The Crackin' Backs Podcast

Peptides are everywhere right now.

From fat loss and muscle growth to injury healing, anti-aging, and longevity, these tiny signaling molecules are being marketed as the future of medicine. But between influencer hype, online “research peptides,” and biohacking trends… most people have no idea what’s real—and what could actually hurt them.

In this episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with Regan Archibald to break down the truth about peptides, longevity, and regenerative health.

This is not a surface-level conversation.
This is about understanding how peptides actually work—and how to use them responsibly.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• What peptides actually are and how they function as biological signaling molecules
• The biggest misconceptions about BPC-157, TB-500, GLP-1, and peptide “stacks”
• Where peptides show real promise in healing, metabolism, and performance—and where hype gets ahead of science
• Whether peptides can impact autoimmune conditions, inflammation, and recovery
• The truth about oral vs injectable peptides
• How people misuse peptides—and where dosing and stacking go wrong
• What reactions like itching or inflammation at injection sites really mean
• Whether peptides are necessary—or if foundational health still matters more

If you’ve ever searched:

• “Do peptides work?”
• “Are peptides safe?”
• “Best peptides for healing or fat loss”

This episode gives you real-world insight from someone working directly in the field.

About Regan Archibald

Regan Archibald is a licensed acupuncturist, functional medicine practitioner, and one of the leading peptide and longevity specialists in the United States.

He is the founder of East West Health, an award-winning clinic focused on regenerative medicine, peptide therapy, and functional health optimization, where thousands of advanced lab panels have been used to identify root causes of disease and performance limitations.

Regan is also:

• Author of multiple books including Never Stop Healing and The Peptide Blueprint
• Creator of the Peptide Mastery Course
• Founder of Ageless Future, a longevity-focused health platform
• Host of the Unreasonable Health Podcast

His work focuses on helping individuals improve energy, recovery, metabolism, and long-term health using both cutting-edge therapies and foundational lifestyle strategies.

Learn More About Regan Archibald

 Website: https://reganarchibald.com
Clinic (East West Health): https://acueastwest.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regan-archibald-ab70b813

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

If you’ve ever felt confused by nutrition… you’re not alone.

Calories matter.
 Calories don’t matter.
 Carbs are the problem.
 Carbs are essential.

In today’s world, nutrition advice is louder than ever—but rarely grounded in real science. In this episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with Douglas Kalman PhD to break down what decades of research actually say about calories, metabolism, diet trends, and supplements.

This is not another diet conversation.
 This is about understanding how the human body actually works—so you can make decisions based on physiology, not opinions.

In this episode, we explore:

• Do calories really matter, or do hormones drive fat loss?
• Why most popular diets (keto, carnivore, intermittent fasting, plant-based) can all “work”—and what they’re missing
• The difference between food quality vs calorie balance
• Why so many people are following “healthy diets” and still not seeing results
• The real science behind creatine—safety, performance, brain health, and misconceptions
• How to filter nutrition advice in a world full of conflicting information

If you’ve ever searched:

• “Do calories matter?”
• “Best diet for fat loss”
• “Is creatine safe?”

This episode gives you evidence-based clarity from someone who has spent decades studying these exact questions.

About Dr. Douglas Kalman

Douglas Kalman, PhD, RD, FACN, FISSN is a globally recognized nutrition researcher, registered dietitian, and scientific expert in sports nutrition and metabolism.

• Involved in 100+ clinical trials across nutrition, medicine, and performance 
• Published dozens of peer-reviewed studies and hundreds of scientific articles 
• Co-founder of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 
• Worked with Olympic athletes, professional sports teams, and elite performers 
• Faculty member and scientific leader in the field of sports nutrition and supplementation 

Dr. Kalman is known for his ability to translate complex metabolic science into real-world, actionable strategies—bridging the gap between research and what actually works.

Learn More About Dr. Douglas Kalman

🔗 LinkedIn:
🔗 ISSN (International Society of Sports Nutrition): HERE
 
 

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

Women’s health and performance science is finally catching up—but for decades, much of the research guiding training, nutrition, and recovery was built primarily on male physiology. That mismatch has left many women feeling like they’re doing everything right—training hard, eating “clean,” tracking their metrics—yet still struggling with energy, metabolism, recovery, and body composition.

In this episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with Abbie Smith-Ryan, one of the world’s leading researchers in female metabolism, performance physiology, and body composition, to explore what happens when we finally study women’s bodies on their own terms.

