Dave Asprey – Super Human: Book Review & Audio Summary

Book Info

• Book name: Super Human: The Bulletproof Plan to Age Backward and Maybe Even Live Forever
• Author: Dave Asprey
• Genre: Self-Help & Personal Development, Health & Wellness
• Pages: 416
• Published Year: 2019
• Publisher: Harper Wave
• Language: English

Audio Summary

Synopsis

Dave Asprey, founder of Bulletproof Coffee and renowned biohacker, challenges conventional wisdom about aging in Super Human. Drawing from cutting-edge antiaging science and his personal quest to live to 180, Asprey reveals how biological aging stems from mitochondrial degeneration and chronic inflammation. He offers actionable strategies to combat degenerative diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart failure through dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, and biohacking techniques. This isn’t just about adding years to your life—it’s about maintaining youthful energy, mental clarity, and physical vitality well into what we traditionally consider old age. Asprey combines ancient wisdom with modern technology to create a comprehensive roadmap for anyone wanting to feel decades younger than their chronological age.

Key Takeaways

• Biological aging is primarily caused by mitochondrial dysfunction, which increases free radicals and chronic inflammation that lead to degenerative diseases
• A low-carb, high-quality fat diet with grass-fed proteins supports mitochondrial health and reduces inflammation better than traditional Western diets
• Avoiding sugar, grains, and processed foods while embracing healthy fats like omega-3s, monounsaturated fats, and quality saturated fats can dramatically slow biological aging
• Your biological age can differ significantly from your chronological age, and understanding this distinction empowers you to take control of your health trajectory
• Strategic protein restriction combined with quality animal fats promotes autophagy—your body’s natural cellular cleanup process—while maintaining muscle mass

My Summary

When Your Body Betrays Your Age

I’ll be honest—when I first picked up Super Human, I was skeptical. Another book promising longevity secrets? But Dave Asprey’s personal story hooked me immediately. Here’s a guy in his twenties who discovered he was biologically middle-aged, suffering from obesity, asthma, arthritis, and a host of other conditions that shouldn’t plague someone so young.

What struck me most wasn’t just his transformation, but his audacious goal: living to 180 years old. Not just surviving, mind you, but thriving with the energy and vitality of someone decades younger. As someone who’s felt the creeping fatigue that comes with each passing year, this resonated deeply.

Asprey’s journey from a sick young man to a biohacking pioneer isn’t just inspirational—it’s instructive. He’s spent years reading thousands of research papers, consulting with longevity experts, and experimenting on himself. The result is a book that feels less like speculation and more like a field manual for biological optimization.

The Mitochondria Mystery: Your Cellular Power Plants

Let me break down what I found to be the most fascinating concept in Super Human: the role of mitochondria in aging. Before reading this book, I knew mitochondria were the “powerhouse of the cell” from high school biology, but I had no idea they were the key players in how we age.

Think of mitochondria as tiny power plants inside each of your cells. They take the food you eat and convert it into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is essentially cellular fuel. When you’re young, these power plants run efficiently. But as you age, they start breaking down.

Here’s where it gets interesting: when mitochondria malfunction, they produce excessive amounts of reactive oxygen species, commonly known as free radicals. These molecules are like microscopic wrecking balls, damaging your cells and creating widespread inflammation throughout your body. This chronic inflammation is the foundation upon which degenerative diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease are built.

What I appreciate about Asprey’s approach is that he doesn’t just identify the problem—he explains that our bodies naturally produce antioxidants to combat free radicals. The issue is maintaining balance. As we age, free radical production outpaces antioxidant production, tipping the scales toward degeneration.

This understanding completely reframed how I think about aging. It’s not some inevitable, mysterious process. It’s a biological mechanism that, once understood, can potentially be influenced and even reversed.

Why Simple Antioxidant Supplements Aren’t Enough

One myth Asprey quickly dismantles is that you can simply pop antioxidant supplements and solve the aging problem. I’ll admit, I’ve been guilty of this thinking—loading up on vitamin C and E supplements, hoping they’d counteract my less-than-perfect diet.

But the reality is more complex. Your body’s antioxidant system is sophisticated and interconnected. Taking isolated antioxidant supplements can sometimes even be counterproductive, as they may interfere with your body’s natural antioxidant production mechanisms.

Instead, Asprey advocates for a holistic approach that supports your mitochondria from multiple angles: diet, lifestyle, sleep, stress management, and strategic use of specific compounds and technologies. This makes sense to me because it acknowledges that our bodies are complex systems, not simple machines where you can just swap out parts.

The Food Paradox: What Keeps You Alive Also Ages You

Here’s an irony that Asprey highlights beautifully: the very thing your mitochondria drive you to do—eat—is also one of the main factors in their degeneration. Not all foods are created equal when it comes to mitochondrial health, and the standard Western diet is essentially a recipe for accelerated aging.

