Libsyn Directory

#331 ‒ Optimizing endurance performance: metrics, nutrition, lactate, and more insights from elite performers | Olav Aleksander Bu (Pt. 2)

The Peter Attia Drive

Release Date: 01/13/2025

#331 ‒ Optimizing endurance performance: metrics, nutrition, lactate, and more insights from elite performers | Olav Aleksander Bu (Pt. 2)

The Peter Attia Drive

#330 – Autism, ADHD, and Anxiety: Understanding the rise in autism and a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment of each condition in children | Trenna Sutcliffe, M.D.

The Peter Attia Drive

Trenna Sutcliffe is a developmental behavioral pediatrician and the founder and medical director of the Sutcliffe Clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she partners with families to provide care for children facing behavioral challenges, developmental differences, and school struggles. In this episode, Trenna shares her journey into developmental and behavioral pediatrics, including her pioneering work at Stanford and her expertise in autism, ADHD, and anxiety—the "three As." She explores the diagnostic processes, the overlap and comorbidities of these conditions, and the importance...

Building & Changing Habits | James Clear (#183 rebroadcast)

The Peter Attia Drive

James Clear is the author of the New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits. His extensive research into human behavior has helped him identify key components of habit formation and develop the “Four Laws of Behavioral Change.” In this episode, James provides insights into how both good and bad habits are formed, including the influence of genetics, environment, social circles, and more. He points to changes one can make to cultivate more perseverance and discipline and describes the profound impact habits can have when tying them into one’s self-identity. Finally, James breaks down his...

#329 ‒ Special AMA: Peter on exercise, important labs, building good habits, promising longevity research, and more

The Peter Attia Drive

In this special episode of The Drive, Peter tackles a wide range of listener questions submitted over the past year. The discussion spans essential topics such as exercise—covering grip strength, traveling workouts, and why Peter doesn’t consider exercise an ideal weight-loss strategy—and the top biomarkers everyone should track. He also explores promising new longevity research, his evolving views on longevity, and frameworks like “objective, strategy, tactics” for personalized decision-making. The episode wraps up with insights on building good habits and a glimpse into...

#328 - AMA #66: Optimizing nutrition for health and longevity: myth of a “best” diet, complexities of nutrition science, and practical steps for building a sustainable diet

The Peter Attia Drive

In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter dives deep into one of the most frequently discussed and often misunderstood topics: nutrition. From weight loss and maintenance to the intricate relationship between nutrition and exercise and body composition, Peter addresses the complexities of nutrition research and explores the perennial question of whether there is a "best diet." He provides practical insights on how to choose the right diet for your unique needs, discusses the role of protein and processed foods, and outlines the key questions to help you optimize your approach to...

#327 - Choices, costs, and challenges in US healthcare: insurance intricacies, drug pricing, economic impacts, and potential reforms | Saum Sutaria, M.D.

The Peter Attia Drive

Dr. Saum Sutaria is the Chairman and CEO of Tenet Healthcare and a former leader in McKinsey & Company’s Healthcare and Private Equity Practices, where he spent almost two decades shaping the field. In this episode, Saum unpacks the complexities of the U.S. healthcare system, providing a detailed overview of its structure, financial flows, and historical evolution. They delve into topics such as private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, employer-sponsored coverage, drug pricing, PBMs and the administrative burdens impacting the system. Saum’s insights help connect healthcare spending...

Optimizing life for maximum fulfillment | Bill Perkins (#237 rebroadcast)

The Peter Attia Drive

Bill Perkins is one of the world’s most successful hedge fund managers and entrepreneurs, and the author of the bestseller, Die With Zero. In this episode, Bill unpacks the Die With Zero philosophy which challenges conventional thinking related to the balance between health, wealth, and time—the three variables important for fulfillment. Bill makes the case that we should strive for maximum net fulfillment rather than net worth (or even health). He argues that we need to optimize our life to have memorable experiences before it’s too late and that most people are over-saving and...

#326 - AMA #65: Red light therapy: promising applications, mixed evidence, and impact on health and aging

The Peter Attia Drive

In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter dives into the world of red light therapy in response to frequent questions from listeners. Peter provides a comprehensive exploration, starting with the basics of red light therapy and why it’s getting so much attention. The conversation examines the latest data on various applications, including aging, skin health, acne, wound healing, hair loss, eye health, exercise performance, metabolic health, weight loss, inflammation, injury recovery, and menstrual cramps. Peter analyzes the scientific literature on each use case and concludes...

