The Longevity Fat You've Never Heard Of

For decades, we've been told that saturated fat is the enemy.

Avoid butter. Skip whole milk. Choose low-fat everything.

But what if that advice is accelerating your aging?

A fatty acid hidden in the foods we've been avoiding may be one of the most powerful longevity compounds ever discovered.

It's called C15:0—and you might be deficient.

The Dolphin Discovery

In 2020, Navy scientists studying aging dolphins made a surprising discovery.

One group of dolphins had significantly fewer age-related diseases than the others.

When researchers analyzed their blood, one molecule stood out: C15:0, an odd-chain saturated fatty acid found in their fish-heavy diet.

The healthier dolphins had higher levels. The sicker dolphins had lower levels.

So the researchers adjusted the diets of the lower-performing dolphins to include more C15:0-rich fish.

The result?

Insulin, glucose, and cholesterol levels improved. Signs of chronic inflammation dropped.

Then they studied humans—and saw the same patterns.

People with higher circulating C15:0 had lower rates of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease. They also lived longer.

This was the first essential fatty acid discovered in over 90 years.

A 2023 study published in Nutrients compared C15:0 head-to-head with rapamycin and metformin—two of the most studied longevity drugs on the planet.

C15:0 had 36 clinically relevant activities across human cell systems. Rapamycin had 32.

At optimal doses, C15:0 and rapamycin shared 24 longevity-enhancing activities, including lowering inflammatory markers like TNF-α and IL-17.

But here's the key difference: rapamycin is a prescription immunosuppressant with serious side effects.

C15:0 is a naturally occurring nutrient your body recognizes and needs.

So what does C15:0 actually do?

It strengthens your cells from the inside out.

As you age, your cell membranes weaken and become fragile.

This triggers a type of cell death called ferroptosis—where damaged fatty acids in your cell membranes combine with iron to create reactive oxygen species that disable your mitochondria.

Ferroptosis has been linked to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver, and neurodegeneration.

C15:0 stops this process at the source.

Studies show it strengthens cell membranes by 80%.

It repairs mitochondrial function by 45%. And in one peer-reviewed study, it increased cellular ATP (energy) by 350%.

C15:0 also activates AMPK and inhibits mTOR—two of the most important longevity pathways in the human body.

These are the same pathways targeted by metformin and rapamycin.

Where to get it?

You can get C15:0 from whole-fat dairy, grass-fed butter, and certain fish.

But levels vary significantly, and most people aren't eating enough of these foods consistently.

I recommend Fatty15. They’re on a mission to optimize your C15 levels to help support your long-term health and wellness - especially as you age.

You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/KASH and using code KASH at checkout.

Until next time,

Kashif Khan

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical advice from your physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease or prescribing any medication. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your regular healthcare provider.