Zib Atkins

UK Longevity Researcher
Optimising energy, performance, healthspan
PhD Candidate | MSc Molecular Medicine
Protocols, tools, recommendations ⬇️

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

Here are the supplements and doses actually shown in research to boost your testosterone.

- Tonkat Ali: 200 to 400 mg a day increases testosterone by up to 37%, and that’s free testosterone.

- Ashwagandha: 120 to 240 mg a day gives a 22% boost in testosterone and nearly a doubling of sperm concentration.

- Zinc: restores testosterone if you are deficient, 30 to 50 mg a day.

- Magnesium: 400 to 500 mg a day can give a 30% increase in free testosterone.

- Shilajit: up to a 20% increase in testosterone, 200 to 1000mg a day.

- Vitamin D3: if you’re deficient, can boost testosterone by 25% at a dose of 5,000 to 10,000 IU a day.

- Boron: can increase free testosterone by 28%, 6 to 10 mg a day.

- Omega-3: can increase testosterone by 25%, probably because it reduces inflammation. EPA and DHA, 2,000 to 2,500 mg a day, is most effective.

- Royal Jelly: can increase testosterone by up to 15%, 250-500mg a day.

Guys - this is getting more widespread now 30% of men show signs of low testosterone even by age 40.
Likely due to the modern diet, lack of exercise, poor sleep, and all of the endocrine-disrupting chemicals that we’re surrounded by in our modern environment.

These supplements won’t counter those issues though, but can help.

Ladies, testosterone signals well-being, and to maintain your muscle mass.

This is particularly important during menopause.

You must protect your muscle mass if you want to optimise your longevity.

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

This is the trigger for muscle growth.

2.5 g of leucine - an amino acids that flip the switch for protein synthesis via the mTOR pathway.

Here are some of the foods that contain this:

120g sardines, 5 eggs, 25g whey protein, 110g beef mince, 300g Greek yoghurt, 250g tofu.

But - here’s one for you - 120g of peanut butter.

You might have seen peanuts marketed as a good source of protein, but this is 800 calories you’d need to consume to get any measurable muscle growth...

Remember guys, muscle is one of the biggest protectors of your longevity.

Make sure you keep it protected.

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

If I wanted to develop solid nodules on my thyroid,

I’d probably wear these every day.

Because a recent study looking at around 600 people found something worrying.

The people who used Bluetooth headsets for long periods every day had a significantly higher prevalence of thyroid nodules compared with those who didn’t.

Bluetooth devices emit non-ionising radiofrequency radiation, which means they don’t break DNA directly like X-rays do.

But research suggests something else may be happening.

Studies on radiofrequency exposure show it can increase oxidative stress, disrupt cell signalling, and affect the electrical behaviour of cells.

And that matters - especially for the thyroid.

Because your thyroid is extremely sensitive to electromagnetic signals.

It sits right in your neck, regulating metabolism, energy, and hormone balance for your entire body.

And thyroid nodules aren’t rare.

In fact, studies show up to 50% of adults may develop them during their lifetime.

So here’s the real question.

If you’re wearing Bluetooth headphones for hours every single day, right next to the thyroid, is it worth the risk?

Personally, if I’m using headphones daily, I’ll choose wired headphones or air-tube headsets.

Because when it comes to something as important as your thyroid…
I’d rather reduce exposure than find out the hard way.

PMID: 26626269
PMID: 24783050

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

The most predictive test of how fast you will age and how quickly you will lose function in life is not:

- walking speed
- grip strength
- lung function or BMI
- balance
- chair raises

Something far simpler.

All you need is a piece of string.

This test measures your levels of visceral fat.

That's the metabolically active fat that wraps all around your organs. It's highly inflammatory, releasing cytokines like TNF-alpha and interleukin-6 that drive systemic insulin resistance.

It also encourages fatty liver, fat building up in your pancreas and your muscles, and is linked with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and frailty.

It is the waist circumference. This was the finding from a study released this year.

They found that people with a larger waist circumference were the ones who had progressively worse function, including:

- the ability to dress
- bath
- walk
- use the toilet effectively
- live their life

That's what really matters, right? Capacity in life

If you want a good place to start, measure your waist and your height. Your waist should be less than half of your height.

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

Walking = Dementia killer

At a surprisingly low entry point too:

3677 steps a day = 25% reduced risk

And at the top end:

9826 steps = 51% reduced risk

But, there is an additional layer to this too…

Speed.

112 steps a minute = 62% reduced risk

This was an observational study and doesn’t show causation, but the dose-dependant effect does strengthen the likely protective causal role of walking.

