In this episode of Longevity By Design, co-hosts Ashley Reaver, MS, RD, CSSD, and Dr. Gil Blander welcome renowned professor Dr. Keith Baar. As the head of the Functional Molecular Biology Lab at UC Davis, Dr. Baar has made groundbreaking discoveries about how exercise and nutrition influence the adaptation of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. During this episode, he shares his expertise on the critical role of exercise and nutrition for musculoskeletal health, longevity, and improving quality of life.

Dr. Baar discusses the profound impact that both strength and endurance exercise have on healthspan and longevity, emphasizing the unique benefits of strength training. He delves into the molecular biology of muscles, explaining his discovery that resistance exercise activates the mTOR pathway, which is crucial for muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. He also shares his knowledge on the effects of the drug rapamycin, an inhibitor of mTOR, on muscle versus longevity, highlighting the nuances and complex balance needed for optimal health.

Dr. Baar also shares his expertise and addresses common misconceptions regarding tendons and ligaments. The conversation also covers the significance of nutritional timing, the benefits of integrating protein intake with exercise for muscle, and collagen and vitamin C for tendons and ligaments.

Listeners to this episode will be equipped with an understanding of the responses to different types of exercise and practical exercise and nutrition advice for optimizing muscle, tendon, and ligament health througout life.

Episode timestamps

• Introduction: 00:00-02:52
• What led Dr. Keith Baar to become a scientist interested in exercise physiology?: 02:52-05:19
• What is the musculoskeletal system, and can you explain why it is so vital for health, physical function and performance, and quality of life?: 05:20-12:13
• What is the role of mTOR in health and longevity? 12:14-16:44
• What is the role of rapamycin and metformin in health and longevity? 16:45-20:58
• Activation of mTOR by resistance exercise and protein: 20:59-23:03
• Is there a window of opportunity for consuming protein following exercise to increase muscle protein synthesis? Is the timing of protein consumption post-exercise important for muscle protein synthesis? 23:04-27:35
• Is the type of protein important for muscle protein synthesis? 27:36-28:32
• Is there a difference between young and older adults in how they respond to resistance exercise?28:33-33:49
• What are the differences in molecular responses and longevity between resistance and endurance exercise?: 33:50-38:31
• What are ligaments and tendons? Are there differences in ligaments and tendons between men and women? 38:32-43:26
• What is the best way to exercise for tendons and ligaments? 43:27-49:10
• Is there a difference between pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women in tendons and ligaments?: 49:11-51:17
• Why is collagen important for tendons and ligaments?: 51:18-53:22
• Why is vitamin C important for collagen synthesis and tendons and ligaments?: 53:23-55:19
• When should a collagen supplement be consumed?: 55:21-57:07
• What are some misconceptions about tendons and ligaments?: 57:08-58:42
• What happens to tendons and ligaments during a joint replacement?: 58:43-01:00:50
• What excites or interests Dr. Keith Baar the most that has the potential to extend healthspan in the next 5-10 years?: 01:00:51-01:03:36
• Dr. Keith Baar’s top tip for health: 01:03:37-01:05:59