Men’s Health Update: How to Read Food Labels Without Being Fooled

MEN’S HEALTH UPDATE: HOW TO READ FOOD LABELS WITHOUT BEING FOOLED
Food Labels

You probably already know how to read food labels.
You’ve been turning products over for years to see what’s really in the product before you buy it.
But manufacturers have been making changes lately. To comply with updated government standards, they’ve been quietly modifying the food labels you’re used to seeing over the past couple of years.
Here’s what you need to know.

Why Do We Need to Learn How to Read Food Labels Over Again?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first spearheaded changes to the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods in 2016.

The changes, the FDA stated, “reflect updated scientific information, including information about the link between diet and chronic diseases, such as obesity and heart disease.”

They also reflected the most significant shift since 1993.

Initially, the FDA required food makers with more than $10 million in annual sales to update their labels by January 1, 2020. The agency gave manufacturers making less than that until January 2021. Those of most single-ingredient sugars, such as honey and maple syrup, and certain cranberry products, had until July 1, 2021.

But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, impacting many processes in the food industry, including food labeling. To provide relief from regulations and deadlines and help food manufacturers keep up with consumer demand, the FDA increased its flexibility, working with manufacturers to meet the new requirements.

As of today, almost all companies are in compliance with the new guidelines. The updated labels will make it easier for consumers to make informed decisions about the foods and beverages they consume.

How to Read Food Labels: What’s New and How it Affects Men’s Health

Let’s break down the new label to see what’s changed, and what you need to look for when choosing your healthiest products.

Calorie Count Gets a Boost

The new label puts calories front and center, pumping up the size of the word and the number so you can see immediately how many calories one serving will give you.

The “servings per container” text size has also increased, as has the “serving size” declaration. The point here is to make sure you know how many calories are in one serving.

Before, manufacturers could trick you into thinking that an item had fewer calories than it really did by using smaller text for the serving size. You could look at the label and think, “It’s only 300 calories!” But then if you read the fine print, you’d realize there were two servings per bottle and you were actually consuming 600 calories total.

The FDA was aware of this tactic. So they pumped up the sizes and bolded these listings to make it more clear exactly how much you’re getting in each container.

For men, cutting calories isn’t the best tactic for losing weight. In a 2017 study, researchers noted that the body usually counteracts a reduction in energy intake by reducing metabolic rate and increasing appetite later, ensuring that you regain any weight you might have lost.

Still, there can be value in reducing the number of calories you consume from a particular food. If the new label encourages you to eat half the number of potato chips you used to eat, that can only be good for your health.

Changing the Outlook on Fat

Recent research shows that some fats—like unsaturated and monounsaturated fats—are good for us. So the FDA required the new label to get rid of the “total calories from fat” listing, and list only the calories from specific types of fat instead.

The “total calories from fat” listing was there before to encourage consumers to cut down on all fats. Now we know that’s a bad idea.

In a 2021 study, researchers from the United Kingdom found that low-fat diets decreased testosterone levels in men by an average of 10-15 percent. Normal testosterone levels are key for men’s athletic performance, mental health, and sexual performance.

Men should ideally consume plenty of monounsaturated fats—found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts. Other healthy fats can also be beneficial in moderation. The new label retains the listings and percent daily value for total fat, saturated fat, and trans fat, which is good. You want to consume saturated fats in moderation and avoid trans fats altogether, but you definitely shouldn’t avoid all fats.

Singling Out Added Sugars

There’s a clear difference between natural sugars—such as those in fruit and dairy products—and “added” sugars, which manufacturers add to foods after the fact.

Up until recently, however, that wasn’t clear on the food label.

It is now. And that’s a good thing because consuming too many added sugars can set you up for disease. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons) per day for men. Yet the average American consumes about 19.5 teaspoons each day—three times the recommended amount.

Studies have linked added sugars to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and more. In a 2017 study, researchers found that eating too much sugar could increase a man’s long-term risk of mental disorders like anxiety and depression.

The new label requires manufacturers to list not only the total sugars in the product but the “added sugars” as well. This is the number to pay attention to. Natural sugars are typically less harmful because they are accompanied by other nutrients like fiber. So they don’t affect the body as negatively as added sugars.

Added sugars include cane sugar, brown sugar, maple sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, honey, malt syrup, and molasses.