Particularly due to the higher walking speed also being more protective.

Add in the established mechanisms of walking on brain health:

Increases BDNF which enhances neurogenesis in the hippocampus, promotes neuroplasticity and aids survival of existing brain cells (hippocampus is one of the first regions damaged in dementia).

Improved blood flow to the brain – more oxygen, nutrients and protective growth factors to the neurons (and reduced cerebral blood flow is another early feature of dementia).

Enhanced mitochondrial function, particularly when walking more briskly – this ensures the neurons have better capacity to produce the energy they need to thrive, whilst simultaneously reducing ROS accumulation.

Improved glymphatic clearance, reduced brain insulin resistance, lower neuroinflammation, stress reduction, the list goes on…

If you think you’re too busy to walk, try and reframe some of your daily activities. For example – start taking meetings or calls whilst walking.

PMID: 36066874

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

Not getting enough sunlight might be as bad for your health as smoking.

I know that sounds extreme…But stay with me.

A massive study followed nearly 30,000 women for over 20 years.

And what they found was pretty mind blowing .

Those who avoided the sun had double the risk of early death.

From cancer…heart disease…and other chronic illness.

But heres the part that really struck me.

Non-smokers who stayed out of the sun had similar death rates to smokers who actually got regular sunlight.

And the women who avoided the sun had up to a 2 year shorter lifespan.

Let that sink in.

So what is sunlight actually doing?

First - It helps your body produce vitamin D.

Which plays a key role in immune function and long-term disease risk.

Second - Sunlight triggers nitric oxide release in your skin…

Which helps lower blood pressure and improve blood flow.

And third - It sets your circadian rhythm which controls sleep, hormones, metabolism. A huge amount of your biology.

But here’s where it gets even more interesting.

Sunlight also contains infrared wavelengths.

The same type used in expensive red light devices.

Which can support your mitochondria and cellular energy production.

Now this doesn’t mean unlimited sun. Because burning your skin is where risk starts to rise.

But whilst avoiding burning; this is one of the most effective longevity hacks out there.

How much sunlight are you getting each day?

PMID: 24697969

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

This stuff right here may have the power to stop the build-up of the toxic protein linked with Alzheimer’s.

And it is not a drug.

It is something your body can make.

Ketones.

New research has just shown that the primary ketone, we produce, called beta hydroxybutyrate, can directly reduce the build-up of tau.

The same tau protein that tangles inside brain cells and drives cognitive decline.

In this study, increasing ketones improved the balance of tau in the brain.

But, this is more than just about one pathway.

This is about how your brain is fuelled.

Most people rely almost entirely on glucose.
But in Alzheimer’s, the brain often becomes insulin resistant.

It cannot use glucose properly. So energy drops.

Damage increases. And neurons begin to struggle.

But ketones change that.

They give your brain a clean, alternative fuel.
One that neurons can use efficiently even when glucose metabolism is impaired.

And that is only one side of the story.

Because at the same time, ketones appear to reduce the very proteins linked to degeneration.

So you are supporting the brain from two directions:

You are lowering reliance on glucose.
And you are providing a more stable fuel source.

Now here is how you do this naturally:

Fasting naturally increases ketone production, usually after 6-8 hours for most people.

Significantly reducing carbohydrates does the same.

And you can also support this through specific fats.

Coconut oil, for example, contains medium chain triglycerides. Around 20 to 30 percent.

Or supplementing with MCTs directly. If you do this - opt for one that is C8 specific.

These are rapidly converted into ketones.

Meaning you can raise ketone levels without full fasting.

And over time, this builds something called metabolic flexibility.

Your ability to switch between fuels.

Which is one of the most important traits for long-term brain health.

PMC: 12889508

Note: APOE-4 status matters here, so please contact your physician if it is something you are considering and monitor your blood lipids - particularly if you are consuming more coconut oil.

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

A single high dose of creatine can increase cognitive performance by up to 24%… within just three hours. In people who were sleep deprived

So, if you’ve had a poor night’s sleep… and you still need to perform the next day… this is one of the few things that can actually shift your biology fast enough to matter.

Without stressing your body with a ton of caffeine.

In the study, creatine didn’t just improve performance.

It reduced mental fatigue… and reversed some of the metabolic stress caused by sleep deprivation.

And the it makes sense when you understand what it does.

Creatine is essentially a rapid energy buffer for your cells.

It helps regenerate ATP… which is the energy currency your brain relies on to function properly.

But here’s the key point most people miss.

Your brain is incredibly energy demanding.

And under stress, or lack of sleep… it becomes energy limited very quickly.

