252. This Breathalyzer Tells You When You're Burning Fat

What this episode covers

Researchers from ETH Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, along with their spinoff startup Olivion, have developed a handheld breathalyzer called Nutriion that measures acetone levels in breath to determine when the body is burning fat. The device uses a specialized filter to block other chemicals and a sensitive sensor to detect acetone at parts-per-billion concentrations, matching the accuracy of expensive laboratory mass spectrometers. The hosts discuss how this technology enables continuous metabolic monitoring for weight loss, ketogenic diets for epilepsy, and broader medical trials without the need for invasive blood tests.