 Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot Learn how to choose the right omega-3 supplement in my free 13-page guide Exercise, meal timing, and sleep are three powerful tools for optimizing metabolic health, a key factor in healthy aging. Even slightly elevated blood glucose levels, but within the "normal" range, can contribute to brain atrophy in areas linked to aging and neurodegeneration. Long-term glucose elevations (high HbA1c) also promote harmful compounds that stiffen blood vessels, reduce heart flexibility, and raise cardiovascular risk. In this episode, recorded at the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine conference in Palm Beach, Florida, I provide practical, science-backed protocols on how to implement HIIT, circadian-timed eating, and optimized sleep strategies to dramatically improve metabolic health and protect against these harmful effects.  Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (04:25) Why HIIT outshines zone 2 for improving metabolic health (06:46) The signaling role of lactate production by muscle (09:33) Optimal HIIT conditions for improving body composition (10:36) How vigorous exercise repairs dysfunctional mitochondria (14:27) HIIT vs. zone 2 for mitochondrial biogenesis (16:09) Evidence-based HIIT protocols (17:46) Why "exercise snacks" are a crucial pre- and post-mealtime activity (19:50) The mortality benefits of short exercise bursts (23:08) Why late-night eating is detrimental (27:37) Can high glucose levels accelerate brain atrophy? (28:30) How circadian misalignment affects postprandial glucose (29:46) Metabolic health benefits of time-restricted eating (32:24) Why early eating is better for metabolic health (34:48) Why losing sleep for 3 nights mimics type 2 diabetes (36:58) Why less than 7 hours of sleep increases type 2 diabetes risk (37:44) Why chronically high blood glucose damages cardiovascular health (39:39) What 4 hours of sleep for 4 nights does to insulin signaling (40:44) Why short sleep facilitates obesity (42:03) The checklist for good sleep hygiene (45:37) Can 1 hour of extra sleep help you lose weight? (46:47) Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) (48:22) How HIIT improves metabolic health when sleep-restricted (50:55) Can HIIT ameliorate the mortality risk from poor sleep? Show notes are available by clicking here Watch this episode on YouTube

FoundMyFitness

#096 How to Improve Metabolic Health with HIIT, Circadian-Timed Eating, & Sleep

 Sweating helps enhance microplastic-associated chemical excretion. Get my free sauna report when you sign up here for my newsletter. Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot Every week, the average person ingests the equivalent weight of a credit card in plastic.* While certain preventive measures can significantly reduce your intake of these harmful substances, it’s crucial to acknowledge a more daunting concern: the bioaccumulation of microplastics in the brain, potentially at ten times the rate of other organs. Microplastics and their associated chemicals are alarmingly ubiquitous — they permeate breast milk, sperm, the hippocampus, the prefrontal cortex, the air we breathe, medications, the water supply, and our bloodstream, accumulating in most major organ systems. During this episode, we’ll explore the unsettling realities of microplastics and their associated chemicals, diving into how they infiltrate nearly every facet of our environment and body, and discuss actionable strategies to reduce exposure. Timestamps: (00:00) The extent of the problem (02:12) Top sources of exposure (04:00) Contamination of our water (05:04) BPA, phthalates, & PFAS (forever chemicals) (07:06) How heating plastic affects BPA exposure (09:21) Our unfortunate habit of eating credit cards (11:33) Microplastics in major organs (14:05) Crossing the blood-brain barrier (15:01) How microplastics affect a developing fetus (15:55) The bloodstream is a highway for microplastics (18:12) Endocrine and hormonal effects (23:09) Consequences in pregnant women (25:35) How phthalates affect reproductive health (26:36) BPA's involvement in autism spectrum disorder (29:58) Side effects of prenatal BPA exposure (32:18) The brain may be a super-accumulator of plastic (34:50) Human brain microplastic levels are rising (36:06) Lost fertility in women (38:07) Changes in sperm quality (39:23) Microplastics in sperm (40:59) Why the heart suffers (42:51) Microplastics in arterial plaque (43:56) How BPA affects blood pressure (45:58) Risk of cancer (50:31) Topo Chico sparkling water (53:02) Reverse osmosis filtration (54:56) Food-based strategies for limiting microplastics (56:32) The "myth" of BPA-free plastics (58:14) Is salt a source of microplastics? (59:18) HEPA filters (1:00:52) Choose your clothing wisely (1:01:47) How to prevent release of microplastics (from laundry) (1:02:32) Receipts and thermal paper (1:04:17) Microplastic excretion and breakdown (1:06:28) Sulforaphane for detoxifying (1:08:38) Can dietary fiber increase microplastic excretion? (1:10:15) Are plastic chemicals excreted through sweat? (1:11:21) Do excretion strategies work for "forever chemicals"? Show notes are available by clicking here Watch this episode on YouTube * Some sources suggesting this figure may need to be revised downward as a result of some disagreement on the math used. However, in spite of this lack of consensus, the human and animal intake of microplastics is substantial and pervasive.

