April 20, 2024

Alcohol and longevity — it's an extremely controversial topic that most health experts shy away from. 

But I'm not afraid of courting controversy when there's scientific evidence to consider.

Sure, you've heard the warnings about alcohol being a toxin that should be avoided at all costs — and in some cases this is true. But what if I told you that in moderate amounts (emphasis on moderate), alcohol can actually be beneficial for longevity and brain health?

In this episode, I'm diving deep into the latest research on alcohol's effects on your body, and why I choose to drink almost every single day.

First, I'll explain the concept of mitohormesis — how temporary stressors like alcohol can actually boost your mitochondrial function and resilience when consumed in the right amounts. Next, you'll gain insights into finding the “Goldilocks Zone” for your alcohol intake — the amount of alcohol consumption that provides health benefits without the notorious downsides of drinking too much booze. I'll also discuss supplements like dihydromyricetin (DHM) that can block alcohol's intoxicating effects while still allowing you to reap the rewards of moderate drinking.

Additionally, you'll hear about using binders like chlorella, charcoal, and fruit pectin to remove toxins like acetaldehyde from your body after drinking, my routine for enjoying a nightly glass of organic wine or a cocktail, and recommendations for healthier alcoholic beverage choices like Dry Farm Wines, shrubs, and even ketone “alcohol” alternatives.

Whether you're a teetotaler or a casual drinker, this episode might just reshape your thoughts around alcohol. By the end, if you choose to partake in this longevity strategy, you'll have a step-by-step game plan for your own conscientious alcohol consumption.

On this episode, you'll discover:  

-Should you avoid drinking alcohol?…04:42

• The top question during Ben’s tour in India besides air pollution
• Ben has a small glass of organic, biodynamic wine almost every night of the week
  • If in a restaurant, he orders a bit of gin or vodka on the rocks with a splash of bitters and lemon juice
• Dr. Andrew Huberman is completely against alcohol consumption
• The concept of stress and mitohormesis
• What is mitohormesis?
  • The response to acute sub-lethal stress, such as oxidative stress, ultimately leads to the activation of adaptive mechanisms that confer stress resilience and improve mitochondrial function
• The free radical theory of aging
  • A linear dose-response relationship between increasing amounts of reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress, and mortality
  • Doing more than 20 to 25 minutes of red light therapy generates excess reactive oxygen species
  • The benefits of exercise top off at around 170 minutes per week, at which point you start to see an increased risk for things like mortality, atherosclerosis, and arterial stiffness
  • Doing sauna 5 to 7 times per week for 20 to 30 minutes actually appears to extend longevity — doing it longer could deplete you of electrolytes, minerals, and water
  • Stress from lectins and gluten, called xenohormesis can induce some cellular resilience — getting gas, bloating, digestive distress, and autoimmune disorders means you have overdone intake
• Dr. Chris Masterjohn's article — Alcohol’s SURPRISING Role in Your Health and Longevity
  
• A few notes from his article about alcohol
  • One serving of alcohol per day
    • No harm to females
    • Associated with slightly better brain markers in males
  • DNA markers of aging go down with increasing number of drinks per week through seven drinks per week
• Alcohol use disorder
  • Failing to meet obligations
  • Totally unable to stop drinking
  • Needing that drink first thing in the morning
  • Blacking out frequently
  • Causing physical injury to yourself or others
  • Behavior that can lead to a lot of distress in yourself and in those around you
• Consumption of low levels of alcohol — up to one drink a day
  • 26% lower risk of heart disease
  • 24% lower risk of all-cause mortality
• Alcohol is a toxin, but also a macronutrient — can be burnt, consumed, and used to generate ATP energy
  • Is metabolized to acetaldehyde
  • Forms into acetate in the mitochondria, used to produce ATP
  • Ethanol, the alcohol found in beer, wines, and spirits, is metabolized in the same way as the alcohols found in whole grains, plant foods, and bee products
• Another toxin that you'll find in alcohol is methylglyoxal
  • It has twice the power to cause damage compared to acetaldehyde
  • Derived in small amounts from carbohydrates, protein, and fat
• Vegetables have more acetaldehyde than wine does
• Cider has more acetaldehyde than vodka does
• The problem is how much acetaldehyde gets into your body all at once and how equipped you are to metabolize it
• All toxins, including those in alcohol, have the power to cause a hormetic effect
  • Can upregulate enzymes necessary for their metabolism
• Alcohol is a stressor, but so are exercise, sauna, cold exposure, and calorie restriction
• To help repair some of the muscle damage from work-outs:
  • Creatine
  • Colostrum 
  • Amino acids 
  • Fish oil
• Sauna:
  • Replace electrolytes and minerals (use code BEN to save 20%)
  • Niacin to help enhance blood flow
• Cold:
  • To increase brown fat activation:
    • Grains of Paradise
    • Bitter melon extract
    • Green tea
• Meals:
  • Digestive enzymes
  • Gluten Guardian
  • Blood glucose stabilizing agent
    • Apple cider vinegar 
    • Kion Lean

