DADA Deep Dive | My Updated Take on an Underrated Performance Enhancer
from The Hunter Williams Podcast
17m 45s
This transcription covers several health and performance products, including Ultra Fit running shoes, which prioritize toe space for enhanced comfort and endurance, and Propel Fitness Water, which delivers targeted hydration with electrolytes and vitamins to support workouts. A major focus is on the compound "Data," a metabolic modulator that inhibits PDK to boost mitochondrial energy production, improve glucose oxidation, and reduce lactate accumulation during exercise. This leads to better endurance, metabolic flexibility, and performance, especially in high-intensity training. Clinical evidence from Japan and China shows benefits for liver health, including reduced markers of fatty liver disease and improved lipid profiles. While effective, Data carries caution: high doses may lead to overtraining or injury, and chronic use could theoretically cause peripheral neuropathy due to its breakdown into DCA. The most effective use is in pre-workout injections, starting at 50–100 mg daily, with careful monitoring. Data is particularly valued by athletes for its performance advantages, though its metabolic benefits also support long-term health. The content also references Apple Watch Series 12’s heart rate and readiness monitoring as tools for wellness, though noted as non-medical. Overall, the summary emphasizes Data’s role as a performance-enhancing and metabolic-supporting supplement, with strong scientific backing in liver health and growing interest in athletic applications.
Ultra running shoes are all about space, the space to go further, to feel better, to
do something you never thought possible, and this space starts with Ultra Fit. Unlike
traditional running shoes, Ultra Fit gives toes more room to move naturally, so every step
is strong, balanced, and comfortable. Whatever you're leasing up for, stay out there.
It's Ultra, shop now at ultra running dot com. That's ALTRA running dot com.
Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade Electrolites, Zero Sugar, and Vitamins. Propel hydrates better
than water to help you get the most out of your workout and get back to your best self.
What propels you? Propel with Gatorade Electrolites.
Hey, everybody, this is Hunter Williams. I hope you're doing amazing wherever you
are in the world. Today's video is actually going to be an update to an older video that
I did and is about a product called Dada. So Dada, I would probably categorize or classify
as more of a performance enhancer. And so today, what I want to do is just revisit this.
Obviously, I made a video probably going back like two years ago now, but I just wanted
to reintroduce it to all the new people that have followed me since then. And then
also make an update to the material that I've had done previously just because I've been
using it for two years since then. And it's something that I really enjoy. I would say
to me, it is a very good alternative to MOTC. I feel very similar to how I do on MOTC,
maybe even slightly more of a performance edge on Dada than I do MOTC. So I really like
it. It's something that I actually use all the time, usually in my pre workout injection
cocktail that I'm taking. And you definitely notice the performance benefits, but then also
some of the body comp benefits as well. And so I think for people that want to get the
same effect that they kind of get from a peptide like MOTC, they can use Dada. It's not
something you have to cycle off of, even though you would probably want to periodically.
You do have to be smart about how you use it, but this is something that's actually in
China and Japan has been studied for fatty liver disease. And so that's what we're going
to cover today. It's not going to be too complex, more of an update video, but I think
you will enjoy this nonetheless. I think it's one that people kind of leave to the wayside
and forget about, but it's one of those ones that, to me, it's a staple and it's something
I'm always using. And I just don't really talk about that much. I said, hey, maybe it's
time to make an update video on Dada today. So that's what we're going to cover. As always,
thank you guys so much for the overwhelming support that I get from you as my audience.
And I just want to say if you were not on the email list, make sure you're on the email
list. The link will always be in the description to sign up for that just with censorship on
the rise. That's the best way to stay in touch with me. Make sure if I get deleted off of
any of the platforms that I'm on now to stay in touch with me. And also too, if you want
to join my private group called the Axion Collective, a link for that will be down there.