Drawing from hundreds of peer-reviewed publications and years of clinical and laboratory research, Dr. Smith-Ryan explains how women’s hormones, metabolism, muscle physiology, and fueling strategies influence everything from athletic performance to long-term health and longevity.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why much of the traditional fitness and nutrition advice for women was built on male data
• What actually happens to metabolism and body composition during perimenopause and menopause
• Why many active women are chronically under-fueling without realizing it
• The growing research behind creatine for women’s health, muscle, and brain performance
• Why muscle may be one of the most powerful longevity organs
• The role of strength training vs cardio in women’s long-term health
• The pros and cons of wearables, hormone panels, and optimization tools
• The highest-impact habits women can implement without expensive testing

Dr. Smith-Ryan also discusses the future of women-specific exercise science, why we may need to start these conversations much earlier in life, and what she hopes women ultimately believe differently about their bodies.

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in:

• women’s health
• female metabolism
• strength training for women
• creatine supplementation
• menopause performance
• body composition science
• longevity and muscle health

About Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan

Abbie Smith-Ryan is an internationally recognized exercise physiologist, researcher, and professor at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, where she directs the Applied Physiology Laboratory.

Her research focuses on female metabolism, exercise performance, body composition, sports nutrition, and dietary supplementation, with particular emphasis on women across the lifespan—from athletes to women navigating menopause. She has authored hundreds of scientific publications and is widely recognized as a leader in translating complex metabolic science into practical strategies for real-world health and performance.

Her work has been featured in major scientific journals and global media outlets, helping shape the modern conversation around women’s physiology, muscle health, and metabolic resilience.

Women’s health and performance science is finally catching up—but for decades, much of the research guiding training, nutrition, and recovery was built primarily on male physiology. That mismatch has left many women feeling like they’re doing everything right—training hard, eating “clean,” tracking their metrics—yet still struggling with energy, metabolism, recovery, and body composition.

In this episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with Abbie Smith-Ryan, one of the world’s leading researchers in female metabolism, performance physiology, and body composition, to explore what happens when we finally study women’s bodies on their own terms.

Drawing from hundreds of peer-reviewed publications and years of clinical and laboratory research, Dr. Smith-Ryan explains how women’s hormones, metabolism, muscle physiology, and fueling strategies influence everything from athletic performance to long-term health and longevity.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why much of the traditional fitness and nutrition advice for women was built on male data
• What actually happens to metabolism and body composition during perimenopause and menopause
• Why many active women are chronically under-fueling without realizing it
• The growing research behind creatine for women’s health, muscle, and brain performance
• Why muscle may be one of the most powerful longevity organs
• The role of strength training vs cardio in women’s long-term health
• The pros and cons of wearables, hormone panels, and optimization tools
• The highest-impact habits women can implement without expensive testing

Dr. Smith-Ryan also discusses the future of women-specific exercise science, why we may need to start these conversations much earlier in life, and what she hopes women ultimately believe differently about their bodies.

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in:

• women’s health
• female metabolism
• strength training for women
• creatine supplementation
• menopause performance
• body composition science
• longevity and muscle health

About Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan

Abbie Smith-Ryan is an internationally recognized exercise physiologist, researcher, and professor at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, where she directs the Applied Physiology Laboratory.

Her research focuses on female metabolism, exercise performance, body composition, sports nutrition, and dietary supplementation, with particular emphasis on women across the lifespan—from athletes to women navigating menopause. She has authored hundreds of scientific publications and is widely recognized as a leader in translating complex metabolic science into practical strategies for real-world health and performance.

Her work has been featured in major scientific journals and global media outlets, helping shape the modern conversation around women’s physiology, muscle health, and metabolic resilience.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

Your brain doesn’t just run on chemistry.
 It runs on time.

Every day your body broadcasts signals through sleep timing, light exposure, body temperature, hormones, and circadian rhythms—yet most people ignore these patterns while chasing pills, supplements, and productivity hacks.

In this episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with Benjamin Smarr to explore a new frontier of human biology: how time-series biology and wearable data may unlock powerful, non-drug ways to improve brain health, mood, and performance.

Dr. Smarr’s research looks at the body not as a snapshot—but as a movie, where continuous biological signals reveal patterns that traditional medicine often misses.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why “normal” is a misleading concept in human biology
• How circadian rhythms and sleep timing shape mental performance and mood
• What wearable devices can reveal about your hidden biological patterns
• Why body temperature rhythms may be linked to depression and mental health
• The overlooked role of light timing, temperature regulation, and daily rhythms
• How “social time” vs biological time affects cognition, sleep, and productivity
• Where self-tracking and wearable data help—and where they can backfire
• Whether the future of medicine could include “time prescriptions” instead of drugs

This conversation reframes how we think about health, performance, and mental well-being—not as something fixed, but as something that shifts with how we live in time.

If you’re interested in sleep science, circadian biology, wearables, mental performance, precision health, and the future of non-drug brain optimization, this episode will challenge how you think about your own body.

About Dr. Benjamin Smarr

Benjamin Smarr is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering and Data Science at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He earned his PhD in Neurobiology from the University of Washington, and later served as an NIH fellow at UC Berkeley in Psychology.

