Mastering Nutrition

Question: Is whole food vitamin C superior to natural because it is part of a tyrosinase complex? Short Answer: Vitamin C is nearly ubiquitously distributed in plant tissues, and is never bound to any enzyme as a structural complex. Vitamin C promotes absorption of iron from plant foods, inhibits copper absorption, and de-loads copper from ceruloplasmin, which may play a role in distributing copper to tissues. Vitamin C is not capable of destroying ceruloplasmin. These functions follow directly from vitamin C as an electron donor and there is no evidence whatsoever that whole food vitamin C behaves differently in these respects than synthetic vitamin C. However, daily needs in most contexts are 2-400 milligrams of vitamin C per day, which is below the dose shown to potentially cause problems with copper. Getting this from whole foods or whole food supplements is better than using synthetic vitamin C because it avoids GMO corn and Chinese synthetics and provides a host of other beneficial constituents alongside the vitamin C. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-hair-trace-mineral-analysis In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: Is Hair Mineral Testing Useful?  What's the Deal With Seed Oils? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the June 16, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what’s included: Butyrate for Hashimoto’s? What else? What in the comprehensive nutritional screening is helping to interpret lactate/pyruvate and ketone ratios? Is the solution to a respiratory chain disorder to take Niagen? If I have high manganese on an HTMA, do I need to detox? Should CFS patients target reducing their serum BH4? What to do about low alkaline phosphatase? If my glucose spikes above 140, should I eat fiber and take ACV before the meal, eat cinnamon with the meal, chew slowly, and move for ten minutes after my meals? Difficulty getting Quest to do the lactate/pyruvate ratio correctly. Is 38 milligrams of niacinamide enough to rule out niacin deficiency as a cause of low NAD+? How does optimizing body composition help optimize energy metabolism? Can impaired energy metabolism make someone fatter? Is monounsaturated fat the best fat? Manganese followup. Do you need to stop taking biotin before a biotin test? What in "a bunch of supplements" flip the lactate/pyruvate ratio from high to low? NAD infusions, yay or nay? Why do I feel better after a warm shower, even better than after sunshine? Should I cut back on vitamin A if I have toxicity symptoms but cutting back makes me get sick? Do home blood drop tests have to be pricked at the finger? Is it true that my boyfriend was just born a night owl? How much eating out is too much? When measuring ketones, lactate, and glucose at home to optimize energy metabolism, what time of day should we take the measurements? Here’s a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-june-a55 Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here.  

Question: What Is the Real Issue With Seed Oils? Short Answer: The main issue with seed oils is that they present an oxidative liability. They do not acutely cause oxidative stress, but their polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are more vulnerable than any other macronutrient to oxidative damage. Oxidative stress can increase because of nutrient deficiencies, toxins, infections, other sources of inflammation, alcohol, or smoking, and it will inevitably increase as a function of aging. As oxidative stress increases, more PUFAs in the tissues mean more damage. At least 0.6 milligrams of vitamin E should be gotten per gram of PUFA in the diet, but vitamin E cannot fully protect against PUFA, so their intake should be moderated to the very low levels needed, as obtained by eating fatty fish once or twice a week, eating eggs daily, and eating 4-8 ounces of liver per week. Additional secondary problems with them include residual solvents and heat damage prior to intake, but the main issue is that we do not want to increase our tissue PUFA content more than needed. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-hair-trace-mineral-analysis In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: Is Hair Mineral Testing Useful? Is Whole Food Vitamin C Really Different? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the June 16, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what’s included: Butyrate for Hashimoto’s? What else? What in the comprehensive nutritional screening is helping to interpret lactate/pyruvate and ketone ratios? Is the solution to a respiratory chain disorder to take Niagen? If I have high manganese on an HTMA, do I need to detox? Should CFS patients target reducing their serum BH4? What to do about low alkaline phosphatase? If my glucose spikes above 140, should I eat fiber and take ACV before the meal, eat cinnamon with the meal, chew slowly, and move for ten minutes after my meals? Difficulty getting Quest to do the lactate/pyruvate ratio correctly. Is 38 milligrams of niacinamide enough to rule out niacin deficiency as a cause of low NAD+? How does optimizing body composition help optimize energy metabolism? Can impaired energy metabolism make someone fatter? Is monounsaturated fat the best fat? Manganese followup. Do you need to stop taking biotin before a biotin test? What in "a bunch of supplements" flip the lactate/pyruvate ratio from high to low? NAD infusions, yay or nay? Why do I feel better after a warm shower, even better than after sunshine? Should I cut back on vitamin A if I have toxicity symptoms but cutting back makes me get sick? Do home blood drop tests have to be pricked at the finger? Is it true that my boyfriend was just born a night owl? How much eating out is too much? When measuring ketones, lactate, and glucose at home to optimize energy metabolism, what time of day should we take the measurements? Here’s a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-june-a55 Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here.  

