ***Thank you to our sponsors! -HeartMath | Go to https://www.heartmath.com/dave to save 15% off.-Generation Lab | Go to http://generationlab.com/, use code Dave20 for $20 off, and see what your body’s really doing behind the surface.*Chapters*00:00 - I used to weigh 300 pounds00:48 - Fasting wrong makes you better at storing fat01:25 - When fasting burns muscle instead of fat02:44 - Muscle: the "organ of longevity"07:03 - Daily habits that sabotage fat burning08:29 - Steps to flip the switch faster10:13 - How to break a fast correctly (critical!)11:45 - The sweet spotResources: • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com • 40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com Connect with Dave Asprey!Website: https://daveasprey.comTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@daveaspreyofficialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dave.asprey/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Daveaspreyofficial/X: https://x.com/daveaspreyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/daveaspreybprThe Human Upgrade Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheHumanUpgradePodcast/ Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Thehumanupgrade/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode covers: • Trump Drug Pricing Deals and Access to Longevity Medications New drug-pricing agreements announced under President Donald Trump aim to lower the cost of high-priced prescription drugs through negotiated rebates and pricing pressure on major pharmaceutical companies. Early reporting suggests these changes could affect cardiometabolic and longevity-relevant medications, including GLP-1 diabetes and obesity drugs. Dave explains why the real question is not headline savings, but whether lower prices actually reach patients at the pharmacy counter. He breaks down how affordability shapes real-world access, adherence, and long-term prevention strategies, and why policy decisions can matter more than new mechanisms when it comes to sustainable longevity care. Source: https://longevity.technology/news/trump-sets-new-drug-pricing-deals-with-big-pharma/ • 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Outperforms Daily Dieting on Metabolic Health A controlled study compared three popular strategies in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes: 5:2 intermittent fasting, time-restricted eating, and continuous daily calorie restriction. All approaches improved weight and HbA1c, but the 5:2 protocol produced larger reductions in fasting glucose, triglycerides, and insulin resistance. Dave explains why periodic restriction can outperform constant dieting, how to structure fasting days without tanking performance, and how to pair intermittent fasting with CGM data and training schedules for better metabolic flexibility and long-term health. Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250715043351.htm Full paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-32673-9 • Cocoa’s Theobromine Linked to Slower Epigenetic Aging New research highlighted by Aging-US suggests that theobromine, a bioactive compound found in cocoa, is associated with epigenetic markers of slower biological aging. Dave breaks down what epigenetic aging clocks actually measure, why this finding adds credibility to cocoa’s cardiometabolic benefits, and why most chocolate products cancel out the upside with sugar and ultra-processing. He explains how to think about food-derived bioactives without turning them into hype-driven anti-aging shortcuts. Source: https://www.aging-us.com/news-room/theobromine-from-cocoa-linked-to-slower-biological-aging • Organ-Specific Biological Age Clocks Predict Disease Risk More Accurately A large Nature study built biological aging clocks for individual organs using blood-based proteomics, showing that organ-specific aging predicts disease and mortality better than a single “bio age” number. Dave explains why you can be biologically young overall but still have an aging brain, arteries, or kidneys, and how this reframes longevity from generic anti-aging to targeted organ protection. He explores how sleep, blood pressure, glucose control, and exercise map differently to different organs, and why precision aging metrics are the future of prevention. Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-025-01016-8 • Copper Peptides and the Rise of Skin Longevity Copper peptides like GHK-Cu are moving from niche skincare into serious longevity conversations. Human data show strong effects on collagen synthesis, barrier repair, and wound healing, in some cases outperforming traditional retinoids. Dave explains why skin is not just cosmetic but a key immune and environmental interface, how copper peptides fit into repair-focused protocols, and why cycling repair and stress mirrors smarter approaches to training and recovery across the body. Source: https://www.vogue.com/article/copper-peptides Auro Wellness Copper Peptide with Discount (click on skincare and scroll to Copper Peptide): https://aurowellness.com/pages/dave All source links provided for direct access to the original research and reporting. This episode is designed for biohackers, longevity seekers, and high-performance listeners who want practical strategies grounded in real science and real-world constraints. Dave Asprey translates emerging research, policy shifts, and clinical data into actionable upgrades for metabolism, fasting, biological age tracking, skin health, and long-term prevention. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Keywords: Trump drug pricing deals, prescription drug affordability, GLP-1 access, cardiometabolic medications, longevity policy, intermittent fasting 5:2, intermittent energy restriction, time restricted eating study, insulin sensitivity improvement, metabolic flexibility fasting, theobromine cocoa aging, epigenetic aging markers, biological age clocks, organ specific aging, proteomics longevity research, brain age dementia risk, vascular aging, copper peptides GHK-Cu, skin longevity protocols, collagen synthesis skincare, evidence-based biohacking news, longevity science updates Thank you to our sponsors! - HeartMath | Go to https://www.heartmath.com/dave to save 15% off. -Generation Lab | Go to http://generationlab.com/, use code Dave20 for $20 off, and see what your body’s really doing behind the surface. Resources: • Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: https://substack.daveasprey.com/welcome • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com • 40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com Timestamps: 0:00 - Trailer0:19 - Story 1: Trump’s Drug Price Deals 2:33 - Story 2: Fasting Reality Check 4:35 - Story 3: Chocolate and Biological Age 6:11 - Substack Update7:30 - Story 4: Organ-Specific Aging 9:05 - Story 5: Copper Peptides for Skin 11:02 - Weekly Wrap-Up See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The holidays are when drinking quietly ramps up for a lot of people. More parties, more stress, more excuses, and habits that feel temporary but often aren’t. This episode is for anyone reflecting on their relationship with alcohol, substances, or compulsive habits and questioning whether those patterns are actually supporting the life and health they want going forward. This episode features host Dave Asprey joined by Luke Storey, a motivational speaker, spiritual teacher, and host of the top-rated podcast The Life Stylist, which has surpassed 10 million downloads. Luke is widely regarded as a pioneer in health and wellness, known for articulating transformative principles around spirituality, addiction recovery, and mental, emotional, and physical health optimization. Together, Dave and Luke explore why getting sober and staying sober rarely comes down to willpower alone. They unpack how addiction often shows up as biology, trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and learned coping patterns, not just substance use. The conversation expands the definition of addiction to include socially accepted behaviors like alcohol, nicotine, work, scrolling, and distraction. The discussion moves through long term sobriety, discernment around substances, the role of spirituality in recovery, and how people break free from compulsive loops by addressing root causes instead of chasing short term fixes. Nuanced topics like abstinence, nicotine, psychedelics, and altered states are explored with clear boundaries around safety, intention, and stability. You’ll learn: • Why willpower alone fails to sustain sobriety • How addiction is driven by nervous system wiring and trauma • Why socially accepted habits can still be addictive • How to tell the difference between craving and intuition • What supports long term recovery beyond abstinence • Why identity and environment matter more than discipline • How sobriety creates clarity, resilience, and freedom over time Thank you to our sponsors! -TRU KAVA | Go to https://trukava.com/ and use code DAVE10 for 10% off. -Caldera + Lab | Go to https://calderalab.com/DAVE and use code DAVE at checkout for 20% off your first order. -Vibrant Blue Oils | Grab a full-size bottle for over 50% off at https://vibrantblueoils.com/dave. Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. Keywords: sobriety biohacking, addiction recovery science, how to get sober, how to stay sober, long term sobriety, addiction and trauma, nervous system regulation addiction, biology of addiction, habit loops and addiction, compulsive behavior recovery, holiday drinking habits, alcohol and nervous system, dopamine addiction cycles, stress response and addiction, emotional regulation recovery, identity and sobriety, spirituality and addiction recovery, abstinence based recovery, craving vs intuition, addiction and loneliness, socially acceptable addictions, nicotine and addiction debate, psychedelics and addiction recovery, forgiveness and trauma healing, nervous system healing tools, Dave Asprey sobriety, Luke Storey sobriety, The