5 Shocking Misconceptions About Doping In Olympic and Professional Sports

Almost everything the average sports fan believes about doping is wrong. The “dirty cheaters stealing medals from clean athletes” story almost never describes what actually happened. Instead, we’ve had dirty sports, Cold War dynamics, and athletes faced with the “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” devil’s bargain. In this show you’ll learn why doping has been cleaned up significantly from past eras, where the problem remains, and why professional cycling is perhaps the most glaring example. You’ll also learn surprising insights about the physiology of doping: Steroids don’t actually magically make you bigger, stronger, or faster. Training does. Doping alters your body chemistry so you can recover faster and train harder. Doping can’t transform an ordinary person into an Olympian, which is why doping up a bunch of retreads and has-beens at the Enhanced Games resulted in pedestrian times in comparison to the world’s elite. We’ll cover EPO, the Goldman Dilemma, the Eastern Bloc origins of Olympic doping, and crazy scandals from Lance Armstrong and BALCO to the heartbreaking case of Shelby Houlihan’s controversial four-year suspension. We close with a discussion about the morality and philosophy of what it means to age gracefully - questions I’ve been asking myself as I strive to be the best 60+ athlete I can be. Is this more honorable than trying to dope myself into a fake 30-year-old? Or should we consider taking advantage of modern pharmaceutical advantages to be the best we can be? If so, do we push the envelope of, “has self-optimization become permission for unbridled narcissism?” Get ready for a heavy show that will leave you never thinking the same way about doping in big time sports again, and also reflecting on the implications of anti-aging and biohacking therapies differently than you may have before!   TIMESTAMPS: For decades, doping in Olympic and professional sports has been a huge concern, controversy, headline stories, and it has been hugely misunderstood on many levels by the average sports fan. [02:42] Myth number one is that doping is commonplace in Olympic and professional sports. [04:57] One of the reasons these suspicions persist is marketing hype and propaganda. [11:38] Why do these suspicions about doping persist? [15:38] Back in the 70s and 80s the western athletes were losing to doped up competitors. What did they tend to do? [20:48] From that point there was much testing and continuing use of steroids, then sport got boring until baseball got into players hitting the ball out of the park. [27:28] The BALCO scandal in the early 2000s was when some undetectable steroids that were not on the banned list were invented. [30:06] In the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, there was an incident where two of the favored athletes did not appear for their tests right before the opening ceremonies. [35:21] Today we have more sophisticated testing and are even able to freeze some samples to test later when more advanced testing becomes available. [39:21] A big game changer that came in the 90s was the discovery of EPO, a natural substance secreted by bone marrow and stimulates the production of red blood cells.  [41:28] There are several countries involved in state-sponsored programs as well as small impoverished nations that are poorly regulated.  [46:14] In baseball and other sports, they have penalties that aren't very severe. [56:12] There is another category of athletes that are perhaps ,toward the end of their careers, who might want to go out with a bang and have little to lose.   [01:00:56] There are many young athletes who develop their skills and break records, but are not necessarily suspected of doping. [01:04:55] There are many instances where athletes have been tested for substances that don't necessarily enhance performance, but do cause the athlete a problem.  There is metabolite, nandrolone that appears in some tainted meat. [01:11:05] One of the myths that pervades around the performance enhancing drugs is that they are dangerous and bad for your body. Brad describes his drug free endurance career. [01:19:23] The destruction caused by the extreme training was, Brad would argue, much worse than doing the exact same thing with all the doping protocols available to you. [01:23:44] The myth that taking steroids is going to make you a super athlete, is not technically how it works. It's more about talent. [01:24:47] Lance Armstrong was extremely fit and genetically gifted, and trained hard, but as he emerged into this dirty sport, he pretty much had to join them. [01:29:08] Brad talks about the history of the manufacture of these performance enhancing drugs. [01:35:00] We should have the moral obligation to try to do the best we can to live the best healthy and energetic life. [01:39:25] Visceral fat accumulating around the abdomen is a sign of metabolic disease. [01:41:30] The fears and warnings you've heard are not necessarily holding up. [01:46:37]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery NEW: B.rad Real Rad Gummies - Creatine + Nootropics for Focus, Motivation, Performance, and Recovery! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes Podcast with Shelby Houlihan How Lance Does It   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Recover Faster: B.rad Superfuel helps with fat loss, longevity, immune function and athletic performance with a potent combo of grassfed whey protein and creatine. A five-star bestseller on Amazon, or order direct and save! Get 20% OFF your first order with code BRAD20 Strengthen Your Feet: Peluva five-toe minimalist shoes naturally strengthen and realign your feet to perform better, relieve pain, and achieve full functionality. Use code BRADPODCAST for 10% off Online Education: Immersive learning to transform your diet in 21 days, endurance train the right way, prepare Paleo meals for the whole week, get started the right way the therapeutic cold exposure, and custom-design a morning movement routine.  