119: Multidisciplinary Approaches and Exercise for Chronic Low Back Pain Management

127: Coffee Intake and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis

This episode dissects a research study that investigates the microbiota-gut-brain axis by comparing coffee drinkers to non-drinkers and observing the effects of caffeine withdrawal and reintroduction. Boscaini S, Bastiaanssen TFS, Moloney GM, Bergamo F, Zeraik L, O’Leary C, et al. Habitual coffee intake shapes the gut microbiome and modifies host physiology and cognition. Nat Commun. Published online April 21, 2026. doi:10.1038/s41467-026-71264-8 Follow Dr. Anthony Novello, PT, DPT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@anthonynovello.dpt⁠⁠

126: Peakspan: Defining and Extending the Boundaries of Human Performance

This episode does a deep dive into an academic perspective that introduces Peakspan, a novel metric defined as the period when an individual maintains at least 90% of their maximum functional capacity in specific physiological or cognitive areas. The authors argue that while humans are living longer, most biological systems—including cardiorespiratory, renal, and immune functions—peak in early adulthood, creating a significant "functional gap" where people are clinically healthy but significantly declined. This misalignment poses a major threat to economic productivity and the sustainability of retirement systems as the "Biological Retirement Age" approaches earlier than the chronological one. Zhavoronkov A, Ying K, Wilczok D. Peakspan: Defining, Quantifying and Extending the Boundaries of Peak Productive Lifespan. Aging Dis. Published online February 25, 2026. doi:10.14336/AD.2026.0080. Follow Dr. Anthony Novello, PT, DPT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@anthonynovello.dpt⁠⁠

125: Sleep Chart of Biological Ageing Clocks Across Systems

This episode does a deep dive into a 2026 study by the MULTI Consortium that identifies a systemic, U-shaped relationship between sleep duration and biological ageing across the human body. By analyzing data from the UK Biobank, researchers utilized 23 biological ageing clocks derived from MRI imaging, plasma proteomics, and metabolomics to show that both insufficient and excessive sleep accelerate ageing in nine organ systems. O’Toole CK, Song Z, Anagnostakis F, Yang Z, Tian YE, Duggan MR, et al; MULTI Consortium. Sleep chart of biological ageing clocks in middle and late life. Nature. Published online May 13, 2026. doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10524-5 Follow Dr. Anthony Novello, PT, DPT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@anthonynovello.dpt⁠⁠

124: Neural Recovery After Carpal Tunnel Release: A Systematic Meta-Analysis

This episode dissects a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the recovery of the median nerve after carpal tunnel release surgery. Spanning 199 studies and over 15,000 patients, the research investigates structural and functional healing through metrics like nerve conduction, sensory testing, and grip strength. Sobeeh MG, Elsisy M, Abozaid EM, et al. Neural recovery after carpal tunnel release: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. Published online 2026. doi:10.2519/jospt.2026.13846 Follow Dr. Anthony Novello, PT, DPT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@anthonynovello.dpt⁠⁠

123: Creatine Supplementation in the Management of Osteosarcopenia

This episode examines the potential of creatine monohydrate as a therapeutic tool for managing osteosarcopenia, an age-related decline in both bone density and muscle mass. Candow DG, Kirk B, Chilibeck PD, Duque G. The potential of creatine monohydrate supplementation in the management of osteosarcopenia. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2025;28(3):235-239. doi:10.1097/MCO.0000000000001118 Follow Dr. Anthony Novello, PT, DPT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@anthonynovello.dpt⁠⁠