fisky wrote:
Years ago, I helped write a book on anti-aging so I had access to the leading world experts at the time. I've also had special blood work done to find markers of aging. So here is my take.
Distance running is far, far better than being sedentary with age, but it's not ideal for anti-aging because it puts a lot of stress on the immune system. When you're young, your immune system is strong enough to handle the stress, but as we age, the immune system can no longer fight off the stress. OTOH, recreational runners doing less than 30 miles per week are better, but they also need more steps to stay healthy as possible for as long as possible.
In my opinion, distance runners should be doing the following.
1. True HIIT workouts called SITs. SIT stands for sprint interval training. You can read about it by searching for Phil Campbell Sprint Interval Training. SIT training boosts T and hGH levels and helps speed up the metabolism.
2. Take supplements. As we age, our cells become less efficient. They're like little factories that need both enough materials and the right kind of raw materials to function properly To counteract this effect, you have two supplement options. a) Take supplements that specifically act to keep cells young and b) Ensure that your body gets enough of the right raw materials.
The RDA for supplements is for the average person. A distance runner will run more in a week than the average person will run in their entire 60 plus years of adult life. It's obvious that you need more raw materials. And to keep those cellular factories as efficient as possible, they should be the RIGHT raw materials.
What you should take and why would be too long to type, but I'll list what I'm taking if anyone cares.
3. Lift weights at least 3x/week. Weightlifting boosts metabolism. Some lifts can be heavy, but there's no need to go max weight. A set of reps done to exhaustion counts as a SIT effort. I do SIT level lifts every day. In the past week, I've done 31 sets of various lifts to exhaustion. This is NOT crossfit. SIT requires a 90 second break between sets. That break is optimal to allow the body's energy systems to return close enough to normal to benefit from the next set of SIT. A shorter time period for recovery is counterproductive to the SIT concept. I normally do another body part lift while waiting, but it will not be a SIT (to exhaustion) lift.
4. Eat healthy for you. Everyone is different. I have a friend who can't eat gluten, but for me, I tried going gluten free for 30 days and noticed no difference at all.
5. Assuming you're lifting and running, you should be taking a protein supplement every day. I usually add a scoop of unflavored protein to my morning coffee along with MCT oil. The oil helps fight hunger, cravings, and the post-carb crash that follows a high-carb meal. But again, that's what works for me. I try to get 90-100 grams of protein every day.
6. Sleep and stress reduction are also important. Some people on this board could take a more "we're all in this together" approach when it comes to discussion on vaccines, for example. We can just agree that we see it from different perspectives and try to explain that perspective.