Somnus sleep system: An advanced, water-based mattress pad that uses intelligent, dual-zone temperature regulation to optimize your micro-climate for deeper, more restorative rest. Use code BRAD for $200 discount on SomnusLab.com Clean Your Indoor Air!: The Jaspr Air Scrubber is an ultra high-performance, automatic-sensor unit that will address the often-disregarded health concern of indoor air quality. Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD Explore B.rad Nutrition, online courses, and my favorite gear at: BradKearns.com/Shop   Enjoying the podcast?Please leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts—it helps more people discover the show. Thanks for your support!   #bradpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could optimizing your circadian rhythm be the most important health intervention of all? In this show, I take a trip around the 24-hour clock, exploring fascinating ideas about light, leptin, metabolism, sleep, and circadian biology. We’ll look at why direct outdoor light in the morning matters, why eating after dark can cause more fat storage than eating the same number of calories at a different time, and how our modern use of artificial light may be extending “summer” throughout the year. I also explain why the hours from midnight to 3:00 AM are so important for darkness, leptin, human growth hormone, and the body’s overnight repair processes—and why these issues may be especially relevant for post-menopausal women. I wrap it all up with four simple ways to get your circadian rhythm working in your favor: mellow evenings, a dark and cool sleeping environment, energetic mornings, and napping when you need it. I explain why caffeine can override the sleepiness signal your body is trying to send you, and why insufficient sleep can make you 20% slower at everything you do—while making you less aware of it.  I’ll also share emerging research on sunlight and immune regulation, including the fascinating field of photoimmunology, plus the sleep-cooling technology I’m currently enjoying with the Somnus Sleep System. The big takeaway? Before you chase complicated health protocols, make sure you’re respecting the biological rhythms that have governed human health for far longer than artificial light, smartphones, and Netflix queues.   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery NEW: B.rad Real Rad Gummies - Creatine + Nootropics for Focus, Motivation, Performance, and Recovery! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes Morning Exercise Routine Course Can Sunlight Cure Disease? — Apple News A Circadian Rhythm 24-Hour Tour — Part 1 A Circadian Rhythm 24-Hour Tour — Part 2 Dr. Jack Kruse — Cold Thermogenesis 7   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Recover Faster: B.rad Superfuel helps with fat loss, longevity, immune function and athletic performance with a potent combo of grassfed whey protein and creatine. A five-star bestseller on Amazon, or order direct and save! Get 20% OFF your first order with code BRAD20 Strengthen Your Feet: Peluva five-toe minimalist shoes naturally strengthen and realign your feet to perform better, relieve pain, and achieve full functionality. Use code BRADPODCAST for 10% off Online Education: Immersive learning to transform your diet in 21 days, endurance train the right way, prepare Paleo meals for the whole week, get started the right way the therapeutic cold exposure, and custom-design a morning movement routine.  Somnus sleep system: An advanced, water-based mattress pad that uses intelligent, dual-zone temperature regulation to optimize your micro-climate for deeper, more restorative rest. Use code BRAD for $200 discount on SomnusLab.com Clean Your Indoor Air!: The Jaspr Air Scrubber is an ultra high-performance, automatic-sensor unit that will address the often-disregarded health concern of indoor air quality. Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD Explore B.rad Nutrition, online courses, and my favorite gear at: BradKearns.com/Shop   Enjoying the podcast?Please leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts—it helps more people discover the show. Thanks for your support!   #bradpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m so excited to bring you this wonderful interview with Mr. Chu Zhu. He is the founder of a company called Somnus Lab, and they make an amazing mattress cooling sleep system to help you regulate your body temperature during sleep. Chu is a scientifically sophisticated guest who explains some fascinating aspects of circadian rhythm and the hormonal processes governing sleep, including the role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus—the “light control tower” in the brain—and the buildup of adenosine that creates sleep pressure. We talk about why outdoor light is such a powerful signal for your body clock, why indoor lighting doesn't come close to matching it, and how caffeine masks the buildup of adenosine rather than eliminating your need for sleep. We then get into the surprising role of body temperature. You need to cool down to fall asleep, stay cool to stay asleep, and warm up to wake up. Chu explains the surprising reason a warm shower before bed can actually help lower your core temperature, why getting too cold can backfire, and why temperature regulation becomes increasingly challenging as we age. I’ve also been beta testing the Somnus system myself, so we talk about how it can automatically regulate the temperature of your mattress throughout the night, customize each side of the bed, and track sleep without requiring you to wear a device. And if you’re someone who loves your sleep-tracking data, we have an important conversation about why more data isn't necessarily better. This episode will make you think differently about what you're doing to get better sleep: we get into the technology, but also the general behaviors that can help us get things right—including the effects of caffeine and alcohol, how sensitive the body is, and how sometimes we can simply get out of the way. It’s a great reminder that getting better sleep and better health may be less complicated than we think.   