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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

4 Listeners

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

FoundMyFitness

09/19/23 • 171 min

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

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

FoundMyFitness

03/06/24 • 56 min

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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

Download the 9-Page "Cognitive Enhancement Blueprint" companion guide at bdnfprotocols.com.

2 Listeners

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

FoundMyFitness

12/05/23 • 62 min

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

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#055 COVID-19 Q&A #2 - Antibody-Dependent Enhancement, Cross-Immunity, Immunity Duration & More

FoundMyFitness

06/10/20 • 55 min

This is a continuation of the last episode where Dr. Patrick took questions from newsletter subscribers around the ongoing pandemic and tried to add value by talking about some of the recent research, among other things.

In this episode, you'll discover:

(00:00) Introduction
(04:06) Data surrounding SARS-CoV-2 duration
(06:30) SARS-CoV-2 and long-lasting immunity
(11:27) Genetic causes of immune variation
(14:27) Previous viral exposure and cross-immunity to SARS-CoV-2
(18:57) Antibody-dependent enhancement and SARS-CoV-2 relevance
(21:50) Sleep deprivation impairs immunity & vaccine efficacy
(23:42) Microbiome composition and immune function
(28:22) The differential effects of exercise intensity and duration on immune regulation
(34:10) Micronutrient inadequacies promote immune dysregulation
(46:32) Effects of sex and age in immune regulation
(48:59) Controversy surrounding hypertension drugs such as ACE inhibitors and COVID-19
(52:28) ARDS and long-term lung damage

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

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

FoundMyFitness

05/28/24 • 151 min

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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"

My omega-3 guide on concerns like a-fib, dosage, supplement quality, oxidation, and more

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Jim Kean Talks Biomarkers, Building a Spectator Sport

FoundMyFitness

07/01/15 • 32 min

Jed Fahey, Sc.D. on Isothiocyanates, the Nrf2 Pathway, Moringa & Sulforaphane Supplementation

FoundMyFitness

01/06/17 • 152 min

Dr. Jed Fahey is a multi-decade veteran of isothiocyanate research and is the director of the Cullman Chemoprotection Center at Johns Hopkins University.

Much of this conversation, as you might expect given Dr. Fahey's pedigree as a research scientist, is focused on isothiocyanates and, indeed, sulforaphane!

While we covered quite a lot on this very topic (isothiocyanates) via my solo podcast a few weeks ago, this covers everything that may have been overlooked.... and, indeed, so much more! Skip to the timeline below for a sampling.

Dr. Fahey and his colleagues have been, in a big way, at the absolute center of what is a staggering amount of research on these very powerful compounds.

There is hardly a topic which we can discuss in which he doesn't have an anecdote about a study he was involved in, or, in some cases, tribal knowledge that may not even be published but is nonetheless interesting and an important part of the story that is unique to his particular vantage point.

In this 2-hour and 30-minute interview, we discuss...

00:00:00 - the early history of sulforaphane research, including key initial discoveries.
00:00:37 - the serendipitous unfolding of events that lead to the converging of the research on the NRF2 stress response pathway with the sulforaphane-related research going on at the same institute Johns Hopkins.
00:05:06 - why cruciferous vegetables bother to create isothiocyanates in the first place.
00:07:26 - the involvement of the heat shock proteins, in addition to the increased activity of Nrf2, as an additional cellular response mechanism that's been observed in association with sulforaphane.
00:08:11 - how sulforaphane affects a diverse array of biochemical processes from glutathione synthesis to elimination of reactive oxygen species and detoxification of harmful compounds, including carcinogens.
00:15:01 - whether or not to cook your cruciferous vegetables.
00:15:34 - the epidemiological (associative) evidence that cruciferous vegetable consumption may help reduce the risk of cancer.
00:18:30 - the extremely unpredictable nature of endogenous conversion of glucorapahanin (the precursor) into sulforaphane between person to person.
00:22:14 - practical information surrounding supplementation of sulforaphane.
00:27:05 - the effect one particular french sulforaphane supplement had on the doubling rate of PSA, which is a marker for prostate cancer recurrence in prostate cancer patients.
00:28:17 - the role that the Cullman Chemoprotection Center at Johns Hopkins has played, in addition to fundamental research, in providing early, vital infrastructure enabling some of the efforts of the international research community in elucidating the effects of sulforaphane and related compounds and the underlying biological pathways.
00:28:26 - the incredible, almost geometric growth in new studies that has occurred since the advent of a few of the key discoveries about sulforaphane and its method of action.
00:32:48 - the practicality of probiotics as a way to improve endogenous myrosinase activity needed to convert the precursor to sulforaphane into the bioactive sulforaphane.
00:33:26 - the involvement of our gut bacteria in our ability to convert the precursor of sulforaphane into its active form.
00:37:13 - whether or not endogenous myrosinase activity improves as a function of repeated challenge with glucoraphanin (the precursor to sulforaphane).
00:39:30 - why probiotics may vary in their degree of efficacy.
00:43:00 - why consuming isothiocyanates to reduce the number of bacterial colonies of h. pylori, a risk factor for peptic ulcers and stomach cancer, may turn out to be a better intervention than complete eradication of the species with antibiotics.
00:47:21 - the bizarre relationship h. pylori has with childhood asthma, where it has been shown that having some h. pylori seems to reduce asthma incidence in childhood.
00:52:28 - the effect sulforaphane has on inflammation and why inflammation is often a great therapeutic target for many different diseases, including diseases of aging.
00:54:05 - the life extension properties broccoli has been shown to have in an insect model of aging.
00:59:27 - the underlying causes of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria and the promise sulforaphane may hold for this disease of rapi...

Satchin Panda, Ph.D. on Time-Restricted Feeding and Its Effects on Obesity, Muscle Mass & Heart Health

FoundMyFitness

06/30/16 • 99 min

Dr. Rhonda Patrick speaks with Dr. Satchin Panda, a professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla California. Satchin's work deals specifically with the timing of food and it's relationship with our biological clocks governed by circadian rhythm and also the circadian rhythm in general.

In this video we discuss...

The fascinating history of experimentation that ultimately elucidated the location for the region of the brain necessary for a properly timed sleep-wake cycles.
The relationship between our body's "master clock" and it's many peripheral clocks.
Why infants sleep so intermittently, instead of resting for a longer, sustained duration like healthy young adults... and why this sustained rest also goes haywire in the elderly.
The fascinating work Dr. Panda took part in that lead to the discovery of a specialized light receptor in the eye that sets circadian rhythms and is known as melanopsin.
The important relationship between the relatively light insensitive melanopsin, which requires around 1,000 lux of light to be fully activated, and its control of the circadian clock by means of activation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus and suppression of melatonin.
The effects light exposure seems to have on next-day cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone that regulates around 10-20% of the human protein-encoding genome.
The clever experimental design by which Dr. Panda and his colleagues discovered that certain circadian rhythms, especially of the liver, are entrained by when we eat, instead of how much light we get. This underlines the fact that, when managing are circadian rhythm, both elements are important!
One of the more surprising effects of time-restricted feeding in mice eating a so-called healthy diet: increases in muscle mass and even endurance in some cases.

Interested in trying out time-restricted feeding? Don't let your data points go to waste! You can try out time-restricted feeding and have a real impact on human research! Commit to 14 weeks and download Dr. Panda's mobile app to get started. Learn more at: mycircadianclock.org/participant

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

FoundMyFitness

07/01/24 • 204 min

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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