Background

The ultrametabolism diet, based on the book Ultrametabolism written by Dr. Mark Hyman, is a diet plan that aims to help individuals reach health by consuming foods that purportedly improve wellness, prevent disease, and result in weight loss. The author claims that following the ultrametabolism diet will change the body's gene expression. This concept, coined by Hyman, is called nutrigenomics.

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Safety Safety definitions

Pregnancy And Lactation: There is insufficient reliable evidence about the safety of the ultrametabolism diet in pregnancy and lactation. However, there is no reason to expect safety issues.

Effectiveness Effectiveness definitions

There is insufficient reliable evidence about the effectiveness of the ultrametabolism diet.

Natural Medicines rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

Dosing & administration

Adverse effects

Interactions with pharmaceuticals

None known.

Interactions with herbs & supplements

None known.

Interactions with foods

None known.

Interactions with lab tests

Interactions with diseases

Mechanism of action

Dr. Hyman explicitly advocates the ultrametabolism diet as a means of primarily achieving weight loss and changing the body's gene expression.

The key concept of the Ultrametabolism diet is nutrigenomics, a concept created by Hyman. Though the specifics of his theory are vague, the author claims that certain foods will cause the genes present in better health to be expressed more often, while the genes predisposing an individual to health problems (such as obesity, which is in part a trait inherited from one's parents) will be expressed less often. Hyman bases his theory for weight loss on the theory that foods humans have eaten over the past 2,000 years, before the rise of fast food culture in industrialized nations, were healthier.

Another theory outlined by Dr. Hyman focuses on stress, which induces a "fight or flight" mode. To this end, the body stores more fats and taxes the endocrine system in order to prepare for survival. Hyman proposes that eating a lower-fat diet will help the endocrine system regulate itself more effectively.

Hyman also advises increased consumption of antioxidants as free radicals is theoretically linked to a variety of health concerns, including difficulty in losing weight. Additionally, Hyman claims that up to 20% of Americans have undiagnosed thyroid disorders. Because thyroid disorders affect metabolism and hormones in the body, theoretically, they interfere with weight loss.