Sleep deprivation impairs memory by up to 40%, glucose tolerance by 22%, and mitochondrial respiration by 18%

But strategic interventions (HIIT, creatine, caffeine, bright light) can help prevent/reverse this damage when sleep isn't an option

Here's what you need to know🧵1/13 For the full deep dive with all the studies and protocols, listen to a full podcast I recently joined and read the full protocols here:
brandonluumd.substack.com/p/if-youre-sle…

Could restricting carbs for one day lead to the same benefits as fasting?

A new study suggests yes: carb restriction alone (same calories) produces similar fat-burning shifts and reduced triglycerides as calorie restriction… but there is a catch.

Let's break it down 🧵1/9 Intermittent fasting and keto promise similar metabolic benefits: enhanced fat burning, weight loss, better blood lipids (in some cases)

But fasting days are brutal. Keto requires constant vigilance

Researchers asked: What if it's the carb restriction, not calorie restriction, driving the benefits? /2

You're probably studying wrong.

I was too, until medical school forced me to examine what the research actually says about learning.

These 8 evidence-based protocols helped me learn twice as much in half the time 🧵 1/8 Stop rereading your notes. Start testing yourself.
Students who tested themselves retained 21% more after one week vs those who reread 4x in the same amount of time.
After longer periods: testers forgot 14% while re-readers forgot 52% /2

Our immune cells have internal clocks.

Misaligned clocks = higher infection rates and impaired cancer protection.

Here's how to use temperature, meal timing, and exercise to optimize your cellular timekeepers 🧵1/8 Morning eating amplifies your natural temperature rise through diet-induced thermogenesis. Evening fasting lets it drop naturally. Plus, timing glucose spikes when baseline glucose is already high (daytime) helps keep your immune cell clocks aligned /2

🏃 Head-to-head trial: Running therapy matches antidepressants (SSRIs) for depression remission

The catch: SSRIs worsened every metabolic marker measured

Running improved them all 🧵1/8 The MOTAR trial setup: 45 patients took escitalopram 10-20mg daily, 96 chose supervised running (45min outdoor sessions 2-3x/week)
Both groups allowed psychotherapy
After 16 weeks, mental health outcomes were identical, but metabolic health diverged dramatically /2

What if you could cut ~300 calories daily without changing your diet?

A landmark RCT found extending sleep by just 1.2 hours did exactly that: participants spontaneously ate less without trying.

Here's how sleep is a powerful weight loss tool 🧵 1/8 1/3 of adults get <7 hours of sleep while spending billions on diet programs. This University of Chicago trial on people sleeping less than 6.5h/night changed how I think about weight loss in people with sleep deprivation. No diets, no exercise, just sleep /2

🧠 Most people spend $100s on nootropics and brain supplements.

But a free cognitive enhancer our brains evolved from outperforms them all: exercise

Here's how to use movement to improve cognitive performance 🧵1/9 Exercise reshapes your brain through key mechanisms:
🧪 BDNF - grows new neurons like "Miracle-Gro"
⚡ Neurotransmitter surge - dopamine + norepinephrine boost focus
🩸 Increased brain blood flow
📈 Improved insulin sensitivity /2

I’ve worked countless 26-hour shifts. Zero sleep. No room for error.

I joined @InVivoPodOnX to break down the protocols I developed to keep my brain sharp.

Here’s the science behind creatine, nicotine, binaural beats, and circadian alignment 🧵 1/9 Creatine isn't just for the gym. Under stress, it boosts brain energy by regenerating ATP.

21-hour sleep deprivation study: A single high dose (0.35 g/kg) restored several cognitive tests to baseline (or even better)

👉 I take 10g/day regularly /2

Circadian biology may be the next frontier in cancer care.

Patients with lung cancer who got chemo-immunotherapy before 11:30 AM had:
📉 53% lower risk of death
📆 Median overall survival: 33 vs. 19.5 months
📈 Improved treatment response

Let’s break it down 🧵1/7 Your body runs on a clock.
Cortisol, insulin, immune cells all peak at certain times.
Yet most cancer therapy is scheduled without considering circadian rhythms. That’s a problem, especially for immunotherapy, which depends on immune activation /2

A warm shower before bed might be the simplest, most underrated hack for better sleep.

Here's the evidence-based protocol I swear by (and why it works) 🧵1/7 Why warmth if your body prefers cooler temperatures for sleep?
Your body signals sleep readiness by naturally lowering core temperature in the evening. A warm shower speeds this cooling afterward by increasing peripheral blood flow /2

Psyllium husk is boring, cheap, and criminally underrated.

