wise athletes podcast

Professional Grade Supplements & 5-Day FMD Kits for WiseAthletes Like so many people, I have struggled to lose my visceral fat while I have continued to put on muscle.... but there is more to being a wise athlete than having maximum muscle. I also want to live LONG as a strong athlete. The prevailing wisdom says that when you fast or when you cut calories, you lose fat and muscle.  So the challenge remains….how to thread the needle on losing the visceral fat while keeping my muscle.  And what about the battle between the high protein for maximum muscle growth vs low protein for low IGF-1 and life extension?  Is there any way to get the best of both worlds?   Today on episode 142 I am joined by Dr Joseph Antoun, a medical doctor who is now the CEO at L-Nutra, the company that makes Prolon, the 5-day FMD food kits (wwwprolonlife.com). Could fasting mimicking be the answer to losing visceral fat while retaining muscle and at the same time extending lifespan as a strong athlete?  After talking to Dr Antoun, I am convinced it is…and as of today, I am on day 2 of my initial 5-day FMD.   Listen in to see if you come to the same conclusion.  And please forgive the inconsistent recording quality….but if you want to give the Prolon FMD a try, click on the link at the top of the show notes to get a great discount.  All right, let’s talk to Dr Joseph Antoun about fasting mimicking for athletes. Joseph Antoun, MD, PhD, MPP Joseph Antoun, MD, PhD is the CEO of L-Nutra, a Food as Medicine leader using Science to Nutrition research first to uncover what humans should eat to live healthier longer and second to help patients achieve better health outcomes. Bullet points Food as medicine & muscular longevity Use your body's built-in system to renew and fine-tune cells. ProLon, a 5-day precision nutrition program, and Fast Mimicking Technology formulation, is designed to trigger your body's built-in system to renew and fine-tune cells - by mimicking a fast. Fasting mimicking (not fasting per se) to get the renewal signal without resource depletion (Joe's take: long water only fasts are the equivalent of overtraining…too much signal without enough recovery) Periodic fasting mimicking turns on cellular renewal without forcing the body into restructuring into a low resource phenotype  GH is a stress hormone. In water only fasting the body doesn't have the resources to maintain muscle. With FMD the minimal resources provided are enough to work with GH to maintain muscle while getting fat loss and autophagy Eat the least protein necessary to build and maintain the body and lifestyle you want.  Any more than the minimum is age accelerating without muscle benefit.  The amino acid composition matters. Focus on plants with some fish protein. That’s good enough for muscle building when combined with FMD a few times a year.  Eat 0.8-0.9 g/kg on average per day (less if you aren't an athlete). Perhaps cycle between higher and lower amounts of protein around resistance training.  For me, that means i'm cutting back from 200g/day to an average of 100g/day (I'll adjust after seeing how my body reacts)... I already started.  I'm on day 2....looking in the box I can tell you it would be hard to pull it together myself. For now I will buy the box to see if it really does work for me.  It’s pricy but tolerable. And the Fast Bar is delicious.  Prolon info Clinical studies have shown that the ProLon formulation can specifically target belly fat and promote safe and effective weight loss. Why not just fast? Despite the potential benefits, fasting is hard to do. Hard on the body. Related info and episodes: Episode 135 | What's Your Healthy Bodyfat %? Episode 132 | Measuring Metabolism Episode 137 | Healthy Fat Loss More Prolon info: prolonlife.com https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-45260-9.pdf https://www.valterlongo.com/daily-longevity-diet-for-adults/ Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, please leave us a review. And, be sure to check out our FullScript supplements link to see the amazing prices on the best brands on the planet. Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes

Pro Level Supplements & At-Home Tests for WiseAthletes "In science and engineering, convention dictates that unless a margin of error is explicitly stated, the number of significant figures used in the presentation of data should be limited to what is warranted by the precision of those data." Why don't I see error bars on my blood test results...? We love to say that what is measured, improves. It is a fine idea that applies to many walks of life including athletic performance.  Starting with Inside Tracker in 2009, an industry has emerged to help wise athletes and longevity seekers alike to measure, track changes over time, and even optimize lifestyle behaviors, supplements and pharmaceuticals to target “low all cause mortality” levels for blood based bio markers.  And since the human body relies on many organs and biological processes to survive and thrive, scientists have developed biological age calculators that combine a set of the actual vs optimal blood markers to assess overall health status relative to “normal” to calculate a biological age or rate of aging.  In longevity circles, a biological age lower than chronological age is a badge of honor.  And it’s a booming business. But just how accurate are these blood tests that all of this science and my own blood test results are based on?  It’s a question that has been haunting my thoughts over the last year as I have aggressively measured my blood markers and calculated my biological age every 3 months in an effort to fine tune my longevity interventions.   So, today on episode 141 I am joined by Dr Austin Baraki who argues that blood testing is an important but challenging area of medicine.  He argues that people should not put too much faith in imprecise technology measuring indirect markers of biological function. False precision can lead to over confidence, and distract people from the lifestyle improvements that would really make a difference.  And he also shares his tips on reducing the variability and error in your own blood test results.  British Medical Journal: your results may vary: the imprecision of medical measurements (20 February 2020) Dr Austin Baraki Bio Dr. Austin Baraki is a practicing Internal Medicine Physician, competitive lifter, and strength coach located in San Antonio, Texas. Originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, he completed his undergraduate degree in Chemistry at the College of William & Mary, his doctorate in medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School, and Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. After a 15 year career as a competitive swimmer through the collegiate level, he discovered the barbell and began training for strength and competitive powerlifting. He  also coaches individuals ranging from beginners of all ages to national and internationally competitive athletes. His interests include the application of strength training in the context of complex medical conditions, sarcopenia, pain neuroscience & rehabilitation, as well as cognitive and sport psychology. Related Episodes Episode 35 Inside Tracker More Dr Baraki info: barbellmedicine.com Dr Baraki Article: Where-should-my-priorities-be-to-improve-my-health/ Your Results May Vary website...see if your blood test result variations are significant (click photo) Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, please leave us a review. And, be sure to check out our FullScript supplements link to see the amazing prices on the best brands on the planet.

Pro Level Supplements & At-Home Tests for WiseAthletes Updated edition: we had to fix a few spots in the recording so this episode is the (slightly) revised one. Vitamin D isn’t a vitamin but a hormone, and it plays an important role in our bodies including the building and repair of muscle.  Can you just take a vitamin D pill and forget about it?  Do you have to get sunshine to get sufficient vitamin D?  Can you be low on vitamin D despite getting lots of sunlight?  How much vitamin D can you take before you are risking getting too much?  2k, 5k, 10k every day? The big question: is low vitamin D a cause or an effect of poor health?   These questions and more get answered or at least discussed in detail in my followup chat with Dr Grant Fraser who is passionate advocate for vitamin D supplementation.  To be honest, I've been a vitamin D supplementation skeptic for a long time, in part based on scientific studies that say supplementation doesn’t affect outcomes. Dr Fraser says …not so fast, pal! Well, one thing is clear, everyone should get their vitamin D levels tested to see where they stand. If yours is low, today’s talk can provide a path forward. Fortunately the at home test only costs $37…mine is already on the way. Grant E. Fraser MD, ABAARM, DABFM, FRACGP, FACRRM, GEM Grant E. Fraser, M.D. is Board Certified in Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine, and more and is passionate about helping patients improve their quality of life, reverse health conditions, and live longer and happier. Related Episodes Episode 139 Finding Your Iron Sweetspot w/Dr Grant Fraser Episode 105 UV Light Sweetspot (more than Vitamin D) w/Prof Prue Hart More Dr Fraser info: https://www.grantfrasermd.com/ https://www.grantfrasermd.com/blog Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, please leave us a review. And, be sure to check out our FullScript supplements link to see the amazing prices on the best brands on the planet. FullScript Site for WiseAthletes

