Watch the full episode and view show notes here: https://bit.ly/3oVibsC Become a member to receive exclusive content: https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/ Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/ Mike Joyner is a physician-researcher and one of the world’s leading experts on human performance and exercise physiology. In this episode, Mike discusses how to combat age-related declines in health and fitness levels by using various modes of exercise to improve lifespan and healthspan. Mike explains the impact of exercise on the autonomic nervous system, blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability, heart rate recovery, and max heart rate. He dives deep into VO2 max, including how it’s measured, what is driving it, and how to improve it. Mike provides training insights for the average person, including training volume and exercise intensity as well as simple metrics to track. Furthermore, he gives his take on the theoretical “J-curve” relationship between exercise and longevity, as well as whether possible health dangers may be associated with excessive exercise. We discuss: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:00:08 - Mike’s training as an anesthesiologist and interest in exercise physiology 0:05:25 - How exercise increases longevity 0:08:54 - The impressive data on the benefits of exercise 0:14:33 - The Centenarian Olympics and other ways to mitigate age-related decline in strength and stability 0:19:06 - The violent dropoff in strength and activity with age and how exercise preserves fitness in old age 0:22:39 - Benefits of exercise on mortality and fracture risk, and the interplay of nutrition and exercise 0:28:08 - How exercise benefits the autonomic nervous system and why this plays an important role in our health 0:30:40 - VO2 max, heart rate recovery, heart rate variability, and other metrics of fitness positively impacted by exercise 0:35:31 - Reduction in all-cause mortality with increased fitness levels and VO2 max 0:44:04 - Does the relationship between exercise and longevity follow a J-curve? 0:51:33 - Mitigating age-related decline in fitness by elevating your VO2 max at a young age 1:01:51 - Breaking down the variables that drive VO2 max 1:08:43 - Learning from elite athletes: Training regimens, aerobic efficiency, and other impressive metrics 1:19:02 - Health benefits of light exercise for the average person 1:21:55 - Simple training metrics to track, and Mike’s current exercise regimen 1:31:24 - How to boost your VO2 max, and the importance of form and tempo with interval training 1:39:49 - Training advice for the average person 1:42:33 - Why professional athletes have longer careers than they’ve had in the past 1:45:45 - Use of performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports 1:54:24 - Can the miracle of exercise be put in a pill? 1:57:58 - Mike’s current research and questions he’s most interested in answering 2:00:44 - Use of convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19 2:07:58 - Parting thoughts on the current state of fitness and exercise in society -------- About: The Peter Attia Drive is a weekly, ultra-deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing health, longevity, critical thinking…and a few other things. With over 45 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including fasting, ketosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more. Peter is a physician focusing on the applied science of longevity. His practice deals extensively with nutritional interventions, exercise physiology, sleep physiology, emotional and mental health, and pharmacology to increase lifespan (delay the onset of chronic disease), while simultaneously improving healthspan (quality of life). Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com Connect with Peter on: Facebook: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDTW Instagram: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDIG Subscribe to The Drive: Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveApplePodcasts Overcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveOvercast Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheDriveSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheDriveGoogle Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor-patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and the materials linked to this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content on this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they have, and they should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions. I take conflicts of interest very seriously. For all of my disclosures and the companies I invest in or advise, please visit my website where I keep an up-to-date and active list of such companies.