The Age Stronger Show

005 Dr. James Steele: Why easy cardio isn't enough

Science has once again superseded government policy and in this podcast Dr. Steele makes a compelling case for a stronger and more vigorous paradigm for physical activity. He gives us both the science and specific actions we can take.

Steve Ilg: The aging athlete as spiritual warrior

Steve Ilg, now 55, was made famous in 1992 when Outside magazine featured his comprehensive take on lifestyle fitness in their May issue. Combining cardio, strength and yoga Ilg preached for an athleticism that transcended sport specific disciplines and embraced a larger, more holistic passion for lifestyle fitness. Today he is still winning races outright as he refines his approach to being both deeply spiritual and fiercely competitive.

Chris Carmichael: World renown cycling coach, his new book and being attacked by ponies with teeth

Chris Carmichael, Olympian, U.S. Olympic Cycling coach and coach to some of the world's top cycling and ultra event athletes shares tips and stories about aging stronger and how at 56 he approaches training, nutrition (you won't like his recommendation) and recovery. He also shares insights into his new book, the 3rd edition of the Time Crunched Cyclist.

Patrick Cox, biotech insider on the cutting-edge drugs, supplements and personal practices that will make us all super-agers

[caption id="attachment_15523" align="alignleft" width="300"] Patrick Cox, a confidant of Noble Prize winning scientists and top biotech CEOs.[/caption] Patrick Cox calls it flipping the demographic pyramid. And as he explains it, the effect and extraordinary consequences slowly sink in. The western world and parts of the developing world are rapidly aging while birth rates globally are plunging. Simply put, this means there are fewer young people to support a growing population that is living longer, but not necessarily healthier lives. The costs of providing healthcare to this burgeoning population is threatening to bankrupt governments across the world. Cox says there is a solution. And it does not involve giving workers time off and paying them to have sex, in the hopes they will sire more young children, like the Swedish town of Övertorneå has recently proposed. As tempting a solution as that might be, there is a better way according to Cox. A biotech insider and publisher of both a free and an investment-level newsletter, Cox has become one of the most esteemed and respected reporters on the rapidly transforming world of biotech and its implications for aging and population economics. Over the years Cox has become a confidant of biotech CEOs and Noble Prize-winning scientists. He’s written extensively on what he’s learned for USA Today, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal among others. And he’s been a sought-after guest on programs like CNN’s Crossfire. In our free roaming conversation Cox explains the rapidly changing global demographic shift and offers a startling fix. Increase healthspans, he says, so that aging populations can remain healthy and active longer and their societal impact can be mitigated by prolonged productivity. He also delves into a new class of drugs called rapalogs that you’ll surely be hearing more about in the near future. He talks about the supplements he’s taking and his exercise regime. And he gives us new insights into the powerful benefits of fasting. Cox was a delight to interview and I hope you enjoy and benefit from the conversation as much as I did. If you enjoy this episode, please take a moment and give it a rating on iTunes [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-age-stronger-show/id1211571432?mt=2]. I know this is a big ask but it really helps to get great guests. And it also makes the show more visible to others who might like to join us in aging stronger. Thanks in advance! Show Notes & Resources Use Patrick Cox’s free Tech Digest [http://www.mauldineconomics.com/tech/tech-digest] to keep up-to-date on biotech developments. It's a great read and an amazing free resource. Transformational Technology Alert [https://www.mauldineconomics.com/order/plan/14221202], Patrick Cox’s industry insider’s guide to cutting-edge biotech company and product information. A real value, especially if you are or want to become a biotech investor. Poem, read by Dylan Thomas, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2cgcx-GJTQ] (discussed with Patrick prior to recording of podcast). His poems [http://amzn.to/2C5bJcG]. Warren Thompson’ Population Problems [http://amzn.to/2zIhaYV] The global impact of increasing lifespans and dangerously low and continually decreasing birthrates on the U.S., Japan, Ireland, Singapore, Portugal, most of Scandinavia, Germany and France. The U.S. experienced it’s lowest fertility rate in history in 2016. The implication of ‘Peak Babies’ to the developed world. India’s population is still growing but for only another 15 years or so. How this affects what economists call the ‘Dependency Ratio’ i.e. how many working people are contributing to the economy versus those considered dependents. What’s really driving the increase in health care costs? Why with the Dependency Ratio declining we’re ‘pretty much hosed’ unless we fix this problem. Why Patrick is skeptical that Trump will be able to increase revenues to offset projected increases in medical costs. The two-part solution to this problem. Heritage Foundation predictions that all these systems (Social Security and Medicare) will go bankrupt. Why social benefit costs are unsustainable and will lead to a national and global fiscal crisis. The implications of being in the 21st century with a 19th century health care model. Why treating disease is no longer the best option. Nir Barzilai, MD [http://www.einstein.yu.edu/departments/medicine/faculty/profile.asp?id=484] at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine The study of Metformin [https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02432287] as an anti-aging compound Geroprotectors, compounds that delay the onset of age-related disease. Why drug companies have no economic interest in seeing such studies go forward. Brian Kennedy [http://www.buckinstitute.org/kennedyLab] at the Buck Institute Will Metformin show a slowing of biomarkers that represent aging? Intrestingly, Metformin is not the most effective aging protector known Promising compounds that not only slow aging but in older animals provide rejuvenation. The change in how aging is being viewed by bio-gerontologists. Is aging really non-reversible cellular damage? How this view among leading scientist has changed. How systems failures lead to what we call aging. Rapamycin discovery. Use of Rapamycin for organ transplants. How Rapamycin increases healthspan by about 15 percent in animals. The difference between longevity and healthspan and why this is an important distinction. What is the goal of biogerontologists? The role of genes in being what’s called a super-ager. The cholesteryl ester transfer protein [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholesterylester_transfer_protein] and longevity How the expression of just one gene can protect from Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and other disorders associated with aging. How this could be a solution to our national health care problems. Patrick’s grandmother and the trajectory of her health. Oliver Wendell Holmes poem, The Deacon’s Masterpiece [http://amzn.to/2DtYezw] and how it relates to healthspan Half of all health care expenses are spent at the end stages of life. How traditional preventative medicine actually raises health care costs. How geroprotection is different and how it can save health care. What is on the horizon regarding the use of Rapamycin? Novartis and what the Buck Institute is doing. Spinoff Mount Tam