TIMESTAMPS: Chu discovered some surprising things when he got in to the sleep system technology research. [04:40] Circadian rhythm is very important in regulating how we use sleeping time. [05:49] The hypothalamus is the control center of the brain that receives the light and dark cycles governing our sleep cycles.  [07:33] Caffeine is able to take the spot of the brain's receptor that is supposed to take in adensoine to tell you if you are tired. [08:30] If we look at the evolutionary timelline, we see how the sunset and sunrise used to determine our sleep patterns, whereas now we have the lights and screens that don't allow these mechanisms to work naturally. [11:23] Also the access to processed foods and sugars, the empty calories are causing problems nowadays. The difference between direct sunlight and the indoor blue light we are exposed to also makes a big difference. [12:16] Every system in human body has a mechanism to pull it one way and the other way to push it so that you basically have a two-directional regulation system almost in every aspect. [16:35] So the important thing to do in the morning is awaken naturally near sunrise and get some direct esxposure to light, and then know that in the evening is where most of the problems happen. [17:35] Wearing blue screening glasses during the day is completely wrong. [19:16] Body temperature and environmental temperature are very important parts of the ability to fall asleep. [21:23] You need to cool down to fall asleep and you need to stay cool to stay asleep. You need to warm up to wake up. [23:31] Take a warm shower which allows the body temperature to drop and then bed covers or pajamas keep your skin at a comfortable temperature, but it is really important to have the room or the mattress temperature promoting a drop in body temp. [28:13] There are four sleep stages: preparation to sleep, deep sleep, then REM sleep and waking up stage. [32:37] How do you determine whether you're getting these factors dialed in? Is it as simple as waking up and feeling alert and energized? [34:48] The Somnus sleep system is simply a mattress cover like the protective cover you have on your mattress, that is filled with water that creates a cool sleeping environment. [37:27] How does this Somnus monitor your sleep so that you have sleep data? [50:07]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery NEW: B.rad Real Rad Gummies - Creatine + Nootropics for Focus, Motivation, Performance, and Recovery! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes Somnus Labs Lux, the measurement of light The Sleep Revolution Why We Sleep   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:   Recover Faster: B.rad Superfuel helps with fat loss, longevity, immune function and athletic performance with a potent combo of grassfed whey protein and creatine. A five-star bestseller on Amazon, or order direct and save! Get 20% OFF your first order with code BRAD20 Strengthen Your Feet: Peluva five-toe minimalist shoes naturally strengthen and realign your feet to perform better, relieve pain, and achieve full functionality. Use code BRADPODCAST for 10% off Online Education: Immersive learning to transform your diet in 21 days, endurance train the right way, prepare Paleo meals for the whole week, get started the right way the therapeutic cold exposure, and custom-design a morning movement routine.  Somnus sleep system: An advanced, water-based mattress pad that uses intelligent, dual-zone temperature regulation to optimize your micro-climate for deeper, more restorative rest. Use code BRAD for $200 discount on SomnusLab.com Drink Tmrw: Tmrw is a delicious daily longevity drink with 88 potent, clean ingredients  to support cellular nutrition, gut health and mitochondrial function. Use code BRAD for 25% off your first subscription month + free Welcome Kit AND an additional $10 off. Clean Your Indoor Air!: The Jaspr Air Scrubber is an ultra high-performance, automatic-sensor unit that will address the often-disregarded health concern of indoor air quality. Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD Explore B.rad Nutrition, online courses, and my favorite gear at: BradKearns.com/Shop   Enjoying the podcast?Please leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts—it helps more people discover the show. Thanks for your support!   #bradpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s talk about testosterone testing and other important blood tests you can track for your overall health, wellness, vitality, and longevity. I recorded this show on the occasion of my first visit to the blood lab after signing up for Vitals Vault’s premium program, and I talk about some of my favorite markers while pedaling home from the lab. I focus a lot on testosterone because I believe it’s a great proxy for overall wellness, vitality, recovery, and resilience to stress. I share my own numbers, which have ranged from 562 to 1,004, and explain why I’m so intent on keeping testosterone levels high as I age. I also get into the roughly 1% annual decline in average male testosterone levels since the 1980s, vitamin D and the widespread fear of the sun, why looking beyond LDL can give you a better picture of your lipid panel, and the lifestyle practices that can help optimize testosterone—from sleep and diet to avoiding chronic cardio, lifting heavy things, sprinting once in a while, and even maintaining a winning relationship.   