I found this section particularly valuable because it challenges so much conventional dietary wisdom. Asprey makes a compelling case for avoiding grains and sugar, even for people who don’t have diabetes or celiac disease.

The Sugar and Grain Problem

Sugar causes dramatic spikes in blood glucose levels, which over time can lead to insulin resistance, diabetes, and a cascade of cardiovascular problems. But what I didn’t realize before reading Super Human was how even “healthy” whole grains contribute to inflammation and aging.

Gluten and other wheat proteins, according to Asprey, cause inflammation and gastrointestinal stress even in people without celiac disease. They also disrupt thyroid function, which is crucial for maintaining metabolic health and energy levels. This explained so much about my own experience with afternoon energy crashes and brain fog.

As someone who grew up believing that whole grain bread was a health food, this was a tough pill to swallow. But Asprey backs up his claims with scientific research and his own biomarker testing, which showed dramatic improvements when he eliminated these foods.

The Right Fats and Proteins

If grains and sugars are out, what should we eat? Asprey’s answer centers on quality fats and proteins, but with important caveats that I found enlightening.

Not all meat is beneficial. Charred, fried, or blackened meat increases your risk of heart disease and cancer due to the formation of harmful compounds during high-heat cooking. But we do need some animal products—they’re essential for tissue repair and maintaining muscle mass, especially as we age.

The solution Asprey proposes is eating moderate amounts of high-quality, grass-fed, organic meat. He provides specific guidelines: if you’re lean, aim for 0.5 grams per pound of body weight daily. If you’re overweight, reduce that to 0.35 grams per pound.

What I found particularly interesting was his discussion of protein restriction and autophagy. Limiting protein intake actually triggers your body’s cellular cleanup process, where damaged cells are broken down and recycled. This is one of the key mechanisms behind the longevity benefits of fasting and caloric restriction.

But the real revelation for me was Asprey’s emphasis on dietary fats. For decades, we’ve been told that fat makes you fat and clogs your arteries. Asprey flips this on its head, arguing that healthy fats are the most important energy source for longevity.

The key is choosing the right fats. Artificial trans fats—found in many processed foods with long shelf lives—are synthetic compounds our bodies can’t properly digest, leading to inflammation and cancer risk. Instead, Asprey recommends:

• Monounsaturated fats from olive oil, avocados, and certain nuts
• Quality saturated fats like grass-fed butter and coconut oil
• Anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats from wild-caught fatty fish like salmon

This high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb approach forms the foundation of what Asprey calls the Bulletproof Diet. Having experimented with similar dietary patterns myself, I can attest to the remarkable difference in energy levels and mental clarity.

Practical Applications for Everyday Life

Theory is great, but what really matters is whether these insights can be translated into practical daily habits. Here are the applications I found most actionable from Super Human:

Morning Routine Optimization

Start your day with Asprey’s famous Bulletproof Coffee—coffee blended with grass-fed butter and MCT oil. This provides sustained energy without the blood sugar spike you’d get from a carb-heavy breakfast. I’ve been doing this for months now, and the difference in morning mental clarity is remarkable. No more mid-morning crashes or desperate reaches for sugary snacks.

Strategic Meal Timing

Implement intermittent fasting by extending the time between dinner and your first meal the next day. This promotes autophagy and gives your mitochondria a break from constant food processing. I typically aim for a 16-hour fasting window, eating my first meal around noon. The initial adjustment was challenging, but now it feels natural.

Food Quality Over Quantity

Prioritize food quality by choosing organic, grass-fed, and wild-caught options whenever possible. Yes, it’s more expensive, but Asprey argues—and I agree—that it’s an investment in your future health. I’ve started viewing my grocery budget differently: spending more on quality food now means spending less on medical bills later.

Inflammation Reduction Protocol

Systematically eliminate common inflammatory foods for 30 days, then reintroduce them one at a time to identify your personal triggers. When I did this, I discovered that gluten was causing significant joint pain I’d attributed to “just getting older.” Removing it made me feel years younger.

Sleep Optimization

While the summary provided doesn’t detail Asprey’s sleep recommendations extensively, Super Human emphasizes that quality sleep is crucial for mitochondrial repair and cellular cleanup. This means creating a dark, cool sleeping environment, avoiding blue light before bed, and maintaining consistent sleep schedules.

The Modern Context: Why This Matters Now More Than Ever

Reading Super Human in today’s context feels particularly relevant. We’re living in an era where chronic diseases are epidemic, healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and people are increasingly taking control of their own health through biohacking and self-experimentation.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how metabolic health—the kind Asprey advocates for—is crucial for resilience against disease. People with obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions fared far worse than those with healthy metabolisms. This isn’t just about vanity or living to 180; it’s about being robust and resilient in the face of health challenges.

