Nutrition Biohack: Are you a fast or slow oxidizer?

Psychochemical type
Efficient energy production with oxygen to generate ATP for the body cells is through two primary pathways. The tricarboxylic acid metabolic pathway (krebs cycle) and the beta oxidation metabolic pathway. Inefficiency in one leads to over dependence on the other. The Tricarb pathway utilizes sugar, the beta oxidation pathway uses fat. Errors in either pathway leads to insufficient quantity of oxidation for energy and also relates to the quality of oxygen utilization. Either there will be anaerobic fermentation or oxygen over-utilization. Systemic CO2 will be effectively lower/deficient in each case due to errant energy processes, lower still quantitatively in the beta oxidizer.

More dependence on the tricarboxylic acid pathway means sugar will be a key fuel while fat for energy is under utilized. You will note that when more sugar is burned it will produce more CO2 in the system. Blood fats, especially cholesterol can be elevated, bilirubin in urine is reflective of gall bladder dysfunction with possible gall stone formation. Dietary starches are in excess with respect to saturated fat and protein.

Those with a glycogenic imbalance, or “fast oxidizers” tend to use up carbohydrates (starches and sugars) too fast, and they have difficulty using fat for energy. They often experience bouts of hypoglycemia and symptoms include: physical and mental fatigue, high or low blood sugar, depression or anxiety, gall bladder problems, shortness of breath, high cholesterol levels, weight problems (either excess weight or under weight) and many other issues. Because they burn carbohydrates too fast, they make too much carbon dioxide and they have some degree of acidosis. In fact, this chemistry seems to be the most common reason for acid imbalances.

More dependence on the beta oxidation metabolic pathway means fat will be a key fuel while sugar is under utilized. You will note that when sugar is burned it will produce more CO2 in the system. However in the case of over dependence on beta oxidation pathway due to an inefficient tricarboxylic acid pathway, the blood will see an elevated pH and less CO2 is produced from sugar metabolism. Individuals can be over reliant on beta oxidation and overweight. This may seem confusing at first as they are using fat as a predominant energy source, however with inefficient sugar metabolism, underutilized sugar turns to fat in the cells hence over weight conditions.

Unlike the glycogenic “fast oxidizers” the Ketogenic “slow oxidizers” have difficulty using carbohydrates for fuel. What little energy they can make is mostly from fat. Because they make so little carbon dioxide, they tend to run alkaline. This chemistry appears to be the most common reason for alkalosis. Symptoms commonly include physical and mental fatigue, high or low blood sugar, depression or anxiety, overweight or underweight, high blood pressure and many other health problems.
Notice the symptoms are the same for both fast and slow oxidizers, yet the processes are reversed in the body, which illustrates the importance of having balanced energy production at the cellular level.
Now, lets see where you are at. Below is a test to identify what category you are in. Be honest, answer quickly and intuitively if you can. I suggest answering all 52 questions within 5 minutes.
Ready… set… GO!

Psycho-chemical Type
Fast & Slow Oxidizers

If I drink tea I prefer lemon with it.
always or often
sometimes
never or rarely

2. A hamburger sandwich tastes much better with a slice of raw onions on it.
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

3. When I feel low I pick right up if I eat something sweet such as fruit, pastry, or candy
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

4. I could enjoy eating potatoes in some form two or three times a day
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

5. I could eat steak or roast beef every day and frequently more than once a day
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

6. I seem to crave sour tasting foods
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

7. Raw salad vegetables such as radishes, green onions, green peppers, and lettuce agree with me and I like to eat them
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

8. Fatty meat such as beef short ribs, spare ribs, or roast pork tastes better than very lean meat
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

9. When I feel low I feel better if I eat something salty, like nuts, potato chips or popcorn
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

10. Sometimes I sort of drag through the day, however after a good meat dinner in the evening I begin to snap out of it
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

11. If i dont feel hungry and i eat something sweet, my appetite seems to pick up
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

12. Steak fir breakfast sounds pretty good to me
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

13.I get hungry between meals and like a snack of peanuts, cheese and crackers, or maybe a hot dog
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

14. For lunch I could eat a bacon and avocado sandwich with lots of mayonnaise
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

15. I would like lettuce, cottage cheese, and fruit salad for lunch
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

