MCT oil (C8)
Caprylic acid from coconut oil, taken for a quick rise in ketones
Coconut oil refined down to caprylic acid, the eight-carbon chain the liver turns into ketones fastest. It is flavorless, goes into coffee or tea, and upsets the gut at bigger doses until the body adapts, so people tend to start small. The brain-fuel claims lean on small studies.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Dave AspreyDoes it
Biohacker · Bulletproof Coffee
Brain Octane, the C8 MCT oil he sold through Bulletproof, goes in his morning coffee, and he says it does noticeably more for ketone production than butter alone. He pitches it as the piece that keeps a fat-only, breakfast-free morning in ketosis.
Source: Dave Asprey blog: A Proven Path to a High-Energy Morning
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under energy or focus.
- Supplement$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Caffeine
The most-used performance drug in the world, timing-sensitive
On record from 14 of 62 tracked people: 10 do it, 1 recommends it, 3 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Deliberate cold exposure
Cold showers or ice baths used deliberately, usually a few minutes at a time
On record from 25 of 62 tracked people: 19 do it, 6 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Morning sunlight exposure
Bright outdoor light soon after waking, 5-30 minutes and no sunglasses
On record from 10 of 62 tracked people: 6 do it, 3 recommend it, 1 has discussed it - HabitFREE, no cost
Napping
Short early-afternoon naps: useful, but easy to get wrong
On record from 7 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 1 recommends it, 1 has discussed it - HabitFREE, no cost
Pre-workout music
Headphones on, a set playlist, and a fixed cue to switch into training mode
On record from 5 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Hard thinking before lunch
Book the mentally demanding work for the morning and stop making big calls late in the day
On record from 2 of 62 tracked people: 2 do it
Supplement entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.