And that's where you can interact directly with me. We have live AMA calls where you can
ask me questions directly. You can also message me privately. And I'll answer all of your
messages. And then the best part about it is there's 220 plus other members in there
that you can access and ask questions and get really good feedback from them. So I highly
recommend you check that out. And without further ado, I'm going to share my screen
and today we're going to talk about data. Alright, let's get into it today. We're going
to talk about data and data stands for die isopropylamine die chloroacetate. Let's try saying that
even one time fast, let alone 10 times fast. But that's the name of it. I'm going to call
it data from here on out. But that is how you say the full name or just talk about the
mechanisms benefits, some of the clinical evidence behind it. And then the safety I like
to think of data as a metabolic modulator. But what is it? It's basically a salt that
disassociates into die chloroacetate, which is also known as DCA and die or die isopropyl
amine. And it is the most biological activity stem from the DCA portion, which is a metabolic
modulator studied for decades. And we've seen make really good progress in some of our
countries for fatty liver disease. But what is it doing primarily? Well, the first thing
is it's inhibiting this thing called PDK. And so when we inhibit PDK, that then activates
something known as PDH, which then increases mitochondrial oxidation. So PDK stands for
pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, and particularly data works on PDK for. And this release basically
when we activate or inhibit, excuse me, when inhibit PDK, it releases the break on the
pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, which is the PDH, which shifts metabolism away from glycolytic
overflow toward efficient mitochondrial energy production. And that's the reason I said
it's pretty similar in terms of practice of how it feels to mod C because we're getting
this mitochondria oxidation increase and mitochondrial energy production increase all via a completely
different mechanism that mod C is doing. But in principle, it works very similar. Now let's
talk about mitochondrial energy efficiency and what data is doing. So like we said, it improves
glucose oxidation. It improves the efficiency of glucose conversion to usable energy, which
obviously as we age becomes impaired, we also see an increase in ATP output, which increases
mitochondrial ATP generation. Obviously ATP is energy. And so what that does is it increases
our energy. We have more energy. We feel better. We have more endurance when we're training.
It also helps with redox balance. If you're in the peptide world, you've probably heard the
phrase redox thrown around and data improves cellular redox state under metabolic stress. And so
for someone that may be overweight or struggles with their metabolism, data is going to help
improve that. And then we see a bottleneck relief. So it reduces the metabolic bottlenecks during
high demand conditions. And the mechanism is well established in DCA research and supported in
data animal models, to which we probably have more clinical research than we do human research,
although there is some human research. Now, when we look at exercise and performance physiology,
to me personally, this is where I notice more of a benefit, much more so to probably than like
a fat loss benefit, but it's still important nonetheless. So let's look at how it does that.
When we have reduced lactate accumulation, so pdk inhibition promotes oxidative over anaerobic
metabolism, theoretically reducing excessive lactate during high intensity exercise. Basically,
what that means is if you've ever felt the feeling of your muscles getting really tight while you're
exercising, I remember when I was in high school and my football coach made me run track in the
spring to work on my speed because I was not the fastest guy. I ended up being pretty quick. I was
not fast. I was saying, it's very quick, not fast. But he made me run track to improve my running
style and my speed. And he made me run the 400 meter dash, which was like for a football guy like
torture, because the 400 meter is basically like the longest form of a sprint in track and field.
Anything beyond 400, you're typically like pacing yourself a little bit, even the 800 meter,
you would pace yourself a little bit. The 400 is an all-out sprint. And it's basically kind of like
the human test of like how far and how fast can you sprint because most people just keel over
after they run the 400, at least if you weren't in track shape like I was in high school. But anyway,
when you build that build up to where you really feel a lactic muscle or lactic acid in the muscle,
that's because your body is exercising at capacity and basically like being overtaxed. And
something like data actually kind of pushes that threshold to where we experience that much later
in the workout. And so whether it's physical weightlifting training, whether it's running anything
like that, we're actually able to go further before we reach that threshold. So the one thing
to understand is the lactic is not purely harmful. It serves to both the signaling molecule and fuel
source. And aggressive bunting could actually alter training out of patients. And what I mean by
that is that we actually don't want that to completely go away because what that means is we're
actually signaling to the body to the body that hey, we need to put a break on this because if we
don't we're going to hurt ourselves. And what you have to be careful with with data on the
dosing is that if you take it too high, which would be like I would say over 200 milligrams,
if you take it too high, it could actually be counterproductive because you're going to push
yourself further than the body actually has the structural ability to support, which then could
result in injury. So whether that's sprint training, whether it's physical weight training,
if you push it too far with the dose, you're going to inhibit it so much that a lot of times you
won't feel the limits of where your body actually goes to which could be dangerous. And so we
reduce lactate buildup, it improves metabolic efficiency. And then we have delayed glycolytic fatigue,
which obviously helps us with exercise performance. But again, lactate is the signaling molecule
and a fuel source and blunting it could ultimately, especially for training hard,
be something that you wouldn't want to do at least too often because again, we could put ourselves
at risk for injuries so you do have to be careful with that. We also see improved mitochondrial
flux. And so what this means is by keeping pdh active, data could improve carbohydrate oxidation.