Human Upgrade addiction episode Resources: • Luke’s website: https://www.lukestorey.com/ • Dave's Biohacking Holiday Gift Guide | Go to https://daveasprey.com/giftguide/ to explore the full guide. • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com • 40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com Timestamps: 0:00 - Trailer 0:45 - Introduction 1:18 - Crack, Heroin, and Early Addiction 5:14 - Pandemic and Addiction 8:34 - Addicted to Negative Thinking 10:22 - Getting Sober at 26 15:12 - Why People Become Addicted 16:34 - Heroin and Cocaine Neurochemistry 18:15 - Nicotine Benefits 26:22 - 12 Step vs Ibogaine 27:36 - Complete Abstinence 33:03 - First Ayahuasca Experience 35:28 - Origins of AA 38:34 - Psychedelics and Trauma 42:36 - Choosing the Right Shaman 48:38 - Dark Forces and Protection 58:09 - Intuition vs Craving 1:05:23 - Healing Order of Operations 1:08:16 - Brain Health Risks 1:09:40 - Hyperbaric Therapy 1:12:21 - Closing and Wrap Up See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most conversations about longevity focus on tactics. This episode breaks down the biology underneath them. You’ll hear a systems level analysis of how insulin signaling, mTOR, mitochondrial function, inflammation, and nutrient sensing interact to determine biological age, disease risk, and long term human performance. This is not surface level biohacking. It is a deep dive into the mechanisms that actually control aging, metabolism, muscle preservation, and brain optimization, and why most anti aging strategies fail when they ignore these foundations. This all-time classic episode from 2024, has host Dave Asprey joined by Mark Hyman, a practicing physician and one of the most respected leaders in functional medicine. Dr. Hyman is the founder and senior advisor of The UltraWellnessCenter, the founder and former head of strategy and innovation at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, and a long time advocate for treating root causes instead of managing disease. With over 30 years of clinical experience, his work focuses on restoring mitochondrial health, optimizing metabolism, reversing chronic disease, and slowing biological aging using science backed interventions. Together, Dave and Mark dismantle common myths around protein, carnivore diets, ketosis, fasting, supplements, and longevity drugs. They explain why sugar accelerates aging faster than protein, how mTOR must cycle instead of staying suppressed, and why muscle, mitochondria, and metabolic flexibility matter more than calorie restriction. The conversation also covers nootropics, sleep optimization, neuroplasticity, AI driven diagnostics, and how functional medicine reframes aging as a reversible biological process rather than an inevitable decline. You’ll learn: • How insulin and nutrient sensing control aging speed • Why mitochondria sit at the center of longevity and disease • The truth about mTOR, fasting, and protein intake • How ketosis and metabolic flexibility protect long term health • Where supplements and nootropics actually fit in brain optimization • Why functional medicine outperforms symptom based care • How AI and advanced testing are reshaping modern medicine Thank you to our sponsors! - MASA Chips | Go to https://www.masachips.com/DAVEASPREY and use code DAVEASPREY for 25% off your first order. -ARMRA | Go to https://tryarmra.com/ and use the code DAVE to get 15% off your first order. -OneSkin | Try OneSkin for 15% off with code DAVE at https://www.oneskin.co/DAVE. Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. Keywords: longevity biohacking, functional medicine longevity, biological age reversal, mitochondria and aging, mTOR pathway aging, insulin resistance and aging, metabolic flexibility, fasting and longevity, ketosis and metabolism, protein intake and mTOR, muscle and longevity, inflammaging, chronic inflammation aging, mitochondrial dysfunction, nutrient sensing pathways, rapamycin longevity, metformin longevity debate, carnivore diet longevity, sugar and aging, brain optimization longevity, neuroplasticity and aging, sleep optimization biohacking, supplements for longevity, anti aging metabolism, human performance optimization, Dave Asprey longevity, Mark Hyman longevity Resources: • Mark’s Website: https://drhyman.com/ • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com • 40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com Timestamps: 0:00 - Trailer 0:45 - Introduction 4:49 - Aging as a Treatable Disease 7:50 - The Hallmarks of Aging 14:23 - Nutrient Sensing and Longevity Switches 17:37 - Time Restricted Eating and Autophagy 20:44 - The Four Longevity Pathways 21:49 - Metformin Debate 25:30 - Ozempic and Weight Loss 28:42 - Rapamycin and mTOR 36:23 - Meat, Protein, and Aging 39:46 - Protein Quality and Muscle Synthesis 45:50 - Protein Timing for Muscle Building 48:08 - Metabolic Flexibility 51:32 - Inflammaging 55:26 - Zombie Cells and Senescence See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.