The Science of Human Nutrition
Move beyond fad diets and generic rules to understand how nutrients actually interact with human physiology. Learn the real mechanisms of energy balance, macronutrient partitioning, and micronutrient absorption to evaluate nutritional claims with scientific rigor.
Like Duolingo, but for The Science of Human Nutrition. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
24 levels across 3 sections, about 48 minutes end to end, roughly 10 days at five minutes a day. It moves through Energy Dynamics and Fuel Partitioning; Lipids, Micronutrients, and Gut Ecology; and Applied Physiology and Evaluating Evidence. It assumes you already know the basics.
Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in The Science of Human Nutrition
- Total daily energy expenditure dynamically shifts across four distinct components rather than staying static.
- Basal metabolism covers baseline cellular survival, while digestive processing forms the thermic effect of food.
- Non-exercise movement spans unconscious physical tasks, separate from intentional structured exercise workouts.
- The brain involuntarily reduces subconscious movement like fidgeting and pacing when calories drop.
- A decline in non-exercise thermogenesis can erase a planned caloric deficit even if workout volume stays high.
- Tracking spontaneous daily movement helps detect subconscious energy conservation during weight loss phases.
- Metabolizing dietary protein consumes roughly 20 to 30 percent of its usable energy during digestion.
- Carbohydrates demand about 5 to 10 percent of their energy to process, while fats require only 0 to 3 percent.
- Trading refined carbohydrate or fat calories for protein increases net daily thermic cost without adding calories.
- Adaptive thermogenesis depresses resting metabolic rate below what is predicted by lost fat and lean tissue.
- Neuroendocrine signaling downregulates mitochondrial efficiency and thyroid output during sustained deficits.
- This metabolic suppression explains why weight loss plateaus occur earlier than standard formulas predict.
- High energy flux couples higher caloric throughput with elevated physical activity to maintain energy balance.
- Elevated flux sharpens physiological appetite regulation, improving sensitivity to satiety signals.
- Active high-flux states enhance metabolic flexibility, allowing cells to switch easily between carbs and fats.
- The body lacks a dedicated biochemical storage reservoir for excess dietary amino acids.
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives The Science of Human Nutrition the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
What metabolic component covers keeping your cells alive while resting, separate from digesting food?
Get it right to open this lesson and 23 more in the app.
Where The Science of Human Nutrition takes you
- 1
Energy Dynamics and Fuel Partitioning
- Caloric Balance and Metabolic Adaptation
- Protein Utilization and Muscle Turnover
- Carbohydrate Metabolism and Glycemic Dynamics
- 2
Lipids, Micronutrients, and Gut Ecology
- Lipid Transport and Cardiovascular Markers
- Micronutrient Synergies and Bioavailability
- The Gut Microbiome and Metabolic Cross-Talk
- 3
Applied Physiology and Evaluating Evidence
- Chrononutrition and Feeding Patterns
- Evaluating Nutritional Science and Headlines
3 sections · 8 units · 24 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
Tomo is in ChatGPT
Tomo is also a ChatGPT plugin: the same playable courses, built and played inside your chat.
Add Tomo to ChatGPT- What to ask
- “Make me a Tomo course on black holes.” “Turn this chat into a Tomo course.”
- What you get
- Quick questions with instant feedback, hearts and stars, ready to play in about a minute.
- Where it goes
- No sign-up to start. Connect your Tomo account and your streak carries on in the app.
You pick the voice
The Science of Human Nutrition is taught in the Bestie style: your friend who just gets it. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
More Health on Tomo
Everyday Nutrition Science
Move past simple calorie counting to understand how real food interacts with your biology. Learn to stabilize daily energy, evaluate food quality beyond marketing claims, and optimize nutrient absorption.
Clean Eating for Muscle Growth
Cut through marketing gimmicks and orthorexic traps to build lean muscle with whole foods. Learn how to optimize digestion, dial in macronutrients, and fuel high-performance training without unwanted fat gain.
Intermittent Fasting Mastery
Master the art of metabolic flexibility and cellular rejuvenation. Learn to manipulate feeding windows and hormonal responses to optimize your body's performance and longevity.
Human Movement and Vitality
Explore the intricate machinery of the human body, from the physics of a perfect squat to the cellular chemistry of the food you eat.
Effective Strength and Conditioning
Move past the beginner plateau by mastering the principles of progressive overload, movement mechanics, and physiological adaptation. Learn how to structure your own training and recovery for long-term physical progress.
Mastering Your Monthly Rhythm
Move beyond basic tracking to align your lifestyle with your biology. Learn to optimize your workouts, nutrition, and productivity by working with your body's natural hormonal shifts.
Start The Science of Human Nutrition today.
Download Tomo, search The Science of Human Nutrition, and play your first lesson in under a minute.