So it actually makes us use our carbohydrates better. It enhances aerobic ATP production, which
obviously for aerobic exercise, like running sprinting cardio, those things could be helpful.
It also supports recovery from repeated high intensity bouts. So if you are an athlete or someone
that has a lot of high intensity exercise in short windows of like 24 hours or less, which,
you know, formerly being a football player in another life, I experienced it could be definitely
beneficial. And then influence of mouse studies showed restoration of ATP levels across
a multiple organs under severe stress, suggesting that data improves energy production under compromised
conditions, which ultimately leads us to be healthier. We also see better metabolic flexibility.
This is one thing I talk about all the time as metabolic flexibility, how, you know, like diets are
great if you need to achieve a certain outcome. But ultimately, what we want is the ability to be
metabolically flexible. We want to be able to switch between fuel sources very efficiently and
actually handle the food that we're eating in a way that the body can respond, we can eat carbs,
we can eat fast, we can eat protein, and the body handles it relatively well, obviously within
reason why I don't want to trash ourselves. But we look at data specifically, PDK4 is highly
expressed during fasting, low carb states, and endurance adaptation, and inhibiting PDK4 in
Creeces, Carbohydrate.
oxidation and shifts substrate preference towards glucose, which ends up, meaning that for athletes
relying heavily on fat oxidation, this glucose favoring shift may not always be desirable. But what
that does is it actually allows the body to burn carbohydrates more efficiently and ultimately
helps with insulin sensitivity. And so when we see that burning fat sometimes is a good thing,
like during a fasting or low carb state, however, when we use data, we actually use the carbs much
more efficiently, much more efficiently, which ends up resulting in better exercise performance.
So I would say it's something that you probably want to use with carbs because you're going to do
really well with it. Ultra running shoes are all about space, the space to go further, to feel better,
to do something you never thought possible. And this space starts with ultra fit. Unlike traditional
running shoes, ultra fit gives toes more room to move naturally. So every step is strong, balanced,
and comfortable. Whatever you're leasing up for, stay out there with ultra. Shop now at ultra running
dot com. Prepell fitness water with Gatorade electrolytes,
zero sugar and vitamins. Prepell hydrates better than water to help you get the most out of your
workout and get back to your best self. What propels you? Prepell with Gatorade electrolytes.
When we look at liver support, this is where we see the strongest amount of human evidence. So in
Japan, with chronic liver disease, Japanese clinical documentation supports data for improving
liver function markers and chronic liver disease with placebo control data in chronic hepatitis
populations. And then this was actually an oral supplementation of data, which I would recommend
injectable for performance purposes, but 60 milligrams versus 120 milligrams daily for a week,
showed improvements in liver ins and levels and ultrasound findings. And again, they didn't have
a placebo in that case, but it did improve it. Also, when we look at infections, we see an
animal models that PDH was restored to reverse oppressed PDH activity and severe influence
of mouth models, what we talked about. We also see increased ATP production across multiple
organs under extreme stress. And then we also see improved survival rates and reduced inflammatory
cytokines. So it supports metabolic rescue under extreme stress. And again, we could translate
this into people with maybe slightly less than healthy immune systems tend to do well on it.
This was also pretty interesting. I thought, again, much less data around this,
around tumor metabolism. So there was preclinical findings that data reduces lactate production
in tumor cells. It also alters metabolic signaling pathways and may reduce tumor growth in
animal models. So again, if this was something that you were worried about and a lot of people in the
peptide world are worried about, like, oh my goodness, if I take a growth hormone peptide,
is that going to cause tumors or maybe exacerbate tumors that I don't know are there?
Something like data actually has preferential treatment towards those tumors to actually cut off
their fuel source, which is pretty cool. When we look at exercise and performance, obviously we
have improved glucose oxidation and the improved use of carbohydrates, but I think it's good for
everybody. Again, the reduced lactate accumulation during exercise and effort,
enhanced ATP production and metabolic resilience, so possible improvement under physiological stress.
And again, we don't have a ton of human data and we probably never will, specifically for that.
