The Longevity Routine by Dave Asprey

Can a certain diet boost your energy, slow down ageing and optimize your brain power? Dave Asprey believes exactly that - and has developed a revolutionary method with the Bulletproof Diet.

Who is Dave Asprey?

Dave Asprey is one of the best-known biohackers in the world. The American entrepreneur, author and podcaster is the founder of the Bulletproof brand and has made it his mission to take human performance to the next level. His name is inextricably linked with the concept of self-optimization - be it through nutrition, fasting, food supplements or cutting-edge longevity technologies.

His journey began not as a health expert, but as a computer scientist in Silicon Valley. In his early 20s, Asprey struggled with severe obesity, lack of energy and mental exhaustion despite his successful career. He invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical tests, scientific studies and innovative methods to understand the causes of his health problems - and, above all, to solve them. The first step towards this: a drink.

The Bulletproof Coffee: Origin of the Biohacking Routine

On a trip to Tibet, the American computer scientist Dave Asprey enjoyed a cup of tea with typical yak butter and noticed that he felt much better physically and mentally. In a way, this experience was the starting signal for a new life for the current entrepreneur and author of several books.

After his return, he developed a coffee version of Tibetan butter tea. It was a black coffee with a few teaspoons of butter and coconut oil. He called his creation Bulletproof Coffee.

As if that wasn't enough, Asprey, who was overweight at the time, completely changed his diet and lost around 50 kilograms as a result. His new eating routine also made him feel better mentally and emotionally than ever before. The Bulletproof Diet was born.

Bulletproof coffee to make yourself

You can easily prepare the blend of high-quality coffee, pasture butter and MCT oil yourself, albeit without the special "Bulletproof" coffee powder:

Brew yourself a cup of coffee first
Put this in a blender
Add 1-2 tablespoons of organic butter from pasture-fed cows
Add 1-2 tablespoons of MCT oil or C8 oil
And finally: mix

MCT oil and C8 oil: the turbo fats of the Bulletproof diet

A central element of the Bulletproof diet is the targeted use of MCT oil (medium chain triglycerides) - a special type of medium-chain fatty acids that are converted into energy particularly quickly. According to Dave Asprey, MCT oil plays a key role in getting the body into ketosis and boosting mental performance.

What is MCT oil and how does it work?
MCT oil is usually obtained from coconut oil or palm oil, but contains only medium-chain fatty acids, which the body metabolizes differently to conventional fats. While long-chain fatty acids must first be processed by the liver, MCTs enter the bloodstream directly and are available to the body more quickly as an energy source.
The benefits according to the Bulletproof diet:

Promotes ketosis and increases fat burning
Delivers fast, sustained energy without insulin spikes
Supports mental clarity and concentration
Stimulates thermogenesis (heat production) and can increase calorie consumption

What is C8 oil - and why is it preferred

Not all MCTs are the same. MCT oil consists of a mixture of different medium-chain fatty acids:

C6 (caproic acid): Fastest conversion to ketones, but often associated with stomach problems
C8 (caprylic acid): The most effective MCT fatty acid for ketosis - is converted into energy particularly quickly
C10 (capric acid): Slower acting than C8, but still useful
C12 (lauric acid): Is abundant in coconut oil, but behaves more like a long-chain fat

C8 oil (pure caprylic acid oil) is considered the "premium version" of MCT oil because it provides the fastest and most effective ketone power. Dave Asprey therefore recommends C8 oil in preference, as it causes fewer digestive problems than other MCTs and is converted into ketones almost immediately.

What does the science say?

Research on MCT oil is promising but inconclusive:

Positive studies:

Ketosis & energy : Studies show that MCTs - especially C8 - can increase ketone production and thus provide a quick source of energy for the brain and muscles.
Satiety & weight management : Initial research suggests that MCT oil can prolong satiety and slightly increase calorie consumption.
Mental performance : Some small studies suggest that MCTs improve cognitive function, especially in older people with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Open questions:

Long-term effects : While short-term studies show positive effects, it is not clear how regular consumption of large amounts of MCT oil affects metabolism, cholesterol levels or gut health in the long term.
Fat burning vs. fat gain : MCT oil can boost fat burning, but also provides additional calories - whether this leads to long-term weight loss or rather to a calorie surplus varies from person to person.

What is the Bulletproof Diet

The Bulletproof Diet is more than just a nutrition plan - it's a concept for self-optimization. Developed by Dave Asprey, this diet is based on the idea of putting the body in an energy-efficient state, reducing inflammation and increasing mental performance at the same time.

The principle? Good fats, little sugar , targeted carbohydrates and high-quality proteins. The Bulletproof Diet combines insights from the ketogenic diet, the Paleo approach andbiohacking to program the body to use fat as its primary source of energy - instead of sugar.

Three important principles of the Bulletproof Diet

His "Bulletproof" diet routine includes three key principles.

Organic and unprocessed products

Priority is given to products that are organically produced and have not undergone extensive processing or treatment. This includes unprocessed whey products, butter from pasture-fed cows and milk that has not been homogenized or pasteurized.

Products with a high proportion of colorants or additives are correspondingly offside. It is also beneficial to heat certain foods very little. This preserves the important ingredients.

Healthy fats such as pasture butter, coconut oil, avocados and MCT oil
Welfare-raised proteins, including wild-caught fish, grass-fed beef and eggs from pasture-raised hens
Nutrient-rich vegetables, especially leafy greens and low-carb varieties

Conscious nutrition

Another important point in Dave Asprey's routine is a conscious diet. He pays very close attention to what goes into his body in terms of his pronounced body autonomy.

Avoid foods that promote inflammation. According to Asprey, certain foods can destabilize blood sugar, unbalance the microbiome and even impair cognitive performance.