New Nutrient Listing: Vitamin D

Manufacturers will still need to list calcium and iron levels, but they will no longer have to list levels of vitamins A and C on their labels. They can still do so if they want to—they just won’t “have” to. Studies have found that most Americans are getting enough of these nutrients in their daily diets.

Manufacturers will now have to to list new nutrients vitamin D and potassium on the label—a change from before. Studies have shown that many Americans aren’t getting enough of these nutrients.

In 2011, scientists reported that the overall prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the U.S. is 41.6 percent. The highest rate was seen in Black Americans (82.1 percent), followed by Hispanics (69.2 percent). The researchers noted that “vitamin D was common in the U.S. population…”

Being low on vitamin D may increase your risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, depression, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. When researching morbidly obese men in Norway, researchers found that those seeking weight-loss treatment had significantly greater odds of being deficient in vitamin D than women.

Studies have found that older men, too, are at a higher risk of having low vitamin D levels, particularly those who are obese or live at higher latitudes, where the sun is more likely to be absent in winter.

There is also some evidence that being low in vitamin D may contribute to erectile dysfunction. According to one study, men with a vitamin D deficiency had a 30 percent greater prevalence of ED. They also had an 80 percent greater prevalence of severe ED compared to men with optimal levels of vitamin D.

New Nutrient Listing: Potassium

It looks like there’s been a rise in potassium deficiency in the U.S. lately. Some scientists have linked that to agricultural crop removal of potassium and the decrease of potassium levels in our foods. In 2020, scientists reported that levels in beef, pork, turkey, fruits, and vegetables decreased between 1999 and 2015.

Yet we need potassium for normal cell function and to maintain a balance of electrolytes in our systems. Scientists have linked a low intake with hypertension and stroke, bone health problems, type 2 diabetes, and kidney stones.

In a cohort of over 45,000 men aged 40 to 75 years, for instance—none with a history of kidney stones—researchers found that those with the highest intakes of potassium had a 51 percent lower risk of kidney stones over 4 years than those with the lowest intakes.

New Lows and Highs on Percent Daily Value

Like the old label, the new one lists the percent DV for each of the nutrients. This shows you how much each one contributes to the total amount that you need. It contains updated values, however, for nutrients like sodium, dietary fiber, and vitamin D, however, based on newer scientific evidence.

As a general guide, the FDA recommends the following:

  • 5% DV or less is considered low.
  • 20% DV or more is considered high.

For optimal health, choose foods that are:

  • Higher in %DV for fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium
  • Lower in %DV for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars

How to Read Food Labels: New Requirements for Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs)

In addition to these changes to the nutrition facts label, there’s also been a big change to the rules for genetically modified food products (GMOs). These just went into effect on January 1, 2022.

Genetically modified foods have undergone genetic changes to alter their DNA. Manufacturers use many GMO crops to make ingredients that we eat every day, including cornstarch, corn syrup, corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and granulated sugar. A few fresh fruits and vegetables are available in GMO varieties as well, including potatoes, summer squash, apples, and papayas.

More than 95 percent of animals used for meat and dairy in the U.S. also eat GMO crops, according to the FDA.

Manufacturers use genetic modification to:

  • give foods desirable traits
  • make crops more resistant to diseases as they grow
  • produce more nutritious food
  • make crops more tolerant of herbicides

Because altering foods in this way is a relatively new practice, we don’t know about the long-term safety for humans. Some studies have raised alarms. In a 2009 review of animal studies, scientists found that GM foods “may cause some common toxic effects” on the liver, pancreas, kidneys, and reproductive systems.”

Other studies have found that antibiotic-resistant genes that scientists insert into genetically modified foods can be more persistent in the environment than previously believed. This may contribute to the rise of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms that may infect humans.

In a 2002 study, for instance, British researchers found that GM foods—often modified to resist antibiotics—could change the makeup of the human digestive system. The result is an increased risk of infections that are resistant to today’s antibiotics.

So far, we don’t have any evidence that GMO products pose any health risks for humans. As noted, however, this area of research is new and we need more studies to be sure.

How to Read Food Labels: What “Bioengineered” Means

Until recently, we had no regulations in the United States requiring manufacturers to label foods derived from GMOs. Government agencies assumed these foods would meet all the same safety standards applied to other food products, and didn’t need extra regulation.

That has changed. Back in 2016, Congress passed the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard. Since then, manufacturers must disclose foods that are or may be bioengineered (i.e., genetically modified).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) then required new food labeling rules for genetically modified food products that went into effect on January 1, 2022. 

