Ep 15: Kashif Khan | Decoded: Your DNA, Hormones & The Future of Health
Optimize We podcast interview with Kashif Khan
Introduction to Kashif Khan
Kashif Khan is introduced as a "truth seeker" in the biohacking space, known for sharing unfiltered information on health, products, and supplements on his Instagram account, which has nearly a million followers.
He is the founder of a functional genetics research company that initially focused on helping people with rare and complex conditions.
His work revealed that many chronic conditions are not sudden but develop over decades due to "inflammatory insults" from the toxic environment we live in3. There are 144,000 chemicals that have been introduced to humanity since the 1970s.
Khan started his Instagram account about two and a half years ago as a place to share his findings and "vent". The "lies that happened during the Covid era" were a major catalyst for him to start speaking out6.
Two Major Health Anomalies
From his work and masterclasses, Khan has identified two prevalent issues that are often unaddressed.
Nervous System Dysregulation: This is primarily based on serotonin dysregulation.
Inflammatory Estrogens: This is a significant cause of female health issues.
Khan states that addressing these two areas can make other health problems a much smaller version of themselves.
Estrogen and Hormones
Khan explains that the body can convert hormones like testosterone and progesterone into estrogen, which can lead to estrogen dominance and toxicity.
He describes specific genes that influence this process:
CYP19A1: This gene converts testosterone into estrogen, and some women do this too efficiently.
CYP1B1 and CYP3A4: These genes convert estrogen into different forms. 2-hydroxyestrone is beneficial, while 4-hydroxyestrone and 16-hydroxyestrone cause inflammation.
For women with a specific genetic profile, taking estradiol can be problematic, as it gets converted directly into the inflammatory 4-hydroxyestrone.
He emphasizes that there is no universally good or bad approach; personalization based on an individual's genetic profile is key.
Khan also notes that estrogen, not testosterone, is responsible for a "big, bulky, big boned" physique. Understanding one's hormonal genetic profile can help determine the most effective type of exercise.
Bio-Individuality and Testing
Khan stresses that health is not linear and that our bodies are constantly changing based on environment, stress, and other factors.
Standard blood tests may not tell the whole story. For example, vitamin D levels in the blood don't indicate if the vitamin is actually reaching the cells.
He shares an anecdote about an NHL player with recurrent fractures who had good vitamin D blood levels but poor genetics for transporting and binding vitamin D to the cells due to his Mexican ancestry and changed environment (moving to Toronto).
The interpretation of test results is crucial. Chronically low selenium, for instance, might not just mean a deficiency but could indicate mercury poisoning, as selenium is used to chelate mercury.
Nervous System and Serotonin
Serotonin is crucial for prioritizing information in the brain.
Dysregulation, often due to an underdeveloped serotonin receptor, can lead to seeing the world at "120%," causing constant irritation, anxiety, and frustration. This wiring, while designed for leadership, can be a struggle in daily life.
Unused serotonin causes inflammation, including neuro-inflammation, which worsens the mood issues.
Among people who feel "stuck" in their health journey, Khan sees this serotonin dysregulation profile in 60-70% of cases, compared to about 5% in the general population.
Being in a constant "fight or flight" state shuts down rest, recovery, and the immune system.
85% of serotonin is produced in the gut, and 85% is made during the last three hours of sleep, which is often disrupted by the dysregulation itself, creating a negative feedback loop.
Methylation and Detoxification
Methylation is often misunderstood as just part of the body's detoxification process for non-water-soluble toxins like metals and plastics.
It also plays a critical role in:
Converting nutrients into bioavailable forms.
Acting as the body's anti-inflammatory response.
Managing the expression of genes, allowing the body to adapt to changes.
Fixing methylation, primarily through personalized B vitamin supplementation, can improve brain function, energy levels, and the effectiveness of other health protocols.
Khan emphasizes the importance of the "order of operations" in detoxification. For example, one must address mold and heavy metals before tackling Candida, as the body detoxifies molecules in order of size.
Future of Health and AI
Khan is developing an AI that has learned his knowledge base to make this level of interpretation more widely available.
The goal is to address complex issues like women's health by overlaying his knowledge with the context of the 28-day menstrual cycle, providing advice that changes week to week.
He is also working with a company on a frequency scanner that can analyze 138,000 bodily frequencies to provide instant data on organ systems, parasites, and more, which will then trigger protocols from the AI. He believes quantum, frequency-based medicine is the next frontier.
How to Work with Kashif Khan
Khan primarily works with people through masterclasses and webinars, aiming to teach them to be their own "health CEO".
People can find links to his webinars on his Instagram account: @KashifKhanOfficial.