Moreover, we’re seeing a generational shift in how people approach aging. My parents’ generation largely accepted aging as inevitable decline. But millennials and Gen Z are increasingly interested in longevity science, biohacking, and taking proactive steps to maintain vitality. Asprey is at the forefront of this movement, making complex science accessible to everyday people.

The rise of wearable technology, at-home blood testing, and continuous glucose monitors has democratized health optimization in ways that weren’t possible even a decade ago. Super Human provides the framework for interpreting and acting on this data.

Strengths and Limitations

Let me be balanced here. Super Human has significant strengths, but it’s not without limitations.

What Works Well

Asprey’s personal narrative is compelling and relatable. Unlike many health books written by researchers who’ve never struggled with their weight or energy, Asprey has been in the trenches. His transformation from a sick young man to a thriving biohacker gives him credibility.

The scientific foundation is generally solid. Asprey cites research and explains complex biological processes in accessible language. For someone like me who enjoys understanding the “why” behind recommendations, this approach is satisfying.

The actionable advice is another strength. This isn’t just theoretical—Asprey provides specific dietary guidelines, supplement recommendations, and lifestyle modifications you can implement immediately.

Where It Falls Short

The main criticism I’d level at Super Human is that some recommendations require significant financial investment. High-quality supplements, grass-fed meat, organic produce, and various biohacking devices aren’t cheap. While Asprey occasionally acknowledges this, the book sometimes feels inaccessible to people on tight budgets.

Additionally, some of Asprey’s claims are more aspirational than proven. Living to 180 is a bold goal, but we don’t yet have long-term human studies proving these interventions will achieve such extreme longevity. Asprey is essentially conducting an n=1 experiment on himself, which is fascinating but not the same as peer-reviewed evidence.

The book also tends to present Asprey’s views as more definitive than the scientific consensus might support. While much of his advice aligns with emerging research, some recommendations are more controversial within the scientific community.

How Super Human Compares to Similar Books

Having read extensively in the longevity and biohacking space, I can say Super Human occupies a unique position. It’s more aggressive and ambitious than books like “The Blue Zones” by Dan Buettner, which focuses on lifestyle patterns in populations with exceptional longevity. Asprey isn’t content with living to 100—he wants to push human lifespan to its theoretical limits.

Compared to “Lifespan” by David Sinclair, another prominent longevity researcher, Super Human is more practical and less academic. Sinclair dives deep into the science of aging, particularly around sirtuins and NAD+ metabolism, while Asprey focuses more on actionable interventions you can start today.

Peter Attia’s work on longevity medicine shares Asprey’s data-driven approach but tends to be more medically conservative. Attia emphasizes working with doctors and conducting extensive testing, while Asprey encourages more self-experimentation.

What sets Super Human apart is its integration of ancient wisdom with cutting-edge technology. Asprey draws from Tibetan meditation practices, Ayurvedic principles, and traditional diets while also embracing modern innovations like red light therapy, cryotherapy, and nootropics.

Questions Worth Pondering

As I finished Super Human, several questions lingered in my mind—questions I think are worth considering as you explore these concepts yourself.

First, what is the right balance between longevity and quality of life? If following Asprey’s protocol requires giving up foods you love, constant self-monitoring, and significant financial investment, is the potential for extra decades worth it? This is deeply personal, and there’s no universal answer.

Second, how much should we rely on self-experimentation versus established medical guidance? Asprey champions taking control of your own health and trying interventions that aren’t yet mainstream. But there’s a reason medical research requires rigorous testing—some interventions that seem promising can have unforeseen consequences. Where’s the line between being a pioneer and being reckless?

These aren’t questions with easy answers, but they’re worth wrestling with as you consider implementing Asprey’s recommendations.

Your Journey to Super Human Starts Here

Whether you’re aiming to live to 180 or simply want to feel better in your current body, Super Human offers valuable insights into the aging process and how to slow it down. Asprey’s emphasis on mitochondrial health, dietary quality, and strategic lifestyle interventions provides a framework that’s both scientifically grounded and practically applicable.

What I appreciate most about this book is that it empowers readers to take control of their biological destiny. Aging isn’t something that just happens to you—it’s a process you can influence through daily choices.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with these concepts. Have you experimented with dietary changes to improve your energy levels? What’s been your biggest challenge in implementing healthier habits? Drop a comment below and let’s continue this conversation. After all, one of the key factors in longevity that Asprey emphasizes is social connection—and what better way to connect than sharing our journeys toward better health?

If you found this summary helpful, consider sharing it with someone you care about. The gift of knowledge about health and longevity might be one of the most valuable things you can offer.