Recognize and prioritize exercise as the most important ‘drug’ for overall health, as its benefits are multifaceted and cannot be fully replicated by pills or other interventions.
Engage in resistance training to restore muscle sensitivity to amino acids and overcome anabolic resistance, allowing older adults to achieve the same anabolic response to protein as younger adults.
Actively build up as much muscle mass, strength, and cardiovascular fitness as possible in your 40s, 50s, and 60s to create physiologic headroom and prepare for inevitable age-related decline and catabolic events.
Aim for a minimum protein intake of at least 1.2 grams per kilogram body weight per day, which is 50% more than the current RDA, to avoid negative protein balance and prevent muscle catabolism.
To ensure consistent adequate protein intake and avoid falling below critical thresholds on ‘bad days,’ aim for a daily intake closer to 2 grams of protein per kilogram body weight, with a range of 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram.
Older adults should aim for at least 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram body weight per day, as this intake has been shown to nearly eliminate age-related muscle loss and reduce frailty risk by 30% in older women.
Incorporate regular sauna use for cardiovascular adaptations, heat shock protein activation, and reduction in dementia and cardiovascular disease risk, aiming for specific temperatures and durations.
Aim for a dry sauna temperature between 180-190 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal benefits, as there is no added advantage to going hotter and potential risks above 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Avoid using dry saunas at extremely high temperatures (e.g., above 200-212 degrees Fahrenheit), as one study suggested an increased dementia risk at such temperatures, with particular concern for head exposure.
Do not be overly concerned about the controversy surrounding protein intake, mTOR activation, and cancer risk, especially if you are physically active, as the benefits of adequate protein for muscle health and longevity outweigh these theoretical concerns in humans.
Do not be concerned about consuming up to 2.5 grams of protein per kilogram body weight per day, as there is currently no human clinical or epidemiological evidence to suggest it is harmful in healthy adults.
Recognize that optimal nutrition strategies, including protein intake, differ significantly between active and sedentary individuals; do not apply the same dietary advice to both groups.
If you are overweight or obese, calculate your protein intake based on your target body weight or lean body mass, rather than your actual weight, to avoid excessively high protein recommendations.
For body recomposition (losing fat and gaining muscle), prioritize a high protein intake, potentially up to 2.2 grams per kilogram body weight per day, to prevent muscle catabolism during caloric deficit and support muscle protein synthesis.
Individuals using GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., tirzepatide) should prioritize easy-to-digest liquid protein sources like shakes to ensure adequate protein intake (e.g., 1.6 g/kg/day) despite reduced appetite and slowed digestion.
When using GLP-1 receptor agonists, aim for a slow and steady approach with a lower, consistent dose (e.g., 2.5 mg tirzepatide) rather than rapid dose escalation or cycling on and off the drug, to minimize muscle loss and other potential downsides.
Consider supplementing with creatine monohydrate, a safe and well-studied supplement, to enhance strength, endurance performance, and support cognitive function, especially under stress or for brain health.
To increase creatine levels in the brain and potentially enhance cognitive function, consider increasing your daily creatine monohydrate intake to 10 grams, as 5 grams may be primarily consumed by muscles.
Utilize creatine supplementation, particularly at higher doses (e.g., 10 grams/day), to support cognitive function and mitigate deficits during periods of stress such as sleep deprivation, psychological stress, or brain aging.
When purchasing creatine, ensure it is creatine monohydrate and ideally look for NSF certification to guarantee purity and absence of contaminants like heavy metals.
When monitoring kidney function, especially in individuals supplementing with creatine, ask your physician to use Cystatin C as it provides a more accurate estimate of GFR and is not confounded by creatine intake.
For individuals engaged in resistance training, aim for an optimal protein intake of at least 1.6 grams per kilogram body weight per day to significantly increase lean body mass and muscle strength.
Understand that creatine supplementation enhances muscle mass and strength gains by allowing you to perform more work during exercise; it is not a substitute for physical training.
Adolescents, especially those who are physically active, should aim for a protein intake of at least 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram body weight per day to support growth and activity levels.
If practicing intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating for body recomposition, consume liquid protein shakes outside of your main eating window to maintain an amino acid excess and hit protein targets while in a caloric deficit.
Even if sedentary and with unhealthy lifestyle factors, ensure you consume at least the minimal recommended protein intake (1.2 g/kg/day) to avoid a deficit, but avoid excessive protein if not supporting physical activity.
To saturate muscle tissue, take 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day; it typically takes about three weeks to a month to reach full saturation without a loading phase, which is generally unnecessary.
If taking higher doses of creatine (e.g., 10-20 grams/day for jet lag or intense cognitive stress), split the intake into multiple 5-gram doses throughout the day to minimize potential gastrointestinal distress.
Opt for creatine powder over capsules, as achieving effective doses (e.g., 5-10 grams) with capsules would require consuming an impractically large number of pills.
Avoid creatine gummy products, as third-party testing has shown that most contain negligible or no active creatine monohydrate due to manufacturing challenges and heat degradation.
Consider creatine supplementation for active children (e.g., 2.5 grams/day for a son) and adolescents (e.g., 5-10 grams/day for a tall, active daughter) to improve agility, speed, and cognitive function, especially during periods of intense study.
To induce a heat shock protein response, take a hot bath at approximately 104 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes with your shoulders submerged.
To significantly increase heat shock proteins, use a dry sauna at around 163 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
If using an infrared sauna, be prepared to double the duration compared to a traditional dry sauna to achieve similar cardiovascular and heat stress benefits, as the temperature is typically lower.
Aim for a balanced approach to mTOR activation, promoting it when it serves a purpose (e.g., during and after exercise to build muscle) and allowing it to be relatively silent otherwise, rather than constantly activating or suppressing it.
If experiencing discomfort in the head during hot sauna sessions, consider wearing a sauna hat, as it seems to help, although the exact mechanism is unclear.
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