View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter dives deep into the topic of bone health and explains why this is an important topic for everyone, from children to the elderly. He begins with an overview of bone mineral density, how it's measured, how it changes over the course of life, and the variability between sexes largely due to changes in estrogen levels. From there he provides insights into ways that one can improve bone health, from exercise to nutrition supplements to drugs. Additionally, Peter discusses what happens when one may be forced to be sedentary (e.g., bedrest) and how you can work to minimize the damage during these periods. If you’re not a subscriber and 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 yourprivate RSS feedor on our website at theAMA #37 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefitshere. We discuss: Overview of bone health topics to be discussed [1:45]; Bones 101: bone function, structure, and more [5:15]; Bone mineral density (BMD), minerals in bone, role of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and more [8:30]; The consequences of poor bone health [13:30]; The devastating nature of hip fractures: morbidity and mortality data [17:00]; Where fractures tend to occur in the body [23:00]; Defining osteopenia and osteoporosis [24:30]; Measuring BMD with DEXA and how to interpret scores [27:00]; Variability in BMD between sexes [34:15]; When should people have their first bone mineral density scan? [36:45]; How BMD changes throughout the life and how it differs between men and women [39:00]; How changes in estrogen levels (e.g., menopause) impact bone health [44:00]; Why HRT is not considered a standard of care for postmenopausal bone loss [47:30]; Factors determining who may be at higher risk of poor bone health [50:30]; Common drugs that can negatively impact BMD [54:15]; How children can optimize bone health and lay the foundation for the future [57:45]; Types of physical activity that can positively impact bone health [1:02:30]; How weight loss can negatively impact bone health and how exercise can counteract those effects [1:10:45]; Nutrition and supplements for bone health [1:14:15]; Pharmaceutical drugs prescribed for those with low BMD [1:17:15]; Impact of extreme sedentary periods (e.g., bedrest) and how to minimize their damage to bone [1:22:00]; and More. Connect With Peter onTwitter,Instagram,FacebookandYouTube
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter Max Diehn is a Professor of Radiation Oncology at Stanford and a clinical radiation oncologist specializing in lung cancer. Max’s research focuses on developing novel methods for detecting circulating tumor DNA in the blood of cancer patients and on elucidating the molecular pathways and genes associated with cancer. His interests also include uncovering biomarkers that can predict patient survival, responses to therapy, and disease recurrence. In this packed episode, Max discusses the history of blood-based cancer screening and the importance of understanding the predictive value of tests—sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value – and how these metrics play into cancer screening. Max then goes in depth on the topic of liquid biopsies, including the history, current landscape, and possible future of liquid biops...
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter In this episode, Ric Elias, founder of Red Ventures, opens up about the fateful day he knew for certain that he was going to die as a passenger on US Airways Flight 1549. Ric dives deep into how that day impacted his life, greatly changed his perspective, and improved his relationship with his family and the broader community. We also talk about his incredible role as CEO of an enormous company, his remarkable work in philanthropy, and all the wisdom he has acquired in his extraordinary life. We discuss: Ric’s life leading up to the day of the plane crash [2:15]; The plane crash—What it’s like knowing you’re about to die, feelings of regret and sadness [8:00]; The improbable plane landing in the Hudson River [15:45]; Emotions after the safe landing (and a story he’s never told before) [22:15]; A powerful story about Captain Sully [26:15]; Earning his second chance at life, and playing the “infinite game” [35:15]; Why time is the ultimate currency, and how (and why) to say “no” [43:00]; Raising kids in an achievement culture, Ric’s definition of life success, and what Ric wants to instill in his kids [49:45]; What Ric believes is actually worth getting upset about, and the organizations that are taking steps to help people [1:05:45]; The core principles of Red Ventures (Ric’s company) [1:16:00]; Ric’s tips for developing business acumen and negotiation skills [1:26:15]; What qualities does Ric look for in people he wants to work with? [1:29:15]; What is the next big problem that Ric wants to solve? [1:32:15]; What is the most challenging part of your business today? [1:34:15]; If Ric could go back and talk to himself in the morning before getting on that plane, what would he say? [1:36:00]; and More. Connect With Peter onTwitter,Instagram,FacebookandYouTube
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter Stephan Guyenet is a neuroscientist focused on the neuroscience of obesity and energy homeostasis. He is the author of the book,The Hungry Brainand founder/director ofRed Pen Reviews. In this episode, Stephan explains how obesity has changed phenotypically over the course of human history as well as what might explain the dramatic increase in prevalence of obesity in the last few decades. He talks in depth about the role of genetics, the brain, and hormones like leptin play in the regulation of fat mass. He dives deep into two common theories of obesity—the carbohydrate-insulin model and the energy balance model and provides his take on which theory has stronger evidence. Additionally, he provides insights on how we’re hard-wired to think about food and the consequences of modern foods designed for maximal pleasure. Finally, he goes through the factors that affect body weight, set points, and provides takeaways for people wanting to take advantage of what we know about the brain’s role in regulating our body weight. We discuss: Stephan’s neuroscience background and his focus on the nuances of obesity [2:15]; How obesity has changed for humans throughout history [8:00]; The association between obesity and