And the clinical outcomes in Japan, again, the 20 to 60 milligram a day,
oral dosing and divided doses. They saw improvements in liver and liver-related lab markers
documented. And then again, that one was a placebo-controlled data as well. In China, again,
there was that one study in China improvement in ALT levels and lipid markers. So again,
a lot of people ask me what are some good peptides for cholesterol. I think data works amazing,
well for cholesterol in addition to helping with the liver. Then we look at dosing so you could do
20 to 60 milligrams a day, oral or even 60 to 120 milligrams a day, oral for injection. And this
is the one that I personally prefer just for the performance benefits because I've used the oral.
I don't notice as much of the performance benefit on the oral, but for the injections, I like to start
to 50 milligrams and then go up to 100 milligrams a day. I have gone as high as 200 milligrams.
It definitely works. But I think I noticed the 200 milligrams. I found myself running up against
that where I felt like I could go forever when I was weight training. And that always isn't a good
thing because if I go forever while my joints are compromised and a certain thing, the lactate
signal to a point is actually going to help me from going past the point to which my joints can't
handle the weight, to which I could cause myself injury. So I've gone as high as 200 milligrams,
probably a little too strong. And so to me, 100 milligrams of sweet spot, if you've never used it
before, I would start with 50 milligrams. But it doesn't seem to at least in my case, like really
raise heart rate or anything like that, you just notice that when you're training, you can go forever.
And I really like it for that. When we look at oral versus injectable, obviously the injectable
is going to bypass first pass metabolism of liver. We're going to get higher peak plasma levels
faster. And then again, with injections, you just want to make sure that you are doing okay.
When we look at some of the regulatory warnings, and this came out of China,
where it's actually approved or I believe it's approved. I know it was approved in Japan.
Very similar to MOTC. So we can see people that have anaphylactic shock. The dose is too high,
blood pressure and stability. If the dose is too high, maybe some cardiovascular symptoms
and then neurological reaction. So I would say like the dose of data being too high is very similar
to how people feel when the dose of MOTC is too high. We look at oral side effects. Again, headache,
appetite changes, GI upset, dry mouth and skin dryness. I rarely see this, but you do see this
because this is one that has been studied clinically. And then with injections, again, very similar to
what I would see with MOTC from an injection standpoint. There is also something I wanted to bring
up is the DCA related neurotoxicity risk. So because data dissociates into DCA, chronic high
systemic DCA exposure is associated with peripheral neuropathy. So a mellus clinical trial using
high dose of DCA at 25 milligrams per kilogram per day, which would be at least 10 times the dose
that we are talking about here, maybe even more dependent weight, was terminated early due to
neuropathy. So again, data dissociates into DCA, high dose DCA linked to peripheral neuropathy.
And so lower dose data risk, the pathway exists, but it's not automatic. I've rarely seen this.
I actually have never seen it in practice when I'm using it myself and coaching people with it.
And so just to sum up, the strongest evidence around data is around liver health and some of
the lipid improvements, but I think this is going to be one that most people enjoy for the performance
enhancing benefits much more than those longevity benefits, although if you do have fatty liver
or something along those lines, it could be very helpful. And I love it for the performance
enhancement benefits. And again, for the ability to help with metabolic flexibility,
I think the one area data shines is that metabolic flexibility area. It helps so much with insulin
sensitivity, it helps so much with processing carbohydrates better. And then ultimately because we're
doing that, helping with actual exercise performance, being able to train to failure much better,
having better pumps in the gym, having more energy in the gym, being able to do cardio better,
having more endurance or cardio. And so I love it for that, especially for the people that are a
little bit more performance minded. They absolutely love data. And again, it's one that in light of
recent sporting events that I know probably is being used at the Olympics. And I'll leave it at that.
And that is it for the slides. And that is my conference of overview of data. So again,
don't have to be too complex. Again, if you're injecting it, start with 50 to 100 milligrams a day,
pre workout or pre cardio. And you're going to notice some really good benefits.
You don't have to be super careful with it unless you're scaling a dosing over like that 200
milligrams per day mark. And then I would just be cautious that you're going to feel like you're
taking the governor off your training, which can be a good thing. But then also can be a bad thing
because sometimes we push ourselves to be on the point where the body actually can support that
training load or the weight load. You know, for instance, like if you were maxing out on squat,
might be a good idea to take data. But then again, you might end up putting too much weight on the bar
and then end up hurting yourself. So again, just proceed with caution in that realm. But
I've really only seen benefit to using data and it just seems to work so well.