This is why the Bulletproof Diet recommends strictly avoiding these foods:

Sugar and refined carbohydrates
Grains and pulses containing gluten
Industrially processed vegetable oils (e.g. sunflower, rapeseed or soybean oil)
Conventional dairy products (except butter from pasture-fed cows)

Carbohydrates, fats and protein

Thirdly, the diet has a clear idea of essential ingredients such as fats, proteins and carbohydrates. For example, Asprey considers protein to be the cause of many diseases in the body, which is why it should only be consumed in modest amounts.

A central element of the Bulletproof Diet is cyclical ketosis. This means that the body mainly uses fat as an energy source on most days, but carbohydrates are deliberately consumed at certain times - but only in small quantities and preferably at dinner. The bacterial composition in the gut (microbiome) is said to be particularly favorable at this time .

In addition, carbohydrates increase the production of serotonin, from which the sleep hormone melatonin is subsequently produced.

All in all, 50-70% of the calories burned should come from healthy fats, around 20% from protein and the rest from carbohydrates.

Not least, Asprey recommends intermittent fasting (16:8 method) to stimulate cell regeneration and improve insulin sensitivity .

Cyclic ketosis - what is it?

Cyclic ketosis is a nutritional strategy that utilizes the benefits of ketosis without permanently abstaining from carbohydrates. It involves putting the body into a state of ketosis most days - meaning that fat is used as the primary source of energy instead of sugar.

However, in contrast to the classic ketogenic diet, targeted "carb refeeds" are planned, i.e. days or meals on which healthy carbohydrates are deliberately consumed.

The principle behind cyclical ketosis is simple:

On ketogenic days (low carb) - The body uses fat as its main energy source and produces ketones, which boosts fat burning and promotes mental clarity.
On refeed days (targeted carbohydrate intake in the evening) - The controlled intake of carbohydrates (e.g. Sweet potatoes or quinoa), glycogen stores are replenished to maintain performance and support hormonal balance.

Why is this useful?While a continuous ketogenic diet is difficult to maintain for many people, cyclical ketosis offers a more flexible alternative.

Cyclic ketosis can:

Optimize fat burning , while minimizing cravings
Support hormone balance , especially the production of leptin and thyroid hormones
Improve athletic performance as muscle glycogen is regularly replenished

How to get started with the Bulletproof Diet by Dave Asprey

The Bulletproof Diet is based on the idea of switching your metabolism to use fat as your primary source of energy - a principle known from the ketogenic diet. While sugar provides quick energy but causes cravings and energy fluctuations, the Bulletproof Diet is designed to keep blood sugar levels stable, promote fat burning and increase mental performance.

To help you get started, here is a practical guide to a typical Bulletproof day.

The perfect Bulletproof start to the day

In the morning: fats instead of carbohydrates! Asprey recommends either skipping breakfast or making it particularly high in fat. Bulletproof coffee is said to be a good breakfast substitute.

Why Bulletproof Coffee?

Provides the brain with high-quality fats for better concentration
Provides long-lasting satiety without digestive stress
Provides energy without causing insulin spikes

If you do want to have breakfast, it should be high in fat and protein, e.g. scrambled eggs with avocado and butter.

Bulletproof lunch - what's on the plate

For the meals of the day, the Bulletproof Diet follows a traffic light principle:

Erlaubt (Bulletproof-Foods)

Meat from grazing animals & amp; wild-caught fish
Nutrient-rich vegetables (e.g. broccoli, spinach, cabbage)
Healthy fats (pasture butter, coconut oil, olive oil, avocados)
High-quality nuts (e.g. macadamia, pecans - no peanuts!)

In moderation (neutral foods)

Certain dairy products (only from raw milk & amp; not homogenized)
Vegetables with moderate starch content (e.g. Carrots, pumpkin)

Avoid (foods that promote inflammation)

Sugar & amp; refined carbohydrates
Cereals& amp; legumes (e.g. wheat, oats, beans)
Processed vegetable oils (rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil)

Example of a bulletproof lunch: steak with spinach and avocado - satisfies, provides high-quality fats and keeps blood sugar levels stable.

Evening meal & amp; targeted carbohydrates for better sleep

Although the Bulletproof Diet is predominantly low-carb, targeted carbohydrates are allowed in the evening. The reason:

They promote serotonin production and thus help to improve sleep.
They replenish glycogen stores without bringing the metabolism out of ketosis.

Recommended carbohydrates for the evening:

Süßkartoffeln
White rice (in small quantities)
Pumpkin or carrots

Example of a bulletproof dinner: Wild salmon with oven vegetables & amp; some sweet potato - healthy fats, proteins and targeted carbohydrates for optimal recovery.

Important Bulletproof rules for sustainable success

Healthy fats are your best friend - about 50-70% of your calories should come from fat.
Keep protein in moderation - Asprey recommends moderate amounts to avoid accelerating the ageing process.
Avoid sources of inflammation - especially sugar, grains and vegetable oils high in omega-6.
Use intermittent fasting - a 16:8 fasting cycle (16 hours fasting, 8 hours eating) is ideal.

Fasting & amp; supplements

The high-fat, low-carbohydrate and low-protein diet is just one of the many components of Dave Asprey's Longevity routine. This ranges from intermittent fasting protocols and the use of biohacking tricks to optimize recovery to dozens of supplements.

All of these are important components on the way to his goal of reaching the 180 mark.

The bestselling author supplements his nutritional routine with a veritable flood of supplements. Polyphenols, selected amino acids, electrolytes, fat-soluble vitamins and special oils are on his daily menu. Its product range includes, among other things:

Asprey, who describes himself as a biohacker and health enthusiast, says he has spent more than one million US dollars on his Longevity routine to date. This enormous sum is based on cost-intensive interventions such as stem cell treatments, NAD infusions and regular red light therapies .