#095 What Microplastics Are Doing to Your Brain, Body, and Reproductive Systems

Get my exact protocols for boosting levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and enhancing cognition Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot Dr. Layne Norton is a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences, a professional bodybuilder, and a champion powerlifter. We discuss why most people aren’t training too hard, when to go to failure, whether seed oils are “the” central cause of chronic disease, why having a slow metabolism isn’t a credible reason for being overweight (for most), and the sustaining power of good habits. We also get into controversies around the carnivore diet, diet sodas, artificial sweeteners, intermittent fasting, and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (04:48) Layne's coaching philosophy (14:39) Why to start tracking calories (for at least 3 days) (17:41) Why people lie to themselves about food intake (23:06) The profound benefits of small exercise doses (26:53) Why you should treat exercise like brushing your teeth (30:11) Benefits of resistance training for older individuals (33:51) Should you train to failure? (47:07) Why hard training & consistency trump exercise selection (56:46) Is lifting heavy necessary for building muscle? (57:54) Barbell vs. hack squats for preventing falls (1:00:10) Can lifting weights decrease low-back pain? (1:01:43) Injury prevention when resistance training (1:11:16) How exposure therapy can help you with injuries (1:15:04) Why pain doesn't always indicate tissue injury (1:18:17) Should you resistance train after a poor night of sleep? (1:21:57) Why menopause can cause weight gain (1:29:36) Why it's never too late to start lifting weights (1:32:05) Resistance training tips for older individuals with joint pain (1:36:18) Why total protein intake matters more than distribution (1:44:19) Layne's daily protein distribution (1:46:44) The shortcomings of nutrition studies (1:54:06) Is consuming more than 1.6 g/kg of protein beneficial? (1:55:33) Should you eat more protein in a calorie deficit? (1:56:43) Protein intake for endurance athletes (1:58:07) How much protein does Layne eat? (1:59:11) Are seed oils a predominant cause of chronic disease? (2:08:45) Does the carnivore diet increase heart disease risk? (2:14:16) Are heated seed oils more inflammatory? (2:20:33) Is there a "big food" industry conspiracy? (2:26:17) Are sugar-sweetened beverages uniquely deleterious? (2:30:17) Can diet soda help you lose weight? (2:34:20) Microbiome & cancer risks of diet soda (2:42:02) Is drinking 1 Diet Coke per day unhealthy? (2:44:24) Why Layne rarely takes a strong position on early science (2:49:04) Carnivore diet (3:01:52) Time-restricted eating (3:12:38) Layne's daily routine (3:16:55) Layne's diet and supplements (3:19:49) Creatine and hair loss (3:22:49) Rhodiola rosea & ashwagandha (3:25:54) Layne's tier 2 supplements Show notes are available by clicking here Watch this episode on YouTube  

#094 Dr. Layne Norton on Building Muscle – Insights on Diet, Training, and Supplements

