After Matt and Nick's visit to MYOXCIENCE Nutrition founder Mike Mutzel's home to try saunas and cold plunges, it was Mike's turn to visit their space. In this episode, Matt and Mike cover a broad range of healthspan topics, including nutrition, supplements, environmental exposures, and the interconnected nature of health factors like sleep, stress, and social connections. They discuss DEXA scans and biological age tests, offering insights on their benefits, limitations, and the importance of looking at long-term trends rather than single data points. Mike, with his background in clinical nutrition and his book Belly Fat Effect, emphasizes the value of individualized approaches to health and wellness.

Key Points:

Matt and Mike discuss various healthspan topics, such as nutrition and supplements, emphasizing the importance of looking at holistic health trends over time. They also explore the benefits and limitations of tools like DEXA scans, focusing on individualized wellness strategies.

• Guest Introduction and VO2 Max Assessment: Mike Mutzel joins the show at Optispan HQ and discusses his plans to undergo a VO2 Max and DEXA scan. He shares his annual VO2 Max testing since turning 40 to track age-related declines and fitness improvements through hiking, weight training, and HIIT.
• Training and Adaptation: Mike shares how he incorporates seasonal training into his fitness regimen, from HIIT during winter to hiking in summer. They compare dedicated VO2 Max training versus cardio from everyday activities and the potential health benefits of each approach.
• DEXA Scan and Body Composition Monitoring: Both Matt and Mike discuss the benefits of DEXA scans, not just for tracking body fat but also for monitoring visceral fat and bone density. This helps in early identification of health risks, such as sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) and osteoporosis.
• Vitamin D Supplementation: They explore vitamin D’s role in health, with Mike citing studies showing its effects on everything from mood to immunity. He recalls a personal study where vitamin D supplementation improved quality of life for firefighters and reduced illness outbreaks.
• Nuanced View on Supplements: The conversation covers the supplement industry’s impact on health, where Mike advocates for focusing on the basics—vitamin D, magnesium, creatine—over expensive and overhyped supplements. They discuss the importance of sourcing quality supplements due to issues with contamination (e.g., lead, cadmium).
• Environmental Toxins and Microplastics: Mike highlights growing concerns over microplastics, citing research showing their presence in blood, tissues, and arteries. They recommend reducing exposure by avoiding plastic water bottles, processed food packageing, and using filters for drinking water.
• Biological Age Testing: The discussion moves into Mike’s experience with epigenetic age tests, particularly the Dunedin Pace of ageing test, which he finds informative for tracking his ageing rate. They also discuss other metrics like telomere length and how different biological age tests can vary in accuracy.
• Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Health: Mike provides a nuanced take on cholesterol, questioning the traditional focus on LDL cholesterol as the sole marker for heart disease. He suggests looking at metabolic health as a whole, with factors like inflammation and oxidative stress playing key roles in how LDL affects cardiovascular risk.