16. I have craving for something sweet
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

17. I feel better if I have some eggs with bacon or other kind of meat for breakfast
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

18. When im hot and thirsty I can drink a lot of something like lemonade
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

19. I like to eat raw onions
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

20. I can easily skip breakfast without getting hungry or tired
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

21. I prefer roast beef well done to roast beef cooked rare
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

22. For breakfast I feel good with something like toast or coffee
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

23. I like to drink buttermilk
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

24. Steak and lobster is my idea of a real dinner, and I could eat them together
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

25. Even after a big steak dinner I could eat a bowl of buttered popcorn
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

26. I get thirsty and drink a lot of water
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

27.I get so hungry that I have to eat something sweet between meals
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

28. When I take the cap off a jar of mustard, the smell is so sharp that it hurts my nose
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

29. I like the taste of olive oil
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

30. If i drink coffee, it seems to make me feel jumpy or jittery
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

31. I like to eat any kind of olives
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely
32. I like to eat bacon
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

33. Avocados taste oily or too fat to me
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

34. I seem to need a lot of salt on my food
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

35. I would like a pat of butter added to my self boiled eggs
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

36. I seem to want something more to eat like cheese or nuts even after I have eaten a regular dinner
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

37. I can eat breakfast only if it something sweet
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

38. Sweet foods like candy or cake taste too sweet to me
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

39. I like a pat of butter on a steak
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

40. Sweet things taste sweet enough to me
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

41. I prefer to eat mustard, catsup, or steak sauce on a meat patty
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

42. I seem to feel a bit weak if I haven’t eaten for two or three hours
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

43. I could eat for to six pieces of bacon for breakfast
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

44. I dont like the smell of cooking food, even though it tastes all right when I eat it
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

45. Id like broiled lamb chops for dinner
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

46. Grapefruit juice tastes very sour to me
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

47. I would like to eat baked beans with a lot of nice lean salt pork in them
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

48. If i feel a little nauseated, I feel better if I eat something salty
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

49. If i feel a little nauseated, I feel better if I eat something sour or sweet
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

50. I could drink a large glass of grapefruit or orange juice
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

51. If i eat liver, I want onions with it
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

52. I would prefer to eat bacon with fried liver
always or very often
sometimes
never or rarely

ANSWER SHEET

Slow oxidizers: Always or very often the most to (17 or more) 1,2,3,6,7,11,15,16,18,19,20,22,23,26,27,33,37,41,49,50,51

Fast oxidizers: Always or very often the most to (25 or more) 4,5,8,9,10,12,13,14,17,21,24,25,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,38,39,40,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,52

Food preferences are “normal” if you answer most (40 or more) of the questions “sometimes” or if you answer “always or very often” both to slow oxidizer questions (14 or more) and fast oxidizer questions (20 or more).Blood type

If you identified yourself as a “slow oxidizer”:
Best foods: vegetables, eggs, olive oil, coconut oil
Worst foods: Anything made w/sugar, processed meats and organ meats, excess meat and cheese, foods with polyunsaturated oils.
Magnesium Chloride (digestion and mood)
Tyrosine (allergies, depression)
Phenylalanine (fatigue)
Histidine Autoimmune diseases, allergies, upper GI ulcers, anemia
Taurine diabetes, arrhythmia, hi cholesterol, CVD.

If you identified yourself as a “fast oxidizer”
Best foods: Vegetables, meat/fish/poultry (especially organ meats), cheese, butter/cream, coconut oil
Worst foods: Foods made with sugar, juices, fruit, tomatoes, excess bread/cereal/pasta, excess potatoes/corn/starchy vegetables, foods with PUFA (polyunsaturated fats) oils, vinegar.
Sodium GlyceroPhosphate pH regulation
Sodium Bicarbonate pH regulation
Glutamine good for colitis, diarrhea, GI ulcers, gall stones, rheumatoid arthritis, depression.
Tyrosine good for allergies and depression
Phenylalanine for fatigue

Foods that you should ALWAYS AVOID: refined carbohydrates. no UFA & PUFA oils (unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids like corn, canola, soybean oils.) Gluten, dairy, artificial sweeteners, aspartame, GMO, fluoridated/chlorinated water, margarine, hydrogenated oils, carrageenan.