My free omega-3 guide (the ultimate blueprint for choosing a fish oil supplement) Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot Dr. Luc van Loon is a renowned figure in the realm of exercise science, particularly celebrated for his deep understanding of protein metabolism, resistance training, and the nuanced role of collagen supplements in sports nutrition. Our conversation is an in-depth discussion on optimal protein intake & distribution strategies for stimulating muscle protein synthesis with delightful detours into insightful discussion of un ique topics like the timing of cold-water immersion. Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (06:00) Why do we need protein? (07:04) How the protein RDA (0.8 g/kg) was established  (11:34) Protein turnover in organs (brain, liver, etc.) (14:54) How much protein do you really need? (19:42) Recommended protein intake when dieting for weight loss (20:59) How the body adapts to higher protein (24:30) Anabolic resistance (27:29) Protein requirements for overweight & obese individuals (29:42) Gaining strength vs. muscle mass (34:04) Optimal protein distribution (37:49) 20g vs. 100g protein post-workout (Luc van Loon study) (40:45) Can evening protein consumption stimulate muscle protein synthesis overnight? (45:29) How does time-restricted feeding affect muscle protein synthesis? (51:51) Protein before vs. after exercising (53:41) How does spreading out protein intake affect hypertrophy? (56:39) Protein shakes vs. animal protein (59:42) Protein supplementation for weight loss & recomposition (1:00:58) Casein vs. whey protein for stimulating muscle protein synthesis (1:03:53) Factors that influence protein's anabolic potential (1:04:58) Raw eggs vs. cooked — what's better for hypertrophy? (1:08:51) Plant vs. animal protein (1:11:52) Plant-based protein powder (1:16:31) Whey protein isolate vs. concentrate (1:17:20) How resistance training changes the leucine threshold (1:20:31) Do high-protein diets cause atherosclerosis? (1:28:29) How muscle adapts to repeated bouts of resistance training (1:31:09) Optimal resistance training frequency (1:33:06) Advice for elderly who want to start resistance training (1:35:33) Hormonal changes & resistance training (1:40:53) Does cold water immersion blunt muscle protein synthesis? (1:50:03) Does collagen increase connective protein synthesis in muscle? (1:57:45) Signaling roles of collagen peptides (2:00:15) How hydrolyzed collagen powder affects pain perception (2:01:37) Benefits of smaller peptides in hydrolyzed collagen (2:03:41) Collagen's impact on skin health (2:07:30) Amino acids from hydrolyzed collagen powder (2:12:14) Luc's exercise routine & diet Show notes are available by clicking here Watch this episode on YouTube

#093 Dr. Luc van Loon: Optimizing Protein Intake & Distribution for Muscle Growth

My omega-3 guide on concerns like a-fib, dosage, supplement quality, oxidation, and more Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot Join over 300,000 people and sign up for my newsletter Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more In this special solo episode of FoundMyFitness, we’re taking a deep dive into alcohol. We’ll explore the science, misconceptions, controversies, and health effects of this widely used drug. I believe that a nuanced, scientific discussion on alcohol is the best way to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about alcohol use. Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (08:03) What does it mean to "have a drink"? (09:39) Drinking frequency definitions (12:39) How alcohol is metabolized (18:25) Can alcoholism be inherited? (19:41) How food affects alcohol metabolism (21:40) Does age affect alcohol metabolism? (22:29) How alcohol affects nutrient absorption (27:04) How alcohol affects gut health (28:57) Alcohol elevates circulating LPS levels (31:51) Gut health & alcohol use disorders (36:30) Sick quitter & healthy user biases (39:38) How alcohol impacts the brain (43:34) Alcohol's effects on anxiety (49:56) Alcohol facilitates thiamine deficiency (51:39) Alcohol promotes brain inflammation (52:56) Dementia & Alzheimer's disease risk  (1:06:50) Is resveratrol in red wine beneficial? (1:11:28) How alcohol impacts sleep (1:19:47) Mitigating alcohol's impact on sleep  (1:22:13) Hangover symptoms & causes (1:26:33) How congeners affect hangover severity (1:27:58) Treating hangovers with fruit (1:30:40) Zinc, vitamin B3, & hangovers (1:31:41) Managing hangovers with NSAIDs (1:32:22) "Hair of the dog” for hangovers (1:32:40) Liposomal glutathione, NAC, & hangovers (1:35:56) Does ZBiotics prevent hangovers? (1:38:18) Dihydromyricetin (DHM) for hangovers (1:39:15) Exercise & sauna for treating hangovers (1:40:21) Alcohol's effect on mortality risk  (1:44:28) Alcohol consumption in Blue Zones (1:49:07) Does alcohol increase cancer risk? (2:00:43) Can quitting alcohol lower cancer risk? (2:09:46) Alcohol & cardiovascular disease (CVD) (2:23:24) Alcohol and type 2 diabetes risk (2:28:28) Alcohol's impact on your waistline (2:31:33) Why alcohol facilitates weight gain (2:34:06) How alcohol impacts reproductive health (2:44:31) Preconception alcohol risks (2:47:12) How alcohol affects testosterone in men (2:48:55) Pre-pregnancy alcohol consumption risks (2:53:17) Is red wine the healthiest option? (2:57:47) Alcohol & post-exercise recovery (3:01:34) Does alcohol "blunt your gains"? (3:04:11) The BEER-HIIT study (3:05:03) Can exercise lessen alcohol cravings? (3:12:57) Alcohol damage control tactics Show notes are available by clicking here Watch this episode on YouTube

#092 The Truth About Alcohol: Risks, Benefits, and Everything In-Between | Dr. Rhonda Patrick

Download the 12-Page "Omega-3 Supplementation Guide" Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot Join over 300,000 people and sign up for my newsletter  Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more Dr. Andrew Huberman is a Stanford professor, neurobiologist, and host of the incredibly popular Huberman Lab Podcast. He’s also the guest on this episode of the FoundMyFitness podcast. Our conversation encompasses an in-depth discussion of the brain’s dopamine system and provides a toolkit for enhancing motivation and focus. Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (07:58) Dopamine's Neuromodulatory Role (09:50) Motivation vs. Reward (14:56) Dopamine as a "Wave Pool" (20:19) Minimizing Smartphone Dopamine Effects (23:53) Dangers of Effortless Dopamine Peaks (27:13) Signs of High Motivation (29:20) Dopamine Reward Prediction Error (38:21) Warm-Up Period for Focus and Motivation (42:37) Rewarding Effort (53:12) Fostering Tenacity in Kids (55:26) Visualizing Negative Outcomes (58:12) Overcoming Procrastination (1:04:12) Exercise's Impact on Dopamine (1:08:56) Cold Exposure vs. Drugs (1:10:50) Exercise Entrainment Effect (1:14:45) Dangers of Relying on Stimulants (1:22:13) Cold exposure (1:30:56) Limiting Workout Intensity (1:36:29) Anterior Midcingulate Cortex (1:38:52) Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (1:44:49) NSDR (1:59:36) Healthy Social Media Use (2:17:33) Circadian Rhythms and Solar Light (2:27:31) Limiting Late-Night Light Effects (2:30:30) Spiking Morning Cortisol (2:33:54) Long Distance Viewing vs. Screens (2:40:27) Limiting Alcohol Intake (2:54:08) ADHD (3:03:30) Replacing ADHD Drugs with Behaviors (3:05:21) Andrew's Weekly Workout Routine (3:11:04) Andrew's Diet & Supplement Routine (3:15:21) Andrew's Experimentation with Peptides (3:20:31) Processing Negative Feedback Show notes are available by clicking here Watch this episode on YouTube

#091 Andrew Huberman, PhD: How to Improve Motivation & Focus By Leveraging Dopamine

Download the 13-Page "Omega-3 Supplementation Guide" Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot Join over 300,000 people and sign up for my newsletter Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more Today's guest, Dr. Benjamin Levine, has shown that with the right exercise protocol, people who were sedentary most of their lives could reverse up to 20 years of heart aging. Dr. Levine is one of the world's leading experts in understanding how the heart adapts under a variety of conditions, whether that's exercise, elite athleticism, or hospital bedrest. Or even highly exotic conditions, like prolonged exposure to microgravity. He is the founding director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at UT Southwestern in Dallas. Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (06:21) Bed rest vs. aging (11:40) Does exercise protect against long COVID? (17:14) How 12 weeks of bed rest affects heart size (18:42) Why a brand-new rubber band mimics a lifetime of endurance training (22:14) The exercise dose that preserves youthful cardiovascular structure (24:22) The exercise regimen that reversed 20 years of heart aging (28:05) What it takes to reverse vascular age by 15 years (33:29) Benefits of starting an exercise regimen in your 70s (39:17) Risks of high-intensity exercise (42:42) Balancing high-intensity & moderate-intensity training (47:39) Training for health vs. training for performance (49:58) Make exercise a part of your personal hygiene (51:01) Why does VO2 max correlate with longevity? (58:29) The 2018 JAMA study on cardiorespiratory fitness & mortality (1:04:06) How does change in fitness over time affect mortality? (1:06:19) Why exercise non-responders should consider "increasing the dose" (1:10:08) The 2 limiting factors for improving VO2 max in competitive athletes (1:17:20) Heart adaptations in purely strength-trained vs. endurance athletes (1:23:09) Why pure strength-trainers should incorporate endurance training (1:26:53) How strength training affects blood pressure (1:31:27) How exercise influences cardiac output in mitochondrial myopathy patients (1:33:25) Does CrossFit count as endurance training? (1:35:50) What's the best exercise for improving blood pressure? (1:40:57) Lifestyle strategies for treating hypertension (1:43:26) Why recovery is key to reaping the benefits of a training stimulus (1:47:22) The best indicator of being overtrained (1:54:46) Why HRV is a poor indicator of recovery (2:00:02) Why do men tend to be faster runners than women? (2:03:34) Can women achieve similar aerobic exercise benefits doing 2x less than men? (2:05:06) Are there cardiovascular benefits of HRT in women? (2:08:45) Exercise volume vs. coronary plaque calcification (2:15:35) How exercise duration & intensity affect coronary calcium levels (2:18:48) Why high exercise duration & intensity increases risk of Afib (2:26:00) Why you shouldn't become an endurance athlete to "live longer" Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes are available by clicking here

#090 How Exercise Prevents & Reverses Heart Aging | Benjamin Levine, M.D.

