We grow old, get weak, and then we die. That’s the common conviction.
But while we may not be able to prevent aging or death, we can delay them — and we can do so while preserving functionality and quality of life.
In this talk given at the CrossFit for Health Summit on Feb. 3, 2024, in Austin, Texas, Dr. Rhonda Patrick shares key research connecting increased longevity and improved health markers with gains in cardiorespiratory fitness and strength.
Patrick is a renowned biomedical scientist and researcher specializing in aging, cancer, and nutrition. Among the findings she shares are the connection between low VO2 max and increased risk of death and all-cause mortality, the anti-metastatic effects and brain benefits of high-intensity exercise, and how to prevent age-related loss of muscle and strength.
CHAPTERS
00:00-01:36 – Overview.
01:48-04:30 – Life expectancy and VO2 max.
04:34-05:49 – Improving VO2 max with high-intensity exercise.
05:51-07:50 – Protocols for increasing VO2 max.
07:52-10:27 – Reversing age-related structural changes in the heart with high-intensity exercise.
10:30-11:18 – Reducing blood pressure with high-intensity exercise.
11:24-15:21 – Brain benefits of high-intensity exercise.
15:24-17:01 – Fighting cancer with high-intensity exercise.
17:03-23:18 – Improving metabolic health and longevity with exercise “snacks.”
23:19-27:42 – Preserving muscle mass with protein.
27:43-29:15 – Blunting age-related muscle atrophy with omega-3 fatty acids.
29:17-31:48 – Increasing muscle mass and strength in older adults with resistance training.
31:50-41:01 – Positive physiological adaptations of heat exposure.
LECTURE SERIES PLAYLIST
Episode 1: Own Your Health, With Nicole Carroll
Episode 2: Exercise for Longevity and Healthspan, With Dr. Rhonda Patrick
Episode 3: CrossFit for Health: Muscle-centric Medicine, With Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
Episode 4: From Obesity to Opioids, How CrossFit Can Save the World, With Dr. Tom McCoy
Episode 5: Simple, Not Easy, Ways To Improve Your Health
Episode 6: Training for Fitness vs. Performance
Episode 7: The Role of Lifestyle in Chronic Disease, With Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng
Episode 8: Metabolic Health Is Mental Health, With Dr. Chris Palmer
Episode 9: The Relationship Between Connection, CrossFit, and Health
Episode 10: Future-Proof Your Brain, With Dr. Tommy Wood
About the CrossFit for Health Summit Spring Lunchtime Series
On Feb. 3, 2024, hundreds of CrossFit affiliate owners, coaches, and healthcare professionals gathered in Austin, Texas, and online for the CrossFit for Health Summit, presented by GORUCK.
CrossFit thought leaders led panel discussions on fitness, performance, and the hard work of health, while renowned experts shared cutting-edge research on longevity, mental and metabolic health, and chronic disease — and how the CrossFit community has the power to transform the landscape of it all.
Exercise for Longevity and Healthspan, With Dr. Rhonda Patrick