His research focuses on biological rhythms, neuroendocrinology, wearable health data, and HealthAI, developing technologies that improve precision medicine while reducing algorithmic bias for diverse populations.

The Smarr Lab works at the intersection of women’s health, aging, circadian biology, and data science, aiming to accelerate the future of personalized healthcare and population-level health insights.

Dr. Smarr’s work and insights have been featured in global media outlets including NPR, BBC, Forbes, and many others. He is also a strong advocate for science communication and community empowerment in discovery and health innovation.

Learn more about his research and work HERE:
 
 

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

What happens when everything you thought defined you… is taken in a single moment?

For Daniel Carlton, that moment came in 2012 while serving as a U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret, when he stepped on an IED—losing one leg and nearly losing the other. It was a near-death experience that would have ended most people’s story.

It didn’t end his.

In this episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we go far beyond injury and recovery. This is a conversation about identity, resilience, purpose, and what it really takes to rebuild a life after everything changes.

Daniel didn’t just survive—he chose to push the limits of what’s possible. From endurance rucks and extreme physical challenges to beekeeping, and leading others through suffering with purpose… he’s redefining what strength actually looks like.

This is not motivation.
This is perspective.

In this episode, we explore:

1. The moment everything changed—and the decision that followed
2. What the darkest days actually looked like after limb loss and trauma
3. How to rebuild identity when your body and life are no longer the same
4. Why people who suffer often choose harder paths—not easier ones
5. What endurance rucks reveal about pain, trauma, and human connection
6. The mindset that allows someone to keep going when most people quit
7. How to turn loss into purpose—and help others do the same

If you’ve ever faced adversity, loss, or a moment that forced you to question who you are… this episode will stay with you.

About Daniel Carlton

Daniel Carlton is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) soldier, Ranger qualified, and 2? Purple Heart recipient. A husband and father of eight, Daniel survived a catastrophic IED blast in combat that resulted in limb loss and severe injuries to his remaining leg.

Since 2012, he has committed his life to pushing physical and mental limits—participating in endurance rucks, extreme challenges, and community-driven events that help others confront pain, trauma, and growth. Beyond the battlefield, Daniel is also a beekeeper, leader, and advocate for resilience, proving that purpose doesn’t end after tragedy—it begins there.

If you’re looking for a conversation about what’s possible after everything falls apart—this is it.

For more information on the group he is working with.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

What if chronic pain isn’t a tissue problem—but a brain map problem?

If you’ve ever thought, “My pain must be structural,” today’s episode flips that script. On the Crackin’ Backs Podcast we dive into why pain persists, how the nervous system and brain maps shape sensation, and how skilled manual therapy can update the body’s map instead of masking symptoms.

We’re joined by Dr. Steven Capobianco, co-founder of RockTape and one of the sharpest minds redefining pain, movement, and human performance through neuroscience-informed approaches to chronic pain and sensory-driven movement therapy.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why pain isn’t always a tissue injury and what “back being out” really means
• How manual therapy becomes sensory input to update the nervous system
• What most people misunderstand about nervous system regulation
• The difference between outer maps and inner body maps
• How chronic pain makes the body feel unsafe—and what truly restores safety
• Why patients shouldn’t be passive on the table but active participants in their recovery
• When manual therapy empowers vs when it creates dependency

This episode is essential listening if you’re struggling with lingering pain, movement limitations, or feel like you’ve tried everything without getting answers. By the end, you’ll understand pain through a neuro-sensory lens, not just a structural one.

About Dr. Steven Capobianco

Dr. Steven “Capo” Capobianco, DC, MA, DACRB, CSCS, PES is a movement expert, sports chiropractor, and co-founder of RockTape—a globally recognized company blending neuroscience, movement education, and therapeutic techniques to enhance performance and reduce pain. He holds advanced degrees in kinesiology and chiropractic medicine, a Diplomate in Rehabilitation, and performance certifications from the NSCA and NASM. Dr. Capo lectures internationally, authored the Fascial Movement Taping manual, and teaches clinicians worldwide how to move clients out of pain and into performance.

Learn more about Dr. Capobianco and movement science:

RockTape official site: https://rocktape.com

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

If you’re tired of working harder and getting the same results… this episode is for you.

Most people don’t fail because they lack effort.
They fail because they repeat the same thinking, habits, and identity—year after year—with new goals but the same outcomes.
Today on the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we go beyond motivation to expose the invisible mental patterns that quietly control discipline, confidence, and performance under pressure.

We’re joined by Max Rooke, peak performance coach, author, speaker, and Associate Head Coach at Pepperdine University Women’s Soccer, to break down the real mental game reset successful people need in 2026.