Biotechnologies [http://www.mounttambiotech.com/] Getting the benefits of Rapamycin without the side-effects. Why they are not focusing on anti-aging but are looking at lupus instead. Hopes for the next FDA chief. Patrick Cox article in Forbes [https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickcox/2017/01/27/trumps-fda-chief-could-revolutionize-biotech-and-save-our-economy/#39c69236471a] on how next biotech chief could revolutionize the industry and save the economy. The FDA candidates Japan’s move forward for progressive approval for regenerative medicine. The impact progressive approval could have on how quickly a new drug gets to market. Why including genetic engineering and not just stem cell research is important. The 23 year old bio-technology that is restoring spinal injury patients to health. Dr. Michael West, [http://www.biotimeinc.com/michael-d-west-ph-d/] the father of regenerative medicine. What happens when you give Rapamycin to an older animal, like the equivalent of a 65-year-old mouse? The two major coming revolutions: geroprotection and age-reversal. Salk Institute [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/aging-is-reversible-at-least-in-human-cells-and-live-mice/]’s successes at cellular age reversal. The profound potential social disruption of age reversal. How quickly will such drugs become available and useful to those of us who are in our 60s or older? Under appreciated importance of Vitamin D GrassrootsHealth [http://www.grassrootshealth.net/], a Vitamin D resource service What is Patrick doing personally to slow down the aging process? Why he takes Nicotinamide Riboside [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016AZ7VJQ/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=aginstro-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B016AZ7VJQ&linkId=08760ae90b611597d14482586a592b96] The role mitochondria play in aging. What CoQ10 [http://amzn.to/2Du19Ip] and Oxaloacetate do in terms of aging How does Patrick decide on whether to take drugs that are not yet on the market? Anatabine Citrate [http://joshmitteldorf.scienceblog.com/2016/04/04/politics-drives-a-promising-nutraceutical-underground/], its effect and why it was taken off the market. Roskamp Institute [http://www.roskamps.com/about.html] Why does Patrick fast? Dr. Valter Longo [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valter_Longo]’s research on fasting The fasting mimicking diet [http://amzn.to/2EbFxS7] Implications for athletes. Our two genetic states, feast and famine. The problem with the ketogenic diet. What we can learn from evolutionary biology. How this could work as a co-therapy for cancer patients. How the fasting mimicking diet differs from intermittent fasting. The potential impact of a fasting mimicking diet on cancer. Patrick’s personal dead lift record (set on the day of our interview). How strength training improves cognition [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309549205_Mediation_of_Cognitive_Function_Improvements_by_Strength_Gains_After_Resistance_Training_in_Older_Adults_with_Mild_Cognitive_Impairment_Outcomes_of_the_Study_of_Mental_and_Resistance_Training] and neurogenesis. The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40 [http://amzn.to/2CiRCV9] by Dr. Jonathon M. Sullivan Patrick’s new book: The Methuselah Effect: How the Trend Toward Longevity is Accelerating… And Soon will Turn your World Upside Down [http://www.mauldineconomics.com/landing/the-methuselah-effect] The single biggest potential disruptive effect on human history is not AI, but the possibility of age reversal. The Buck Institute [http://www.buckinstitute.org/] as a healthspan resource. Almost everything you learned in college about human biology has been proven wrong. Why Patrick is a huge advocate of first person shooter video games. The end of mortality as we know it? And why we need to start thinking about that possibility now.

