Biohacking Weekly 59: The "Holiday Survival" Biohacks

This is Biohacking Weekly — a curated news roundup designed to help you increase your longevity, improve healthspan and access OptimOZ product picks.

IN THIS EDITION

1. A science-backed plan for holiday dining
2. How gratitude makes hearts healthier
3. Why your liver needs darkness at night
4. Coffee plus L-theanine for mental clarity
5. Muscle maintenance during the holidays

1. Digestive Enzymes Can Help Manage Heavy Holiday Meals

Heavy holiday meals can overwhelm the digestive system, leading to bloating and discomfort. Digestive enzymes work by helping break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates when the body's natural enzymes can't keep up with large feasts.

A clinical trial tested a dietary supplement blending 18 enzymes (like protease and lipase) with herbs (ginger, fennel, and peppermint). Twenty adults experiencing daily bloating took the supplement or a placebo before eating pizza.

Results showed 58-68% less waist expansion when taken before meals compared to placebo. Most participants reported reduced bloating and gas with no adverse effects.

Source: Martin-Biggers J., Nutrition and Dietary Supplements (2024)

Every Meal Withdraws From Your Body's Enzyme Account

BIOptimizers MassZymes help your body handle heavy holiday meals. A combination of five targeted proteases and key digestive enzymes works together to break down proteins, fats, carbs, and fiber more efficiently.

→ Support Digestion With MassZymes

2. Gratitude Exercises Shown to Improve Heart Regulation

As the holiday season invites reflection and appreciation, new research suggests that gratitude may support heart health at a physiological level.

In 2025, Austrian researchers conducted two studies.

In the first, writing a 15-minute gratitude letter led to stronger heart rate variability changes during stress and faster recovery. This pattern is linked to more adaptive cardiac regulation and long-term heart health.

In the second study, two weeks of daily gratitude journaling resulted in a lower resting pulse rate compared with a control group. These effects point to a direct physiological benefit for the heart, even without mood changes.

Source: Schwerdtfeger A. et al., The Journal of Positive Psychology (2025)

3. Christmas Lights Could Harm Your Liver

As Christmas lights brighten backyards across Australia, new research shows that blue-enriched light disrupts liver circadian clocks and interferes with glucose and fat metabolism. In simple terms, the liver begins storing fat more aggressively because it “thinks” it is daytime (processing time) when it should be nighttime (repair time).

The review also highlights a light–gut–liver axis. Chronic nighttime light exposure alters gut microbiota composition and increases intestinal permeability.

To protect yourself this festive season, dim bright outdoor lights and wear blue light blocker glasses at night to preserve melatonin and support liver health.

Source: Nieva-Ramírez, D.G. et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2025)

4. L-theanine and Coffee Combo For Better Focus During the Holidays

Sleep deprivation is common during holiday travel, long drives, and jet lag. New research shows how nutrition may help.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, sleep-deprived young adults who took 200 mg L-theanine plus 160 mg caffeine showed better accuracy, faster reaction times, and improved selective attention compared with placebo.

Reaction speed improved by 52 milliseconds, nearly four times more than placebo. Brain recordings revealed faster neural processing and greater attention-related brain activation, suggesting more efficient focus during demanding tasks like driving when tired.

Source: Nawarathna G. et al., British Journal of Nutrition (2025)

5. Muscle Support When Christmas Gets Busy

Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year. Between travel, family gatherings, work deadlines, there's less time for a proper workout. From a muscle-physiology perspective, this matters because muscle tissue responds quickly to reduced stimulus and inadequate protein availability.

Research shows that essential amino acids (EAAs) are the primary nutritional drivers of muscle protein synthesis — the process that maintains and repairs muscle tissue. Even when training volume drops, supplying EAAs can still support the body’s ability to preserve lean muscle.

Source: Ferrando AA., et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2023)