According to the USDA, bioengineered foods contain human-manipulated genetic material. You’ll now see labels on some foods that say “bioengineered” or “derived from bioengineering.” 

Companies with products that qualify as bioengineered can comply with the new standard in several ways:

  • Include text on the package that says “bioengineered food” or “contains bioengineered food ingredient”
  • Use one of two USDA-approved logos approved
  • Add a QR code for consumers to scan or a phone number for them to text that will provide information about the food item

To qualify as genetically engineered, foods need to be genetically modified or have genetically modified ingredients that are “detectable” by certain standards.

How to Read Food Labels: Is “Bioengineered” More Confusing?

Though the new labels will give consumers more information than before, critics say the change will only confuse them.

For one thing, “bioengineered” is not as common a term as GMO. Consumers aren’t as familiar with it, and may not realize that it’s the same thing.

The new standard also leaves out many foods that are “highly refined” or contain bioengineered ingredients that aren’t detectable. These include those in sugar-sweetened beverages, candies, or certain cooking oils.

The USDA has set a threshold at five percent for the “unintended” presence of bioengineered ingredients. Foods made from crops with less than that amount of an ingredient don’t have to be labeled as bioengineered.

Another potential issue: The new rules don’t cover products that list meat, poultry, or eggs as their first or second ingredient after water, stock, or broth. Frozen processed foods like chicken burritos or pasta, therefore, may contain modified ingredients without saying so.

Animal products from animals fed bioengineered foods don’t qualify either. So if you’re drinking milk from a cow fed bioengineered alfalfa, you won’t know it.

Finally, restaurants and other foodservice establishments don’t have to follow the new rules. That means when you go out to eat, there’s still no way to know if you’re consuming GMO foods.

Will You Read Food Labels?

Despite the drawbacks, the new labels are a step forward in protecting your health. They do give you improved information on what you’re buying, helping you to make more informed decisions.

The question is, will you read them carefully?

According to a survey by the Coast Packing Company and Ipsos Research, almost two in three Americans (62 percent) read food labels. Men, however, were less likely to do so (58 percent) than women (65 percent).

Women are also more likely (54 percent) than men (36 percent) to avoid certain foods based on the food label.

I encourage you to turn that product over and read it. What you eat every day has a huge impact on your health right now. It’s something simple you can do for your vitality and longevity.

Food for Athletes: Fueling for Performance

Food for athletes, fueling performance | Gapin Institute

Food for Athletes: Fueling for Performance

When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, two fundamental pillars are nutrition and physical activity. These can contribute to a lowered risk of so many physical diseases and conditions along with improved mental health and well-being. Healthy dietary recommendations include minimum levels of nutrients you need every day. These include protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. But there are some additional nutrition recommendations for athletes, whether you’re competitive or recreational.

Fueling your body for performance is going to play a key role to help you reach or exceed your fitness goals. When it comes to activity, the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends about 30 minutes of activity 5 days each week (or about 150 minutes per week). You may do that much activity, or you may do much more.

The nutrition recommendations I’m sharing in this article apply to both dedicated, competitive athletes looking for an edge over the competition, as well as recreational “weekend warriors.” Whichever scenario you’re in, if you are active, you need to know these. Read on to learn many of the foods that are filled with the energy and nutrients necessary for training and adequate recovery—and the ideal timing so you know when to consume them.

Nutrients for Athletic Performance | Gapin Institute

Nutrients for athletic performance

There are several nutrients to pay attention to when you’re being physically active including fluids, calories, carbohydrates, and protein.

Fluids

Water is the most important nutrient for athletic performance because it keeps the body hydrated and at the right temperature. During one hour of vigorous exercise, your body can lose several liters of sweat. As little as a two percent drop in hydration can negatively impact your performance.

How do you know how much fluid to drink? In general, clear urine is a sign of adequate hydration, so keep this in mind and be sure to drink plenty of fluids even if you won’t be exercising right away. And when you are exercising, drink the recommended amounts at the recommended times outlined in the section below, even if you don’t feel thirsty.

Calories

If you’re very physically active, you’re going to need more calories than someone who is not very active. You need fuel to provide your body with the strength and energy it needs to perform. But, be careful. People tend to overestimate the number of calories burned during their workouts, so be sure not to take in too many extra calories.

