The Aliquot Preview

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Vitamins are substances that our bodies need to develop and function normally. When considering vitamins, we tend to think of the usual suspects – A, C, D, E, and K, plus the eight B vitamins. However, the body produces many molecules that fit the description of a vitamin, driving physiological processes from infancy through later life. Some of these molecules might even be considered longevity "vitamins" – substances that extend healthspan and promote a longer life. In this Aliquot, I talk about three substances that may act as longevity vitamins – taurine, ergothioneine, and PQQ. This episode includes several key discussion points:  

• (03:09) Is taurine the key to Okinawan's long lifespans?
• (04:49) How taurine promotes mitochondrial health
• (06:05) How taurine deficiency impacts muscle mass
• (06:41) Does supplementing the age-related decline boost longevity?
• (08:58) Okinawa's High Intake vs. Japanese in Brazil
• (10:01) Blood pressure, blood lipids, and glucose levels
• (13:07) The role of ergothioneine in shielding membranes from oxidative damage
• (15:14) How ergothioneine's unique lipophilic properties protect mitochondria
• (19:18) Why some people transport ergothioneine better than others
• (20:17) Whether to get ergothioneine from foods or supplements
• (24:18) Is ergothioneine destroyed by cooking?
• (25:02) The unusual antioxidant power of PQQ
• (26:21) The role of PQQ in the brain
• (29:12) PQQ's impact on NAD and sirtuin levels?
• (30:37) Does PQQ blunt the positive effects of exercise?

  For a deeper foray into this special topic, I highly recommend reading Dr. Bruce Ames' seminal paper, Prolonging healthy aging: longevity vitamins and proteins, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This open-access article explores a range of compounds, including taurine, PQQ, and ergothioneine, which Dr. Ames identifies as potential longevity vitamins. The study provides valuable insights into how these vitamins and proteins could contribute to extending healthy lifespan.   This episode features segments taken from several Q&As with Dr. Rhonda Patrick. You may view these episodes and their show notes here:  

• Q&A #7 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (1/4/20)
• Q&A #12 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (6/6/20)
• Q&A #44 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (2/4/23)
• Q&A #50 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (8/5/23)
• Q&A #53 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (11/4/23)
• Q&A #54 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (12/2/23)

Having a healthy body composition, with plenty of lean mass – in the form of muscle and bones – is essential for health throughout the lifespan. Achieving a healthy body composition requires a balanced approach that emphasizes resistance training – and calorie reduction where appropriate. In this Aliquot, Dr. Brad Schoenfeld describes a balanced approach to maximizing muscle growth and strength and dispels early myths about possible blunting effects of aerobic training, the need to train to failure, and the "go heavy or go home" philosophy.   Here's what you'll find in this episode...

• (00:00) Can resistance training amplify fat loss?
• (03:33) Why weight loss burns muscle — and how to prevent it
• (06:25) The role of protein in muscle preservation
• (08:21) Does aerobic exercise blunt gains?
• (16:07) The role of failure in resistance training
• (18:29) Reps-in-reserve vs. training to failure
• (24:37) Lighter loads and higher volume — an effective route to hypertrophy

If you are interested in muscle hypertrophy and body composition, you may be interested in our member's Q&A series where you ask a question and I answer it:

• Q&A #48  How much protein can induce muscle protein synthesis in one meal
• Q&A #34  How to preserve muscle mass while fasting
• Q&A #40  The effects of rapamycin on muscle building
• Q&A #38  The conflicting data between protein requirements for longevity vs muscle building

Get more Aliquots! Become an FMF Premium member and get full access to our members-only podcast, The Aliquot, plus live Q&As with Rhonda, every-other-week Science Digest emails, and more.

Learn more and sign up at: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/aliquot

Your skin is a crucial barrier to the outside world – the first line of defense against environmental exposures, and the primary means by which the body retains fluids necessary for survival. Consequently, maintaining a healthy skin barrier is important for your overall health.    In this Aliquot, I describe some things you can do to protect your skin and possibly prevent wrinkles, too.

