Dave Asprey. Twitter/bulletproofexec and Melia Robinson/Business Insider
Dave Asprey, a cloud computing executive turned biohacking guru, has built a multimillion-dollar empire around his DIY approach to enhancing human performance. And it all started with a cup of buttered coffee.
Asprey is the founder and CEO of Bulletproof, a wellness company that sells books, cognitive enhancement supplements (or "smart drugs"), and Bulletproof Coffee — a proprietary blend of specialty coffee, unsalted butter, and oil made from coconut extract. Last year, the company sold 48 million cups of coffee.
When it comes to his morning routine, the 43-year-old entrepreneur practices what he preaches.
Each day, Asprey wakes up on an organic farm in Vancouver and swallows a fistful of pills designed to boost his energy, focus, and brain function. They include Coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that occurs naturally in the body and helps cells produce energy more efficiently, and activated charcoal, a form of carbon that's been shown to ease gas and bloating. (The photo below shows an extra-large load of vitamins that Asprey took after New Year's Eve.)
Had an awesome New Year's eve party last night with way more wine and FATWater vodka cocktails than I normally drink…so this morning I upped my recovery supplements. This might be the most I've ever taken at one time, probably around 75. I already feel like myself after just bulletproof coffee ☕️, but I'm a little stiff and I grew an overnight cute little muffin top ???? so there is definitely inflammation. Expecting that I'll be back to normal by tonight! Alcohol simply isn't good for you but you can hack most of the bad effects. I spiked the food with Brain Octane and took a lot of Bulletproof Charcoal and Bulletproof Glutathione Force last night too. ???? hoping you had an awesome evening last night and you are feeling amazing this morning! #muffintop #bulletproofcoffee #bulletproofdiet #fatwater #charcoal #alcohol #wine #vodka #inflammation #brainoctane
For breakfast, he blends the ingredients for Bulletproof Coffee and makes enough for the whole family. Asprey says the morning brew gives him a lasting feeling of fullness.
His kids, ages 7 and 9, each get two ounces of coffee as well, in addition to a full breakfast.
Alan weighed the beans, ground them, dosed them into the espresso basket, tamped it, and pulled a perfect shot of espresso. Then he drank half of it! Coffee is full of polyphenols, and children metabolize caffeine twice as fast as adults. Espresso has less caffeine than drip, so this is a small dose for him, but he got some powerful antioxidants and enjoyed it at the same time. Every morning before school, my kids get to ounces of Bulletproof Coffee made with lab tested Bulletproof beans and Brain Octane (not MCT because it doesn't work well for ketosis and makes you poop on yourself). The extra stable energy they get from the Brain Octane ketones makes it easier for them to focus. It does the same thing for me! Do you give your kids Bulletproof Coffee? #bulletproofdiet #bulletproofcoffee #kids #espresso
"They've been drinking [Bulletproof] since they were one," Asprey says. "They metabolize caffeine twice as fast as adults, like all kids do, so it has zero effect on their behavior."
Asprey believes the drink's "Brain Octane" oil — a proprietary formula that includes coconut extract — keeps his children full longer.
"The Brain Octane turns off their hunger so they can focus and read and play. Most kids, because they're growing, spend half their energy asking if they can have candy. My son complains, 'As soon as we get to school, they start having snacks, but I don't want snacks.' My kids go four hours without eating," he says.
People often ask what my kids have for breakfast. . We are at my fathers house today, so he made pastured bacon and eggs using a culinary torch to get the whites cooked but leave the yolk undamaged (he learned how to do that from my YouTube video!) . I took care of the Bulletproof Coffee! The kids get about 2 ounces every morning, made with Brain Octane oil, lab tested beans, and grass fed butter. . Brain Octane oil is shown in studies to raise ketones. Ketones are a type of brain fuel that does not rely on sugar. My kids are calmer, nicer, and more focused when they have a ketogenic breakfast with Bulletproof Coffee. (So am I!) . We pour a little Brain Octane on the other meals we have throughout the day to keep our brains fully fueled and avoid sugar cravings. . Now it's time for a Saturday bike ride... . I'm curious… Do you give your kids a little Bulletproof in the morning? Can you tell a difference when they have it? ????????☕️ #keto #lchf #headstrongbook #bulletproofdiet #bulletproofcoffee #bulletproof #butter #fat #brainoctane #brain #breakfast #coffee #kids #kidsbreakfast #eggs #bacon
Asprey also leaves his phone in airplane mode during the morning until he drops his kids off at school. That way, he doesn't get notifications — a strategy that keeps him focused on what matters, he says.
"Your nervous system is watching out for alerts," he told Business Insider last fall. When your phone is on, "you're getting electromagnetic frequencies that you don't need."
Asprey estimates he's spent $1 million over the last two decades on supplements, devices, testing, and medical therapy technologies for his home, where he conducts wellness experiments on himself. He told Business Insider he plans to live to be 180.
"There's no better investment than yourself, period. Because every time you invest in yourself ... the returns affect you and everyone around you, forever," Asprey says.