I take it daily because it significantly improves:
🩸 Blood sugar
⚖️ Hunger and weight
🔥 Cholesterol and blood pressure

Here’s why you probably shouldn’t ignore it 🧵 1/8 Psyllium significantly improves blood sugar control and weight in diabetics. In a randomized trial, type 2 diabetes patients taking ~10g/day for 8 weeks saw:
Fasting glucose: ↓ 44 mg/dL
HbA1c: ↓ from 8.5% to 7.5%
Insulin sensitivity: ↓ by almost half
Body weight: ↓ ~3 kg /2

Nature isn’t just enjoyable, it’s medicine.

Forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) has been shown to:
✔️ Boost immunity
✔️ Lower stress
✔️ Reduce blood pressure
✔️ Improve mood

Here's the science of how nature transforms your health 🧵1/8 In a Japanese study, 3 days of forest bathing increased Natural Killer cell activity by ~50% and enhanced potential anti-cancer proteins like perforin and granulysin. Benefits lasted a full week after returning to city life /2

Aligning eating with your body's circadian rhythm boosts metabolism, controls hunger, and enhances weight loss.

Here's the fascinating science behind how to eat with your body’s clock 🧵 1/9 Big breakfast vs. big dinner matters. Identical 1400 kcal diets for 12 wks, different timing:
-Breakfast-heavy group lost 2.5x more weight (8.7 kg vs. 3.6 kg)
-Better insulin sensitivity (-51% vs. -29%) and triglycerides (-34% vs. +15%) /2

https://x.com/BrandonLuuMD/status/1887119301682860356

If you want to focus, keep your phone out of sight and out of reach.

Even if it’s silent and turned off, just having it nearby quietly drains your attention.

Here’s why it happens—and what to do about it 🧵 1/8 FYI for the full article, data, protocols, and research, I share free weekly deep dives here:
brandonluumd.substack.com/p/why-i-work-w…

Creatine is your brain’s emergency power supply—rapidly restoring ATP and supporting mitochondria when energy is depleted.

In randomized trials, it preserves cognition during severe sleep deprivation.

Here’s how to use creatine to stay sharp when it matters most 🧵 1/11 Curious about the full data, dosing protocols, and research? I share free weekly deep dives here:
brandonluumd.substack.com/p/creatine-for…

"I’m just not a morning person."

That used to be me—late nights, sluggish mornings, constant fatigue.

But shifting my sleep schedule transformed my mood and performance.

Here’s how changing your chronotype can change your life 🧵👇1/8 Want the full breakdown + step-by-step protocol?
I’m breaking it down in this week’s post—part of my new weekly series on optimizing health, mood, and performance.
Find it here:
brandonluumd.substack.com/p/change-your-…

📵 Just having your phone on your desk—even switched off—drains your attention.

A study found it reduces attention by ~8.5% and processing speed by ~9.3%, even with no notifications.

If you want to focus, put your phone in another room🧵 1/8 Researchers wanted to know:
Does having a smartphone nearby—even off and face down—affect your attention?
They tested whether this “passive distraction” drains cognitive resources, even without active use. /2

A single mitochondrial DNA mutation in mice causes autism-like behavior—social deficits, anxiety, and EEG disruptions—with no changes to brain anatomy.

Let’s break it down 🧵1/10 Autism’s genetics are complex, but many patients show signs of mitochondrial dysfunction. The researchers asked: could a single mitochondrial DNA mutation be enough to cause core autism behaviors? /2

🧠 Your brain works best when it focuses on one thing at a time.

People who constantly juggle multiple media streams (like texting during a meeting) tend to have worse memory, attention, and reasoning.

Here’s why multitasking might be harming your brain
🧵1/8 Researchers published a review comparing how heavy (HMMs) and light (LMMs) multitaskers perform on various cognitive tasks.
Media multitasking refers to using two or more media streams simultaneously. For example, watching TV while texting on your phone or checking your phone notifications during a lecture. /2

🎮 Video games might actually train your brain.

In ~471,000 adults, frequent gamers had:
🧠 19% lower risk of dementia
⚡ Improved memory, processing speed, & brain structure

Here's what you need to know 🧵 1/9 Researchers followed 471,346 UK Biobank participants for ~14 years. Those who played games often had a 19% lower risk of developing dementia vs non-gamers, after adjusting for lifestyle & medical factors. /2

Intermittent fasting beats daily dieting—long term.

In a 12-month RCT, 4:3 fasting (↓80% intake 3x/week) led to:
⚖️ ~6.4 lbs more weight loss
📉 Fewer dropouts (19% vs 30%)
🧠 Less binge-eating behavior

Let's break it down🧵1/8 165 adults (mean age 42, BMI 34.1) were randomized to 4:3 intermittent fasting (n=84) or daily restriction (n=81), all receiving a high-intensity behavioral weight loss program. /2