Prof Dean Ho with a glucose monitor patch on his arm, and meals that he consumed, consisting of leafy greens, nuts, chicken breast, salmon and avocado. (Credit: Prof Dean Ho)
In a first-in-kind study, Professor Dean Ho, Director of the Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM) at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (and Joint Professor at NUS Department of Pharmacology), documented his own journey of using digital health technologies, including sensors and wearables, and intermittent fasting to delve into the concept of ketosis and its health benefits. Known to be a very fit individual with a long history of gym workouts incorporating weightlifting and cardiovascular training, Prof Ho is also an avid fasting enthusiast. He implemented a detailed regimen that included a minimum of 20 hours of fasting per day, strength or cardiovascular training every morning, a “clean eating” diet consisting of leafy greens, seeds, olive oil, lean protein, and other foods commonly found in the Mediterranean diet, and beverages consisting of only water, black coffee and black tea without milk and sugar. During the experiment, Prof Ho was assessed as healthy, with an A1c level of 4.8%, or 29 mmol/mol—which means that his average blood sugar levels over the past three months were normal. Over the course of seven months from May to November 2023, Prof Ho experienced improved health and fitness outcomes, including weight loss of around 7.5 kg, a 20% increase in grip strength, as well as the ability to lift weights that are 10% heavier, and also completed 1,000 push-ups in under 40 minutes.