This Nobel Prize Discovery Reverses Aging In 72 Hours

Dave Asprey

Mar 15, 2026

Episode description

Is aging an inevitable decline, or just a "repair backlog" your body hasn't cleared yet?. In this episode, Dave breaks down the 2016 Nobel Prize-winning science of autophagy—the body's internal recycling system discovered by Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi.

Most people are stuck in a state of "biological debt," where cellular junk piles up like trash in a factory, leading to brain fog, fatigue, and chronic inflammation. Standard 16-hour fasts aren't enough to reach the deep-cleaning phase. You will learn the exact 3-day protocol to trigger a "Deep Reset," where ketones peak, inflammation falls, and stem cells wake up to rebuild your immune system from scratch.

Join my FREE Fasting Challenge: https://daveasprey.com/fast-this-way-challenge/

Timestamps:

00:00 - The Anti-Aging Switch

01:30 - Chronological vs. Biological Age

02:32 - How Aging Works at the Cellular Level

04:58 - 43 Ways to Upgrade Your Mitochondria

07:37 - What Is Autophagy

09:17 - The Stages of Fasting

10:46 - What Happens During a 3-Day Fast

13:04 - How to Fast Correctly

14:42 - Breaking the Fast

15:58 - The Power of Subtraction

Thank you to our sponsors!

-KILLSwitch | If you’re ready for the best sleep of your life, order now at https://www.switchsupplements.com/ and use code DAVE for 20% off

-Join My Low-Oxalate 30-Day Challenge: https://daveasprey.com/2026-low-ox-reset/

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Mindsip insights from this episode:

Maximize benefits on third day of fasting for peak ketones and brain growth

The third day of a fast is when the magic peaks, with the highest ketone levels, stem cell activation, and the release of brain-growth factor BDNF.

#fasting

#stem-cell

Fast quarterly for optimal health benefits

A powerful three-day fast should only be done quarterly or every six months, as doing it more frequently places too much burden on the body.

#fasting

#metabolism

Incorporate five-minute 'rehit' workout to boost mitochondrial health

A five-minute 'rehit' workout with two 20-second maximum effort sprints is a highly efficient way to trigger the creation of new, stronger mitochondria.

#exercise

#mitochondria

Extend fasting beyond 16 hours for deep cellular cleanup

Most people doing a standard 16-hour fast never reach deep cellular cleanup because the body only fully enters the fat-burning state after 18 hours.

#autophagy

#fasting

Break fast with bone broth or light protein for gentle digestion

Break a long fast by starting with a small serving of bone broth or light protein to gently wake up your digestion before eating a full meal an hour later.

#digestion

#fasting

Avoid oxalates to protect your minerals and health

Plant defense chemicals called oxalates can steal your minerals and form razor-sharp crystals in your body, causing joint pain, fatigue, and kidney stones.