• (00:00) The role of UV exposure in skin aging
• (00:19) Strategies for reducing the effects of photoaging
• (00:40) Preventing photoaging with hydrolyzed collagen
• (02:41) Cocoa for improved circulation and cognition
• (09:39) The connection between sugar and skin damage
• (10:18) Why exercise and glycemic control prevents wrinkles
• (11:57) Rhonda's skincare routine
• (14:04) Can skincare prevent senescence?
• (15:06) Collagen vs. hyaluronic acid
• (18:39) Marketing vs. science in red light therapy
• (21:21) The effect of heat on absorption properties of skin

This episode features a variety of segments from various episodes of our members Q&A series: Q&A #11 (cocoa), Q&A #13 (toxin absorption through skin), Q&A #35 (sugar intake), Q&A #38 (skin cell senescence), Q&A #41 (collagen supplementation), Q&A #42 (my skincare routine).   Get more Aliquots! Become a FMF Premium member and get full access to our members-only podcast, The Aliquot, plus live Q&As with Rhonda, every-other-week Science Digest emails, and more.

Learn more and sign up at: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/aliquot

Incorporating resistance training into your exercise regimen presents a scheduling dilemma – there's simply not enough time. Performing time-efficient workouts that involve supersets, paired sets, drop sets, and multi-joint exercises decrease training time while providing the minimum effective dose necessary for muscle hypertrophy. In this Aliquot, experts Dr. Brad Schoenfeld and Dr. Stuart Philips provide tips for optimizing gym time and share the workout routines and healthy lifestyle behaviors they practice to promote healthy aging.

• (00:00) Introduction
• (00:23) Minimal effective dose for hypertrophy
• (10:18) Dr. Schoenfeld's personal fitness routine
• (13:40) What is Dr. Phillips doing to age well?

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The progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging, referred to as sarcopenia, begins as early as our 30s or 40s. Many factors contribute to sarcopenia, including diet and inactivity. Building muscle mass in one's early years is essential for staving off the age-related loss of muscle mass and may promote longevity.  In this Aliquot, Dr. Stuart Phillips discusses the importance of building muscle through resistance training and why starting early is important.

• (00:00) Introduction
• (00:58) Why muscles decline with age and what to do
• (06:00) Why muscle is important for longevity
• (16:25) Causes of anabolic resistance in old age

Get more Aliquots! Become a FMF Premium member and get full access to our members-only podcast, The Aliquot, plus live Q&As with Rhonda, every-other-week Science Digest emails, and more.

Learn more and sign up at: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/aliquot

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are among the most widely used drugs worldwide, available in both prescription and over-the-counter forms, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and others. Most NSAIDs, with the exception of aspirin, work by inhibiting the activity of a family of enzymes called cyclooxygenases, which drive inflammatory processes. But because these inflammatory processes can be beneficial in some contexts and because the drugs often elicit off-target effects, there are some concerns about their use.  In this Aliquot, I describe current recommendations and concerns surrounding NSAID use. 

• (00:00) Introduction
• (02:58) Daily aspirin use and cardiovascular disease risk (clip from Q&A #9)
• (07:02) The pros and cons of low-dose aspirin (clip from Q&A #30)
• (11:43) Aspirin use and metastatic cancer risk
• (13:46) Aspirin vs other NSAIDs
• (15:20) Effects of ibuprofen on the kidneys, stomach, and muscles (clip from Q&A #14)
• (18:52) NSAIDs, heart attack, and stroke
• (20:04) Alternatives to NSAIDs

Get more Aliquots! Become a FMF Premium member and get full access to our members-only podcast, The Aliquot, plus live Q&As with Rhonda, biweekly Science Digest emails, and more.

Learn more and sign up at: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/aliquot

Dietary fiber is a broad term that refers to the non-digestible components of fruits and vegetables. Gut microbes break down certain types of fiber, releasing micronutrients trapped in the fiber matrix and producing beneficial metabolic byproducts, such as short-chain fatty acids. Fiber exerts a wide array of beneficial health effects, influencing metabolic health, and may be an important, if overlooked, component of ketogenic diets.  In this Aliquot, Dr. Michael Snyder, Dr. Dominic D'Agostino, and Dr. Rhonda Patrick discuss the benefits of dietary fiber.  

• (00:00) Introduction
• (00:44) The gut microbiome influences glucose and cholesterol regulation
• (07:25) Benefits of including a variety of fibers on a ketogenic diet
• (10:51) Titrating carbohydrates when beginning a ketogenic diet reduces side effects
• (20:30) Eating fiber-rich foods optimizes the health benefits of a ketogenic diet

Watch the full interview featuring Dr. Snyder   Watch the first full interview featuring Dr. D'Agostino   Watch the second full interview featuring Dr. D'Agostino

Get more Aliquots! Become a FMF Premium member and get full access to our members-only podcast, The Aliquot, plus live Q&As with Rhonda, biweekly Science Digest emails, and more.