 Download the 9-Page "Cognitive Enhancement Blueprint" Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot Join over 300,000 people and sign up for my newsletter Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more I recently had the privilege of presenting at the CrossFit Health Summit, where I explored a constellation of factors contributing to longevity. In this context, I placed a special emphasis on the pivotal role of vigorous exercise throughout life. Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (03:12) Why "below normal" cardio may be a great starting point (05:07) The simple math of 45 days of life extension (per 1 mL/kg/min VO2max) (06:12) Why poor cardiovascular fitness is nearly as bad as a chronic disease (06:52) Why zone 2 training may not improve VO2 max (08:08) Protocols for improving VO2 max quickly (09:10) How to estimate VO2 max in 12 minutes; (10:07) Reversing 20 years of heart aging (12:41) Blood pressure benefits of vigorous exercise (13:29) The BDNF brain benefits of high-intensity exercise (14:05) The signaling role of lactate production by muscle (16:13) How training effortfully improves focus & attention (17:23) Anti-cancer effects of vigorous exercise (18:11) Why shear stress kills circulating tumor cells (19:00) What if you exercise in short bursts all day long? (20:06) Why "exercise snacks" are a crucial pre- and post-mealtime activity (20:49) The best ways to improve mitochondrial biogenesis (21:47) The mortality benefits of breaking up sedentary time (26:17) Why the protein RDA is too low  (29:07) Does omega-3 reduce muscle atrophy? (30:41) Why we should lift for aging and to prevent the 8% per decade decline of muscle (32:03) Is lifting heavy necessary for gaining muscle? (33:06) What the sauna has in common with exercise (34:45) Does the sauna enhance the benefits of exercise? (36:44) How heat shock proteins prevent plaque aggregation & slow muscle atrophy (38:23) Can sauna after resistance training boost hypertrophy? (39:06) Optimal sauna parameters (39:59) Comparing traditional saunas to infrared (40:59) Hot baths vs. saunas (42:19) Is EPA or DHA responsible for omega-3's effects on disuse atrophy? (43:53) Are endurance athletes at risk for cardiovascular injury? (44:57) What mechanisms are responsible for sauna's benefits? (47:08) Is a sauna temperature above 200 F too hot? (49:31) My recommended sauna temperature & duration Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes are available by clicking here

#089 Why Exercise Intensity Matters for Longevity | CrossFit for Health 2024

 Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot If you’ve been following FoundMyFitness for a while, you may remember that we have our members-only podcast, The Aliquot. I want to share a preview of our newest Aliquot episode, "The Science of Optimizing Sleep," available to everyone, not just our Premium Members. Adequate, quality sleep is essential for the body's recovery and repair, promoting optimal physical and mental health. Getting a good night's sleep can be challenging, especially in our modern world, but we can take steps to overcome those challenges. In this Aliquot, we present a mashup of our best resources on sleep, featuring insights from Dr. Matthew Walker, Dr. Satchin Panda, and me.   In this preview, we discuss:   (00:02:13) How exercise timing affects deep sleep (00:08:03) Do saunas and hot baths increase sleep-enhancing hormones? (00:12:33) Can learning and meditation boost deep sleep? (00:14:10) Do scented oils, like lavender, impact sleep? (00:14:47) The insulin-tryptophan-melatonin connection (00:19:20) Why carb-heavy meals make us sleepy In the full episode available only for Premium Members, we also discuss: Can calming music, akin to lullabies, curb pre-sleep ruminations? The effect of air quality on sleep The effect of low-level noise on sleep fragmentation Whether or not time in nature transforms sleep quality Could melatonin supplementation increase REM sleep — at the cost of decrease deep sleep? How my sauna and hot tub routine preps me for sleep Is there evidence white noise helps sleep and can calming music curb pre-sleep ruminations? The differential impact of morning vs. evening light in slow wave sleep Can adjusting our body's thermal cues unlock deeper sleep? (increase deep sleep) Improving sleep with science-backed heat therapy protocols and how my sauna and hot tub routine preps me for sleep The four pillars of sleep How much sleep is enough? (from newborns to older adults) The surprising lifestyle factors that synergize to maintain glymphatic clearance in aging brains (sleep, exercise, and omega-3s) Are modern lifestyles and "social jetlag" turning us into shift workers? Building resilience against circadian disruptions Five immediate steps to enhance sleep quality tonight How long caffeine stays in the system The effect of alcohol and marijuana on sleep, particularly REM sleep 