Pro Level Supplements & At-Home Tests for WiseAthletes We’ve all heard about anemia and iron deficiencies hurting our athletic performance and our overall energy level. But the latest thing is iron overload and dumping iron. So is iron good or bad??…the answer is yes.  Iron is both a toxin and a nutrient.  What I’ve learned for myself is the older athlete needs just enough iron but no more. So the right question is …how to tell where you are on iron storage in your body, and how can you help your body not hold too much iron while avoiding having too little.   We all need 3-5 grams or 3000-5000 mg of iron in our bodies every second of every day and we only can absorb 1-2mg of iron per day from our food and supplements…plus or minus a bit using various techniques to raise or lower iron.  Too little iron can mean chronic fatigue, brain fog, and breathlessness.  Diets low in animal proteins, frequent hard workouts, low stomach acid, gut issues causing poor nutrient absorption, and of course bleeding can lead to lower iron.  Too much iron, unless dramatic, is harder to feel and more likely for older athletes. Without blood loss, iron tends to accumulates in organs during aging and leads to dementia, heart disease, T2D and much more, and is worsened by drinking alcohol.  Donating whole blood can lower iron but moves the needle very slowly as only 100-250mg of your total 3000-5000mg of iron is lost at each donation. That’s the equivalent effect of not absorbing iron from food for 3 months, so it’s something.  The key is to plan ahead.  So how to know if you are low or high?  Or on the verge of being low or high?  How to know if donating whole blood every 8 weeks is a good idea or a bad idea?  How can you make donating blood less unpleasant?  And what else can you do to stay in your iron sweetspot and to avoid both of these terrible outcomes for athletic performance, quality of life, and overall health? To answer these questions and more today on episode 139 I am joined by Dr Grant Fraser who is board certified in the United States in anti-aging and regenerative medicine and in family medicine.   Listen in while Dr Fraser helps me to sort out what is going on and how to plan ahead to get into the iron sweetspot.  Grant E. Fraser MD, ABAARM, DABFM, FRACGP, FACRRM, GEM Grant E. Fraser, M.D. is Board Certified in Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine, and more and is passionate about helping patients improve their quality of life, reverse health conditions, and live longer and happier. Bullet points What is iron? Iron is a very common mineral on Earth It has a highly stable nucleus and is capable of accepting and donating electrons easily, which makes it react with water to form rust and is very useful for biological organisms.  We use it to grab oxygen from air and carry it around the body, we use it in the chemical chain that makes ATP or energy the body uses to power itself, and iron is a necessary part of many proteins.  Our bodies need iron every second of our lives, so we keep extra on board just in case… we have 3-5grams in our bodies and we absorb about 1-2mg a day.  That’s 1-2 mg vs. 3000-5000mg…we can’t get much very fast.  So mostly we recycle it, and we keep some stored away in protective cages that keep the reactive iron from damaging our cells. So it’s like calcium (stored in bones) and proteins (stored in muscle and elsewhere) that we scavenge when we need some.  But iron is so reactive it will damage our cells, so we lock it away and convert it to less reactive forms? In addition, most bacteria that infects us needs our iron to grow, so our bodies react quickly to inflammation to stop absorbing more and stop releasing iron from storage. So where is the iron and how does it get moved around, and what is measured in understanding iron status in the body when we use blood samples? Hemoglobin: 2 g (men), 1.5 g (women) – our red blood cells to carry oxygen Ferritin: 1 g (men), 0.6 g (women) – mostly in cells around the body but some in blood plasma?  Why is it in the blood? Hemosiderin: 300 mg -- ? Myoglobin: 200 mg – in muscles? Tissue enzymes (heme and nonheme): 150 mg Transport-iron compartment: 3 mg (transferrin?) – moving the iron to where it is needed…mostly bone marrow?  Why so low? When the liver or brain or arteries have too much iron, how is that stored? So why do we measure iron from the blood?  It’s the easiest to get at?  Issues with using blood measurement?  Getting the tail end of a process?  What do we measure and what does it tell us?  