Learn more and sign up at: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/aliquot

Alcohol, one of the most used drugs worldwide, is a controversial subject. Whereas some research suggests drinking alcohol improves health, an abundance of evidence indicates that drinking alcohol also harms health. Particularly, higher alcohol intake is associated with an increased risk of many cancers. Some of the deleterious effects of drinking may be due to alcohol's effects on sleep. Although alcohol may help us feel calm and ready to sleep, it has surprising effects on REM sleep and maybe our waking behaviors too.   In this Aliquot, we discuss some of the risks and surprising effects of alcohol on human health and behavior. 

• (00:00) Introduction
• (00:57)  Multiple drinks per day increases the risk of many cancers (Member Q&A segments)
• (07:16) Moderate alcohol consumption reduces cognitive impairment risk, heavy drinking increases it
• (08:58) Mild alcohol intake increases the likelihood of living to 90 and improves insulin sensitivity
• (11:30) Alcohol dampens autoimmunity, but increases infection risk 
• (12:07) Take-home messages about breast cancer
• (14:38) Alcohol and four other factors that reduce sleep quality (Matthew Walker segments)
• (20:16) Alcohol is a sedative, but reduces sleep continuity and suppresses REM sleep

Watch the full Q&A featuring Dr. Rhonda Patrick Watch the full interview featuring Dr. Walker Watch the full interview featuring Tim Ferris

Get more Aliquots! Become a FMF Premium member and get full access to our members-only podcast, The Aliquot, plus live Q&As with Rhonda, biweekly Science Digest emails, and more.

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Autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis occur when the immune system mistakes the body's own proteins for those released by invading pathogens. The immune system has strategies for filtering these autoimmune cells out of circulation; however, this filter can malfunction due to age, genetic predisposition, disruption of the gut barrier and gut microbiota, or other environmental exposures. In this episode of the Aliquot podcast, we'll discuss autoimmunity and how childhood exposure to germs, dietary fiber intake, and fasting can build a healthy and balanced immune system.

• (00:00) Introduction
• (02:06) Childhood exposure to germs educates the immune system (Eran Elinav segment)
• (08:51) Environment has more influence over the microbiome than genes 
• (12:42)  The conversation between gut bacteria and the immune system (Sonnenberg segment)
• (15:51) Fiber feeds friendly bacteria and attenuates immune overactivity
• (19:15) Prolonged fasting resets autoimmunity (Valter Longo segment)
• (22:55) Fasting is an opportunity to repair the body

Watch the full episode featuring Dr. Eran Elinav

Watch the full episode featuring Drs. Erica & Justin Sonnenburg

Watch the full episode featuring Dr. Valter Longo

Get more Aliquots! Become a FMF Premium member and get full access to our members-only podcast, The Aliquot, plus live Q&As with Rhonda, biweekly Science Digest emails, and more.

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Early studies of omega-3 fatty acid intake demonstrated dramatic biological effects. Since then, the body of research enumerating the profound anti-inflammatory and multi-system, generalized health-promoting qualities of omega-3s continues to grow; however, some studies fail to show any effects from omega-3 supplementation. This source of consternation may, by and large, boil down to low doses, raising the question: what is the right dose of omega-3 to use?  In this Aliquot, Dr. Bill Harris shares his experience administering some of the largest omega-3 doses ever used in human trials and gives his recommendations about optimal dosage taking genes and diet into account.

• (00:00) Intro
• (01:51) Tolerability of very high doses (25 grams or more)
• (14:35) Why dose titration based on the RBC test is better than ball-parking
• (15:58) The right dose for 95% of typical Westerner
• (16:30) Why 4 grams might be better than 2 grams for some people
• (20:00) How the FDA decided on dosage for prescription omega-3
• (21:05) Does the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio matter?
• (22:49) Concluding thoughts

Watch the full episode featuring Dr. Bill Harris

Get more Aliquots! Become a FMF Premium member and get full access to our members-only podcast, The Aliquot, plus live Q&As with Rhonda, biweekly Science Digest emails, and more.

Learn more and sign up at: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/aliquot