The Silicon Valley’s Favorite Diet? Brain-Boosting Keto

The Silicon Valley is full of passionate people: Type A’s who thrive off a cutthroat environment. They work long work hours, answer emails in the middle of the night, and are under pressure to make as few mistakes as possible. This environment is stressful for anyone. CEO’s, tech investors, and some of the highest performers in the tech world are turning to a ketogenic diet. They need all the brain power they can get, and many are drawn to the mental clarity, focus, and improved memory many on the ketogenic diet have experienced.

Cutthroat Techies and Brain Power

The same people who push the boundaries of technology for a better life are also pushing the boundaries of their bodies for a longer life. Most who have embarked on keto say that it’s changed their lives for the better. Many Silicon Valley workers say they started keto because they want to live longer. They want to avoid type 2 diabetes, lose weight, and curb appetite, but most importantly, they want to sharpen their minds.

A study published in 2010 shows that the ketogenic diet may enhance memory in older people with mild cognitive impairment. Patients that significantly lowered their carb intake experienced enhanced cognitive function.1 Another study finds that patients with Alzheimer’s disease who took ketone injections while maintaining their normal diet experienced improved cognitive function.2 A third study indicated that cognitive function improved by up to 70 percent when people get on the keto diet.3

Biohacking and the Desire to Live Forever

It makes sense that keto would take Silicon Valley by storm. The intensive diet requires frequent self-monitoring to ensure that you’re eating the right balance of fat, protein, and carbs. It requires understanding your own body’s needs in order to get the most out of your eating patterns. This level of measurement and self-monitoring is not surprising for a demographic where there’s an app for everything.

CEO Geoff Woo, of “Hvmn” (Pronounced Human), is a huge proponent of Biohacking, or, measuring your own health and wellness while you’re healthy. His style of fasting for days at a time may seem intense to people used to eating three meals a day. Some of his team members who also fast say that the practice gives them more energy, focus, and mental clarity, and doesn’t take them away from work for arbitrary meal times.