For example, a competitive male athlete needs 2,400-3,000 calories per day, and a competitive female athlete needs 2,200-2,700 calories per day. If you’re not competitive, you don’t need this many.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the fuel your muscles burn when they are working.

There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are sugars found in sodas and sweetened foods and often provide a lot of energy, but rarely provide many vitamins or minerals. Simple carbohydrates are also found in white pastas, breads, and cereals. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are starches and contain more nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Examples of foods with complex carbohydrates include fruits, starchy vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

For your everyday carbohydrate needs, stick to complex carbohydrates. However, when it comes to vigorous exercise, simple carbohydrates can be used before, during, and after an intense workout. This is because more intense exercise needs more carbohydrates to immediately burn as fuel. Having simple carbohydrates helps you feel more energized before a workout, work harder, and recover faster, but they’re not recommended as your primary source of carbohydrates.

Protein

Protein is an essential component of muscles (in addition to its importance for other functions such as tissue repair, bones, immunity, enzymes, neurotransmitters, etc.) and that’s why your protein intake is particularly important if you’re focusing on muscle-building resistance exercises. Also, once carbohydrate stores are used up, your body can turn to protein as an alternative fuel source. That’s why some athletes need more protein than non-athletes. For example, many athletes need up to 2 grams protein/kg/day, or if doing intense training, then up to 2.2 grams protein/kg/day.

This doesn’t mean that you need to focus on high-protein foods or use protein supplements if you’re eating enough calories. That’s because most Americans already eat twice as much protein as they really need. Recommended sources of protein include lean meats, eggs, dairy, nuts, and legumes.

Nutrition Working Out | Gapin Institute

Nutrition for different types of exercise

By consistently eating a range of nutrient-dense foods and staying hydrated, you can continue to improve your performance (and health) over time. Here are a few key nutrition recommendations on how to fuel yourself for performance depending on the type of workout you’re doing and how long it’s going to last.

Before any workout

To avoid dehydration, drink about 2 cups of water about 2 hours before your workout.

PRO TIP: If you want to measure the approximate amount of fluids you are losing by working out, weigh yourself immediately before and after your workout. The difference in weight will be mostly due to the amount of water lost so you can follow the guidelines below on what to consume after your workout to replace those fluids.

When it comes to food if your goal is to improve your athletic performance, say for a big game, don’t exercise on an empty stomach. Have a small meal, ideally with fibrous carbohydrates and only small amounts of fat, about 60-90 minutes beforehand.

If you’re going to work out for less than one hour

Water is your fluid of choice. Drink up to 1 cup every 15-20 minutes throughout your workout.

If you’re going to work out for more than one hour

Before you get started, have some carbohydrates and limit the amount of fat you consume. That might look like a glass of juice, cup of yogurt, or an English muffin with jam.

If your 60+ minutes of activity is going to be an intense aerobic workout, you’re also going to want to have lots of fluids and some carbohydrates during that time. Drink up to 1 cup of water every 15-20 minutes for the first hour.

For your second and subsequent hours, you are going to need to replace lost electrolytes and carbohydrates. It is at this point where you can switch your fluid to a sports drink if you want to. Aim for 5-10 ounces every 15-20 minutes. If you choose to stick with water (instead of a sports drink) for your second hour and beyond, add in some food sources of electrolytes and carbohydrates such as 2-3 handfuls of pretzels or a half of a cup of low-fat granola.

After any workout

Exercise depletes the stores of fluids and energy in your body. Depending on how hard you worked out, you may need to top it up. In general, replace the weight you lost during your training session with fluids. This means that for every pound you lose exercising, drink about 3 cups of fluid within the next 6 hours.

If you were active for less than 60 minutes, you can replace your lost fluid weight with water. If you trained for more than 90 minutes, you’re going to want to have more carbohydrates with a bit of protein two hours later. This can be a sports bar, trail mix with nuts, or yogurt with granola.

Trail mix nutrition | Gapin Institute

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a seasoned competitive athlete or a recreational “weekend warrior,” fueling your body properly can improve your performance. The first nutrient to consider is water, so be sure to hydrate before, during, and after your workout as recommended. It’s also important to take in enough calories, carbohydrates, and proteins because these will help power your workout, replenish lost nutrients, and give your body the substances it needs to repair itself afterward.

If you’re wondering whether you may need to change up the way you’re hydrating and fueling your physical activities, reach out to me and my team for a free consult! We can review your activity levels, health goals, nutritional status, and more.