-Dihydromericitin (DHM)…18:42

• 2012 UCLA study on DHM (dihydromyricetin) — Dihydromyricetin as a novel anti-alcohol intoxication medication
• DHM is an extract from the Japanese raisin tree
• DHM blocks the effect of alcohol on GABA and glutamate neurotransmitters in the brain
  • Normally, alcohol binds to GABA receptors and activates them
  • That leads to relaxation, social lubrication, and sometimes excess confidence
  • Blocking GABA receptors prevents intoxication
• If you want to feel the effects of alcohol, don’t take DHM
• DHM on Amazon
• DHM also accelerates the breakdown of alcohol (use code BEN10 to save 10%)
  • Increases the activity of liver enzymes, including antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
  • Helps your body metabolize alcohol
• Taking DHM after drinking can take the edge off of the acetaldehyde buildup
• Do not take right before bed if you are taking a binding agent
• Mikhaila Peterson, Jordan Peterson's daughter, sent Ben her After Party remedy with DHM
• Podcast with Zack Abbott:
  • How A Specially Engineered Bacterial Strain Can Allow You To Enjoy Drinking Alcohol Without Toxic Effects, With ZBiotics Zack Abbott.
• Zbiotics (use code BEN to save 15%)
  • Allows your body to get the benefits of drinking without having as much acid aldehyde buildup
• According to Chris Masterjohn
  • Most of the benefits of drinking kick in at about half a drink
  • Most of the deleterious effects of drinking tend to kick in after one to two drinks

-Binders and how they work…32:47

• A binder is a specific compound that binds toxins and other metabolites and removes them via the digestive tract so they're not reabsorbed into the body
• Ultra Binder by Quicksilver Scientific (use code GREENFIELD15 to save 15%)
  • Binders can be also used for acetaldehyde or the toxic byproducts of alcohol
  • The binder sits in your digestive tract and grabs toxins before they get reabsorbed
  • Also helps reduce stress on other elimination and detox organs like the liver and the kidney
  • Popular binders
    • RECOVERYbits — chlorella, charcoal and zeolite, and clay
    • Fruit pectin
    • BEAM Minerals humic acid and fulvic acid (use code BEN to save 20%)
    • Silica
  • Charcoal is very powerful and can bind and absorb anything you take along with it
  • Best to use 30 to 60 minutes after you consumed other supplements
  • Chlorella doesn't seem to bind the beneficial stuff quite as much

-Ben’s ad for his Spokane house…37:17

• Biohacked Spokane Home

-What Ben drinks…39:12

• Boundless Kitchen by Ben Greenfield
• Boundless Cookbook by Ben Greenfield
• Healthy cocktails and even mocktails
• Ben always has lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and bitters at home
• Mixes them with clean-burning alcohol like:
  • Mescal, tequila, gin, or vodka
  • Some soda water
• Helps step up the liver detox pathways
• Acts as glucose disposal agents, lowering the glycemic index of anything they're consumed with
• Dry Farm Wines
  • From farms that use low amounts of irrigation
  • Less sugar, less alcohol, more antioxidants
  • Todd White, the founder of Dry Farm Wines
• Podcast with Todd White:
  • How To Eat 1 Meal A Day, Drink A Bottle Of Hangover-Free Wine Every Night & Manifest Everything You Desire In Life.
• Vinegar shrubs
  • TJ Robinson — the artisanal vinegar hunter
  • You can add alcohol to a vinegar shrub
  • Vinegar shrub 
    • A pound of fruit
    • 2 cups of sugar
    • 2 cups of vinegar
    • Store in a large glass mason jar in the refrigerator
  • Can be used as a base for a drink
  • How to make a vinegar shrub
    • Combine the sugar and the fruit
    • Mash it in a bowl
    • Let sit on the kitchen counter for about 2 days (ferments a little bit)
    • Strain the mixture into a measuring cup, get rid of all the fruit pulp
    • Combine with the vinegar
• Podcast with TJ Robinson:
  • The Ultimate Vinegar Extravaganza – The Medicinal & Culinary Miracles Of Vinegar, How To Make Vinegar, Vinegar On Ice Cream (!) & Much More With TJ Robinson.
• Ketone drinks instead of alcohol (code BEN auto-applied for free shipping up to $20)
  • 1,3-Butanediol (Hard Ketones) has a similar effect to alcohol (code BEN auto-applied for free shipping up to $20)
• Podcast with Frank Llosa:
  • The New Ketone Healthy Alcohol Alternatives – How To Get All The Effects Of Alcohol *Without* Drinking Wine, Beer or Cocktails, With KetoneAid’s Frank Llosa.
• Countries that still use Old World, organic, biodynamic methods to produce wine
  • France, New Zealand, and Italy
  • Safe countries to choose wine from when in restaurants

