Haplotype & The Modern World...

I’ve been getting a lot of great questions since my last email on why some people are not meant to stay tan year-round (click here to read if you missed it).

So today, I want to answer some of the questions I got under this post about mitochondrial haplotypes (the maternal DNA blueprints you inherit that shape how your metabolism handles light, food, and temperature).  ​​

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Most people have never heard of "Haplotype" (even some doctors that specialize in genetics that I have spoken with over the years), but the reality is that your mitochondrial haplotype is a blueprint for how your body handles energy, light, and environment.

While you can’t change your haplotype - as it’s fixed maternal mitochondrial DNA - you can adjust your environment (light, diet, temperature) to match - OR make adjustments if you are living out of your native environment.

Here are some of the top questions I received after my recent newsletter and Instagram post on this topic:

Q: How do I actually find out my haplotype?

• Haplotypes are determined by mitochondrial DNA sequencing.
• If you’ve done an ancestry test like 23andMe or AncestryDNA, check your “maternal line” or “mtDNA haplogroup” in the raw data.
• For more detail, labs like FamilyTreeDNA (full mtDNA test) give a complete haplotype breakdown.
• If you already have raw data, you can upload it to research tools like Mitomaster (UC Irvine) or HaploGrep2 to get exact haplogroup classification.
• Databases like MITOMAP catalog haplotypes and their distributions.

Important: There is not a public lookup table that says “H = efficient, J = uncoupled.” What we have comes from cybrid studies, climate adaptation papers, and disease association studies. Haplotypes give us a directional lens, not an exact prediction (I have many of these linked in the Leptin Master Plan)

I also recommend checking out the work of Dr. Doug Wallace if you want to learn more about this from the medical lens.

Q: Are tropical vacations safe for northern haplotypes? And can a northern haplotype relocate to the equator?

Yes! Vacations in tropical regions are not only safe, they can actually be helpful for northern haplotypes during long, dark winters. The key is always how you engage with the light:

• Prioritize early morning and late afternoon sunlight for circadian cues.
• Grounding, hydration, and mineral support help your body process the stronger UV.
• Avoid long stretches of midday overexposure if your skin isn't prepped.
• Practice safe sun exposure using the vitamin D timer inside MyCircadianApp (we now have a new feature that allows you to adjust the UV index based on reflections from water, sand & snow)

For relocation: It’s possible for a northern haplotype to live at the equator & thrive - but the body will be under different pressures than what it was originally adapted to.

• Risks: More potential oxidative stress from year-round high UV.
• Solutions: Cold immersion, strict circadian alignment, seasonal food cycling, and using shade strategically can all help mitigate those risks.
• Important distinction: It’s generally easier for a northern haplotype to adapt to an equatorial environment than it is for an equatorial haplotype to adapt to the far north.
• That’s because cold-adapted lineages already have built-in metabolic flexibility, while equatorial haplotypes can struggle with low UV, long winters, and the need for heat generation.

Bigger Picture: Your haplotype provides a baseline script, but it isn’t a "prison sentence". With awareness and the right strategies, you can absolutely adapt to a new environment and thrive.

Q: Can equatorial haplotypes thrive in Canada?

Yes, but they’re at more risk in low-light environments.

• These haplotypes rely on stable UV input. Without it → more vitamin D deficiency, thyroid slowdown, and circadian stress.
• Support with: morning light exposure, gentle cold therapy, sauna/red & infrared light therapy in winter.
• These haplotypes really need to be more cognizant of circadian health, nutrient dense food, hydration & sleep.
• More on this topic in future newsletters on adapting to fall & winter

Q: Can your haplotype change?

No, your mtDNA haplotype is fixed, but to some extent mitochondria are phenotypically plastic.

• Cold exposure → increases uncoupling (UCP1, thermogenesis).
• Heat + abundant food → tighter coupling (ATP efficiency).
• Light cycles, diet shifts, and exercise → all change mitochondrial function daily.

So while the blueprint doesn’t change, the expression can.

Q: What about people of mixed ethnicities? Ex: Light skin - but equatorial haplotype - or vice versa:

• Your haplotype always comes from your mother’s line. That sets your baseline metabolic “bias.”
• Nuclear DNA comes from both parents. That means mito-nuclear crosstalk can create extra stress if the two don’t align well.
• Mixed ancestry often = more adaptability, but also more mismatch if the current environment doesn’t fit either background.

Q: What about the Inuit people - weren’t they tanned year-round?

Not exactly. The Inuit weren’t “tanned” from constant sunbathing - they evolved darker, melanin-rich skin as a direct adaptation to their extreme environment. Snow reflection can boost UVA by up to 60%. (This is why the new version of MyCircadianApp now includes a UV tracker that accounts for reflected light from snow, sand, and water.)

.Their mitochondrial haplotypes were selected for survival in this setting - cold, low-angle light cycles, and bursts of UV. Paired with a diet rich in marine fats and vitamin D, their skin tone was an evolutionary blueprint written by thousands of years of selective pressure, not a modern lifestyle choice.

Q: What about countries with both hot summers and snowy winters, like Northern Pakistan?

Regions like this produced mixed haplotypes - mitochondrial lineages that had to balance both heat + high UV summers and cold, reflective winters. Darker skin tones here often persist year-round because the haplotypes carry traits for handling extreme seasonal swings:

• Efficient uncoupling in winter → to generate heat in the cold.
• Melanin-driven photoprotection in summer → to handle intense UV.
• Ability to tolerate reflected UV from snow, sand, or water in winter.

At the end of the day - your haplotype is your baseline operating system. It encodes how your ancestors survived their light/food/temperature environment, but your current environment is the daily input.

When the two don’t match - say - an equatorial haplotype living in a cold/dark latitude - stress can show up quicker as leptin resistance, hormone imbalance, or metabolic dysfunction.

However - this is not inevitable if you mind your light environment, hydration, maximize infrared exposure, diet, sleep & stress, AND a good practitioner who is trained in Circadian Biology & Quantum Biology can often help you build a personalized protocol to help you thrive!

If you enjoyed today's newsletter: This is exactly the framework I’ll be diving deeper into with solutions and protocols inside my Leptin Master Plan Course (we actually have a full in depth lesson on haplotype with tons of scientific citations).

​NEW PODCAST: Why Vitamin D Supplements Can't replace the sun: Infrared explained!​

​New Article: Office Job? Your guide to Circadian and Mitochondrial Health ​

Last week's podcast - Cold + Flu Season Is Coming… This Surprising Molecule Can Help Protect You​

I hope you enjoyed today's newsletter & have a fantastic day!

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