Genetic Variants: Matching Your Scorch Protocol to Your DNA

Dry fasting in the Scorch Protocol speeds up your metabolism. However, it can backfire if your genes make it hard for your body to use thyroid hormones (T3). Understanding your DNA helps you change the protocol so it is safe and works best for you.

Why Your Genes Matter for Fasting

The Main Problem Certain gene variants lower your ability to create active thyroid hormone by 20-40%. This can make the natural slowdown from fasting much worse. It can lead to feeling very tired, gaining weight back quickly, or causing health problems to flare up.

The Opportunity These genes explain 5-15% of how your thyroid works. Changing your fast based on your DNA can cut your risks by 50% while helping your body repair itself more deeply.

The Main Variant: DIO2 Thr92Ala (rs225014)

What it does: This gene variant lowers the amount of active thyroid hormone (T3) in your muscles, brain, and fat. People with this variant (about 12-50% of the population) often have a 10-20% slower resting metabolism. This can lead to a higher body weight and higher blood sugar.

Fasting Risks for DIO2 Carriers

The Danger Normally, dry fasting drops T3 levels by 20-50%. People with this gene can see their levels drop by 40% or more. This puts them at risk for losing muscle, having blood sugar spikes, and gaining weight back right after the fast.

The Reason It creates a hidden "slow thyroid" state. This mimics the stress your body feels during a sickness like COVID, leading to brain fog and a stalled metabolism.

Actionable Steps for DIO2 Carriers

Test Your DNA: Upload Ancestry.com raw data to Promethease; flag if Thr/Ala or Ala/Ala.
Modify Fasting: Start with wet fasts (12-16h); limit dry fasts to <24h initially.
Track Biomarkers: Monitor FT3/TSH pre/post-fast to catch crashes early.
Selenium Support: Add 200mcg/day to boost deiodinase activity by 20%.
Consider T3 Therapy: If carrier with stubborn hypothyroid symptoms, consult for LT3 (liothyronine).

The Keto-DIO2 Metabolic Trap

Research on keto diets shows that the body usually adapts well to burning fat. For most people, a drop in thyroid hormone on keto is just the body being efficient. However, this idea ignores a major problem for people with certain genes.

Why DIO2 Carriers Struggle on Keto

The DIO2 variant (rs225014) is very common, affecting 12-56% of people. It makes it hard for your body to create active thyroid hormone, and it makes the normal "keto slowdown" much worse.

What Happens to Carriers:

Low Energy in Cells: Low T3 levels inside your cells make it harder for your body to create energy (ATP).
Insulin Problems: Low T3 makes it harder for your body to use sugar, which can lead to storing more fat.
High Stress: A slow metabolism can keep your body in a "stress mode," raising your cortisol levels.
Slow Fat Burning: Even if you are in ketosis, your body may still be very slow at burning fat for fuel.
Lasting Symptoms: You might still feel tired, cold, or have brain fog even after you start eating carbs again.

The Low-Energy Trap: This slowdown traps your cells in a defensive state. What should be a healthy adaptation becomes a metabolic prison that is hard to escape.

The Solution: You must test your genes for the DIO2 variant. If you have it, you should prioritize diets that include healthy carbs and support your thyroid, rather than following a standard keto diet. This keeps your metabolism running instead of hitting a dead end.

Where You Come From: Who Is at Risk?

The DIO2 variant is found at different rates around the world. People with European ancestors are at the highest risk, and have some of the highest carrier rates in the world.

Ancestry	Frequency of Red Flag Gene	% Who Are Carriers	% With Double Red Flag
Finnish	37.4%	47.1%	13.9%
Northern European	34.2%	46.3%	10.4%
Ashkenazi Jewish	33.1%	45.6%	9.7%
European (non-Finnish)	31.9%	44.8%	8.8%
Latino / American	25.4%	38.5%	5.8%
African / African American	16.2%	26.8%	2.0%
East Asian	13.7%	22.2%	1.3%

Key Fact: If you are of European descent, there is a 45-60% chance you carry this variant. This makes testing your DNA very important before you try aggressive dry fasting.

Other Gene Variants: Making the Problem Worse

These variants can combine with the one above to make fasting 2-3 times harder for your body.

Gene	Red Flag Allele	Impact on your Fast
DIO1 (rs2235544)	A allele	Lowers the liver's ability to create thyroid hormone by 15-30%. This can cause an energy crash and a buildup of "inactive" hormone during a dry fast.
MCT10 (rs17606253)	G allele	Makes it 20% harder for thyroid hormone to get into your cells. Not drinking water during a fast can make this worse, leading to swelling or stomach problems.
TSHR (rs12050029)	T allele	Raises the baseline for your thyroid hormone signals. This makes it take longer for your body to bounce back after a fast.
FTO (rs9939609)	A allele	Increases hunger hormones by 20-30%. This makes you want to overeat after a fast and can lock your body into storing fat.

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Genetic Profile & Protocol Notes

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