-And much more…

Upcoming Events:

• Health Optimization Summit — London: June 15–16, 2024

The Health Optimization Summit is the ultimate gathering for anyone passionate about biohacking, wellness, and living their best life. Dubbed a must-do event, it promises a transformative weekend filled with the opportunity to meet and learn from over 35 world-class speakers (including yours truly) in nutrition, longevity, mental health, relationships, and more. Learn best-kept secrets, try out the latest high-tech health gadgets, and discover the cleanest supplements and foods on the market. Don't miss this life-changing weekend — grab your tickets before they're gone here.

• The Longevity Circle Retreat in Croatia — Superyacht Wellness Adventure: Sept 4–10, 2024

Step aboard the ultimate luxury wellness journey: the longevity-focused Superyacht Wellness Adventure, set against the breathtaking backdrop of Croatia from September 4–10, 2024. This exclusive, invite-only event offers an unparalleled experience that blends opulence with the pursuit of wellness, disease prevention, and a long, happy life. With only 10 cabins available, this intimate retreat promises personalized attention and an atmosphere of elite exclusivity. Each day, I will lead 5–6 invigorating workouts, share insights through 1–2 enlightening talks, and engage in organic discussions and Q&A sessions, ensuring a transformative experience. Secure your spot here on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure and be part of a select group dedicated to elevating their health.

• Biohacking Retreat with Ben Greenfield — Costa Rica: Oct 28–31, 2024

Join me this October for an unparalleled biohacking retreat set in the breathtaking landscapes of Costa Rica. This is an exclusive opportunity to dive deep into the world of biohacking, wellness, and personal optimization at Kinkára, a sanctuary of rejuvenation and adventure. Over three nights, you'll get to explore cutting-edge strategies for enhancing your health and performance, from engaging lectures to hands-on meditation and breathwork sessions. We'll bond over group hikes, savor three meticulously prepared meals daily, unwind with live music, and experience the transformative Temezcal ceremony. Plus, you'll enjoy luxury amenities and quality time with me and a community of like-minded individuals. Space is intentionally limited to 50 guests to ensure a personalized and impactful experience. Don't miss this chance to elevate your well-being and connect with the essence of biohacking amidst Costa Rica's natural beauty. Secure your spot here to ensure you don't miss out!

• Keep up on Ben's LIVE appearances by following bengreenfieldfitness.com/calendar!

Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.

Resources from this episode:

– Podcasts:

• How A Specially Engineered Bacterial Strain Can Allow You To Enjoy Drinking Alcohol Without Toxic Effects, With ZBiotics Zack Abbott.
• How To Eat 1 Meal A Day, Drink A Bottle Of Hangover-Free Wine Every Night & Manifest Everything You Desire In Life.
• The Ultimate Vinegar Extravaganza – The Medicinal & Culinary Miracles Of Vinegar, How To Make Vinegar, Vinegar On Ice Cream (!) & Much More With TJ Robinson.
• The New Ketone Healthy Alcohol Alternatives – How To Get All The Effects Of Alcohol *Without* Drinking Wine, Beer or Cocktails, With KetoneAid’s Frank Llosa.

– Books:

• Boundless Kitchen by Ben Greenfield
• Boundless Cookbook by Ben Greenfield

– Other Resources:

• Dry Farm Wines
• Bitters
• Lemon Juice
• Creatine
• Colostrum 
• Amino Acids 
• Fish Oil
• LMNT Electrolytes
• BEAM Minerals (use code BEN to save 20%)
• Niacin
• Grains of Paradise
• Bitter Melon Extract
• Green Tea
• BIOptimizers Masszymes Digestive Enzymes
• BIOptimizers Gluten Guardian
• Apple Cider Vinegar 
• Kion Lean
• DHM on Amazon
• LVLUP Health DHM
• Fuller Health DHM
• Zbiotics (use code BEN to save 15%)
• Ultra Binder by Quicksilver Scientific (use code GREENFIELD15 to save 15%)
• RECOVERYbits — Chlorella
• Charcoal
• Zeolite
• Clay
• Fruit Pectin
• BEAM Minerals Humic Acid and Fulvic Acid (use code BEN to save 20%)
• Silica
• Soda Water
• Artisanal Vinegar
• Ketone Aid Hard Ketones
• Dr. Andrew Huberman
• The Free Radical Theory of Aging
• Chris Masterjohn's Alcohol’s SURPRISING Role in Your Health and Longevity
• Study: Dihydromyricetin As a Novel Anti-Alcohol Intoxication Medication
• Mikhaila Peterson

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Do you have questions, thoughts, or feedback for me? Leave your comments below, and I will reply!