Bob McAndrews, 77-year-old mountain runner extraordinaire

[caption id="attachment_15510" align="alignleft" width="300"] Bob loves running the Garden of the Gods' hills.[/caption] Bob McAndrews, who turned 77 this past November, loves to run up mountains. He has run up 14,115-foot Pikes Peak literally hundreds of times. Often he’ll hitch-hike down and some of the stories he tells about the tourists who drove him down would make your knees shake. He’s run the Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent [http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/] 24 times, winning his age group 11 of those times. He has set a number of age group records, one of which still stands. Bob ran up Mount Washington, one of the toughest climbing events in running, coming in second in his age group. After the age of 60 he posted age group wins on Pikes Peak, La Luz Ascent [http://www.abqroadrunners.com/la-luz-trail-run.html] in Albuquerque, the Vail Hill Climb [http://www.vailrec.com/sports-activities/vail-race/trail-running-racing/vail-trail-run-hillclimb] and Turquoise Lake in Leadville [http://leadvillesportshall.com/marathon.html]. He’s raced internationally and successfully competed with the world’s best mountain runners. At 77 he continues to run local races often beating the winners in age groups much younger than him. Bob has become a mountain running legend. I’ve known Bob for a long time, ever since my second year in college. And, over the years we’ve shared many a trail and a few races along the way. During his fastest years I shied away from training with Bob (unless he was injured or recovering from some debilitating effort) because his pace and intensity would almost inevitably take me too far out of my body’s comfort zone, leading to injury, occasionally, or more commonly, exhaustion. But these were small prices to pay for our long talks ranging from world events to the impact of culture on running performance to the latest odd-ball running regimen currently in vogue. Sometimes our conversations veered to personal or business problems and Bob, with insight and compassion, was a ready listener and thoughtful adviser. The only topic I studiously avoided was racing. From our very first runs I learned, painfully, that any mention of a past or future race would send our pace skyward and I would soon be in deep oxygen debt while Bob effortlessly continued his racing saga or strategy. What has made Bob an inspiring friend, not only for me but for a host of local and regional runners, is that he’s a real runner. He’s not just someone who runs. He’s a student of the sport. He can talk intelligently and at length about atrial fibrillation, which has slowed him down, V02 max and what you need to do to increase your lactate threshold. He’s an expert on injury and recovering, which he does spectacularly well. It’s a real privilege to bring you our conversation on many of these topics on the inaugural edition of The Age Stronger Show. I hope you find it as enjoyable to listen to as it was to record. Your comments and feedback are not only welcome and important but are vital in order to make the show better. Please take a moment (it would be a huge help) and share what you liked most about the show and if you have some encouraging suggestions for improvement, I’d like to hear those too. If you enjoy this episode, please take a moment and give it a rating on iTunes [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-age-stronger-show/id1211571432?mt=2]. I know this is a big ask but it really helps to get great guests. And it also makes the show more visible to others who might like to join us in aging stronger. Thanks in advance! Below you’ll see an outline of some of the topics we covered and some of the resources mentioned. Show Notes & Resources Victor Frankel, Man’s Search for Meaning [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/080701429X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=aginstro-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=080701429X&linkId=4d3c5d44658461c0d189d43397da709a] Triple Crown [http://www.thetcr.com/] History of running at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Atrial fibrillation Culture, sports and running Tarahumara runners in Mexico Running and autoethnography Running, aging, Joseph Campbell and the hero’s journey [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1577315936/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=aginstro-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1577315936&linkId=5dcb63b05ca9de36a3a373d1a52e87fa] Becoming a mountain runner Dealing with the loss of speed and competitiveness As an older athlete dealing with injuries and illness How Bob’s training has changed as he’s gotten older Bob’s weekly training schedule The importance of speedwork. The Pikes Peak Road Runner’s Winter Series [https://www.pprrun.org/], using it to get fit Cherry Creek Sneak [https://cherrycreeksneak.com/] Staying trim Thoughts about mortality The role of running in staying intellectually alive The effect of having a physiological dependency on running Inspiring running books by George Sheehan, [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1623362539/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=aginstro-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1623362539&linkId=9f82dfef122e7cf20b7b136c1521191e] Amby Burfoot [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1602391858/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=aginstro-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1602391858&linkId=26fda4c0a115e871bb3fd385864a8ecf] and Joe Friel [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1937715264/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=aginstro-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1937715264&linkId=f1d783eeb8ee64fcbe6fd1cadc1b3fde] Running and culture. The Kenyans, Japanese, Spanish, Italian and U.S. running cultures. How Japanese corporate sponsorship helps older runners How the Pikes Peak Marathon [http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/] needs to change to accommodate older runners Peakus Interruptus, quitting at the top Why he switched to Hoka [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HJFYAM2/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=aginstro-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01HJFYAM2&linkId=e7f93c1b4eedca17e54c5ee7c7b59f37] running shoes Why use so many different kinds of shoes, including Icebugs [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VV1G6PU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=aginstro-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00VV1G6PU&linkId=3781bc5ee661f2276e68cddaf7cdbcf6] and Micro Spikes [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RXXJ0V2/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=aginstro-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00RXXJ0V2&linkId=513ee393ab84b5a4daf469f32f4d350d] and how this may help avoid injury Legacy as a runner Bob’s running journals and how he uses them The other dreaded “C” word Recapturing lost fitness Hopes for Cherry Creek Sneak [https://cherrycreeksneak.com/] and Bolder Boulder [http://www.bolderboulder.com/] Times he’d like to run and things that can upset the best laid plans Running the Pikes Peak Marathon Ascent at age 80 How you are your own experiment Training plans and milestones for upcoming races Cross-training, strength training. How much he exercises per day Still running at 90? How he feels right now Younger running friends Enough said. Time to get out for a run