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Within cellular cellular biology, a lesser-known player is gaining attention: deuterium.
Deuterium is hydrogens "heavy cousin" due to the addition of a neutron and is an isotope that plays a fascinating role in the body's energy production processes.
Before continuing, it is important to not get the impression that Deuterium is inherently harmful, it does have a beneficial role to play within the human body and it's naturally present in our environment. However, when it comes to cellular energy production, our bodies prefer to use the lighter hydrogen molecule as opposed to heavier deuterium Why? It all comes down to the efficiency of our cellular powerhouses: the mitochondria.
The energy that is produced in the mitochondria can involve the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, in other words, glucose will initially get metabolised through the glycolysis pathway, this pathway involves a number of different steps that occur within the cell's cytoplasm to end up as Acetyl CoA. Carbohydrates are generally loaded with deuterium, and this glycolysis pathway serves as the first stage of deuterium depletion. As the glucose molecule is transformed, deuterium is systematically removed and stored in metabolic water that is later removed by the body. When fats and proteins get used for energy they do not typically or directly enter the glycolysis pathway, instead they get transformed to acetyl coA through simpler processes and this is because proteins and more so fats are already low in deuterium.
Next, the process moves into the mitochondria with the Krebs cycle (also known as the citric acid cycle). Here, further chemical reactions occur, continuing the deuterium depletion process, again this deuterium ends up in metabolic water for later removal from the body. The overall goal of this deuterium depletion is to ensure that by the time metabolites reach the electron transport chain, they are working primarily with hydrogen, not deuterium.
Within the electron transport chain a number of biochemical reactions are taking place and at the end of this chain sits ATP synthase, often described as a molecular (or quantum) motor. It spins to produce ATP, the energy currency of our cells. Here's the crucial bit: if deuterium interacts with ATP synthase, because it is a heavier molecule than hydrogen it can dramatically slow down the spin rate. A slower spin means less efficient energy production. So you can see that the body has very specific mechanisms to ensure that hydrogen is the molecule that meets with ATP synthase, because hydrogen equals a faster spin rate thus more energy production.
So, while deuterium isn't "bad", our bodies have evolved to preferentially use hydrogen in this final, critical stage of energy production. The glycolysis pathway and Krebs cycle act as natural deuterium depletion mechanisms, ensuring optimal energy output.
Now within our modern world, we might be inadvertently increasing our deuterium load through high-carbohydrate diets and processed/ultra processed foods. This again doesn't mean that carbohydrates themselves are inherently harmful, but it does highlight the importance of balancing nutrition to support deuterium metabolism, of note is that fats in particular are low in deuterium and provide clues as to why people have improved recovery outcomes on ketogenic, carnivore or paleo diets.
Supporting your body's natural deuterium management can be achieved through simple lifestyle changes:
Balanced nutrition: Focus on including fats in the diet from animal, seafood and plant based sources, good quality proteins from animal and seafoods sources with some plant foods, and resistant starches.
Sunlight exposure: Natural light helps with deuterium depletion, as does sweating and breath work.
Regular movement: Physical activity supports your body's energy production pathways.
Quality sleep: Good sleep overall supports your body's natural rhythms and cellular processes.
As you begin to learn more about deuterium, you will come across many people recommending deuterium depleted water, which costs more than a bottle of fine wine. While many people do report seeing health benefits from drinking deuterium depleted water, there are so many other ways that you can support this process without resorting to this type of water. Remember our bodies are extremely clever and if we provide the right environment, then everything will start to work optimally.
Understanding deuterium's role is particularly intriguing when we consider conditions like Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and histamine intolerance, where cellular stability is key.
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