The Fuel Myth: Rethinking Carbs, Brain Health, and Human Performance

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00:00 Intro
04:49 Andrew Koutnik’s Story Obesity Type 1 Diabetes and Metabolism
09:44 Ketogenic Diets and Type 1 Diabetes
20:15 Sponsor Break – Optoceutics
21:28 Why This Goes Far Beyond Type 1 Diabetes
26:59 Why Low Carb Diabetes Care Was Abandoned
31:49 Ketosis vs Diabetic Ketoacidosis
35:10 Sponsor Break – Fresh Pressed Olive Oil
37:04 How to Measure Ketone Levels
39:13 Are Breath Ketone Tests Reliable
40:15 What Beta Hydroxybutyrate Actually Does
42:39 Exogenous Ketones and High Altitude Performance
45:49 Sponsor Break – 3X4 Genetics
48:33 MCT Oil and Ketone Production
52:52 The Carb Loading Myth in Sports Performance
1:00:06 Metabolic Flexibility and Keto Adaptation
1:03:17 Rethinking Hypoglycemia in Keto Adapted Athletes
1:07:19 How Carbohydrates Shut Down Fat Burning
1:09:58 Body Fat vs Glycogen as Fuel
1:14:34 What This Means for Endurance Athletes
1:16:17 Fat Metabolism as a Survival Mechanism
1:18:09 The New USDA Dietary Guidelines
1:20:46 Ultra Processed Food and Alzheimer’s Risk
1:22:40 Final Thoughts on Metabolic Flexibility
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Dr. Andrew Koutnik is a research scientist focused on how nutrition, metabolism, and lifestyle can optimize human health, performance, and resilience. Living with type 1 diabetes for over 17 years, his work bridges personal experience with cutting-edge science across chronic disease and extreme environments.

He earned his PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of South Florida and has led research funded by organizations including NASA, the Department of Defense, and the NIH, contributing to over 100 scientific publications and presentations. His work spans exercise physiology, cardiometabolic health, and therapeutic nutrition.

At Florida State University, Dr. Koutnik studies dietary strategies for diabetes, obesity, and performance under metabolic stress, collaborating with leading institutions worldwide. His mission is to advance evidence-based approaches that empower individuals to improve metabolic health and performance.

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