The hidden variable behind productivity: Your genes

Not mindset. Not morning routines. Your encoded blueprint matters more than you think.

I never had energy

For most of my life, I’ve felt tired. Even as a teenager, I wasn’t the “lazy” type, I just had no fuel. My parents assumed it was attitude. It wasn’t.

I liked tennis. But I couldn’t play long. I’d dominate for half a set, then lose every match.

At 25, I had a six-month window where I felt alive. I went low carb, dropped weight, could run for kilometers. Then it all collapsed. The diet and stress burn me out and damaged my gut.

I got worse before I got better. But over the past few years, I’ve made progress. And every time I improved, I noticed one common factor.

What actually helped: Analyzing my DNA

In 2018, I did a 23andMe test and ran the data through a few analysis tools. They told me which nutrients I likely needed more of, which processes were inefficient, and where to compensate.

Note that people misunderstand genetics.

They think it means “you’ll go bald” or “you’ll get sick.”

But most gene variants don’t mean you’re doomed. They mean something in your system is inefficient. That inefficiency worked for survival in the past. Now, it just makes you tired unless you support it.

The further your lifestyle is from the conditions that shaped your biology, the more problems you get.

What my genes told me

Two issues stood out.

• I break down dopamine faster than average
  Dopamine regulates motivation. If your baseline level is high, you are motivated to do even boring tasks. If it’s low, you chase extreme stimulation.

• I don’t make enough acetylcholine
  This neurotransmitter helps with focus, speech, motivation, and dopamine synthesis. I need the equivalent of 9 egg yolks per day just to meet my choline needs. That’s not easily feasible without supplements.

You can see how one problem makes the other worse. If I didn’t address them, nothing else would matter.

What I took to function: Nootropics

I had another issue. Because of gut damage, I wasn’t absorbing the nutrients I needed, especially choline and its cofactors.

The only thing that kept me functional was nootropics. It’s compounds that improve cognitive functions. I keep things simple and stay far from more powerful stimulants like Adderall that are way more likely to mess you up.

Here’s what I take:

• Red bull for caffeine and taurine (you can also do coffee and a taurine supplement if you prefer)

• Sometimes another boost of caffeine and also theanine with matcha

• CDP-choline

• And more recently creatine

I’d take them early in the afternoon. That gave me 2 to 4 hours of deep work. That’s how I survived.

Now that I feel better overall, I use this stack in the morning and it lasts the whole day.

What about safety?

If you’re cautious, track blood markers regularly.

But most of the supplements I listed are low-risk, especially when used in normal doses. They support basic functions so are unlikely to create imbalances.

Where to start?

If you want to do like me, here’s what to do.

1. Get a DNA test

It’s a one-time thing. Use a tool to interpret health-related gene variants. You’ll get a list of systems that might need support.

I have used Genetic Lifehacks with the raw data from 23andme to help me. I understand if you don’t want 23andme. I think the best alternatives are probably AncestryDNA and MyHeritage.

2. Add nootropics slowly

Start with one. Track how you feel. Don’t stack too fast. The ones I listed above are safe and effective for most people. If caffeine makes you anxious, pair it with L-theanine.

3. Keep your nutrition simple

My staples:

• Beef

• Egg yolks (you can keep the whites too)

• Milk or yogurt (I use kefir currently)

• White rice or another starch you tolerate

Just that is enough to meet 99% of your macro & micronutrient needs. This way you don’t have to obsess over vegetables or anything else. Just sprinkle in what you like on top of these staples and you’re good.

4. Use supplements to cover gaps

No recommendation here because it depends. I take a B-complex with a few minerals on and off. Zinc too, when I’m not eating beef.

And a few other things trying to heal my gut completely.

Bottom line

I’m pretty sure everyone has some untapped potential waiting to be unlocked by understanding their genes.

So while I might have had bad karma with my health, it doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from doing what I’ve done.