The future of exercise
The Future of Everything
Intro
Exploring the potential of mimicking exercise benefits through therapeutics for older individuals, focusing on combating obesity and diabetes epidemics by understanding exercise pathways and the release of body chemicals pre and post-exercise.
Jonathan Long is a biochemist who studies the chemicals produced during exercise. In Long’s world, “you always start with molecules,” which offer “clean handles” to understanding complex processes. His lab has identified a chemical produced in the digestive tract during exercise that can make a person stop eating. Long now studies this “gut-brain axis” for ways to treat obesity, diabetes, and, perhaps, even age-related conditions like dementia, as he tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Episode Reference Links:
- Stanford Profile: Jonathan Z. Long
- Jonathan’s Lab: LongLab@Stanford
- Study on Endocannabinoids and Exercise Motivation: The Endocannabinoid System and Physical Exercise
Connect With Us:
- Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
- Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon
- Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook
Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Host Russ Altman introduces guest Jonathan Long, a professor of pathology at Stanford University
(00:02:30) Effective Weight Loss Drugs
The increase of effective weight loss drugs, and the history and development of these GLP-1 receptor agonists.
(00:04:03) Understanding Metabolism and Exercise
Outline of metabolic chemicals released during physical activity and their potential to combat obesity and diabetes.
(00:05:38) Animal Models in Exercise Studies
The use of animal models in exercise studies and the discovery of Lac-Phe.
(00:07:15) Psychological Preparation for Exercise
The psychological aspects of exercise and the involvement of endocannabinoids in exercise motivation.
(00:09:28) Lac-Phe's Role and Mechanism
The role of Lac-Phe and its production in the gut.
(00:12:21) Differences in Exercise Response
Differences in exercise response between trained athletes and untrained individuals.
(00:13:25) Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases
The relationship between diabetes, exercise, and metabolic diseases.
(00:15:29) Lac-Phe as a Potential Therapeutic
The potential of Lac-Phe as a weight loss drug, and parallels to GLP-1 drug development.
(00:16:48) Importance of How Weight is Lost
Whether the method of weight-loss matters, and the importance of preserving lean muscle mass.
(00:19:40) Exercise as Medicine
The concept of exercise as medicine, and defining physical activity at the same resolution as modern medicines.
(00:22:39) Metformin and Exercise Pathways
The unexpected connection between metformin and the Lac-Phe pathway.
(00:24:08) Prospects of an Exercise Pill
The future of an exercise pill, and the scientific challenges associated with its development.
(00:27:33) Conclusion
Connect With Us:
Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon
Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook
The AI-powered Podcast Player