#325 ‒ Peter’s key takeaways on bone health, calorie restriction and energy balance, dopamine and addiction, gene editing, and testosterone therapy safety with a prostate cancer diagnosis | Quarterly Podcast Summary #3

The Peter Attia Drive

In this quarterly podcast summary (QPS) episode, Peter summarizes his biggest takeaways from the last three months of guest interviews on the podcast. Peter shares key insights from his discussions on diverse topics such as dopamine and addiction with Anna Lembke, the current state and exciting future of CRISPR-mediated gene editing with Feng Zhang, how to build and maintain strong bones from youth to old age with Belinda Beck, how calorie restriction may influence longevity and metabolic health with Eric Ravussin, and the role of testosterone and TRT in prostate cancer with Ted Schaeffer....

#324 ‒ Metabolism, energy balance, and aging: How diet, calorie restriction, and macronutrients influence longevity and metabolic health | Eric Ravussin, Ph.D.

The Peter Attia Drive

Eric Ravussin is a world-renowned expert on obesity, metabolism, and aging whose pioneering research has shaped much of what we understand today about energy balance and caloric restriction. In this episode, Eric shares insights from his cutting-edge work on energy expenditure—a critical factor in understanding how our bodies regulate weight and appetite. He discusses methods for measuring energy output, energy balance, food intake, and appetite regulation, and explores key studies on macronutrient manipulation. Eric then delves into the CALERIE study on caloric restriction, highlighting...

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Olav Aleksander Bu is an internationally renowned sports scientist acclaimed for his coaching prowess with elite athletes spanning a diverse range of sports disciplines. In this episode, Olav returns to dive deeper into his groundbreaking work as an endurance coach, exercise scientist, engineer, and physiologist. The discussion explores his data-driven approach to coaching, unpacking key performance metrics like functional threshold power, VO2 max, and lactate threshold, while emphasizing the importance of consistent testing protocols. Olav shares insights on how training methodologies differ across sports, the impact of nutrition on endurance performance, and the evolving strategies for carbohydrate metabolism in fueling athletes for races. Olav concludes with a discussion on the use of artificial intelligence for optimizing training insights and performance.

We discuss:

Olav’s unique, engineering-driven approach to endurance coaching [2:45];
Definitions and applications of key performance metrics: FTP, power, anaerobic threshold, and lactate threshold [4:45];
Lactate threshold: factors affecting lactate threshold, testing protocols, and how elite athletes' efficiency affects their performance and lactate profiles [14:15]
VO2 max: definition, testing, factors affecting its accuracy, and methods for optimizing oxygen utilization in elite athletes [22:15];
Testing VO2 max: common mistakes and key factors to consider—preparation, warm-up, timing, and more [34:00];
VO2 max testing continued: measuring instruments, testing protocols, and advanced insights gained from elite athletes [41:45];
The influence of supplements like beetroot concentrate and adaptogens on VO2 max and performance [49:45];
How respiratory quotient (RQ) reflects metabolic shifts during exercise, the challenges in measuring and interpreting RQ in elite athletes, and the physiological adaptations needed for prolonged endurance events [53:30];
Triathlon training: the challenge of maintaining elite performance across triathlon distances, metabolic efficiency, and swimming challenges [1:03:15];
How reducing drag in swimming could revolutionize performance and the role of biofeedback tools in optimizing efficiency across various endurance sports [1:07:00];
How endurance athletes prioritize effort regulation using RPE, heart rate, and power output, and the role of lactate in cardiac and athletic efficiency [1:20:00];
Lactate’s role as a fuel, buffering methods to combat lactic acidosis, and the variability in athlete response to bicarbonate supplementation [1:25:45];
The physiological mechanisms behind differences in performance between two elite athletes: lactate transport, cardiovascular efficiency, and compensatory systems [1:33:00];
Comparing interventions like acetaminophen to enhance performance in high-heat conditions versus natural adaptations to heat [1:37:15];
Advancements in nutrition science, changes in cyclist body composition, and the impact of fueling strategies on athletic performance and growth [1:39:30];
Optimizing endurance performance with utilization of carbohydrates, and the potential role of ketones [1:48:00];
Insights gained from elite performers in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics [1:58:30];
The use of artificial intelligence to optimizing training insights and performance [2:06:30]; and
More.

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