adverse health outcomes, the “obesity paradox,” and confounders when relating BMI to longevity [14:00]; The sharp increase in obesity across demographics [23:30]; The hypothalamus and its role in obesity [30:00]; The role of the hormone leptin in obesity [40:00]; The genetic component of obesity [46:30]; Understanding the tendency of humans to store fat through an evolutionary lens [57:00]; The hedonic aspect of food, and how the brain reacts to modern, highly-rewarding foods [1:03:30]; How we are hard-wired to think about food [1:14:30]; A review of the “Carnivore diet” [1:21:45]; The energy balance model, carbohydrate-insulin model, and unifying the theories around adiposity [1:34:15]; Body weight set points: a hypothetical comparison of two individuals [1:41:45]; Takeaways for people who want to lose weight and keep it off [1:48:30]; Evidence that favors the energy balance model of weight gain [1:56:00]; The synergistic effect of fat and carbohydrates and observations that a low-fat diet or a low-carb diet can cause weight loss [2:04:30]; Red Pen Reviews [2:11:00]; More. Connect With Peter onTwitter,Instagram,FacebookandYouTube
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter discusses the nutritional profiles of various fruits and vegetables as a means of assessing their relative value. He explains the difference between eating them vs. drinking them, how processing fruits and vegetables can change their properties, and how one’s current state of health affects nutrition strategy when it comes to fruits and vegetable consumption. Additionally, Peter explains the potential benefits and negative effects of certain phytochemicals found in produce and concludes with a discussion of supplementing with green powders, multivitamins, and more. If you’re not a subscriber and 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 yourprivate RSS feedor on our website at theAMA #36 show not...
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter Benoît Arsenault is a research scientist focused on understanding how lifestyle and genetic factors contribute to cardiovascular disease risk. In this episode, the discussion casts a spotlight on Lp(a)—the single most important genetically-inherited trait when it comes to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. Benoît explains the biology of Lp(a), how it’s inherited, the importance of measuring Lp(a) levels, and the diseases most associated with high Lp(a). He dives into data on the possible treatments for lowering Lp(a) such niacin, statins, and PCSK9 inhibitors, as well as the most exciting new potential therapeutic—antisense oligonucleotides. We discuss: How Benoît came to study Lp(a)—a new marker for cardiovascular risk [3:15]; The relationship between Lp(a) and CVD risk [6:45]; What genome-wide association studies (GWAS) revea...
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter Marty Makary is a surgeon, public policy researcher, and author of the New York times best-sellersUnaccountableandThe Price We Pay.In this episode, Marty dives deep into the topic of patient safety. He describes the risk of medical errors that patients face when they walk into the hospital and how those errors take place, and he highlights what amounts to an epidemic of medical mistakes. He explains how the culture of patient safety has advanced in recent decades, the specific improvements driven by a patient safety movement, and what’s holding back further progress. The second half of this episode discusses the high-profile case of RaDonda Vaught, a nurse at Vanderbilt Hospital convicted of negligent homicide after she mistakenly gave a patient the wrong medication in 2017. He discusses the fallout from this case and how it has in some ways unraveled...
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter Beth Lewis is a former professional dancer and a self-described “educator of movement” who has an unmatched ability to assimilate information and customize training plans from multiple training systems. In this episode, Beth describes how she identifies problematic movement patterns and postures to help individuals relieve pain, avoid injury, and move better within all types of exercise. She explains how movement is a trainable skill and provides suggestions for ways that people can modify or supplement their exercise routine to benefit their health and longevity. We discuss: Beth’s “way of no way” training philosophy [2:15] Beth’s background in dancing and how she ended up in New York City [5:00] Beth’s transition to fitness coaching and how her training philosophy has evolved [10:15]; Functional Range Conditioning and scapular mobility [19:20]...
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter KelseyChittickis the author ofSecond Half: Surviving Loss and Finding Magic in the Missing. In this episode, Kelsey describes her long healing process following the sudden death of her husband, former NFL player Nate Hobgood-Chittick. She describes her life with Nate before and after football, including her premonitions that something was off about Nate and the subsequent finding that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). She speaks openly about how she handled his death with her children, the trauma and grief they faced in the aftermath, and how she’s found ways to be happy in her new life. She shares deep insights into her healing process, including her experience with psychedelics and how the concept of “radical acceptance” has helped her to find joy once again. We discuss: Kelsey’s childhood in Florida as an athlete [2:15]; M...
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter is joined by special guest, Dr. Matt Kaeberlein. Together they answer many questions around the field of aging with an emphasis on three specific molecules—NAD, metformin, and rapamycin—and their purported geroprotective qualities. They first discuss aging biomarkers and epigenetic clocks before breaking down the advantages and limitations of the most common experimental models being used today to study aging and pharmacological possibilities for extending lifespan. Next they dive deep into NAD and the much-hyped NAD precursors, nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). They compare data from NAD precursors to studies on metformin and rapamycin, assessing how they stack up against each other and using the comparison as an opportunity to illustrate how to make sense of new experi...