Question: How useful is hair trace mineral analysis (HTMA) for nutritional testing? Short Answer: Hair trace mineral analysis is included as an optional add-on in the comprehensive nutritional screening from Testing Nutritional Status: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet, because it can capture data for some ultra-trace minerals for which there are no better-validated tests, and it might capture a pattern that might not be picked up as quickly with blood work, such as a mineral transport issue. However, its utility is limited by the fact that hair mineral content is not well validated as a test for any specific mineral, is generally anti-validated when there is enough science on a mineral (such as zinc, where hair zinc does not go down in deficiency), and should not be used as a central piece of data without corroboration from other more well-validated tests, which exist for most of the nutrients. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-hair-trace-mineral-analysis In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: What's the Deal With Seed Oils? Is Whole Food Vitamin C Really Different? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the June 16, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what’s included: Butyrate for Hashimoto’s? What else? What in the comprehensive nutritional screening is helping to interpret lactate/pyruvate and ketone ratios? Is the solution to a respiratory chain disorder to take Niagen? If I have high manganese on an HTMA, do I need to detox? Should CFS patients target reducing their serum BH4? What to do about low alkaline phosphatase? If my glucose spikes above 140, should I eat fiber and take ACV before the meal, eat cinnamon with the meal, chew slowly, and move for ten minutes after my meals? Difficulty getting Quest to do the lactate/pyruvate ratio correctly. Is 38 milligrams of niacinamide enough to rule out niacin deficiency as a cause of low NAD+? How does optimizing body composition help optimize energy metabolism? Can impaired energy metabolism make someone fatter? Is monounsaturated fat the best fat? Manganese followup. Do you need to stop taking biotin before a biotin test? What in "a bunch of supplements" flip the lactate/pyruvate ratio from high to low? NAD infusions, yay or nay? Why do I feel better after a warm shower, even better than after sunshine? Should I cut back on vitamin A if I have toxicity symptoms but cutting back makes me get sick? Do home blood drop tests have to be pricked at the finger? Is it true that my boyfriend was just born a night owl? How much eating out is too much? When measuring ketones, lactate, and glucose at home to optimize energy metabolism, what time of day should we take the measurements? Here’s a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-june-a55 Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here.

Nutrition is far more powerful than drugs to improve cognitive performance. We start by looking at cocaine, Adderall, and Ritalin, and show why these drugs cannot possibly hold a candle to nutrition. Optimal nutrition can definitely optimize the function of dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, histamine, creatine, and the methylation system, and in doing so can simultaneously optimize focus, motivation, sustained attention, and mental flexibility, and methylation, all while eliminating anxiety, depression, and distraction. Yet, popular nutritional cognitive stacks in the nootropic space do not have convincing evidence behind them, and this is probably a result of them trying to do too many things in one capsule. This presentation covers the low-hanging fruit of nutrition for brain power, supplements that help, the importance of individual nutritional optimization, and the central power of finding one's genetic "health super-unlock." For my simple protocol to optimize methylation, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/mthfr-protocol For more detail on finding your own personal genetic health super-unlock, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/unlocking-performance-and-longevity

Debunking the myth that vitamin C in plants is found in a special "tyrosinase complex." For the written article with references, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/vitamin-c-whole-food-vs-synthetic For issues of vitamin C dosing and balancing with other nutrients, see these two links:  https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/the-powerful-duo-how-glutathione  https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/balancing-vitamin-c-and-glutathione-d6f  

Watch or listen to the full critique here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMPvCiOkEtQ

