5-Bullet Thursday: 23/10/25

A Note from Abel

gm 👋 

I’m a fan of Tim Ferriss’ 5-Bullet Friday and thought it’d be a great format to share my thoughts so here’s the first edition! I’m writing this on a Thursday hence the change in name lol!

🗓️ Upcoming Events I’m going to

🧠 Things top of mind

Longevity

Health is my #1 priority above all else, everything is downstream of this! I’m deeply interested in extending and improving health & lifespan!

• The research that made me immediately change my behavior: Vitamin D supplementation slowed telomere shortening in a new study. Telomeres are the protective caps on our chromosomes that shorten as we age, and their length directly correlates with cellular aging and disease risk. The mechanism? Vitamin D's anti-inflammatory effects appear to protect DNA. I immediately doubled my vitamin D intake and scheduled bloodwork. While the ideal dose remains unclear, the signal is strong enough to act on now, not later.​ Article here.

• The longevity gene discovery that changes everything: Scientists discovered that the LAV-BPIFB4 "longevity gene" from centenarians can reverse age-related heart dysfunction in mice with progeria (rapid aging disease). A single injection improved heart function, reduced tissue damage, and decreased senescent cells. When tested in human cells from progeria patients, the gene reduced aging signs without directly affecting progerin (the toxic protein causing the disease). The mechanism: it helps cells cope with aging's toxic effects rather than eliminating them. This suggests our bodies already have the machinery to resist aging, we just need to activate it. Article here.

• My current longevity stack (what I'm actually taking): Following the latest research, I'm focused on:

  • (1) Daily exercise before cognitively demanding work, BDNF production from exercise creates same-day cognitive benefits

  • (2) Social engagement, older adults who stay socially active have 42% lower death risk over four years

  • (3) Resistance training twice weekly, shows greatest improvement in global cognitive function (SMD = 0.55); (4) GLP-1 pathway optimisation through diet, these drugs show clear effects on molecular aging processes and are emerging as first-wave geroprotectors.

  • The throughline? Lifestyle interventions backed by mechanism-based evidence, not hopium. 😂

Product Growth

• You need to change how you do onboarding: AI isn't just enhancing onboarding anymore, it's becoming the onboarding. The new AI copilots provide personalised flows that adapt in real-time to user behaviour, dramatically improving activation rates. One Stanford study showed personalised AI-driven approaches led to 24% improvement in performance compared to conventional methods. The implication? Static product tours are dead. Dynamic, AI-powered experiences that learn from each user interaction are the new table stakes. This means product teams need to stop thinking like designers and start thinking like data scientists. Article here.

• What I'm experimenting with personally atm: Frictionless onboarding through growth loops embedded directly in the product. Instead of overwhelming users with features, I'm testing "quick win" moments within the first 60 seconds. Tools like Calendly have mastered this—every meeting link shared becomes a viral growth mechanism. I'm applying this to my own projects: every output becomes an input for acquisition. The question I ask daily: "Does this feature make users want to invite others?". Useful resource.

Cognitive performance

• What I'm tracking obsessively:Working memory improvements from precision-targeted transcranial electrical stimulation combined with real-time fMRI feedback led to 24% better performance versus conventional methods—and the effects lasted two weeks. This Stanford study personalised stimulation to each person's neural networks. The days of one-size-fits-all brain training are over. The future is biomarker-driven, person-specific interventions. I'm now using HRV and sleep data to time my cognitively demanding work to my personal peak performance windows. Article here.

• My new morning protocol: Resistance training before cognitively demanding work. Research shows it produces the greatest improvements in global cognitive function (SMD = 0.55) and inhibitory control (SMD = 0.31). The mechanism: BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) spikes post-exercise, supporting neuronal health and synapse formation. The effect is same-day, not long-term. I've shifted my workout to 8 AM, then tackle deep work by 9 AM when BDNF, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin are all elevated. Result: 2-3 hours of peak cognitive performance versus fighting afternoon fog. Study here.

• The insight I can't unsee: Mind-body exercise (tai chi, yoga) showed the strongest effect for task-switching ability (SMD = -0.58) and working memory (SMD = 2.45). Physical exercise alone isn't optimal for executive function, the integration of movement with mindful awareness creates synergistic cognitive benefits. This explains why pure cardio doesn't produce the same cognitive gains as practices that require attention, balance, and coordination simultaneously. I've added 20 minutes of Qigong three times per week, and my context-switching during deep work sessions has noticeably improved. Study here (same study as above).

Fun Fact: Did You Know? The first computer bug was literally a bug—in 1947, Grace Hopper found a moth trapped in a Harvard Mark II computer, coining the term "debugging" in the process.

Till next time,

Abel :)