TIMESTAMPS: Testosterone testing is the best proxy for your overall state of wellness, vitality, and recovery or resilience to stress.  [00:51] Brad checks his testosterone level frequently because it is his way of monitoring the stress impact from his training. [5:41] Triglycerides to HDL ratio is a premier indicator of your heart disease risk factor. It is much better than looking at total LDL cholesterol.  [06:42] In 2017 they lowered the ideal level of testosterone due to the widespread decline of testosterone among males around the world. [09:02] If you are not optimizing your sleep, including down and rest time, you cannot reduce your stress. [12:13] Get the junk out of your diet. If you are in that chronic cardio pattern in your exercise, you may be tanking your testosterone.  [12:37] If there is arguing and other dysfunctional patterns in your relationship, it will tank your testosterone as well as shorten your lifespan. [13:34] Vitamin D comes from sun exposure more than from your diet or pills. [14:30]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery NEW: B.rad Real Rad Gummies - Creatine + Nootropics for Focus, Motivation, Performance, and Recovery! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes Vitals Vault The Vitamin D. Solution   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Recover Faster: B.rad Superfuel helps with fat loss, longevity, immune function and athletic performance with a potent combo of grassfed whey protein and creatine. A five-star bestseller on Amazon, or order direct and save! Get 20% OFF your first order with code BRAD20 Strengthen Your Feet: Peluva five-toe minimalist shoes naturally strengthen and realign your feet to perform better, relieve pain, and achieve full functionality. Use code BRADPODCAST for 10% off Online Education: Immersive learning to transform your diet in 21 days, endurance train the right way, prepare Paleo meals for the whole week, get started the right way the therapeutic cold exposure, and custom-design a morning movement routine.  Somnus sleep system: An advanced, water-based mattress pad that uses intelligent, dual-zone temperature regulation to optimize your micro-climate for deeper, more restorative rest. Use code BRAD for $200 discount on SomnusLab.com Clean Your Indoor Air!: The Jaspr Air Scrubber is an ultra high-performance, automatic-sensor unit that will address the often-disregarded health concern of indoor air quality. Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD Explore B.rad Nutrition, online courses, and my favorite gear at: BradKearns.com/Shop   Enjoying the podcast?Please leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts—it helps more people discover the show. Thanks for your support!   #bradpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should we pursue "loungevity" instead of longevity? This is a question posed by prominent sports commentator Colin Cowherd on a recent rant that appeared on Instagram. It was very entertaining, and the intent was to be humorous, but it was also, to me, very offensive at times and brings up this big question that we continue to face: the juggling act of trying to enjoy our lives and not miss out versus trying to make sensible, healthy choices that promote longevity rather than send us into this spiral of accelerated aging and demise that has become the norm. In this episode, I break down Cowherd’s rant point by point, giving him credit where he gets it right while challenging some of the arguments he makes about enjoying life and not worrying so much about health. We get into alcohol, sleep, hydration, processed foods, biohacking, and the constantly changing research on what is and isn’t healthy. I also get into the question of how much control we really have over our health destiny, why your genes are not your destiny, and why four of the five markers of metabolic syndrome can be reversed in a matter of weeks with dietary transformation. Most importantly, I look at some remarkable examples of people who are actually aging powerfully and performing at a high level—from 85-year-old high jumper Kathy Bergen and 101-year-old sprinter Lester Wright to 90-year-old Earl Fee, 61-year-old world-record 400-meter runner Sue McDonald, and my own father, who played championship golf and shot his age more than 1,200 times. These are the people we should be paying attention to when it comes to figuring out how to age well.   TIMESTAMPS: Do we have to have a juggling act between trying to enjoy life and staying fit? Many people use rationalizations, excuses and cop-outs along the lines of "Hey, life is short, we might as well enjoy ourselves." [01:08] The United States is now the fattest, sickest population in the history of humanity with over 80% designated as metabolically unhealthy. For waist to height ratio, you want to measure better than 2 to 1. [05:21] There is more of a problem with obesity than there is with starving children in Africa. [08:50] Brad critiques a recent quip from Colin Cowherd. There is a whole group of sports fans who rationalize "what I could have been." You can still do something to keep in the game. [11:51] Does alcohol have any health benefits? [15:33] Many aspects of the biohacking scene have gone a little bit wild, extreme and somewhat inappropriate. [19:52] Are you getting enough hydration when you drink coffee and orange juice? [23:17] Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest public health problems on the planet. [24:24] A processed power bar is very nutrient deficient and health destructive. [27:37] The extreme biohackers are deeply immersed into that lifestyle but it is mostly unreachable for most of us. [31:27] With so many new technological inventions, are we soon going to have some drugs that neutralize the adverse impact of junk food? [35:18] VO2 max is a measurement of the volume of oxygen that you consume per minute per kilogram of body weight while your are exercising. [37:10] The use of anti-aging hormone replacement therapy can override adverse lifestyle practices. [42:16] There are many folks giving advice out there who do not have the experience needed to be telling you what to do.  [42:16] Your genes are not your destiny. The genes require lifestyle behaviors in order to be expressed. [51:42] There are four blood markers that can be corrected and reversed out of the disease risk category into healthy category in a matter of weeks of dietary transformation. [57:16]   "I wanna live a life that's healthy enough to enjoy and enjoyable enough to be healthy."   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery NEW: B.rad Real Rad Gummies - Creatine + Nootropics for Focus, Motivation, Performance, and Recovery! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes Colin Cowherd The Overfat Pandemic The Primal Blueprint Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation Three ways to get super fit without ogoing to the gym The Hacking of the American Mind Lester White runs the 100 meter dash Podcast with Sue McDonald Biology of Belief Bruce Lipton Podcast   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Recover Faster: B.rad Superfuel helps with fat loss, longevity, immune function and athletic performance with a potent combo of grassfed whey protein and creatine. A five-star bestseller on Amazon, or order direct and save! Get 20% OFF your first order with code BRAD20 Strengthen Your Feet: Peluva five-toe minimalist shoes naturally strengthen and realign your feet to perform better, relieve pain, and achieve full functionality. Use code BRADPODCAST for 10% off Online Education: Immersive learning to transform your diet in 21 days, endurance train the right way, prepare Paleo meals for the whole week, get started the right way the therapeutic cold exposure, and custom-design a morning movement routine.  Clean Your Indoor Air!: The Jaspr Air Scrubber is an ultra high-performance, automatic-sensor unit that will address the often-disregarded health concern of indoor air quality. Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD Explore B.rad Nutrition, online courses, and my favorite gear at: BradKearns.com/Shop   Enjoying the podcast?Please leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts—it helps more people discover the show. Thanks for your support!   #bradpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In your 30s, you start to lose a certain percentage of muscle tissue year over year, and that rate really accelerates when you hit 60. But everything we've been told about the importance of maintaining muscle as you age is roughly around half right. Maintaining muscle mass and muscle strength is a key driver of longevity, but even more important is maintaining muscle power and explosiveness. They are not the same. A recent 10-year study of nearly 4,000 adults revealed that those with lower muscle power and explosiveness had a six to seven times higher mortality risk compared to the strongest, most powerful group, while differences in pure strength were insignificant once age and health history were factored in. I explain the difference between sarcopenia and dynapenia, why muscle power is the first thing you lose and you lose it more quickly than anything else, and why we lose our anaerobic conditioning, muscle strength, and power at around 40% per decade, compared to roughly 10% for aerobic conditioning.  I also share practical ways to develop and preserve muscle power and explosiveness safely, so you can maintain that important attribute throughout life and avoid the devastating consequences of falls.   TIMESTAMPS: Muscle mass and muscle strength are not the same but both are key drivers to longevity. [01:01] Sarcopenia is age-related loss of muscle mass or muscle strength. Dynapenia is the age-related loss of muscle power and explosiveness. [02:25] Training has risen in the level of sophistication where athletes can perform better. [05:16] We have an obligation to hone things like coordination, balance, agility, and timing. [07:22] Dynapenia is defined as the loss of the nervous system's ability to recruit what muscle you still have. [10:10] Muscle mass declines the slowest. Muscle strength declines faster than muscle mass declines. Muscle power declines faster than all the others. [14:29] Falls should be in our central focus as something that is really concerning to us. Overall, there are 14 million aging Americans who fall every year, resulting in three million emergency room visits. [19:20] How do you train for power specifically as opposed to just building your muscular strength? [20:34] All manner of complex kinetic chain acuity starts with your feet.  Your feet play a huge role in balance stability, proper movement through the kinetic chain and proper execution. [25:40]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery NEW: B.rad Real Rad Gummies - Creatine + Nootropics for Focus, Motivation, Performance, and Recovery! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes Video of kids exercising for speed, power, and explosiveness Brad's video on the 400   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:   Recover Faster: B.rad Superfuel helps with fat loss, longevity, immune function and athletic performance with a potent combo of grassfed whey protein and creatine. A five-star bestseller on Amazon, or order direct and save! Get 20% OFF your first order with code BRAD20 Strengthen Your Feet: Peluva five-toe minimalist shoes naturally strengthen and realign your feet to perform better, relieve pain, and achieve full functionality. Use code BRADPODCAST for 10% off Online Education: Immersive learning to transform your diet in 21 days, endurance train the right way, prepare Paleo meals for the whole week, get started the right way the therapeutic cold exposure, and custom-design a morning movement routine.  Clean Your Indoor Air!: The Jaspr Air Scrubber is an ultra high-performance, automatic-sensor unit that will address the often-disregarded health concern of indoor air quality. Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD Explore B.rad Nutrition, online courses, and my favorite gear at: BradKearns.com/Shop   Enjoying the podcast?Please leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts—it helps more people discover the show. Thanks for your support!   #bradpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey, Brad Kearns here with some thoughts from my morning walk about the foundation of any excellent, well-rounded fitness program for peak performance, vitality, fat loss, and longevity. Did you know half of regular runners get an overuse injury every year, and 25% of regular runners are injured at any given time? In this episode, I explain why the modern endurance running approach is deeply flawed, why walking provides an excellent aerobic conditioning effect with minimal impact load or injury risk, and why it should be the foundation from which you launch your more ambitious fitness activities. I also share why resistance training is the missing link for many people, including Dr. Doug McGuff's “Big Five” workout, and why true sprinting—not long HIIT sessions—is the single best workout ever known to mankind in terms of return on investment for reducing excess body fat, promoting overall functional fitness, and supporting longevity. Research reveals that anaerobic muscle fibers decline at a rate of around 40% per decade without intervention, compared to roughly 10% for the aerobic system. That's why we have a critical obligation for longevity to hone the anaerobic system with brief, explosive maximum efforts. The three fitness laws are simple: move frequently at a slow pace, lift heavy things, and sprint once in a while. That is the winning ticket for true fitness, weight loss, and longevity.   TIMESTAMPS: Brad emphasizes the importance of walking as an activity from which to launch your more ambitious fitness activities. [01:51] Steady state cardiovascular exercise and other extreme endurance exercises often create injuries. [03:01] Sprinting is the single best workout known to mankind! It's all about quality, explosiveness, power, lots of rest in between. [08:30]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes The Primal Blueprint Body by Science   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein! Get 20% OFF your first order! Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Jaspr Air Scrubber: Ultra high-performance air purifier - blows other air filters away! Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD. Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD. Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD! #bradpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the emotional patterns you struggle with aren’t actually who you are? What if they’re just patterns—and patterns can be interrupted? I’m joined by Dr. Elisha Goldstein, returning to the show eight years after his first appearance, to talk about his new book, Tiny Shifts: How Emotional Health Transforms Stress, Relationships, and Longevity. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about healthy eating, exercise, fitness, sleep, and all the things we do to live a long and healthy life, but what about the emotional stuff? Because Elisha makes the case that emotional longevity is just as important as physical longevity—and that living in a high-stress, agitated pattern can potentially take years off your life. We get into his simple 4-R method: recognize, release, refocus, reinforce, which can help you catch yourself in an overwhelmed loop before you spiral into those undesirable, repeatable patterns. We talk about why the skills we learn can easily fail us when we need them the most—when we’re under pressure, agitated, or triggered—and how to create more space between stimulus and response. Elisha explains why emotions are biology, how getting in touch with what’s happening in your body can change the way you respond, and why asking your brain better questions can lead to better answers. We also talk about the everyday moments that can send us into these patterns, from traffic to social media outrage to difficult relationships, and Elisha shares a personal story about getting scammed online that puts all of this to the test in real time. This is a fascinating conversation about emotional health, longevity, and learning to recognize the patterns that drive our behavior so we can interrupt them and give ourselves more choice in the moments when we need it most.   TIMESTAMPS: Can Dr. Goldstein's 4-R method be the tool we need when we get under emotional stress and dysregulation? [01:03] We live in stressful times.  