In this episode we explore:
• Why your habits, identity, and thinking—not effort—determine your results
• The mental patterns that sabotage confidence, focus, and execution
• What top performers fear more than failure
• How nervous system regulation beats willpower every time
• The one internal skill that separates clutch performers from quiet collapsers
• Three daily mental habits that actually rewire confidence and self-trust
• How breakthrough moments change everything—if you lean in

Whether you’re an athlete, coach, entrepreneur, or high-achiever quietly struggling with self-doubt, performance anxiety, or inconsistency, this conversation will change how you think about success, identity, and the mental work that actually matters.

About Max Rooke

Max Rooke is a performance coach, author, speaker, and Associate Head Coach for Pepperdine University Women’s Soccer, specializing in helping high performers master the mental game of confidence, decision-making, and consistency. He’s the author of Max Moments: Powerful Lessons to Help You Break Through From Good to Great, a book of impactful insights designed to shift thinking and elevate performance. His Life 2 The Max philosophy supports top performers, leaders, and teams in redefining success and living with clarity and purpose.

 Learn more and get Max’s book here: HERE

Max Moments book & breakthrough journal: HERE

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

What if spine surgery isn’t the breakthrough—it's the backup plan?

In a world where millions are told “scalpel first” for back pain, joint degeneration, and nerve issues, a quiet revolution is happening in regenerative medicine, non-surgical spine care, stem cells, exosomes, and peptides. On this episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with one of the true pioneers in the field—Dr. Jeff Gross, a spine-fellowship trained, board-certified neurosurgeon who’s pushing healing beyond the knife and toward regeneration.

Dr. Gross has spent over two decades treating back pain, neck pain, disc issues, and sports injuries using both traditional neurosurgical expertise and the latest in regenerative therapies, helping thousands of patients find alternatives to spinal surgery and accelerate healing naturally.

In this episode we break down:
• When stem cells and exosomes actually help back and joint pain
• How peptides are being used responsibly in regenerative care
• The filters Dr. Gross uses to decide who truly needs surgery—and who doesn’t
• What the science actually says (and what’s hype) about regenerative spine repair
• How doctors can match the right biologic tool to the right problem
• What real healing metrics look like—beyond pain scores and imaging

If you’ve ever typed “Can stem cells fix my back?”, “alternatives to spine surgery”, or “non-surgical regenerative spine care” into Google… this episode finally gives you evidence-based answers from someone who’s lived both sides of the scalpel.

 About Dr. Jeff Gross

Dr. Jeffrey Gross, MD is a spine fellowship trained neurological surgeon practicing in Nevada and California with over 20 years of experience treating complex spine and joint conditions. He is the founder of ReCELLebrate, a regenerative medicine clinic based in Las Vegas focused on stem cell therapy, exosome treatments, longevity consultations, and biohacking strategies that help patients heal, reduce pain, and improve overall health without immediate surgery. Dr. Gross has also authored scientific publications, spoken internationally, and helped thousands of patients explore non-surgical options for chronic pain.

 Learn more about Dr. Jeff Gross and regenerative care: HERE

Learn about conservative spine care and second opinions: HERE

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

Most athletes don’t lose because they lack talent.
They lose because their internal system collapses under pressure.

They dominate in practice.
They prepare, train, visualize…
Then the lights come on—and something shuts down.

In this episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we dive deep into the real mental game of performance with Brandon Sprout, a mental performance coach who works at the intersection of identity, subconscious programming, hypnosis, and NLP to help athletes perform consistently when it matters most.

This isn’t surface-level “mental toughness.”
This is about why athletes choke, what’s actually happening in the mind–body loop, and how to rewire the internal operating system that drives confidence, focus, and execution.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why athletes perform great in practice but fall apart in games
• What “choking” really is—and the fastest lever to interrupt it
• How athlete identity forms, fractures, and controls performance
• Why confidence disappears after mistakes—and how to rebuild it fast
• A simple 3-step framework to turn mistakes into information, not identity
• How hypnosis and NLP are actually used in high-performance settings
• What Brandon targets in the subconscious—and how progress is measured
• The clearest signs an athlete’s identity is fragile and outcome-dependent
• How to build a stable performance identity that holds under pressure

If you’re an athlete, coach, or high performer who feels like your talent doesn’t always show up when it counts, this conversation will change how you think about confidence, pressure, and mental training.

This episode is for anyone asking:
“Why can’t I do in competition what I do in practice?”

About the Guest

Brandon Sprout is a mental performance coach specializing in subconscious reprogramming, identity development, and pressure performance. He works with athletes across youth, collegiate, and professional levels, using tools such as hypnosis, NLP, and cognitive-behavioral strategies to help athletes align identity with execution. Brandon’s work focuses on building stable confidence, emotional regulation, and repeatable performance under stress.

Learn more about Brandon Sprout and his work:
https://brandondsprout.com

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast