The Peter Attia Drive

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Andrew Huberman is a Professor of Neurobiology at Stanford University and host of the Huberman Lab podcast. In this episode, Andrew begins with a fascinating discussion about the brain, including the role of the prefrontal cortex in adjusting your ruleset to match your setting, the neural circuitry underlying the ability of stress to limit creativity and problem-solving, the effect of belief on physiology and performance, and more. He speaks about vision being our “superpower” and compares this to animals that rely more on other senses. Next, he opens up about his personal journey, the struggles and losses he has overcome, the value of therapy, and the many great people who helped him along the way. He speaks to his love of biology and discovery and the importance of staying true to your passion rather than being driven purely by ambition. Lastly, the conversation includes a look to the future of Andrew's scientific work and podcast as well as his unique approach to communicating science and tackling the issue of scientific illiteracy.

We discuss:

• Exercise under blood flow restriction, lactate utilization, and transient changes in the brain function in response to adrenaline and stress [3:30];
• The role of the prefrontal cortex in governing rulesets [9:15];
• New discoveries about the circuitry between the prefrontal cortex, insula, and amygdala, and the insights gleaned about brain function in different emotional states [15:30];
• Comparing human vision and other senses to animals [26:00];
• A deep dive into vision: evolutionary adaptations, facial recognition, color, and more [39:45];
• Sense of smell, pheromones, and why evolution developed better vision over smell [46:30];
• The relationship between visual input and time perception [55:30];
• Mindset effects: the effect of belief on physiology and performance [1:00:45];
• Accessing higher levels of creativity with broadening rulesets and the limiting nature of stress and fear on creativity [1:05:30];
• Stress and fear increase autonomic arousal, limit access to rulesets, and inhibit performance [1:12:15];
• Andrew’s upbringing, early childhood, and tough adolescent years [1:15:00];
• Andrew’s time in a residential treatment program and how he benefited from therapy [1:20:15];
• The beginning of positive changes in Andrew’s young life [1:28:30];
• Andrew’s decision to turn his life around [1:37:00];
• A new passion for science and exercise helps Andrew [1:42:00];
• The difference between a postdoc and a PhD [1:54:15];
• Staying in touch with the love of biology and not getting pulled into ambition [1:59:15];
• Andrew starts his own lab, and continues work to overcome his demons [2:07:00];
• The loss of three mentors leads to deep soul searching [2:12:00];
• What motivated Andrew to begin his podcast [2:18:00];
• Looking to the future of Andrew’s scientific work, podcast, and more [2:22:45];
• Andrew’s unique approach to communicating science and the issue of scientific illiteracy [2:30:00]; and
• More.

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Andy Galpin is a Professor of Kinesiology at California State University at Fullerton, where he studies muscle adaptation and applies his research to work with professional athletes. In this episode, Andy returns to the podcast and continues the conversation about training for longevity. He examines the training practices of powerlifters, Olympic weightlifters, Strongmen/women, CrossFit athletes, and sprinters in order to extract insights that can be applied to the individual wanting to optimize for longevity. Andy goes into detail about exercise load and repetition, training volume, the importance of learning proper movement patterns, the advantage of working to technical failure instead of the number of reps, and much more. Andy ties the discussion together by providing a hypothetical training plan for an individual wanting to optimize for longevity and offers advice for avoiding injury.

We discuss:

• Review of the function and organization of skeletal muscle [3:15];
• Review of muscle fiber types [9:30];
• Hypertrophy: changes in muscle fibers and the underlying mechanisms that make a muscle grow [19:30];
• Defining sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and how it relates to the number of reps in a set [30:15];
• Training for maximum strength: what we can learn from powerlifters and a hypothetical training plan [32:45];
• Ideal reps, volume, and load for the powerlifter [44:45];
• What should powerlifters do on their off days? [56:45];
• Are there consequences of powerlifting on long-term health? [1:02:00];
• Defining Olympic weightlifting: a test of power [1:04:30];
• Training principles of Olympic weightlifting [1:07:45];
• Tracking power output when training [1:17:15];
• Frequency of training for Olympic weightlifting [1:22:15];
• How post-activation potentiation (and the opposite) can improve power training and speed training [1:24:30];
• The Strongman competition: more breadth of movement, strength, and stamina [1:32:00];
• Training principles of Strongmen and advice for someone new to the Strongman competition [1:36:45];
• CrossFit: a combination of weightlifting movements, endurance, and circuit training [1:50:15];
• Learning from elite athletes, heart rate recovery, V02 max, and other metrics [1:58:45];
• Optimizing towards being a well-rounded athlete as opposed to a specialist [2:09:45];
• What we can learn from the sprinters about speed, acceleration, peak velocity, and technique [2:17:45];
• A training plan for the “centenarian athlete” [2:24:30];
• Debunking some training and exercise myths [2:33:00];
• The “do nots” of training and tips for avoiding injury [2:34:15]; and
• More.

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In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter delves into the crucial topic of exercise, starting with the importance of having a goal in training, including how and why Peter uses the goal of training for the “Centenarian Decathlon” when structuring his training plans. Peter elaborates on how to identify deficient areas within the four pillars of exercise and guides listeners on incorporating periodization training for optimal improvement and training variety. The episode explores diverse case studies, offering insights into tailored workouts for individuals of various training backgrounds, from seasoned enthusiasts to complete beginners. Additionally, Peter tackles the universal issue of emotional stress and its impact on training, as well as how exercise can help manage stress and how to determine when training should be adjusted during a high-stress period.

If you’re not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you’ll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you’re a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your private RSS feed or our website at the AMA #55 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits here.

We discuss:

• Overview of exercise topics [2:15];
• Importance of training with a goal in mind, the Centenarian Decathlon, and the natural decline of fitness with age [4:00];
• The four pillars of exercise [12:15];
• Measuring peak aerobic output with VO2max, and the importance of VO2max as a predictor of longevity [16:45];
• Measuring aerobic efficiency with zone 2 [25:45];
• Measuring and tracking muscle mass and strength [27:30];
• Case study of a fit person with a neglected pillar: why adding more training volume may not the best strategy [30:30];
• Periodization training: what it is and why it is beneficial [36:15];
• Periodization case study: high cardio fitness, lacking muscle and strength [40:00];
• Periodization case study: adequate muscle, low cardio fitness [44:45];
• Case study: significant improvement needed across all exercise pillars [48:45];
• Best ways to do zone 2 exercise and how to use relative perceived exertion (RPE) to find your zone 2 level [56:30];
• How the body responds to physical and emotional stress, its impact on training, and the consequences of chronic stress [1:01:00];
• The difference between “good” stress and “bad” or chronic stress [1:10:30];
• The complex relationship between exercise and stress, and the importance of adjusting exercise goals during high-stress periods [1:13:30];
• Clues that stress may be impacting your training [1:19:15];
• The use of wearables and devices for tracking trends and making decisions related to training [1:...

In this episode, Dr. Paul Grewal, M.D. joins Peter to discuss what they have learned in the past week in the midst of the rapid changes surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Their conversation touches on both optimism and uncertainty: actionable steps we can take to improve the situation with the understanding that it is too late for viral containment. Specifically, Peter and Paul discuss some promising drug treatment, reasons for isolating-behavior adoption, and what they are personally instituting in their own lives.

Disclaimer: This is information accurate as of March 13, 2020, when it was recorded.

We discuss:

• When the gravity of Coronavirus (COVID-19) hit home [04:30];
  
• Hospitalization and ICU bed space as an issue [8:15];
  
• Natural history and pathology of COVID-19 [12:00];
  
• Potential drug therapies [22:00];
  
• How thinking has changed from containment to management [30:00];
  
• What Paul and Peter are doing [49:00];
  
• What we know about viral transmission [57:00]; and
  
• More.

Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com/

Show notes page for this episode: https://peterattiamd.com/covid-19-update-03152020/

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In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter tackles essential questions about magnesium, beginning with the important roles it plays in the body and why maintaining proper levels is crucial. Peter discusses the harms of magnesium deficiency, how to determine if you're deficient, potential causes of deficiency, and how diet and supplementation can be used to increase magnesium levels. Peter unravels the confusion surrounding magnesium supplementation, discussing the optimal forms and recommended daily intake while addressing concerns about excess consumption. He also explores the potential cognitive and sleep benefits associated with magnesium supplementation. Finally, Peter concludes with a look into his recent experimentation with new exercises to serve as benchmarks to assess his progress and fitness levels as he navigates the aging process.

If you’re not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you’ll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you’re a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your private RSS feed or our website at the AMA #54 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits here.

We discuss:

• The important roles of magnesium in the body [2:45];
• How to determine if you might be deficient in magnesium [10:15];
• Addressing migraines related to low magnesium [14:45];
• The prevalence of magnesium deficiency [16:30];
• Various conditions and drugs that can negatively impact magnesium levels [21:30];
• Magnesium-rich foods and factors that impact absorption of magnesium [24:30];
• Daily targets for magnesium supplementation and whether it’s possible to take too much [30:15];
• The different forms of supplemental magnesium [34:00];
• How absorption of magnesium from food compares to absorption from supplements [36:15];
• Choosing the right magnesium supplements for optimal absorption [37:15];
• The unique ability of magnesium L-threonate to increase brain magnesium concentration [40:15];
• Potential cognitive benefits of magnesium [43:00];
• Potential sleep benefits of magnesium [48:45];
• Takeaways on magnesium and a look into Peter’s personal protocol [53:15];
• Peter’s new benchmarks related to exercise and age [58:30]; and
• The potential impact of hearing loss on brain health and neurodegeneration [2:04:30]; and
• More.

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