Even when we see ourselves as living a healthy life, we might not be aware of how this stress is effecting our body. [07:01] The moment of awareness when you realize that you are tense, your heart rate is up, that's when you begin to recover. [10:25] Your body always has a physical response. You can learn to map your feelings on your body. [15:10] Our responses are just a pattern, not part of our identity. [20:01] If a label (diagnosis) is helpful to you to identify something so you can better understand the pattern and create an intervention, it can be helpful. [25:24] Trauma can be passed through generations. [27:14] We learn to refocus. What do I need right now? [30:47] When you can identify what you are feeling, your brain is mapping the sensation. [38:33] Asking yourself questions like "What do I need? "Why aren't I kinder to myself?" puts you in a more empowering place. [44:15] When dealing with being taken advantage of, what comes after anger? [46:21] An example could be if there was friction in your relationship, you can ask yourself, "What would it be like if I just stopped trying to argue and just listened instead?" [47:44] Social media can be very much a detriment in a lot of ways to our minds and our culture. [49:51] If you get wrapped up in some news that upsets you, it makes you obsess about it, creating anxiety. [51:24] If you can overcome a pattern once, and not react with that triggered response, it's a huge breakthrough. [54:27] Listen to your experience. [01:02:03] If your message to yourself is, "I should be able to shift my perspective and feel better," you are just feeding the feeling of shame. [01:05:39]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes Book - Tiny Shifts: How Emotional Health Transforms Stress, Relationships, and Longevity  Dr. Elisha Goldstein Podcast Uncovering Happiness elishagoldstein.com   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein! Get 20% OFF your first order! Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Jaspr Air Scrubber: Ultra high-performance air purifier - blows other air filters away! Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD. Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD. Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD! #bradpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get ready for another great show with Ben Azadi, author of the new book KetoFlex. Ben has an incredible story—after struggling with obesity and depression in his early 20s, he lost 80 pounds and completely transformed his health. Today he's helping people better understand metabolism, fasting, and the ketogenic diet by simplifying complex science and turning it into practical, actionable habits that don't feel overwhelming. We talk about why eating too close to bedtime can interfere with your body's biggest fat-burning window of the day, why Ben believes in making just one "tweak a week" instead of overhauling your life overnight, and why he says, "You don't lose weight to get healthy—you get healthy to lose weight." We also discuss metabolic flexibility, the role of hyperinsulinemia and seed oils in today's obesity epidemic, why keto isn't meant to be a forever diet, and the simple mindset shifts that make lasting change possible—including Ben's memorable reminder: "If you treat your health casually, you'll end up a casualty." Ben also shares the productivity habits that have helped him write multiple bestselling books while staying focused on his mission of helping others reclaim their health. Ben Azadi is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and functional diagnostic nutritionist known as "The Health Detective." After struggling with obesity and depression in his early 20s, he transformed his health by losing 80 pounds and reducing his body fat to 6%—an experience that inspired his mission to help others improve their metabolic health.  Today, Ben is the founder of Keto Kamp, where he educates people on intermittent fasting, the ketogenic diet, and metabolic flexibility. He is also the host of the award-winning Metabolic Freedom podcast, which was named Keto Podcast of the Year at the 2022 Metabolic Health Summit.   TIMESTAMPS: Ben Azadi explains in this podcast some complex scientific insights about sleep, about metabolic health, about how the body's supposed to burn fat while we sleep, about what's going on during the day and how to manage this global obesity epidemic. [01:05] Ben's story of being a very unhealthy depressed young man involves an 80-pound weight loss he experienced. This started his journey toward better health. He will explain the basics of the ketogenic diet. [04:55] If you treat your health casually, you'll end up a casualty. If you are 23 years old or 63 years old, your body will respond when you change the signals you're giving it. [10:10] What does it take to get motivated and inspired to take on the responsibility of managing your own health? [16:31] When you eat too close to bedtime, you're missing out on the most important window within a 24-hour period for fat loss and fat burning. [18:14] If you eat the same meal in the morning and evening with exactly the same calories and micronutrients, the insulin response is different. [22:44] When you are most insulin sensitive in the morning, is that a good time to fast? [28:40] If you put rules and guidelines into your life, that is a really nice method of succeeding. [32:34] Start with whole foods, start with good sleep, start with movement and then build from there. [37:33] Keto Flex is a spin on metabolic flexibility. It's do keto but don't do it forever. [38:22] When you're in ketosis, it signals to your body that you're going through kind of like a famine. It's a stressor to the body. [43:13] How did Ben lose 80 pounds in nine months? You don't lose weight to get healthy, you get healthy to lose weight. [48:54] Are seed oils promoting hyperinsulinemia or are there other things at play here that's interfering with our ability to burn stored body fat? [52:33] The definition of whole food is that it is a single ingredient food. [58:11] What kind of application does the consumption of exogenous ketones have? [58:42] Ben explains his KetoFlex plan here. [01:01:04] Ben shares some of his secrets of managing his busy life, writing books, teaching, podcasting and keeping that 80 pounds off. [01:06:16]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad Nutrition.com Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com˜ B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes Keto Flex Metabolic Freedom Burn ketoflex.com   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein! Get 20% OFF your first order! Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Jaspr Air Scrubber: Ultra high-performance air purifier - blows other air filters away! Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD. Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD. Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!   #bradpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to a most informative and inspiring show about the amazing ancient superfood of cacao! This episode will give you everything you need to know about its remarkable health benefits, healing properties, and how to choose the most sustainable, eco-friendly, fair-trade bean-to-bar products. You will learn about the fascinating history of cacao as a sacred food, currency, and medicine, why it remains one of the most highly regarded superfoods on the planet, and how the food industry took this extraordinary raw material, stripped out everything useful, and transformed it into little more than a heavily sugared version of the original. Along the way, I explain the science in plain English—from the powerful polyphenols that support your heart, brain, blood pressure, gut microbiome, metabolism, and mood, to why cacao may be the single most antioxidant-rich food you can eat. I also reveal the disturbing reality behind much of today's commercial chocolate industry, including how mainstream processing destroys many of cacao's most valuable compounds and why ethical sourcing matters. You'll learn the difference between raw cacao powder, cacao nibs, and high-percentage dark chocolate, how to identify truly high-quality bean-to-bar chocolate, why I became a dark chocolate connoisseur, and the artisan brands I recommend. When this episode is over, you're never going to look at a chocolate bar the same way again, and you'll be fully armed to make the best product purchasing decisions and obtain the maximum benefits from consuming foods high in nutritious cacao.   TIMESTAMPS: Cacao is one of the most highly regarded superfoods on the planet. [00:56] When you are finished listening to this episode, you will never look at a chocolate bar the same way again. [02:28] The best way to enjoy chocolate is to put it on your tongue and allow the flavor to dissolve in your mouth. [06:38] The history of cacao is fascinating. It is one of the most nutrient dense, biologically active foods in all of human history. [08:10] Early civilationa learned to ferment, roast, and grind cacao beans into a drink. It was more than a flavoring agent, it was very much a spriitual centerpiece as well as used for medicinal purposes. [10:11] After the Europeans added sugar to cacao, it lost some of its medicinal purpose, although it still is a good source of antioxidants. [12:29] There are many cardiovascular benefits from cacao. It improves platelet function.  [18:17] Cacao has been shown in studies to produce meaningful reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. It is also known to help boost levels of HDL (high density lipoproteins.) [20:55] Cacao consumption improves your overall lipid profiles, including helping with healthy triglyceride levels. [27:24] Does cacao help with weight loss goals? [28:27] Cacao has an impact on brain function and mood. [31:37] In contrast to the powerful, hard and fast effects of caffeine, theobromine in cacao works more slowly. It has a gentler mechanism and a longer half life. [35:08] Studies show wonderful benefits from cacao on the gut. It has been identified as a potent prebiotic which is what feed probiotics to flourish in the intestinal tract. [38:59] Reasearch shows cacao has properties protecting you from UV damage from sunburn. [46:35] Just how damaging to health is mainstream modern chocolate processing? One of the terrible aspects of the low-priced chocolate is because of the support of child slave labor harvesting these beans. [50:02] Look for the designation of "bean to bar" on the product. It should also have cacao beans as the first ingredient. [55:05] In mainstream processing of the beans, they have to use super high temperatures which degrades the polyphenol. [57:17] There are three categories of products which can deliver these wonderful health benefits. [01:00:07] When the bar is above 80%, this is where most of the research showing cardiovascular cognitive benefits was conducted. The words "cacao beans" should be the first ingredient on the label. [01:05:53] Brad lists his recommendations for good chocolate bars. [01:19:44] How much chocolate should one consume? [[01:29:06] Do not refrigerate high quality dark chocolate. [01:32:50]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes Burn The Primal Blueprint Podcast with Shawn Askinosie (Chocolate) Podcast with Todd White (Dry Farm Wine) Dry Farm Wines Askinosie Chocolate Chocovivo Cocoa Runners Nomosu Pump Street Chocolate Puna Chocolate Ranger Chocolate Rausch Spring and Mulberry   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein! Get 20% OFF your first order! Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Jaspr Air Scrubber: Ultra high-performance air purifier - blows other air filters away! Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD. Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD. Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD! #bradpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.