Is high-dose vitamin C good for you?   High-dose intravenous vitamin C can selectively kill cancer cells in live patients and can save sepsis patients from dying, but it acts as a pro-oxidant in cancer and an antioxidant in sepsis.   So what does it do in the rest of us?   Oral doses of 2000 milligrams raise oxalate levels in most people, and as little as 400 milligrams raises oxalate in some people.   This seems to be the most sensitive indicator of a delicate imbalance with glutathione and other factors needed to recycle vitamin C. Such a balance actually needs to be avoided when killing cancer yet is critical to maintaining health in every other context.   Given that vitamin C is important to immunity and general health, how do we take advantage of these benefits without upsetting the delicate balance with glutathione and the propensity to generate oxalate?   That is the topic of this podcast.   This podcast is a preview of a video only available to Masterpass members.   Get evergreen access to the video and podcast, as well as the written article with references, here:   https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/balancing-vitamin-c-and-glutathione-d6f

Question: How to Find the Root Cause of Autoimmunity? Short Answer: Autoimmune conditions are likely driven by deficiencies of vitamins A and D, which contribute to post-infectious autoimmunity by compromising the rhythmic rise and fall of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and to autoimmunity regardless of infections through impaired suppression of Th17 helper T cells. More broadly, infections and tissue damage are the most likely drivers of autoimmunity onset. However, energy metabolism governs everything through the second law of thermodynamics, which holds that energy must be used to prevent everything from randomly mixing, and this includes randomly mixing the immune defense against pathogens with immune attacks on the host. In this example, we discuss how a respiratory chain disorder would compromise absorption and distribution of zinc and compromise the oxidation of NADH to NAD+, and how both of these would interact with a genetic impairment in acetaldehyde dehydrogenase to prevent the activation of vitamin A to retinoic acid. Autoimmunity thus results as one of many symptoms of vitamin A deficiency driven not by lack of vitamin A, but rather by impaired activation of vitamin A, secondary to impaired energy metabolism.  This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-nac-biofilms-vitamin In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: Can NAC hurt your gut health? Why Would Vitamin C Cause Joint Pain, Muscle Pain, and Brain Fog? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the May 13, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what’s included: GLA to lower hydroxyhaemopyrrolin-2-one? When would I use the StrateGene and Genova Methylation Panel for nutritional testing? Energy metabolism as a root cause of gut issues? Nutrition for skin healing? Nutrition for hypnic jerks? Suggestions for snoring or sleep apnea? Nutrition to protect against restaurant meals? What is the cause of crusty eyes in the morning? What causes brain fog? How much oxalate should one eat each day? Should I be concerned about low alkaline phosphatase? What nutrients give tall children to short parents? Energy metabolism impairment mimicking Wilson's disease. Can taking digestive enzymes reduce our own production? Rapid-fire response to non-winners from the question contest. Here’s a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-may  Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here.  

Is high-dose vitamin C good for you? High-dose intravenous vitamin C can selectively kill cancer cells in live patients and can save sepsis patients from dying, but it acts as a pro-oxidant in cancer and an antioxidant in sepsis. So what does it do in the rest of us? Oral doses of 2000 milligrams raise oxalate levels in most people, and as little as 400 milligrams raises oxalate in some people. This seems to be the most sensitive indicator of a delicate imbalance with glutathione and other factors needed to recycle vitamin C. Such a balance actually needs to be avoided when killing cancer yet is critical to maintaining health in every other context. Given that vitamin C is important to immunity and general health, how do we take advantage of these benefits without upsetting the delicate balance with glutathione and the propensity to generate oxalate? That is the topic of this video. This video is free for only 48 hours. Get evergreen access to the video and podcast, as well as the written article with references, here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/balancing-vitamin-c-and-glutathione-d6f

High-dose intravenous (IV) vitamin C has the potential to kill cancer cells and prolong the survival of terminal cancer patients. This podcast is a preview, the full video is available only to Masterpass members.  See the written article with links to references here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/the-powerful-duo-how-glutathione Subscribe to the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/subscribe I am not a medical doctor and this is not medical advice. Please do not make cancer prevention or treatment decisions based on this information and if you make any such decisions discuss them with your physician first.

