Dr. Peter Attia

So this is a study that looked at older individuals, and it randomized one group to a significant amount of exercise, and the other group was just sort of business as usual, being largely sedentary.

So this is a study that looked at older individuals, and it randomized one group to a significant amount of exercise, and the other group was just sort of business as usual, being largely sedentary.

And then using pretty elaborate techniques where you biopsy the muscle, they look at the mitochondria, which are kind of the powerhouse of the cell, in these individuals, and it turned out that in the people who were exercising, there was very little decline in the mitochondrial function compared to what happened in the people who were not exercising.

And then using pretty elaborate techniques where you biopsy the muscle, they look at the mitochondria, which are kind of the powerhouse of the cell, in these individuals, and it turned out that in the people who were exercising, there was very little decline in the mitochondrial function compared to what happened in the people who were not exercising.

Now, just because your mitochondria continue to function well doesn't mean all aspects of aging are offset, but it's a very important one to demonstrate. And this is also true by the way of strength and endurance. There's a big difference in the rate of decline of muscle mass, muscle strength, and cardiopulmonary fitness in people who exercise versus who don't.

Now, just because your mitochondria continue to function well doesn't mean all aspects of aging are offset, but it's a very important one to demonstrate. And this is also true by the way of strength and endurance. There's a big difference in the rate of decline of muscle mass, muscle strength, and cardiopulmonary fitness in people who exercise versus who don't.

So it's all kind of a long-winded way of saying you have, as an individual, so much more under your control than you realize. But you have to sort of begin to compounding the gains. I'll do it when I'm 50. Well, look, the good news is 50 isn't too old. And I've met many people who don't begin to do this until they're 50. But again, the analogy I would use here is 50.

So it's all kind of a long-winded way of saying you have, as an individual, so much more under your control than you realize. But you have to sort of begin to compounding the gains. I'll do it when I'm 50. Well, look, the good news is 50 isn't too old. And I've met many people who don't begin to do this until they're 50. But again, the analogy I would use here is 50.

comparable to that of investing for retirement. The longer you wait, the less money you're probably going to have at the end.

comparable to that of investing for retirement. The longer you wait, the less money you're probably going to have at the end.

The sooner you start, the better. The drawback that young people have is... I mean, you've had a great experience because you're introspective about it and you've been able to observe it in somebody older. So you've been able to gather motivation without having to experience the decline yourself. So that's a wonderful position to be in. For many people, that's not the case.

The sooner you start, the better. The drawback that young people have is... I mean, you've had a great experience because you're introspective about it and you've been able to observe it in somebody older. So you've been able to gather motivation without having to experience the decline yourself. So that's a wonderful position to be in. For many people, that's not the case.

They only begin to realize the inevitability of the decline when it besets them. But the way to think about this, again, is another analogy, is that of a glider. So gliders eventually all have to come down, right? Our health span is basically a glider, but we have a lot of control about how long it stays in the air based on how high we can start it.

They only begin to realize the inevitability of the decline when it besets them. But the way to think about this, again, is another analogy, is that of a glider. So gliders eventually all have to come down, right? Our health span is basically a glider, but we have a lot of control about how long it stays in the air based on how high we can start it.

So if you think about, you know, would you rather take a glider off a really high cliff or off a low cliff, that's the decision we get to make. And we sort of call that concept physiologic headroom. So the example you gave is a great one, right? So muscle mass, muscle strength provide an enormous amount of physiologic headroom as does cardiopulmonary fitness.

So if you think about, you know, would you rather take a glider off a really high cliff or off a low cliff, that's the decision we get to make. And we sort of call that concept physiologic headroom. So the example you gave is a great one, right? So muscle mass, muscle strength provide an enormous amount of physiologic headroom as does cardiopulmonary fitness.

It wouldn't have been much about exercise. It would have been more about other aspects of life, for sure. Because for whatever reason, I've always gravitated towards exercise. That's always been a very high priority for me. So I think my advice to 32-year-old Peter would be much more about relationships and emotional health.

It wouldn't have been much about exercise. It would have been more about other aspects of life, for sure. Because for whatever reason, I've always gravitated towards exercise. That's always been a very high priority for me. So I think my advice to 32-year-old Peter would be much more about relationships and emotional health.

But if I could go back and speak to 14-year-old Peter, A, he wouldn't have listened. But I would have begged him to go a little bit easier on his body and back off on certain things that probably have led to injuries I have today that could have been prevented. Can I ask what those certain things are? Sure.

But if I could go back and speak to 14-year-old Peter, A, he wouldn't have listened. But I would have begged him to go a little bit easier on his body and back off on certain things that probably have led to injuries I have today that could have been prevented. Can I ask what those certain things are? Sure.