Do we want to be at the low end of the range…at the high end?  What is best for longevity? Serum iron – includes what?  Iron in transferrin being moved around the body? Ferritin – cage for iron…why in blood?  Decreases with low iron and increases with high inflammation…if droppoing suddenly look into why Transferrin – increases when….can be low even when iron is needed because… Saturation?  30% is normal. Why measure it?  TIBC – total iron binding capacity – measures the amount of transferrin.  Why? Other? Red blood cell count & mass? – a check for anemia…a clue to sleep apnea? Hematocrit - what is it? RDW- why important?  Increase if building fast… MCV – what does it tell us?  Size of red blood cell…iron deficient blood makes small cells. 80-100…decrease iron def…going up vit 12 def MCHC – what does it tell us? It helps to look at iron in vs. iron out to get a handle on where problems might come from. Iron in – issues Plant based diets – low absorption of non-heme iron, plant compounds binding to iron to block absorption.  Calcium, tea/coffee, Medicines – PPI, antihistamines, Under eating – RED-S in athletes and other Gut issues reducing absorption – IBS, celiac, crohns Inflammation reducing absorption – from infection, hard exercise (for 4-6 hours), metabolic disease Eating too many iron supplements Iron out – some issues here Bleeding:  surgery, menstrual cycle, bowl cancer, ulcer, etc. Pregnancy – baby needs iron Growing – children need iron Sweating -- can lose iron in sweat Foot strike red blood cell breakdown Low iron is a problem for many people.  The challenge in getting in iron is particularly important for people who are growing or bleeding regularly.  It can also be an issue for people with chronic inflammation, such as in obesity or with metabolic illness or with chronic iron absorption issues.  Athletes can have issues without bleeding causes due to overtraining, heavy sweating, eating iron close to exercise which limits absorption.  And low iron can come from GI bleeds, bowel cancer, ulcers…so figuring out why iron is low is important…don’t just supplement iron Low iron appears slowly usually…here are the official “stages of low iron” Stage 1 - Ferritin low while hemoglobin normal - some depletion for energy intracellularly Stage 2 - lethargy starts - more effects on cellular energy as tries to take iron to preserve hemoglobin level Stage 3 - anemia: ferritin and hemoglobin low. Compromised function Now let’s talk about my main interest….high iron. High iron is mostly a problem for people with genetic issues related to reducing absorption but can also be a problem for older people who have been accumulating iron for a long time:  eating a lot of iron, drinking alcohol, or maybe its just a breakdown of the normal homeostatic mechanisms like many other things that don’t the way they used to? I’ve heard about things we do that interfere with iron management and contribute to higher iron… Zinc over supplementation (copper) Copper deficiencies (copper vs. magnesium) Vit c with iron meals Supplementing with iron unnecessarily (multivitamins) Estrogen supplementation (increase absorption if iron) Alcohol High iron is associated with many illnesses.  People with clearly high iron should take aggressive action to reduce it. But what about people like me:  my iron biomarkers are all in the green.  Could I have accumulated iron in my organs that doesn’t show up in my blood?  If iron is associated with neurological disease, metabolic disease, heart disease and more, would I be crazy to actively knock down my iron if I am eat an iron rich diet? Donating blood regularly… I do it every 3 months (for the last year)…I haven’t seen any impact on my iron markers.  I’ve stopped drinking alcohol almost entirely, What else makes sense to drive down iron Emla – reduce pain from needle pain from donating blood More Dr Fraser info: https://www.grantfrasermd.com/ https://www.grantfrasermd.com/blog Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, please leave us a review. And, be sure to check out our FullScript supplements link to see the amazing prices on the best brands on the planet. FullScript Site for WiseAthletes

Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes Jeff Patterson….martial arts expert and author of The Yielding Warrior. After teaching 25,000 students ni his martial arts academy and earning the equivalent of black belts in the martial arts of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Eskrima, Tai Chi, Qigong, Muay Thai, and Kenpö, Jeff now shares personal experiences, age-old wisdom, and the philosophies of meditative arts with his readers. In The Yielding Warrior, you will learn how to: attain a higher level of proficiency in any sport or physical activity enhance emotional control and sharpen intuition for increased happiness and self-acceptance deepen self-awareness and esteem through the benefits of yielding apply meditative practices to excel in interpersonal communication and business relationships improve your focus by applying the skills attained through yielding awareness The Yielding Warrior is about the concept of yielding and how it can be applied to almost any area of life --> "everyone should meditate for 20 minutes a day unless you are too busy, then you should meditate for an hour" Related episodes: Episode 121 | Brian Mackenzie of ShiftAdapt Episode 119 | HRV Biofeedback w/ Marco Altini Episode 110 | Mental Fitness w/ Kate Allgood Episode 70 | Healing Yourself w/Joe Taft More Jeff Patterson info: https://www.theyieldingwarrior.com/ - Jeff Patterson's website Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, please leave us a review. And, be sure to check out our FullScript supplements link to see the amazing prices on the best brands on the planet. Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes

Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes As a followup to my chat with Dr Vyvyane Loh, Glen and I sat down with Dr Loh to get into the HOW of losing excess body fat without losing muscle. Dr Loh does not disappoint as she shares her tips on how she has helped so many people successfully navigate the changes needed to get to a healthy body fat level AND a healthy body muscle level...both are necessary for health and athletic performance. Check out my own Dexa Scan at the bottom of the show notes that reveals the details we all need to know to assess bone and fat and muscle health status, and to set improvement goals. I used dexascan.com via a provider in my area. My scan showed that while my body fat % is only 16.3%, I still need to lower my visceral fat from 87.7 cm2 to 70.0 cm2. I'm working on it. Episode #135 | What's Your Healthy Fat % Dr Loh is board certified in internal and obesity medicine, and she runs a medical practice helping people of all shapes and sizes to solve metabolic health challenges. Bullet points How to lose excess fat while retaining or gaining muscle? Good Sleep #1 (to keep cortisol and sex hormones healthy; recovery) 8-9 hours of good sleep for athletes (consistent sleep schedule every day & avoid use of sleep drugs that interfere with sleep architecture (melatonin okay)…eye mask, noise protected, test for sleep apnea Circadian rhythm— set by light and eating. Be consistent everyday.  Respecting the timing of meals: Eat breakfast (within an hour of waking) with protein to end catabolic state Protein: eat 30-35 grams of complete protein per meal, up to 5 meals per day. Everyday. Animal sources of protein allows for lower calorie burden to get the protein.  Exercise  Resistance training is key (3X/week) Work at end range (maximum range of motion under tension but be careful) Essentric (lengthening) movement better than concentric (shortening) Also isometrics (good during injury recovery) Cardio is good also (do after resistance training if on same day) HIIT 2x/week (20-45 minutes) targets visceral fat. Has to be really hard. Dread it.  Diet:  Higher percentage body fat — with a calorie deficit in diet doesn’t mean less availability of calories. Still need enough protein to hold onto muscle Near goal body fat — eat 5 times day and getting enough protein. Working out. No calorie deficit.  If fat is okay but low muscle? Get extra protein everyday. Maybe extra protein before bed to reduce muscle loss.  Low carbs to manage calories but need enough carbs. No keto. Low carb is good for calorie control. 80-100g of carbs. Need more carbs if alot of high intensity.  Insulin is a growth factor. Extra protein to get extra insulin to stimulate muscle growth. And extra protein can be turned into glycogen  The key is to be clear about goals. Changing lifestyle is hard. Start with identity and making it hard to cheat.  Everyone is ready when they seek help. It’s after they’ve lost weight at people lose focus. “Just ….” means you are in trouble because you are rationalizing.  Just a little…just this one time…etc. watch out.  Moderation is a loser strategy. We’ve tried that experiment across the country. Now we are all obese. Rising metabolic disease.  Either you are getting the results you want or you are not. Focus on results not on theory and what we want to be true.  Other topics: Rising fat in body leads to falling blood flow to brain. Leads to shrinkage of brain. Brain can’t get more blood flow but it can get more sugar per volume of blood. Crave sugary foods. High blood sugar.  Don’t make it hard for yourself. Don’t put those foods in your home.  