How can you make the most out of your meals🌱
Feb 25, 2026
Please note: Join here to get future posts directly in your inbox. Hi Friends🙋♂️, I hope you this email finds you well. In our last newsletter, we talked about mTOR, which acts like the gas pedal for our cells. It’s the signal that tells them: “It's time to grow, build and divide.” Today, we’re talking about the other side of the story, the brake pedal. Let me introduce you to AMPK. What is AMPK?AMPK stands for adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase. I know, it Sounds complicated. But the idea is simple.In your body — and in nature — the most valuable currency is energy. That energy is stored in molecules called ATP. Think of ATP as a fully charged battery. When the battery is used, it turns into ADP, and then into AMP, which is like the “low battery” version. And this is where AMPK comes in. AMPK is activated when your cells sense that energy is running low. It’s like the fuel warning light in your car. When that light turns on, AMPK tells your cells: “Energy is low. Stop unnecessary growth now. Start conserving and repairing. Burn your stored fuel." AMPK is the main energy regulator in our cells. PMID: 28232370 While mTOR responds to abundance, AMPK responds when resources are scarce. And from a longevity perspective, that’s very powerful. Why is AMPK so important?AMPK is one of the key longevity pathways. When activated, AMPK:
To make it simple, I'd say that AMPK is not only the main energy regulator in our cells, but also plays a key role in the fat metabolism, the pace of our aging and autophagy. PMIDs: 16998529, 22186033, 27812983 This is one reason drugs like metformin, a diabetes medication, are studied in longevity research: they activate AMPK. But here’s the good news: You don’t need a drug to activate it. One of the natural AMPK boosterWhen you exercise, your muscles burn ATP. Thanks to that, energy levels drop. And AMPK switches on. It tells your body to:
Having more mitochondria means your body uses energy more efficiently. That’s why endurance athletes develop extraordinary metabolic capacity. Their cells become better at producing and using energy. In fact, AMPK-activating compounds have been abused in sports doping and were banned after misuse in professional cycling. Movement is powerful medicine. How does our diet influence AMPK?Just like mTOR responds to what we eat, so does AMPK.
What may suppress AMPK:Constant eating without breaks. Saturated fats (commonly found in fatty meats, butter, cheese, and many ultra-processed foods rich in palmitic acid) appear to blunt AMPK signaling. What may activate AMPK:1. Vinegar Sources/PMIDs: ScienceDirect article, 19661687, ScienceDirect article 2. Fiber (via your gut bacteria) PMIDs / DOIs: 19665312, DOI, 24131490, 19665312 3. Coffee (regular or decaf) 4. Certain plant compounds PMIDs: 30593890, 33140312, 29857879, 26875640 The bigger pictureRemember: in some cases AMPK turns on when your body senses mild stress, the kind that’s actually good for you.
Which means AMPK doesn’t get activated as often as it evolved to.
What can you do daily to activate your AMPK?
As I always say, you don’t need extremes. You don't have to implement all these once. Start with reducing your saturated fat intake, eating more plants. Or just hint your salad with some vinegar. Thank you for joining! See you next time. Bests, |
