Biohacking Weekly 60: Top Biohacking Supplements Backed by Real Science

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. Biohacking supplements backed by science
2. Daylight helps balance blood sugar
3. Brain and gut shift during fasting
4. Protein needs for muscle health
5. The "choose sleep" rule

1. Biohacking Supplements Backed by Real Science

Research has moved beyond basic deficiency prevention, focusing instead on cellular energy, metabolic regulation, and stress resilience. These five compounds stand out for their well-defined biological roles:

• NMN helps restore declining NAD+ levels, supporting cellular energy production, DNA repair, and metabolic function as we age.
• Urolithin A promotes mitochondrial renewal, improving muscle strength, endurance, and overall cellular efficiency.
• Berberine enhances blood sugar control and lipid metabolism by activating AMPK, a key regulator of metabolic health.
• Sulforaphane activates the Nrf2 pathway, boosting the body’s own antioxidant and detox systems to better manage cellular stress.
• Magnesium provides a biological foundation, supporting hundreds of enzymatic reactions tied to sleep quality, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular health.

2. Daylight Can Support Better Blood Sugar Control

People with type 2 diabetes may improve glucose control by spending a few hours near a window each day. A study published in Cell Metabolism found that natural daylight helps stabilize blood sugar.

Most people stay indoors 80-90% of the day, and artificial light can disrupt circadian rhythms that regulate metabolism. In a controlled study, 13 adults with type 2 diabetes spent 4.5 days under daylight or artificial light. With daylight, they spent more time in the normal glucose range, burned more fat, and showed better-aligned metabolic clock genes, reducing sharp sugar swings.

Source: Harmsen J. et al., Cell Metabolism (2025)

3. Intermittent Energy Restriction Affects Brain-Gut Signals

Intermittent energy restriction (IER) alternates days of relative fasting with days of eating as usual. In a study of 25 obese adults, researchers measured brain activity, blood markers, and gut microbiome changes during a structured IER program.

Brain scans showed lower activity in regions linked to appetite and addiction. Gut analysis found higher levels of beneficial bacteria and reduced Escherichia coli. Some bacterial changes were associated with brain areas involved in willpower, attention, and emotional control.

4. How Much Protein Adults Really Need to Maintain Muscle

In a recent interview, Dr. Peter Attia and Dr. Rhonda Patrick discuss that standard protein guidelines are outdated. To maintain health, adults should consume closer to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. This prevents sarcopenia — the age-related loss of muscle mass.

Because the body does not store amino acids, low protein intake leads to muscle breakdown.  Older adults face "anabolic resistance," requiring ~1.2-1.6 grams of protein to trigger muscle repair.

Meta-analyses show that increasing protein intake from ~1.2 to ~1.6 g/kg/day leads to:

• ~27% greater gains in lean mass
• ~10% greater gains in strength (compared to training alone)
• Beyond ~1.6 g/kg/day, benefits continue but with diminishing returns

👉 Watch the full interview

5. When Time Is Limited, Sleep May Be the Better Health Investment

Research shows that sleep quality directly determines physical activity levels. A study of over 70,000 adults found that sleeping 7-9 hours significantly increases the likelihood of exercising the next day. However, physical activity does not conversely improve sleep duration.

If forced to choose between an early workout and extra rest, researchers recommend choosing sleep. Adequate recovery provides the necessary energy for movement, whereas sleep deprivation undermines exercise consistency.

Only 13% of people meet both sleep and step goals daily. Priority should be placed on rest to maintain long-term health.

Source: Fitton J. et al., Communications Medicine (2025)