You know, it's not something that I really cycle. I use it always before my training. I'll mix it
with some alcarnitine and with some other injectable amino acids, potentially some coline here
and there. And you will have an amazing workout. So that's it for this one. Thank you guys so much.
I know it was a little bit more of a simple one. But again, in closing, thank you guys so much
for the support. I am always humbled and privileged with the feedback that I get from you guys.
So I really, really can't stress enough how much I appreciate you guys. And I know I probably
belabor that to a point at the end of the videos. But I'm beginning to want to do what I do as a dream come true.
And I just want to make sure you know that. So whatever shape, fashion or form you support me, whether
it's using my code, it places sharing this with friends, families, loved ones, liking, commenting, subscribing.
And then ultimately, you know, being on the email list and joining my private group. I can't thank
you guys enough and to each and every one of you out there. My gratitude goes out to you. And I will see you in the next one. Peace.
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Podcast Summary
Key Points:
Ultra Fit running shoes provide extra toe room for natural movement, enhancing comfort, balance, and endurance in long-distance running.
Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade Electrolites offers superior hydration with zero sugar and vitamins, supporting workout performance and recovery.
Data (die isopropylamine die chloroacetate) is a metabolic modulator that inhibits PDK, increasing mitochondrial energy production and ATP output.
Data improves metabolic flexibility, glucose oxidation, and redox balance, enhancing performance during high-intensity exercise and reducing lactate buildup.
Clinical studies in Japan and China show data improves liver function markers, lipid levels, and metabolic health, especially in fatty liver disease.
While effective for performance and metabolic support, high doses of data (above 200 mg) may pose risks of overtraining, injury, or peripheral neuropathy due to DCA byproducts.
Injectable data is preferred for performance due to faster absorption and stronger effects compared to oral forms.
Data is gaining attention in performance circles, including elite athletes, and shows potential for metabolic optimization and training resilience.
Summary:
This transcription covers several health and performance products, including Ultra Fit running shoes, which prioritize toe space for enhanced comfort and endurance, and Propel Fitness Water, which delivers targeted hydration with electrolytes and vitamins to support workouts. A major focus is on the compound "Data," a metabolic modulator that inhibits PDK to boost mitochondrial energy production, improve glucose oxidation, and reduce lactate accumulation during exercise. This leads to better endurance, metabolic flexibility, and performance, especially in high-intensity training.
Clinical evidence from Japan and China shows benefits for liver health, including reduced markers of fatty liver disease and improved lipid profiles. While effective, Data carries caution: high doses may lead to overtraining or injury, and chronic use could theoretically cause peripheral neuropathy due to its breakdown into DCA. The most effective use is in pre-workout injections, starting at 50–100 mg daily, with careful monitoring.
Data is particularly valued by athletes for its performance advantages, though its metabolic benefits also support long-term health. The content also references Apple Watch Series 12’s heart rate and readiness monitoring as tools for wellness, though noted as non-medical. Overall, the summary emphasizes Data’s role as a performance-enhancing and metabolic-supporting supplement, with strong scientific backing in liver health and growing interest in athletic applications.
FAQs
Ultra Fit running shoes provide extra space for the toes to move naturally, enhancing comfort, balance, and strong, stable steps. This design helps runners go further and feel better during long distances.
Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade Electrolites, zero sugar, and vitamins hydrates better than water by replenishing electrolytes and supporting recovery. It helps athletes perform better and return to their best self after exercise.
Dada (die isopropylamine die chloroacetate) is a metabolic modulator that inhibits PDK, activating PDH to improve mitochondrial energy production and glucose oxidation, leading to increased ATP and better metabolic efficiency.
Dada reduces lactate accumulation during high-intensity exercise, delays glycolytic fatigue, and enhances endurance by improving carbohydrate oxidation and mitochondrial energy production, allowing longer and more intense workouts.
The strongest clinical evidence supports Dada's benefits for liver health, particularly in chronic hepatitis and fatty liver disease, with studies in Japan and China showing improved liver function markers and lipid levels.
High doses of Dada can lead to cardiovascular or neurological side effects, and chronic high systemic DCA exposure (from Dada) is linked to peripheral neuropathy. Dosing should be cautious, especially above 100 mg daily.
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