Prime Human Podcast

Beyond Diet Wars: A Founder's Guide to Strategic Eating

Download my Prime Stress Protocol [https://www.primehumanperformance.com/stressprotocol], a 30 page fully reference ebook with all the strategies I give my founders and executives to minimize the negative impact stress has. "We are what we eat." It’s a lie. Actually, we are what we digest, absorb, and utilize without causing internal chaos. In this episode, I break down the 3 Levels of Nutrition that every founder needs to master to make the most of what they eat and max out on health and nutrition. What’s Inside: * Level 1: The Damage Audit. Why "healthy" vegetable oils are rusting your mitochondria and causing brain fog. * Level 2: The Macro Pivot. Why protein is non-negotiable for neurotransmitter production (and why you should eat your carbs at night). * Level 3: The Behavioral Secret. The shocking data from prison studies - how micronutrients can reduce "violent behaviour" by 25% and what that means for your mood stability. The One Rule: If your food is causing Level 1 damage, it doesn't matter how "perfect" your macros are. You're still losing.

Focus on Performance, not Longevity

Longevity is a Trap: Why You Should Focus on Performance Optimization Instead Most people are obsessed with living to 100. They’re following "Don’t Die" protocols, taking 90 pills a day, and letting algorithms dictate their joy. But if you’re a founder, executive, or high-performer, this defensive approach to health is actually a trap. In this episode, Dr. Miguel Damas explains why he built Prime Human Performance to challenge the longevity hype. If your goals involve building a company, traveling the world, or training for an Ironman, "pure longevity" science will tell you to stop. We do the opposite. We use Applied Longevity to make your mission possible. Learn how to stop adapting your life to your health and start adapting your health to your life. In this episode, we discuss: * The Bryan Johnson Critique: Why the "algorithm life" is unsustainable for 99% of high-achievers. * Performance vs. Longevity: Why your biggest goals are inherently "anti-longevity"—and why that’s a good thing. * The Dubai Case Study: How Dr. Miguel managed a high-pressure 72-hour international mission and landed sharper than he started. * The Tactical Playbooks: Specific "Applied Longevity" protocols for long-haul flights, social drinking (The 6 Rules), and high-intensity training. * The 4 Non-Negotiables: The foundational pillars of health that you can’t skip, no matter how busy you are. Stop playing defense with your health. Start playing offense. ---------------------------------------- [EPISODE RESOURCE] 📘 Download the Prime Stress Protocol: If you want the exact strategies Dr. Miguel uses with his executive clients to mitigate stress and increase resilience, grab the 30-page, fully referenced ebook for free at: primehumanperformance.com/stressprotocol [http://primehumanperformance.com/stressprotocol] [CONNECT WITH DR MIGUEL] 🌐 Website: primehumanperformance.com [http://primehumanperformance.com] 📸 Instagram: @biohackingmd [https://www.instagram.com/biohackingmd/] 💼 LinkedIn: @biohackingmd [https://www.linkedin.com/in/biohackingmd/]

Is it depression or burnout?

Most high-achievers aren't depressed. They’re just empty. If you’re a founder or executive who has lost your "edge," you’ve likely been told it’s a mental health issue. You might have even been prescribed antidepressants that did... nothing. In this episode, Dr. Miguel Damas breaks down the metabolic reality of burnout and why your "biological battery" is the real culprit, not your mindset. Inside the Episode: * The "One Question" Test: How to instantly tell the difference between clinical depression and burnout. * The Benzo Trap: Why "sleeping more" with medication is actually destroying your recovery. * The Metabolic Battery: Why burnout is a physiological crisis, not a workplace stress problem. * The 4-Step Diagnostic Framework: From HRV to Organic Acid testing—how to measure your resilience. Download the Prime Stress Protocol (30-Page Ebook) [https://primehumanperformance.com/stressprotocol] Resources: 📘 * Benzodiazepines and Sleep Impact, 2023 Systematic Review - link [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34145997/#:~:text=Results%3A%20Findings%20on%20BZDs%20effects,sleep%20during%20the%20nocturnal%20sleep.] * Judged effectiveness of strategies to recover from burnout, 2025 - link [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032725008213?via%3Dihub] Timestamps: 00:00 - The Senior Executive Misdiagnosis 04:15 - Depression vs. Burnout: The "One Question" Test 08:30 - Why Antidepressants fail for Burnout 12:45 - The 2025 Study: What actually works? 15:00 - The 4 Areas of Resilience: Signs & Symptoms 18:20 - Using Wearables (HRV & RHR) to track depletion 21:40 - The "Critical Six" Blood Markers 26:10 - Precision Medicine: Saliva & Organic Acid Testing 30:00 - Why this is liberating for founders

Why the World Health Organization is wrong about burnout

Is burnout actually a "work problem"? Dr. Miguel Damas argues that the World Health Organization’s definition is not only narrow - it’s scientifically flawed. In this episode, we dismantle the myth that burnout is purely a mental health issue or an "occupational phenomenon." Using the "Cell Phone Battery" analogy, Dr. Miguel explains why burnout is a total-body metabolic depletion that strikes the most ambitious among us. If you’re a high-performer waking up sluggish or losing your mental edge, this episode is your roadmap to recovery. What you’ll learn: * Why the WHO definition limits your recovery. * The "63 Apps" Analogy: How life, not just work, drains your system. * Why telling a founder to "stop stressing" is borderline insulting. * The 5 Red Flags: How to tell if you’re burning out (including HRV and sleep patterns). * How to recharge your metabolic battery from the inside out. Connect with Dr Miguel Damas on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/biohackingmd/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/biohackingmd/]

Vitamin D: The "Hormone" for Longevity, The Coimbra Protocol and Peak Performance

Is Vitamin D the most undervalued tool in your health arsenal? In this episode of the Prime Human Podcast, Dr. Miguel Damas explains why Vitamin D is much more than a simple supplement—it is a powerful steroid hormone that influences up to 25% of your DNA transcription. Dr. Damas breaks down the staggering statistics: from a 67% increase in all-cause mortality risk associated with low levels to the "statistical mistake" that led to modern-day dosage recommendations. Whether you are looking to optimize your immune system, banish brain fog, or increase your VO2 max, this episode provides a masterclass in personalized biology. In this episode, you’ll discover: * The Hormone Secret: Why Vitamin D behaves differently than any other vitamin. * The Longevity Link: How Vitamin D levels impact mortality risk more than smoking. * Precision Medicine: Understanding SNPs (genetic variations) and the Coimbra Protocol. * Performance Gains: The impact of Vitamin D on muscle strength and aerobic capacity. * The PTH Connection: Why testing Vitamin D alone isn't enough to see the full biological picture. Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your physician before changing your protocol.