#088 The Science of Optimizing Sleep - Special Preview

 Download the 9-Page "Cognitive Enhancement Blueprint" Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot Join over 300,000 people and sign up for my newsletter Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more In this solo episode, I'm taking an in-depth look at magnesium – a critical yet frequently underestimated mineral in our health. Magnesium stands tall among vital nutrients for its significant role in multiple aspects of human physiology. During this podcast, we'll delve into the widespread negative health effects caused by a lack of magnesium and discuss why increasing your magnesium intake might be key to achieving optimal health. In this episode, I discuss: (00:00) Introduction (04:27) Why the effects of magnesium are far-reaching (06:47) Why athletes need at least 10-20% more magnesium than the RDA (10:54) Why magnesium deficiency & insufficiency are common (12:19) How to determine if you're getting enough magnesium (15:14) Magnesium supplements (18:17) Is magnesium threonate better at crossing the blood-brain barrier? (25:08) Why magnesium threonate shouldn't count toward your RDA goal (26:04) What magnesium supplement do I take? (26:36) The effect of stress on magnesium balance (30:15) Why the energy demands of workouts affect magnesium balance (32:56) Does magnesium supplementation improve sleep? (34:04) Why trials in the field of nutrition are often misleading (37:26) Does higher magnesium intake improve cognition? (39:07) Does magnesium have a role in preventing Alzheimer's disease? (42:09) The effect of creatine on the brain (and its relationship to magnesium) (42:42) Why magnesium may prevent excitotoxicity in the brain (43:32) Magnesium's potential for managing migraines (46:41) The role of magnesium in aging (47:39) Why magnesium deficiency impairs DNA repair (49:13) Magnesium's role in cancer prevention (51:14) Why magnesium is intertwined in genomic stability (54:04) Why we shouldn't disregard observational data in nutrition (54:52) How magnesium intake affects mortality risk and cancer (57:49) Magnesium in osteoporosis prevention (59:21) Why magnesium intake in early life affects bone accretion (1:01:06) The effect of magnesium on vitamin D metabolism (1:06:36) Does magnesium treat high blood pressure? (1:10:12) Does magnesium help manage muscle cramps? (1:12:41) Is transdermal absorption of magnesium effective? Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes are available by clicking here

#087 The Science of Magnesium and Its Role in Aging and Disease | Dr. Rhonda Patrick

 Download the 9-Page "Cognitive Enhancement Blueprint" Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot Join over 300,000 people and sign up for my newsletter Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more In today's episode, I'm bringing you along to the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine's Longevityfest Conference, where I had the honor of presenting a keynote last December. We'll explore some foundational yet effective tactics to enhance longevity and prevent diseases. Additionally, we'll delve into more intensive lifestyle modifications that, despite their demands, offer significant longevity benefits.   In this episode, I discuss: (00:00) Introduction (04:48) The importance of vitamin D (09:08) How vitamin D deficiency affects all-cause mortality risk (12:34) Optimal vitamin D levels & supplementation (14:20) Why magnesium deficiency impairs DNA damage repair (18:00) Dangers of inadequate omega-3 intake (20:17) The correct omega-3 index level (24:42) How to correct vitamin D, omega-3, & magnesium inadequacies (26:27) Vigorous exercise is the best longevity drug (28:00) How increasing VO2 max affects life expectancy (32:46) Protocols for increasing VO2 max (35:37) How to measure VO2 max (36:44) What it takes to reverse 20 years of heart aging (39:41) Blood pressure benefits of vigorous exercise (40:58) The BDNF brain benefits of vigorous exercise (44:08) How vigorous intensity exercise improves focus & attention (45:21) Exercise protocols for maximizing BDNF (46:23) Anti-cancer effects of vigorous exercise (48:40) The benefits of exercise snacks ​ Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes are available by clicking here  

