Understanding Uric Acid and Sodium's Role in Health

Most people track glucose or ketones, but almost no one is measuring the hidden signal that could be silently wrecking your metabolism, brain function, and longevity: uric acid. This episode reveals why this overlooked biomarker drives obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and even accelerated aging—and how you can hack it to unlock resilience, human performance, and smarter not harder health upgrades. 

Watch the podcast on YouTube for the full video experience: 

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR 

We revisit host Dave Asprey sitting down with Dr. David Perlmutter, one of the world’s leading functional medicine neurologists and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grain Brain and Drop Acid. Dr. Perlmutter has spent decades connecting gut health, brain optimization, and neuroplasticity with lifestyle interventions that truly change the trajectory of disease. In this conversation, he explains how uric acid acts as a metabolic switch that determines whether you burn fat or store it, whether your mitochondria power you up or slow you down, and whether your brain stays sharp or declines with age. 

They break down how fructose, purines, alcohol, and even dehydration spike uric acid, why Japan is decades ahead in using this as a health marker, and how supplements like quercetin and luteolin rival pharmaceuticals in keeping it under control. You’ll also learn how ketosis, fasting, cold therapy, carnivore and plant-based approaches, and sleep optimization all interact with uric acid to shape your healthspan. This is biohacking at its most actionable—because once you measure this signal, you can control it, and once you control it, you radically upgrade your metabolism, your brain, and your longevity. 

This is essential listening for anyone serious about hacking their biology, building neuroplasticity, powering up mitochondria, exploring nootropics, and discovering smarter not harder ways to live longer and perform better. 

You’ll Learn: 

• Why uric acid may be the most important overlooked biomarker for longevity 

• How it connects obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s 

• The evolutionary reason your body uses uric acid as a survival signal 

• How fructose and hidden sugars sabotage metabolism and brain optimization 

• The role of quercetin, luteolin, and targeted supplements in lowering uric acid 

• Why measuring at home with a simple device can change your health trajectory 

• How functional medicine uses uric acid as a predictive tool for chronic disease 

Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade is the top podcast for people who want to take control of their biology, extend their longevity, and optimize every system in the body and mind. Each episode features cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, hacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. 

Episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (audio-only) where Dave asks the questions no one else dares, and brings you real tools to become more resilient, aware, and high performing. 

Keywords: uric acid longevity, uric acid metabolism, fructose uric acid pathway, xanthine oxidase inhibition, quercetin uric acid, luteolin supplements, AMP kinase uric acid, AMP deaminase metabolism, uric acid and mitochondria, uric acid and neuroplasticity, uric acid Alzheimer’s risk, uric acid dementia prevention, uric acid and nitric oxide, fructose metabolism hibernation biology, evolutionary mismatch uricase mutation, fructokinase inhibition, uric acid and insulin resistance, gout biohacking, uric acid and obesity, uric acid functional medicine 

Resources:  

• David’s Website: https://drperlmutter.com/ 

• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/DAVE15 

• Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com 

• Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated 

• Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com 

• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com 

• 40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com 

Timestamps: 

0:00 — Trailer 

0:35 — Introduction 

2:26 — Why Uric Acid Matters 

5:55 — Measuring Uric Acid 

8:17 — Disease Risk 

9:38 — Metabolism Disruption 

15:59 — What Raises Uric Acid 

26:20 — Global Research 

29:50 — Gut & Inflammation 

32:55 — Seasonal Eating 

47:36 — Brain Health 

56:38 — Supplements & Testing 

61:45 — The LUV Diet 

71:41 — Closing Insights 

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