So when you increase creatine availability… you are directly supporting cognitive output.

Focus… reaction time… decision making.

That’s why in this study, a high dose of around 20 grams of creatine monohydrate had such a rapid and noticeable effect.

So if you wake up after a poor night’s sleep… and you need to still perform… this is one of the most practical tools you can use.

And this isn’t just short term.

Creatine also shows potential for protecting brain health… supporting mitochondrial function… and even slowing aspects of cognitive decline.

So you’re not just improving your performance today.

You’re supporting the long term resilience of your brain.

In case you were wondering, they used creatine monohydrate in this study.

PMID: 38418482

I get my creatine from https://t.co/YiIFJZAxC8 - you can use the discount code ZIB10 if you want to try it out.

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

This has got to be the simplest ways to reduce inflammation in your body.

Just 2 grams of baking soda in about 600 ml of water.

Sounds too simple, right? But here’s what the research actually shows.

When you drink this, it triggers your stomach to prepare for digestion… and that sends a signal deeper into your body.

That signal reaches specialised cells that communicate with your spleen, one of the key control centres of your immune system.

And your spleen decides how aggressive your immune response needs to be.

Now this is the important part:

You have a type of immune cell called macrophages, and they can switch between two states:
One that drives inflammation…
And one that helps calm it down and repair tissue.

In human studies, after about two weeks, there was a measurable shift.

Away from the inflammatory type.
Towards the anti-inflammatory type.

Meaning your immune system may become less reactive… and more controlled.

This is big news if you’re trying to improve your longevity and slow down aging because increased inflammation is one of the fastest ways to accelerate aging.

PMID: 29661827

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

If you add some lemon juice to your spinach, the vitamin C from the lemon converts the iron into a more absorbable form, meaning you’ll get several times more iron.

If you crush garlic and then leave it for 10 minutes before cooking with it, an enzyme called allinase converts allliin into allicin, a compounds with big cardiovascular benefits

If you cook tomatoes on a low heat with olive oil, the heat increases the bioavailability of a cancer fighting compound called lycopene by breaking down the cell walls and the olive oil will improve your absorption of it.

If you squeeze a lemon into your green tea, the vitamin C in the lemon will stabilise a compound called EGCG in the green tea, increasing your absorption of it and maximising its antioxidant benefits.

And...

If you add some crushed mustard seeds to your broccoli, the myrosinase in the mustard seeds will convert the glucoraphinin from the broccoli into its cancer fighting and detoxification promoting compound sulfurophane.

Have you got any other synergistic food combos?

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

If you want to protect yourself against toxins,

You need to be eating more fermented foods like this.

I’m guessing you know about BPA?
It's that hormone disruptor found in many plastics that mimics estrogen.

Well, Lactobacillus plantarum found in kimchi could reduce it by 82%. It literally binds it and degrades it, protecting you from absorbing it.

What about those heavy metals? Lead. Cadmium.
Neurotoxins that mess up your brain...

You’ve got Lactobacillus acidophilus, found in kefir and yogurt, that could help you clear 75% of them.
They bind to those harmful toxins and allow you to excrete them.

How about microplastics?
In nearly all the food and drink your consuming, that accumulate all throughout your body and create oxidative stress.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, found in sauerkraut could reduce the amount in your gut by 67%.

And phthalates?
Another big endocrine disruptor that messes with your fertility.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus from yoghurt and kefir can bind 85% of DEHP in a couple of hours, trapping it and preventing you absorbing it.

A big reason why I think you should be eating fermented foods like these with every meal. Just make sure that they have real live cultures in them.

PMID: 33592490
PMID: 39867494
PMID: 36995550
PMID: 33133531

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

I used to think these bottles were completely safe. I used to give them to my kids.

Stainless steel, right? Non-toxic. Better than plastic.

But here’s something I didn’t realise.

Lower-grade stainless steel can leach nickel and chromium into your drink - especially if you’re filling it with acidic liquids like lemon water or juice.

And the longer that drink sits in there… the more metal can be released.

And nickel is strongly linked with dermatitis, skin reactions, and immune reactions.

Chromium is linked with kidney and liver issues. Definitely not something you want your kids drinking.

Because this is about repeated exposure. Day after day. Especially if acidic drinks are sitting in these bottles for hours in a school bag.

Now here’s the key.
Not all stainless steel is the same.

The safest grade is 316 stainless steel, which is marine grade and much more resistant to corrosion and acid.

If the bottle doesn’t clearly state the grade, that’s something to pay attention to.

