#797: Dr. Keith Baar, UC Davis — Simple Exercises That Can Repair Tendons (Tennis Elbow, etc.), Collagen Fact vs. Fiction, Isometrics vs. Eccentrics, JAK Inhibitors, Growth Hormone vs. IGF-1, The Anti-RICE Protocol, and How to Use Load as an Anti-Inflammatory

Keith Baar emphasizes the significance of isometrics for maintaining tendon health and outlines the benefits these exercises have over eccentric or concentric movements, partly due to their ability to distribute force equally across tendons.

Isometric Exercises Better Enhance Tendon Health Than Eccentric or Concentric Exercises

Baar explains that low-velocity exercises, including heavy strength training and eccentric exercises, positively impact tendon health, but isometric exercises, which involve no movement, can provide greater benefits by distributing the load evenly across both weak and strong areas of the tendon. He uses an analogy of torn paper to describe "stress shielding," where the strong parts of a tendon shield weak spots from stress, and highlights that isometric exercises involve both the weak and strong areas, reducing the risk of injury when the strong parts fatigue.

Isometrics Distribute Force Across Tendons, Preventing Stress Shielding of Weak Areas

Keith Baar's discussion on isometric exercises shows how these movements can alleviate tendon inflammation and distribute the load more evenly across the tendon. When performing isometric exercises, initially the strong parts of the tendon take on the load, but as they tire, the load is distributed to the weaker parts, thereby preventing stress shielding.

Isometrics: Efficient, Quick (10 Mins), Maximize Response, Minimize Wear and Tear

Baar mentions the efficiency of isometrics, revealing that tendons stop responding to adaptation signals after approximately 10 minutes. Therefore, extra exercise beyond that time causes wear and tear without additional benefits. He proposes a 10-minute exercise that maximizes the signaling to cells for tendon health while minimizing additional damage.

Isometric Variations Target Different Tendons and Connective Tissues

Isometric exercises can be varied by changing joint positions, thus targeting different muscle-tendon complexes and potentially providing relief from pain. Baar describes using different positions during isometrics, like bent or straight arms, to enga ...

Understanding the role of nutrition and supplementation in connective tissue health is becoming crucial, especially with athletes and fitness enthusiasts looking to optimize recovery and strength.

Collagen and Vitamin C Boost Formation When Timed With Exercise

Tim Ferriss has incorporated a pre-exercise regimen that includes taking hydrolyzed collagen peptide powder coupled with vitamin C, which promotes collagen synthesis during isometrics—a type of strength training.

Hydrolyzed Collagen Preferred due to Lower Heavy Metals Than Bone Broth

For collagen supplementation, the preferred source is animal skin like fish skin or bovine skin. This is because bone broth, another source of collagen, may contain heavy metals that accumulate in bones. Ferriss chooses hydrolyzed collagen peptide powder, aligning with recommendations for avoiding potential heavy metal exposure associated with bone broths.

Optimal Timing: Collagen & Vitamin C 30-60 Minutes Pre-exercise

Keith Baar explains that consuming collagen and vitamin C together is essential, as vitamin C acts as a cofactor for collagen synthesis. Timing the intake roughly one hour before exercise can double the markers of new collagen formation in the blood compared to control. This is because the peak concentration of amino acids and vitamin C, spurred by the supplements, coincides with physical loading during exercise, ensuring that they are delivered to areas like tendons, cartilage, or ligaments which have limited blood supply.

Baar also mentions a study showing that a blend of whey protein with five grams of hydrolyzed collagen taken after exercise can increase muscle connective tissue protein synthesis. While diet plays a role, Baar emphasizes that physical loading is far more critical, contributing the majority of strength gains or muscle mass improvement, compared to the supplements' minor role.

Evidence Suggests Pharmaceutical Interventions May Benefit Connective Tissue

Research on rats has suggested that JAK-STAT inhibitors, drugs commonly used for treating diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, can enhance the growth and strength of tendons like the Achilles and patellar tendons.

Jak/Stat Inhibitors Enhance Tendon/Ligament Strength in Animals

Baar discusses how genetic analysis revealed the inhibition of the JAK-STAT pathway during tendon development, which is typically activated by growth hormones. Upon administering JAK-STAT inhibitors ...

Ferriss discusses with Keith Baar the role of estrogen in connective tissue properties and how it affects injury risk, particularly ACL injuries, in female athletes, suggesting that there might be a need for gender-specific exercise programming and rehabilitation techniques.

Estrogen's Influence on Collagen Cross-Linking and Ligament Stiffness Elevates ACL Injury Rates in Female Athletes

Estrogen Inhibits Collagen-Crosslinking Enzyme, Laxity in Female Connective Tissues Increases Injury Risk

Baar addresses the issue of ligament laxity and stiffness, noting that estrogen levels during a woman's menstrual cycle can influence the physical properties of connective tissues. Experiments have shown that adding estrogen to engineered ligaments decreases their stiffness—an effect that aligns with the natural fluctuations in stiffness seen during different phases of the menstrual cycle in women.

Hormonal Changes in Puberty Cause Differences in Muscle-Tendon Properties Between Genders

Keith Baar explains that up until puberty, boys and girls have similar connective tissue stiffness, but hormonal changes during puberty, particularly estrogen cycling in females, lead to less stiff connective tissues. This difference affects the ability of female athletes to transmit force effectively, which may contribute to performance differences and elevated injury risks, such as a higher likelihood of ACL ruptures in female athletes.

Estrogen's action on the enzyme lysyl oxidase decreases the stiffness of ligaments by inhibiting the cross-linking of collagen, making these tissues more prone to being overstretched. [restricted term] activates the same enzyme, which results in stiffer tendons but also more brittle ones, leading to different considerations for i ...

Tim Ferriss and Keith Baar explore the relationship between the ketogenic diet, mitochondrial function, and longevity, highlighting both potential benefits and risks.

Keto Diets Boost Mitochondrial Biogenesis Via Fat Metabolism

Ferriss and Baar discuss the ketogenic diet’s impact on mitochondria and its role in energy production.

Ketosis Reduces Mtor Activity, Mimicking Low-dose Rapamycin Longevity Effects

Ferriss recalls a conversation with David Sabatini about mTOR and with Navdeep Chandel about [restricted term], discussing how ketosis reduces mTOR activity. This decrease in activity stimulates a process known as mitophagy, where less functioning mitochondria are broken down, thus keeping the mitochondrial population more efficient. Baar notes that strength in old animals on a ketogenic diet was comparable to that of young animals, suggesting longevity effects similar to those seen with low-dose Rapamycin.

Keto Diets May Harm Performance and Bone Health

Baar addresses the downsides of ketogenic diets, particularly for athletes. He states that a ketogenic diet impairs the ability to perform high-intensity exercises, such as sprinting, by not providing the quick energy required. He also warns of the negative impacts on bone health, noting that for individuals with a history of osteoporosis, ketogenic diets might decrease bone mass, increasing the risk of fractures.

Daily Protein Intake Emphasized Over Meal Timing

Baar shifts the discussion to the importance of ensuring adequate daily protein intake.

Optimal Pro ...