(Or, How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Python)
THE MID-LIFE CODE CRISIS
THE MIDLIFE CODE CRISIS:
(Or, How I Stopped Worrying and
Learned To Love Python)
Fueled by sheer determination, strategic nootropics, and just a hint of existential dread, one man embarks on a journey to rewrite his future—one line of Python at a time.
Chapter 3: The Great Supplement Odyssey (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Trust a Mycologist)
Struggling with energy, focus, and memory? Chapter 3 of The Midlife Code Crisis explores the nootropic rabbit hole—testing supplements like AG1, Cordyceps, and Lion’s Mane—to see if they truly boost stamina, brainpower, and longevity. Can science-backed biohacking make time an ally? Let’s find out.
The Quest Begins
You’d think finding the perfect, no-nonsense electrolyte supplement for a physically demanding job and a midlife body that refuses to quit would be simple.
Step 1: Identify the need—check.
Step 2: Seek out recommendations from people in my peer group—done.
Step 3: Feed the search engine a few carefully chosen keystrokes and claim my prize—ha. Hahahaha.
Naïveté, thy name is Keith.
What followed was a descent into the algorithmic abyss, where paid ads masquerade as “best reviews” and the most visible results belong to those who bought their way to the top. YouTube wasn’t much better—clickbait thumbnails of shredded fitness influencers holding up neon-colored drinks while promising “INSANE GAINS” and “LIFE-CHANGING BENEFITS” at the low, low price of my remaining dignity.
I went to bed defeated, dreaming of a world where useful information wasn’t buried beneath SEO-optimized nonsense.
And then, in the misty realm between sleep and wakefulness, I received a divine message:
“You must go forth and seek the wisdom of the bald man who once made people eat bugs for cash.”
Ah, of course. Joe Rogan.
Enter: The Mycelium Messiah
This is where things get weird.
Paul goes exploring(concept)
During my research binge, I stumbled upon Paul Stamets—a real-life, world-renowned mycologist and the guy that Star Trek: Discovery named a character after (yes, seriously). Unlike the usual charlatans selling magic powders on Instagram, Stamets is the real deal—a scientist obsessed with mushrooms, immune-boosting compounds, and generally hacking the human body with natural compounds.
His credentials:
✅ Grew up exploring the forests of Northern California.
✅ Fell in love with fungi and turned a hobby into a lifetime obsession.
✅ His wife was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, and in an act of desperate brilliance, he combined seven different mushroom species in an attempt to help her body fight back.
✅ It worked. (Yes, really.)
✅ He launched Host Defense, a line of mushroom-based supplements designed to enhance memory, stamina, immunity, and overall longevity.
Paul’s cancer-free wife (concept)
Was this the moment I became a mycology believer? Maybe.
Was it also the moment I pulled out my credit card and ordered a few bottles? Absolutely.
But first, let’s talk about the other thing I ordered.
I actually don’t mind the taste. Just sweet enough to clear that grassy taste.
AG1: The Green Powder That Stuck
Before I went full “mushroom wizard”, I started with something more mainstream: AG1 (Athletic Greens).
AG1 (Athletic Greens)
🟢 Use Case: Every morning before work, sometimes in the afternoon.
🟢 Duration: 4 years (and counting).
🟢 Primary Benefit: No more muscle cramps. Ever.
🟢 Bonus: Works as a quick meal replacement when I’m on the go.
🟢 Anecdotal Verdict: Legit. It does what it says, and my legs no longer betray me like a bad subplot in a soap opera.
With my hydration sorted, I turned my attention to Stamets’ mushroom arsenal.
The Mushroom Experiment
Host Defense: Cordyceps (The Stamina Booster)
🍄 Use Case: Taken when I know I have a long day on set.
🍄 Duration: 4 years (on and off).
🍄 Claimed Benefit: Strength, endurance, and energy.
🍄 Tested Benefit: Confirmed. Kicks in around 20 minutes post-ingestion, and I can feel the difference for at least 4 hours.
🍄 Anecdotal Verdict: If I had this in my 20s, I’d have been unstoppable.
Host Defense: Lion’s Mane (The Brain Booster)
🧠 Use Case: Taken sporadically—until I started noticing something.
🧠 Duration: 4 years (off and on).
🧠 Claimed Benefit: Memory, cognitive clarity, overall well-being.
🧠 Tested Benefit: This is where things get interesting.
At first, I didn’t notice much—until I stopped taking it for a while.
Then:
🔹 Didn’t need to check my grocery list—I just remembered.
🔹 Started recalling names and details from the past with bizarre clarity.
🔹 On set, a light needed a replacement bulb. Without thinking, I blurted out “DPY”—the code for a tungsten 5K bulb—something I hadn’t consciously memorized, but there it was, surfacing like I was a protagonist in a budget-friendly version of Limitless.
Could this mean that Lion’s Mane was actually working?
Was I about to bio-hack my way into next-level learning?
There was only one way to find out.
Next Mission: Learning to Code with a Mycelium-Enhanced Brain
Your digitized office of the future.
If Cordyceps could keep me on my feet for a 14-hour shoot, and Lion’s Mane could make light bulb codes magically resurface from the depths of my memory, then I had to ask myself:
What else could I learn?
More specifically…
Could nootropics help me tackle something as complex as programming?
Because if video gamers could translate their hand-eye coordination into real-life racing skills, then maybe—just maybe—I could translate this new mental clarity into something meaningful.
I’d already been toying with Python. Now, it was time to test it under enhanced conditions.
The Next Experiment:
🧪 Test: Python learning, with and without nootropics.
🧪 Goal: See if Lion’s Mane improves my ability to retain coding knowledge.
🧪 Methodology:
• Baseline: Track how much I can remember from coding exercises naturally.
• Supplement: Take Lion’s Mane consistently for a month.
• Retest: Compare results and see if the “Limitless” effect is real.
Was I about to find out if my brain had an extra gear?
Time to f_ck around and find out.
To be continued…
Final Thoughts
What started as a simple search for electrolytes spiraled into a full-blown deep dive into biohacking, cognitive enhancement, and fungi-based performance boosters.
Did I expect to end up here? Absolutely not.
Am I complaining? Also no.
Because if this works, I’ll have proof that nootropics can help people tackle daunting new skills—like coding, problem-solving, or learning something totally outside their comfort zone.
And if it doesn’t?
Well, at least I’ll have incredibly strong stamina, no muscle cramps, and a photographic memory for light bulb codes.
Stay tuned.
IF YOU’RE CURIOUS:
Disclaimer: This is not a paid endorsement. The products mentioned are ones I personally use and find valuable. No sponsorships, no affiliate links—just honest recommendations. Some images are mockups, or digital interpretations of the actual product.
For me, this green stuff eliminated my work related muscle cramps. Try AG1
The road to performance memory is paved with mycelium. Check out https://hostdefense.com/
Concept & AI-Rendered Art by Athena (In collaboration with Keith DeCristo)