And if you’re unsure of the grade:
Use it for plain water only, Avoid acidic drinks, avoid heat, don’t leave liquids sitting in there for long periods.

Or switch to glass. Glass is inert. It doesn’t corrode. It doesn’t leach metals.

Stainless steel isn’t inherently toxic.
But cheap, low-grade steel combined with acid, heat, and time increases the chance of metal release.

I don’t know about you but for my kids… safety is key.

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

The best diet to live the longest life.

It’s the question everyone wants answered.

And, a major new study just gave us one of the clearest answers yet.

Researchers followed over 100,000 people for 10 years. More than 4,000 died during that time.

And here’s where it gets interesting. Nobody was told what to eat.

Instead, the researchers watched what people chose… and scored their diets against five of the most most established diets in the world.

Mediterranean. DASH. Plant-based.
All the usual big names.

But none of them came out on top. Instead, one diet stood above them all.

The Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet.

And the difference was not small.
Those who followed it most closely had a 24% lower risk of death.
For men, that translated to around three extra years of life.

Surprisingly, It wasn’t about calories. It wasn’t about protein. It wasn’t even about fat.

It came down to just two hidden factors.
The first, was fibre.

Higher fibre intake was strongly linked to longer life.

Because fibre feeds your gut bacteria, stabilises blood sugar and reduces inflammation throughout your body.

And the second, was glycaemic index.

The speed at which food raises your blood sugar.
The higher it was… the shorter people lived.

And the single worst offenders?

Sugar-sweetened drinks and refined carbohydrates.

So when you strip away the noise, the secret to longevity is simpler than people think.

Eat more fibre.
And avoid the foods that spike your blood sugar the fastest.

PMID: 41686892

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

If you want to protect your brain and improve your memory, this is something you need to know.

A recent study took 50 healthy women.

Half of them simply put a few drops of an essential oil on their clothes every day for one month.

The others used water.

That was the only difference.

And what happened next surprised even the researchers.

After just four weeks, the women using the essential oil had increased grey matter in their brain.

Specifically in an area called the posterior cingulate cortex.

This is one of the first areas to shrink in Alzheimer’s disease.
It’s crucial for memory and emotional stability.

So how could something as simple as a smell do this?

It’s because your nose has direct access to your brain.

The volatile compounds travel through your nose straight into areas that control memory, emotion, and brain growth.

This can stimulate neuroplasticity, helping your brain form new connections and stay resilient as you age.

And this isn't the first time essential oils have been shown to have big effects on the brain.

Peppermint, for example, can help with focus, and rosemary also improves memory, but the oil they used in this study was rose.

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

This is your reminder.

If you are still drinking this every day over a year, it's likely you are drinking 85 million particles of plastic.

You read that right.

That is what the research shows. One litre of water can contain 240,000 plastic particles.

And those tiny plastic particles build in your body and mess up your health. They increase inflammation, create oxidative stress that damages your DNA, and can disrupt your hormones.

They've been found in increasing quantities in our brains, in plaques of people suffering from heart attacks.

Even in your testicles, guys and ovaries, ladies.

Impacting your fertility.

The best switch is to use a good quality reverse osmosis filter. and then fill up a non-plastic bottle.

We're only just scraping the surface of the damage that plastic is causing to our health. I really think reducing plastic exposure is something that will benefit you now and in the years to come.

PMID: 38190543

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

There is a natural compound… that reduced arterial plaque 300% more than statins.

And when you hear how it works… you will be blown away.

In one of the largest studies ever done on this compound, over 1,000 people were followed for a full year.

They were given either statins… or this natural enzyme called nattokinase.

Researchers measured plaque directly inside their arteries.

And this is where it gets unbelievable.

The statins reduced plaque thickness slightly… But nattokinase reduced it by 300% more.

That’s three times greater plaque regression.

This matters because plaque rupture is one of the main causes of heart attacks, strokes and sudden death.

So how does it do it?

Here’s the key. Nattokinase directly breaks down fibrin.

Fibrin is the protein that forms the structural backbone of blood clots and arterial plaque.

It also activates your body’s own clot-dissolving enzymes…
Improves blood flow… And reduces blood viscosity.

Which means your arteries stay clearer.

This compound comes from natto.
A traditional Japanese fermented soybean food.

And populations that eat natto regularly have some of the lowest cardiovascular death rates in the world.

But if you supplement… the dose matters.

Clinical effects were seen at around 2,000 to 10,800 fibrinolytic units per day.

Not saying stop your medication. But this is powerful research that shows what natural compounds are capable of. And it’s one of the reasons I’ve personally used nattokinase for years.