Declare your identify as a person that doesn’t eat that sort of thing.  Over eaters are fine in front of other people if they have declared publicly that they don’t eat crap and over eat. But when they get home, all bets are off of the foods are in the house Drinking alcohol also interferes with healthy eating. Alcohol calories. Decrease in willpower What about pleasure in eating? “As I got bigger my world got smaller”. Let’s be accurate…if you are over weight you might be enjoying the few minutes of eating but you are not happy most of the day. Getting healthy can you a boatload of happiness. Plus, stop hiding from the real problem. The food isn’t really solving the problem.  GLP-1 good? Look for Dr Loh’s paper. (Didn’t sound positive) Vyvyanelohmd.com Sign up for Dr Loh’s newsletter, and send email on website asking for link to fat-muscle-bone talk  Related info and episodes: Episode 135 | What's Your Healthy Bodyfat %? Episode 132 | Measuring Metabolism Episode 120 | Recover from Food Madness More Dr Loh info: Vyvyanelohmd.com - Dr Loh's website Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, please leave us a review. And, be sure to check out our FullScript supplements link to see the amazing prices on the best brands on the planet. Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes

Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes The USA declared war on heart disease in 1955. 70 years later it is still the leading cause of death. What about statins and all that medical progress we’ve had. Exactly, what about it? Dr Michael Twyman is a board certified cardiologist who runs Apollo Cardiology, a clinic serving patients from all over the world. His approach is to understand cardiovascular health from a whole body perspective. Rather than focus on LDL and HDL and apoB, he says we need to look at the bigger picture of cardiovascular health….namely cardiovascular health as a marker of whole body health. He says plaques can start building early in life....stop the progression now to eliminate the need for dramatic interventions with significant side effect later in life. We discuss specific behaviors and supplements and even medications to signal the body to stop building plaques. A statin is only one of many potential solutions. Since recording this episode, I have stopped taking my low-dose statin that was significantly reducing my muscle power, and replaced it with better tools. Stop damaging the Glycocalyx (the protective barrier to the lining of arteries) Stop making so many ApoB particles Make more receptors to remove more ApoB particles Lower reabsorption and absorption of cholesterol from food in gut Bullet points Damage to glycocalx Causes: high oxidative stress (mitochondrial disfunction), inflammation from any source: gut related, infection (COVID), smoking, high insulin, high glucose Signs: high BP, erectile dysfunction Supplements to consider Vit k2 - keep calcium in bone not arteries Garlic - support glyocalix health Berberine — increase LDL receptors (like a weak pcsk9) Bergomot - lower LDL production (like a weak statin) Ezetimibe (not supplement) — reabsorption of cholesterol Aspirin (81 mg) - complicated. Had an event?  Aspirin for life. No event yet?  Higher CAC?  Aspirin. Unless high risk of bleeding. Blood markers review Homocysteine <10 GGT high means low glutathione (high oxidative stress) Uric acid. High means poor metabolism. A marker of gout but also damaging to glycocalyx. Oxidized LDL — 5 alarm code hsCRP — good to know but if high doesn't point to the problem Myeloperoxidase (increase with infection) — HDL dysfunction Boston heart panel Related info and episodes: Episode 103 | Boosting Nitric Oxide Episode 105 | UV Light for Health Episode 112 | Simple Solutions for AGEs More Dr Twyman info: drtwyman.com - Dr Michael Twyman's website Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, please leave us a review. And, be sure to check out our FullScript supplements link to see the amazing prices on the best brands on the planet. Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes

Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes If you look around you can see that body fatness is a bigger problem now than it used to be.  Officially the statistic is approximately 45% of Americans are obese measured by BMI. But if we measure body fat as a percentage of total body weight, the metric is closer to 90 percent. because of the many people who don’t look obese but have high fat combined with low muscle mass. What's even more concerning for wise athletes is that the level of body fatness that is unhealthy varies dramatically between people because the location of the fat is what matters. Some people have a very low threshold for fatness before they start to experience metabolic problems that are associated with obesity including higher rates of Cancer, t2d, and CVD.  So what is my threshold for unhealthy fat? What is yours? Today on episode 135, Dr Vyvyane Loh joins the show to explain what is happening to our bodies and why, and thankfully she shines a bright light on the pathway to metabolic health and athletic longevity.  Dr Loh is board certified in internal and obesity medicine, and she runs a medical practice helping people of all shapes and sizes to solve metabolic health challenges. And she has answers to my questions on how to know if this applies to you, and how to avoid the excessive catabolism that comes from sitting too much, over weighting endurance exercise, eating too little protein, intermittent fasting, frequent dieting, and more.  Bullet points People generally think their body fatness is lower than it really is.   The “pinchable” fat under the skin isn’t the problem. Fat can be hidden under the abdominal wall and in organs: muscles, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas …wherever your body could put it after your “under the skin” (subcutaneous) fat storage filled up.   Note: Ectopic (abnormal place) fat includes visceral (in the abdomen) fat Obesity measurements based on weight miss the key point. It’s the amount of ectopic or "out of place" fat that drives metabolic illness.  And each person has a different amount of healthy fat storage before the unhealthy storage begins. So the amount a person weighs can be misleading if the fat increase is offset by muscle and bone losses, and for people who have very low healthy fat storage. In fact, muscle and bone losses on top of fat increases is an even bigger problem even though BMI is “normal”.   Obesity definition — body fat % Men: 25% or higher Women: 35% or higher If you are using a bio-impedance device add 10-15 points (men) or 20-25 points (women). Use Dexa “body scan” to get an accurate reading. Very low radiation.  You can’t get an accurate assessment with body fat photo comparisons or bio impedance or using blood markers of inflammation  The key: find your body fat % and where is the fat located Dexa breakdown Fat mass Lean mass (muscle, organs, protein in bone, water) Mineral mass of bone A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan can measure bone mineral density and body composition, including lean mass, fat mass, and muscle mass. Lean mass is made up of everything that isn't bone mineral or body fat, including organs, skin, connective tissue, and water. However, DEXA scans don't show body water as a separate component. People lose 3-8% of muscle mass per decade of aging On top of that loss, “catabolic crises” cause additional muscle (and bone) loss. Illness, injury, surgery.  Also weight loss is a catabolic crisis.  Catabolic crises “Aging” Injury & Illness Yo-Yo dieting (30% of weight loss comes from lean mass but weight regain is nearly 100% fat) Excessive endurance exercise  Intermittent fasting and extended fasting Losing muscle mass leads to less space to put the excess calories eaten. Now the extra calories have to go to fat storage which eventually becomes dysfunctional and inflammatory. This inflammatory state accelerates the muscle and bone loss, as well as the diseases of “aging”.  Solution Resistance training is key: 3 full body sessions per week Metabolic conditioning: HIIT (“talk test” & “high exertion”) two 30 (maybe 45 minutes) minute sessions per week (3 / week of only doing 2 resistance training session per week Some endurance exercise is okay but do less low intensity if exercise time is constrained. Dr Loh says 1 slow endurance exercise day per week Mobility day — no exercise for except mobility work Protein: 120-150g per day divided into 30-35g per meal. Animal sources.  Don’t skip meals. Breakfast protein is important to break the catabolic  Sleep is critical. Work on circadian rhythm. Muscle builds during sleep. Low sleep makes hunger worse.  High BP that is resistant to medication means sleep apnea is a likely problem.  Creatine can help Fish oil is good Stay away from antioxidants right after workouts; wait 6 hours after workouts  Related info and episodes: Episode 132 | Measuring Metabolism Episode 129 | Optimal Human & Bone Health Episode 127 | Great Bones More Dr Vyvyane Loh info: tulaversity.com - Dr Loh's Coaching platform vyvyanelohmd.com - Dr Loh's website Dr Loh's podcasts -- for medical professionals and laypeople who want details Courses/info-metabolic-health-practitioner-certification-program-level-1 Dr Loh's YouTube Channel - for laypeople Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the show. Thanks.

Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes Should I take TRT? Should my testosterone be higher? I've been thinking about testosterone for 15 years, and of course the issue goes way beyond athletic performance enhancement ... wise athletes have serious questions about testosterone's impact on health and longevity. We all want to be better athletes, to be stronger and recover like we used to. Is there a way to boost testosterone that gives me all the benefits of getting back to my youthful levels of testosterone without injuring my ability to be a strong and healthy athlete throughout a long life? To answer those questions and more, on Episode 134 I am rejoined by Rick Cohen MD, a longevity and hormone health expert who works with athletes of all ages to find a safe and sustainable path to being the strong athlete we all want to be. Bullet points On one hand, there’s the TRT advocates who say “everyone should have 1000 ng/dl testosterone”…”don’t let your doctor scare you”….these guys usually also say ..”come to my low-T clinic”….or “buy my testosterone book”…These guys focus on making HIGH T a badge of honor and promote “testosterone envy”… But just as annoying is the old school doctor who says…aging is natural, and falling sex hormones is a normal part of the life trajectory that everyone goes through.  People need to get used to these changes.  See a psychiatrist if you need help.  This group deals in fear… talks about getting cancer and losing natural testosterone production Testosterone Envy is bogus:  Higher T is not better unless it is too low.  Too high is not healthy but too low is also bad. Each man has a T level that suits his body.  The body works hard to maintain the “right” level of sex hormones (symptoms tell the story better than blood tests).  But current T level is affected by two overlapping buckets of issues:  (1) health status (chronic inflammation, low mitochondrial function) and modern life issues (constant stress, sedentary lifestyles, nutrient shortages, medicines) Adding in TRT creates a lot of side effects that have to be worked out plus it is a lifetime commitment to continuing it because the body will stop making its own T.  This should be the action of last resort, not the first or second action The body knows what to do….i just need to make myself as healthy as possible, and not screw up the program by not providing enough of the right nutrients and stimulus for my body to recognize that a “strong Joe” amount of testosterone is warranted. Get sleep, move, lift heavy things, get off of toxic foods, don't over-train...quick fixes. Lifting heavy and sprinting are the big levers. Fasting all the time isn't a good idea, but periodic fasting can fit into a good overall program of repeating cycles of growth and repair Traditional low testosterone symptoms: falling asleep after dinner, no sex drive, no motivation to exercise, losing muscle mass, no morning wood. Low T is the warning light that something is wrong. You have to fix the problem to signal the body to go back to making a desirable level of testosterone. Sometimes people need a short treatment of medication to stimulate natural T production to boost motivation and mood so that they can do what is needed to do to increase testosterone production back to normal without drugs. Enclomiphene. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Supplements mentioned: Akarkara root, Pine pollen, Tongat Ali Do not take iron supplements. Donate blood to keep iron from getting too high. Related info and episodes: Episode 96 | Longevity Medicine w/Daniel Tawfik & Rick Cohen MD Episode 67 | Hormone Health w/Dr Kyle Gillett Episode 63 | Boosting Testosterone Right w/ Dr Rick Cohen More Dr Rick Cohen info: Pure Clean Performance website: Lab Assessments & Supplements Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes.

WiseAthletes Fullscript Store Gut health is all the rage now but it is so complicated and everybody has a different solution…from eating lots of fiber to eating only meat to taking probiotics.  How can we figure out what to do?  Is improved athletic performance possible from gut health? Today in episode 133 I am joined by Ross Pelton, the Natural Pharmacist who recently published a paper on the microbiome theory of aging in the medical journal Integrative medicine.  Ross shares his deep knowledge about improving gut health and also his knowledge about an emerging topic for me….postbiotics which are beneficial substances made by bacteria that our bodies rely upon and respond well to when we do have an optimal gut.  We’ve all heard of SCFA (short chain fatty acids), well that is only one of many substances made by bacteria in a healthy gut but now are available in supplement form to help us all get our gut back on track.  Ross works with Dr Ohhira's Probiotics & Postbiotic Metabolites which are available in the Wise Athletes Fullscript store if you’d like to check it out. Ross shares several medical studies using Dr Ohhira's including one with athletes that showed significant increases in vo2max and lactate threshold.....legal doping! Paper: The Microbiome Theory of Aging, January 2023 Link to get free copy of book: Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics & Postbiotic Metabolites Ross's website: naturalpharmacist.net