#086 How Micronutrients & Exercise Ameliorate Aging | Dr. Rhonda Patrick

 Download the 9-Page "Cognitive Enhancement Blueprint" Discover my premium podcast The Aliquot Show notes are available by clicking here Peter Attia, MD is a highly respected expert in preventive medicine, focused on the crucial subject of longevity and cardiovascular health. He's also the author of the NY Times best selling book Outlive - which I highly recommend if you have not read it already. Peter's philosophy transcends the conventional goal of merely extending lifespan; it's about enriching the quality of every year, ensuring that each stage of life is lived with optimal health and vitality. In this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Introduction (07:36) Defining cardiovascular disease (09:43) Coronary plaque and fatality risk (13:34) How ApoB predicts heart disease (21:34) Factors elevating ApoB (27:23) Does high ApoB cause cardiovascular disease (37:01) ApoB thresholds for ASCVD prevention (40:27) Dietary factors raising ApoB (49:33) Genetics of ApoB and LDL (53:24) Does low LDL increase cancer? (56:19) Cholesterol-lowering drugs (59:59) Statins, uses, and side effects (1:03:12) Are statins toxic to mitochondria? (1:09:56) Ubiquinol for statin-induced muscle soreness (1:11:09) How to train in zone 2 (1:17:09) Statins and neurodegenerative disease risk (1:21:54) Cholesterol synthesis in the brain (desmosterol role) (1:25:58) Statin alternatives (1:36:49) Berberine for CVD Risk Reduction? (1:39:36) Muscle as a glucose sink (1:51:38) Hemoglobin A1C Levels and Mortality Data (1:55:35) 80/20 Zone 2/VO2 Max Training Protocol (2:02:12) Insights from VO2 max testing data (2:12:17) How obesity increases cancer risk (2:15:03) Cancer screening (2:40:32) Menopause – hormonal shifts and health effects (2:45:13) Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (2:58:57) Perimenopause diagnosis with hormone levels (3:02:04) HRT's impact on dementia, cancer, and heart disease risk (3:07:42) Vitamin D (3:16:24) Testosterone replacement for women's sexual function (3:18:47) HRT safety 10 years post-menopause (3:23:05) Testosterone & TRT (3:32:33) Blood pressure (3:45:30) Peter's longevity optimization routines Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/premium

#085 Dr. Peter Attia on Mastering Longevity – Insights on Cancer Prevention, Heart Disease, and Aging

 Download the 9-Page "Cognitive Enhancement Blueprint" companion guide at bdnfprotocols.com. This episode challenges common perceptions about exercise, delving deep into the benefits of vigorous exercise for not just physical health but also brain function, aging, and even cancer prevention. It tackles fundamental questions, like what genetic and metabolic adaptations occur with vigorous exercise and how it can contribute to combating heart's age-related changes. We also unpack how these rigorous exercises affect glucose transport, mitochondrial health, and brain health at an intricate level. Lastly, it introduces practical applications like the Norwegian 4x4 interval training protocol, the benefits of "exercise snacks," and how to incorporate vigorous-intensity exercise into everyday life. In this episode, I discuss: (00:00) Introduction (04:34) What differentiates "vigorous" from "zone 2" training (08:34) Ties between VO2 max & life expectancy (11:55) Why zone 2 training doesn't guarantee VO2 max improvements (14:17) How to balance zone 2 training & vigorous-intensity workouts (16:17) Why the Norwegian 4x4 protocol may improve your VO2 max (19:35) Evidence-based methods to estimate VO2 max outside a lab. (22:33) What it takes to reverse 20 years of heart aging: a two-year protocol (28:24) HIIT and type 2 diabetes – how vigorous exercise can reduce risk. (29:38) The mitochondria argument: HIIT vs. Zone 2 – which intensity is better? (32:09) Rethinking the 80-20 rule for everyday exercisers (less zone 2, more effort) (35:18) The role of high-intensity workouts in enhancing mitophagy (38:03) Why lactate accumulation from higher training intensity benefits the brain (40:28) Why the "glucose sparing" effect of lactate benefits brain injury and aging (43:26) The unique BDNF benefits of high-intensity exercise: the lactate advantage (44:42) The angiogenic effects of VEGF on the blood-brain barrier (in response to lactate) (46:58) The greater the exercise intensity, the greater the myokine release (49:48) How physical activity affects death risk in breast & colorectal cancer survivors (50:56) How vigorous aerobic exercise kills circulating tumor cells (52:36) Why exercise reduces depression and neurotoxicity (kynurenine mechanism) (54:13) The surprising power of "exercise snacks" against mortality (1:01:36) Download "The Cognitive Enhancement Blueprint" at bdnfprotocols.com  Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes are available by clicking here Get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox several times per month: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/premium Learn more about our premium podcast, The Aliquot: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/aliquot

