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

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

07/01/24 • 204 min

FoundMyFitness

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

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

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

Previous Episode

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

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

Next Episode

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

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