High-dose intravenous (IV) vitamin C has the potential to kill cancer cells and prolong the survival of terminal cancer patients. This episode is free for only 24 hours until 9:30 AM Eastern on November 2. After that it is reserved for Masterpass members. See the written article with links to references here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/the-powerful-duo-how-glutathione Subscribe to the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/subscribe I am not a medical doctor and this is not medical advice. Please do not make cancer prevention or treatment decisions based on this information and if you make any such decisions discuss them with your physician first.

The ability to become startled is an adaptive behavior that protects us from being injured by a sudden threat, and prepares us for the fight-or-flight response when necessary. Nevertheless, getting startled too easily can be a sign that something is wrong. Here's what to do about it. For the written version with links to references and links to testing, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/startled-try-glycine 

Hormones matter, but they are never in charge. Their abnormalities are never the root cause of anything. All hormones do is communicate the biochemistry of one tissue to the biochemistry of another tissue. In this episode: Three Reasons For Hormones to Be Messed Up Exceptions to the Rule Leptin, Insulin, and Thyroid Hormone As an Example How to Approach Hormones For the written version, the links to references, and the links to testing, see here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/hormones-are-never-in-charge

Most people who take biotin take it for their hair and nails. Yet biotin does much more than this. Learn what to use it for, how much to take, and how to avoid adverse effects in less than ten minutes. Read the written and fully referenced version here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/biotins-health-benefits-way-beyond Get my short and sweet tips on each nutrient in the Cliff Notes here: https://chris-masterjohn-phd.myshopify.com/products/the-vitamins-and-minerals-101-cliff-notes It's free to Masterpass members here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/paid-subscribers-now-have-free-access

This is how to use a simple home measurement to expose the harmful effects of a supplement before they even happen. Read the article here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-biotin Subscribe to my newsletter to get my series on improving respiratory chain function as soon as new articles come out: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/subscribe  See the "super unlock" article here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/unlocking-performance-and-longevity 

Question: Why Would Vitamin C cause muscle pain, joint pain, and brain fog? Short Answer: Acutely, vitamin C would likely cause these effects by generating oxalate, which could cause crystals that lead to muscle and joint pain, and could cut energy metabolism in half, leading to brain fog. This vulnerability could result from deficiencies of any of the B vitamins, any of the electrolytes, or of iron, copper, or sulfur; from diabetes, low adrenals, or hypothyroidism; or from any of the hundreds of genetic defects in energy metabolism, only one of which is glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency; or any one of a huge number of toxins that impair energy metabolism. Chronically, vitamin C may increase the harms of iron overload or contribute to copper deficiency. The main ways to manage these latter issues are to take vitamin C away from meals, to maintain good copper status through proper dietary intake, and to treat iron overload with phlebotomy. This is a clip from a live Q&A session open to CMJ Masterpass members. In addition to this episode, you can access two other free samples using this link: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/questions-on-nac-biofilms-vitamin In that batch of free episodes you will also find the answer to this question: Can NAC hurt your gut health? How to Find the Root Cause of Autoimmunity? If you want to become a Masterpass member so you can participate in the next live Q&A, or so you can have access to the complete recording and transcript of each Q&A session, you can save 10% off the subscription price for as long as you remain a member by using this link to sign up: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/qanda Learn more about the Masterpass here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/about This snippet is from the May 13, 2023 AMA. The full recording and transcript is reserved for Masterpass members. Here is a preview of what’s included: GLA to lower hydroxyhaemopyrrolin-2-one? When would I use the StrateGene and Genova Methylation Panel for nutritional testing? Energy metabolism as a root cause of gut issues? Nutrition for skin healing? Nutrition for hypnic jerks? Suggestions for snoring or sleep apnea? Nutrition to protect against restaurant meals? What is the cause of crusty eyes in the morning? What causes brain fog? How much oxalate should one eat each day? Should I be concerned about low alkaline phosphatase? What nutrients give tall children to short parents? Energy metabolism impairment mimicking Wilson's disease. Can taking digestive enzymes reduce our own production? Rapid-fire response to non-winners from the question contest. Here’s a link to the full AMA: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/recording-and-transcript-of-the-may Access the show notes, transcript, and comments here.  