Let me know if you’ve tried it.

Main plaque study:
https://t.co/lUlEXCDEmv
Fibrin breakdown:
https://t.co/75y1hHqxtp
Blood pressure meta-analysis:
https://t.co/TCr07w1bil

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

Did you know this simple piece of string can tell you more about your metabolic health than your BMI?

And the reason why… comes down to where your fat is stored, not just how much you have.

Because BMI cannot tell the difference between fat and muscle…
and it cannot tell you about the most dangerous fat of all.

Visceral fat.
This is the fat stored deep around your organs.
It’s highly inflammatory… disrupts insulin… damages blood vessels…

And - it’s strongly linked to diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s… and even a shorter lifespan.

In fact, one large study of over 44,000 adults found that people with the highest waist-to-height ratio had nearly double the risk of early death compared to those with the lowest.

And here’s where the string comes in.

Researchers have found that your waist-to-height ratio is one of the strongest simple predictors of metabolic health.

The key number is 0.5.
Your waist circumference should be less than half your height.

And this simple string test shows you instantly.

Here’s how to do it. Take a piece of string and measure your full height.
Then fold it exactly in half.
Now wrap that half-length around your waist, roughly at your belly button.

Here’s the key moment. If the string fits comfortably around your waist…

You’re likely below that 0.5 risk threshold. But if it doesn’t…
it’s a strong sign you may be carrying excess visceral fat

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

Is your air fryer actually healthy?

I’ve been asked this a lot recently, so I did a deeper dive into the research.

Whatn I uncovered shocked me…

On the positive side of things:

They can use less oil, fewer calories, and they create less kitchen smoke than pan-frying, which matters because indoor air pollution is linked with long-term disease risk.

But there are three problems you need to know.

First… acrylamide.

Acrylamide is a toxic compound that forms when carbohydrate are cooked at high temperatures and go brown.

And here’s the part that shocked me.

According to research, air fryers can produce 30–40% more acrylamide even then deep fryers.

Now I’m not saying air fryers “cause cancer”.

But acrylamide is something you want to minimise.

And there’s a simple fix.

Soak your potato slices in water first, and don’t over-brown them.
That same paper shows soaking reduces acrylamide formation.

Second… the non-stick coating.

Many air fryer baskets use non-stick coatings - the so-called “forever chemicals”.

In fact, a Danish investigation found PFAS in all the air fryers they tested.

And, PFAS exposure has been linked in research to serious outcomes like: thyroid disruption, risk of cancers and immune suppression.

So if you’re using an air fryer daily, this matters.

The final point though is a big one.

Air frying can increase cholesterol oxidation products, especially in foods like fish and meat.

One study on sardines found air frying quadrupled the amount of cholesterol oxidation products and reduced omega-3 quality - not good news as oxidised cholesterol is linked with heart disease risk, whilst omega-3 protects it.

But here’s the good news.

Adding antioxidant herbs like parsley and chives significantly reduced those oxidation products.

So what’s the takeaway?

Air fryers reduce oil and indoor air pollution…
but they can increase acrylamide, expose you to PFAS coatings, and oxidise fats in meat and fish.

Don’t let convenience increase your toxic load.

https://t.co/XZM7fwbO9X
https://t.co/N6e7qcTjtX
https://t.co/7v7vBi5lZZ

[Zib Atkins @AyusWellness]

Your white LED bulbs at home could be damaging your health more than a McDonalds.

Here’s why and what to do:

Our bodies have evolved around the sun’s natural light cycle.

Bright, strong sunlight in the morning, ambers at sunset and red firelight at night that signalled rest.

That natural rhythm helps control melatonin, metabolism and inflammation.

Unfortunately, that all changed with our modern white LEDs. These things kick out tons of strong blue wavelengths which activates a pathway between your brain and eyes, tricking your body into thinking it is mid-day all the time.

This is a big deal.

• Light at night can suppresses melatonin by up to 80% messing up your sleep quality and risk of dementia.

• It disrupts insulin and glucose metabolism, increasing type 2 diabetes risk by over 50%

• Up to 47% higher risk of cardiovascular issues, and systemic stress and inflammation.

Natural sunlight is best, incandescent bulbs are a pretty good solution, but better for your home is lighting that changes throughout the day:

• Full spectrum white during the day
• Warm amber at sunset
• Red + infrared at night with zero blue light

That gives your body exactly the light cues it evolved to expect - helping your hormones, sleep, metabolism, and longevity.

I designed a bulb that does exactly that, the link is below:

https://t.co/ZneqGSN3qS

PMID: 40464453
PMID: 39070746