References

Bernardot, D. (2018, December 4). American College of Sports Medicine. Ten things you need to know about sports nutrition. https://www.acsm.org/home/featured-blogs—homepage/acsm-blog/2018/12/04/ten-sports-nutrition-facts

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, October 7). How much physical activity do adults need? https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm

Clark, N. (2019, June 18). American College of Sports Medicine. The athlete’s kitchen: Sports nutrition myths busted! https://www.acsm.org/all-blog-posts/acsm-blog/acsm-blog/2019/06/18/sports-nutrition-myths-busted

Clifford, J. and Maloney, K. (n.d.) Colorado State University Extension. Nutrition for the Athlete – 9.362 https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/nutrition-food-safety-health/nutrition-for-the-athlete-9-362/

MedlinePlus. (2019, May 13). Nutrition and athletic performance. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002458.htm

Murray, B. (2019, March 14). American College of Sports Medicine. Everyday nutrition vs. performance nutrition: Clarifying the carbohydrate confusion. https://www.acsm.org/all-blog-posts/certification-blog/acsm-certified-blog/2019/03/14/nutrition-vs.-performance-nutrition-carbohydrate-confusion

Richards, L. (2021, April 20). Medical News Today. Nutrition and athletic performance: What to consider. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/nutrition-for-athletes

University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. (2019, March 4). Eating for peak athletic performance. https://www.uwhealth.org/news/eating-for-peak-athletic-performance

Manage ED with Cutting-Edge Science: New Therapies for Erectile Dysfunction

ED therapies | Gapin Institute

Manage ED with Cutting Edge Science | Gapin Institute

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an old problem. It’s been around for a long time.

But treatment options are fairly new. The first effective oral ED medication—sildenafil (Viagra)—was discovered in 1989 and was only made available by 1998. Then came tadalafil (Cialis) and more recently vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn) and avanafil (Stendra). 

But our understanding of the causes of erectile dysfunction and how to treat it have grown tremendously since the discovery of sildenafil. These days, we’re able to manage ED with cutting-edge science and new technology.

Here are some of the newest therapy options for treating ED and the science behind how they work.

GAINSWave®

GAINSWave is the process associated with a revolutionary new therapy for ED called low intensity shockwave therapy.

How it works: Low-intensity shockwave therapies like GAINSWave treat ED by sending pulses of energy into the target tissue—in this case, tissue in the penis. The low-intensity shock waves induce angiogenesis, which is the creation of new blood vessels. This increases blood flow to the penis, making it easier to get an erection. 

The therapy may also help regenerate penile nerve tissues by activating key regenerative signaling pathways (PERK/ATF4).

Is GAINSWave effective? The published literature provides good evidence to suggest that it really works. 

In one meta-analysis that included data for 607 patients, researchers found a statistically significant improvement in erectile function in men who received the treatment with no reported adverse side effects.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

Platelet-Rich Plasma, or PRP ( sometimes referred to as The Priapus shot or P-shot), involves injecting a concentration of platelets from your own blood into your penis.  

How it works: PRP therapy works by injecting platelet-rich plasma from your own blood directly into the penis. Blood has four components: red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, and platelets. By removing the red blood cells and white blood cells, doctors can concentrate the platelets and plasma and administer it directly in the penis. 

Platelet-rich plasma contains proteins and growth factors that stimulate stem cells in the penis to promote repair, regeneration, and remodeling of the blood vessels and normal healthy tissue of the penis. After all, remember that an erection is simply increased blood flow to the penis!  The idea is that, by injecting PRP into the penis, it helps restore normal, healthy tissue function and improve blood flow. 

Is the P-shot effective? The research is ongoing but looks promising. In one recent review of several studies on PRP therapy, researchers found mostly good effectiveness with no major side effects or adverse reactions. 

Most of the research on this treatment has been through small studies with low sample sizes, so it’s certainly still in the research phase. More studies are needed so we can better understand how effective this treatment is and for which men it’s best suited.

Peptides

Peptides are simply short proteins – nothing more than short chains of amino acids. But they’re amazing! 

Peptides are signaling molecules that your body recognizes for very precise functions. Peptides can be quite effective in turning back the clock on aging in a number of ways. And some peptides also appear to be helpful for treating ED. 

How it works: Two peptides that have been found to be useful for ED are Melanotan 2 and PT-141. These can be given by subcutaneous injection or by nasal spray and can immediately enhance erectile function. These peptides improve sexual performance by stimulating melanocortin receptors, which are involved in sexual desire and erectile function.