#084 The Longevity & Brain Benefits of Vigorous Exercise | Dr. Rhonda Patrick

This episode features Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D., and was originally recorded for the Institute for Functional Medicine's podcast, 'Pathways to Wellbeing.' This episode outlines a series of fundamental tactics you can start applying immediately to enhance cellular health, protect the nervous system, elevate mood, reduce inflammation, promote muscle and bone function, and help prevent chronic disease. In this episode, I discuss: (00:00) Introduction (01:04) Vitamin D deficiency — risks, why it's so common, & correcting with supplementation (08:20) Magnesium's critical role in DNA repair & synthesis (11:49) The best dietary sources of magnesium (13:05) Magnesium supplements: Glycinate, malate, dioxide, & citrate (14:14) Exercise staves off age-related disease (14:52) How genetic SNPs can affect vitamin D deficiency risk (20:09) Low omega-3 intake from seafood is a top-6 preventable cause of death (22:22) Why ALA's conversion into EPA & DHA is inefficient (25:15) Omega-3 index: Optimal levels & ties to increased life expectancy (28:27) How omega-3s reduce inflammation, a key driver of aging (30:39) Omega-3s protect against muscle disuse atrophy (31:38) Why avoiding fish during pregnancy is a huge mistake (34:02) Omega-3s are a low-hanging fruit for improving cardiovascular & brain health (35:46) What to look for when choosing an omega-3 supplement (39:57) Hormesis: Why intermittent stressors are beneficial (46:14) How to choose an exercise regimen (47:09) “Exercise snacks” reduce all-cause & cancer-related mortality (49:24) Brain benefits of lactate from vigorous exercise (52:23) How blood flow generated from aerobic exercise kills circulating tumor cells (54:30) Rhonda's workout regimen  (55:38) HIIT ameliorates adverse effects of sleep deprivation  (58:32) Exercise is the best longevity "drug" Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes are available by clicking here Get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox several times per month: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/premium Learn more about the premium podcast The Aliquot: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/aliquot

#083 How Vitamin D, Omega-3s, & Exercise May Increase Longevity | Dr. Rhonda Patrick

Dr. Martin Gibala is a muscle physiologist, professor, and kinesiology department chair at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is best known for pioneering research on the health benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and his profound understanding of HIIT's physiological mechanisms. He is a co-author of the book "The One-Minute Workout." In this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Introduction (11:00) What is high-intensity training? (11:53) Zone 2 vs. HIIT for VO2 max — which is better? (13:22) The vital role of vigorous exercise (14:40) Why VO2 max matters for longevity (17:45) Why athletes vs. exercisers benefit from different intensity distributions (22:09) Measuring maximum heart rate and VO2 max (30:31) How the heart adapts to HIIT to increase VO2 max (35:47) Why vigorous exercise accelerates mitochondrial adaptation (40:06) Enhancing fat oxidation and mitochondrial growth with vigorous exercise (44:22) How intensive exercise boosts fat breakdown (45:56) Is high-intensity exercise better for autophagy than fasting? (55:15) Exercise snacks (57:55) Why 'choosing the stairs' reduces early death (VILPA study) (1:00:39) Protocol for VO2 max (1:05:50) The effect of HIIT on muscle fiber types (1:10:18) How aging effects muscle fibers (1:14:09) Does high-intensity training produce an "afterburn effect?" (1:16:13) Why vigorous workouts are better for BDNF and cognition (1:23:15) Anti-metastatic cancer effects (1:50:23) Wingate training vs. reHIIT — a comparison of protocols (1:55:38) Perceived exertion vs. HRmax (1:59:23) Interval walking for people with type 2 diabetes (2:01:06) Contraindications of HIIT (2:05:06) Why preconditioning reduces risks from exercise (2:10:44) Can resistance training be a type of aerobic exercise? (2:16:24) Does cardio and strength training interfere with each other? (2:18:45) How many minutes per week of high-intensity training? (2:26:58) Are there sex differences and misconceptions in high-intensity training, for women? (2:27:42) Should post-menopausal women do H.I.I.T.? (2:27:47) Does intense exercise raise cortisol? (2:34:16) Bone density and osteoarthritis (2:36:40) Atrial fibrillation risk (2:39:20) Hypoxic training and blood flow restriction (2:40:45) Tips for training with joint issues Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes are available by clicking here Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox several times per month: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/premium Learn more about the premium podcast The Aliquot: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/aliquot

#082 The Science of Vigorous Exercise — Should We Train Hard or Train Long? | Martin Gibala, Ph.D.

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