Founder begins eating a stick of butter a day

This is simple, standard Paleo diet behavior.

Here it is in a nutshell: No grains nor legumes; minimize fructose; minimize PUFAs; emphasize MUFAs and saturated fats, especially short- and medium- chain triglycerides; aim for 20% carbs, 65% fats, 15% protein (by caloric value); fiber is good (because your gut bacteria convert a lot of it to SCTs and MCTs).

The 20/65/15 ratio may need to change depending on how active your are and how damaged your metabolism is.

Butter contains a fair amount of butyric acid (a short-chain triglycerides), so it would make sense to add it to your diet. I prefer coconut oil because it is about 50% MCTs and typically doesn't require refrigeration. I eat a lot of it, and it tends to fire me up like a rocket.

And, yes, I've lost approximately a shit-ton of weight on a Paleo diet.

The author's genes may not behave the same way as Asprey's. George Burns consistently smoked and lived to 100; not everyone's genetic makeup will allow this.

I remember hearing a story of a professor who would throw asbestos into the air during lecture saying they had no evidence it was a health hazard, which was true at the time.

Yes, the health/nutrition industry often has uncertainties and disinformation and it may well turn out harmless, but why gamble with your health?

Anyone else trying a paleo diet? I'm reminded that PG himself referenced the diet in an essay years ago though I can't remember which one. I wonder if he ever went on it.

I have a genetic disorder. Getting sufficient quantities of good quality (organic) butter has done wonders for me. But this was in conjunction with eliminating fats and oils that I determined from trial and error were a problem and also making lots of other dietary and lifestyle changes. The simplistic nature of this conclusion concerns me. And also the fanboy-ism: "I'll have what he's having" without trying to understand why he does that or what mechanism might make it helpful.