Best of: The future of exercise

Happy New Year! For many of us, a new year brings a renewed sense of motivation when it comes to health. Earlier this year, Russ sat down to speak with Jonathan Long, a Stanford biochemist who studies the chemicals produced during exercise. The conversation was one of our most popular during 2024 and today we’re re-sharing it. As many of us look to create healthy habits in 2025, we hope you’ll tune in to hear the exciting research Professor Long is doing to better understand the deep chemical connections between diet, exercise, and human health. 

Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your quest. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu.

Episode Reference Links:

• Stanford Profile: Jonathan Z. Long
• Johnathan’s Lab: LongLab@Stanford

Connect With Us:

• Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
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• Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Host Russ Altman introduces guest Johnathan Long, a professor of pathology at Stanford University.

(00:01:55) Effective Weight Loss Drugs

The history and development of GLP-1 receptor agonists.

(00:03:27) Understanding Metabolism and Exercise

The role of metabolic chemicals released during physical activity.

(00:05:02) Animal Models in Exercise Studies 

The use of animal models in exercise studies and the discovery of Lac-Phe.

(00:06:40) Psychological Preparation for Exercise 

The psychology of exercise preparation and the involvement of endocannabinoids.

(00:08:53) Lac-Phe's Role and Mechanism 

Lac-Phe’s role in suppressing appetite and its production in the gut.

(00:11:46) Differences in Exercise Response 

Exercise response between trained athletes and untrained individuals.

(00:12:50) Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases 

The relationship between diabetes, exercise, and metabolic diseases.

(00:14:54) Lac-Phe as a Potential Therapeutic 

Lac-Phe’s potential and parallels to the early stages of GLP-1 drug development.

(00:16:13) Importance of How Weight is Lost 

The importance of losing fat while preserving lean muscle mass.

(00:19:04) Exercise as Medicine 

The need to define physical activity at the same resolution as modern medicines.

(00:22:03) Metformin and Exercise Pathways 

The unexpected connection between metformin and the Lac-Phe pathway.

(00:23:53) Prospects of an Exercise Pill 

The future of an exercise pill, and challenges associated with its development.

(00:26:57) 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