If you are eating a high-protein diet, you probably aren’t getting enough biotin. This is especially true if you are a protein-fueled athlete and find your skin too oily, too itchy, or too red; if your blood sugar is getting out of control; or if you simply feel down in the dumps. And it’s especially true if you find your hands or feet tingling or get subtle sensations of something crawling on your skin. Alternatively, if you’re pregnant or looking to conceive, this is something you really need to understand. This is a free preview of an episode reserved for Masterpass members. Get the full episode as well as the written and fully referenced article here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/high-protein-you-need-more-biotin

The use of high-dose biotin supplements has increased almost 30-fold over the last twenty years for such problems as diabetes, smell and taste disorders, disorders of the hair, skin, and nails, and multiple sclerosis. Studies show it can improve diabetes, and case reports show it can miraculously recover lost smell and taste even when smell and taste were lost as a result of surgery or the side effects of medications or other supplements. Yet, some studies show multiple sclerosis gets worse on high-dose biotin. I personally developed clumsiness, short-term memory loss, and a short temper on high-dose biotin. Some studies show it makes blood sugar get better, yet it made my blood sugar get worse. High-dose biotin can also cause wide-ranging errors in lab tests with the potential to mask recent heart attacks, pregnancies, or allergies; to misdiagnose thyroid conditions; to give false signals about the presence or progression of tumors; to falsely raise vitamin D, B12, and folate levels; to falsely alter many hormone levels; to generate false positives for HIV and hepatitis; and to lead to unnecessary surgery and possibly even death as a result of diagnostic errors. Most people need more biotin than they get. Some one in 30 people need high-dose biotin for genetic reasons, and most other people should be getting lower doses. So, how do we know how much we need, and whether we are getting the right amount? When is the right time to break open the bottle of the ten-milligram capsules? This article covers the safety and efficacy of high-dose biotin for all the conditions documented in the literature, its potential anti-fertility effects, and how and when to balance it with other vitamins. This podcast is a preview of a podcast reserved for Masterpass members. Get permanent access to the video and podcast, and get the written and fully referenced article, here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/when-high-dose-biotin-is-truly-needed

The use of high-dose biotin supplements has increased almost 30-fold over the last twenty years for such problems as diabetes, smell and taste disorders, disorders of the hair, skin, and nails, and multiple sclerosis. Studies show it can improve diabetes, and case reports show it can miraculously recover lost smell and taste even when smell and taste were lost as a result of surgery or the side effects of medications or other supplements. Yet, some studies show multiple sclerosis gets worse on high-dose biotin. I personally developed clumsiness, short-term memory loss, and a short temper on high-dose biotin. Some studies show it makes blood sugar get better, yet it made my blood sugar get worse. High-dose biotin can also cause wide-ranging errors in lab tests with the potential to mask recent heart attacks, pregnancies, or allergies; to misdiagnose thyroid conditions; to give false signals about the presence or progression of tumors; to falsely raise vitamin D, B12, and folate levels; to falsely alter many hormone levels; to generate false positives for HIV and hepatitis; and to lead to unnecessary surgery and possibly even death as a result of diagnostic errors. Most people need more biotin than they get. Some one in 30 people need high-dose biotin for genetic reasons, and most other people should be getting lower doses. So, how do we know how much we need, and whether we are getting the right amount? When is the right time to break open the bottle of the ten-milligram capsules? This article covers the safety and efficacy of high-dose biotin for all the conditions documented in the literature, its potential anti-fertility effects, and how and when to balance it with other vitamins. This video is only available for 48 HOURS. After that it will be reserved for Masterpass members. Get permanent access to the video and podcast, and get the written and fully referenced article, here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/when-high-dose-biotin-is-truly-needed

If you are eating a high-protein diet, you probably aren’t getting enough biotin. This is especially true if you are a protein-fueled athlete and find your skin too oily, too itchy, or too red; if your blood sugar is getting out of control; or if you simply feel down in the dumps. And it’s especially true if you find your hands or feet tingling or get subtle sensations of something crawling on your skin. Alternatively, if you’re pregnant or looking to conceive, this is something you really need to understand. This podcast is available for free for 48 hours, and then will only be available to Masterpass members. The written and fully referenced article, the podcast, and the permanently available video can be found here: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/high-protein-you-need-more-biotin