Are peptides effective? Yes! The research on Melanotan and PT-141 suggests that both can dramatically improve erectile function. In one study, Melanotan 2 caused erections in 85% of the individuals, even in the absence of sexual stimuli. 

Side effects can include yawning and nausea. 

Stem Cell Injections

Stem cell injection | Gapin Institute

Stem cells are ‘progenitor’ cells that are not yet specialized and can develop into any other cell in your body.

For ED treatment, stem cells can be used to regenerate normal healthy erectile tissue. Stem cells are harvested from your bone marrow – typically from the iliac crest (the back of your bony pelvis) – and then injected into the penis.

How does it work? Stem cells are used in a variety of therapies because they have been found to regenerate, remodel, and repair damaged tissues. It’s believed that they contribute to regeneration by secreting bioactive chemicals that boost healing. 

Are stem cell injections effective? They appear to be. One recent review that summarized 8 clinical trials in humans found that stem cell therapy could be effective for long-term improvement in erectile function. Stem cell therapy is one of the few regenerative treatments that is specifically FDA-approved for the treatment of ED.

Vacuum Therapy

Vacuum therapy is used both to create erections suitable for sexual intercourse as well as to stimulate growth and recovery of penile tissue to support healthy erectile function.

How it works: With vacuum therapy, a tube-like device is placed around the penis and connected to a manual or battery-operated pump that creates a pressure vacuum. The negative pressure brings blood into the penis and creates an erection. When used for sex, often a constriction ring is placed at the base of the penis to keep the blood in and to maintain the erection.

Is vacuum therapy effective? Yes, the research finds that the method leads to more satisfying erections. It also seems to have a positive effect on the rehabilitation of penile tissue after prostate surgery.

Intracavernosal “Trimix” Injections

Intracavernosal “Trimix” Injections | Gapin Institute

Intracavernosal injections (ICIs), sometimes just called penile injections, involve injecting medication directly into the side of the penis to stimulate an erection. While several different kinds of medication can be used, the most commonly injected medications are papaverine, phentolamine, and prostaglandin E1. When these three drugs are combined, it’s called a “trimix”. 

How it works: These medications stimulate vasodilation of blood vessels and relaxation of smooth muscles in the penis to allow increased blood flow and thus make it easier to achieve an erection. 

Like oral medications like Viagra and Cialis, penile injection therapy is a short-term treatment that helps men get an erection immediately and lasts for a few hours after injection.

Are Intracavernosal injections effective? Yes. Research has consistently suggested that injection therapy can be as effective as PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra, Cialis, Stendra, Staxyn, or Levitra. Injection therapy is a great option for men who can’t take oral medications due to specific contraindications. Always make sure to take medication under the guidance of a doctor, since overdosing with injection therapy can cause major problems! 

New ED Therapies Aren’t Always Better

New ED therapies | Gapin Institute

While the newest, cutting-edge technologies are promising for those with hard-to-treat ED, the fact is that new treatments aren’t always better. Indeed, some of the classic advice on managing ED is as pertinent as ever.

That’s because treating ED requires a comprehensive, systems-based approach. In most cases, lifestyle changes can meaningfully contribute to better sex life.

Here is the less exciting—but still effective—advice I give my VIP clients for better sexual health:

Find the Appropriate ED Treatment for You

These days, ED is almost always treatable thanks to new technology and cutting-edge treatments. But don’t assume ED drugs like Viagra (sildenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil) are the only option for you. 

Instead, get a full evaluation to find the cause of your ED. You want to make sure that it isn’t a warning sign of more significant underlying cardiovascular disease.

As a men’s health expert with over 20 years of experience treating erectile dysfunction,I can recommend the most appropriate ED treatment option for your particular case. 

Schedule an appointment with me and get your ED treated today! 

Schedule a consultation to take control of your testosterone!

Download the Blueprint

Schedule a Call

**************************

In Male 2.0™, Dr. Tracy Gapin has turned everything we once thought we knew about men’s health and performance upside down. The old model of how to be “a man” is broken. A man who works himself to death.  Unfortunately, a man who tries to NOT get sick but isn’t really healthy either.  And a man who takes a pill for every ill but is never really cured. That was Male 1.0. Now, imagine being THE MAN ─ owning your performance in the bedroom, the weight room, and the boardroom. Living a fully optimized life. Becoming limitless. This is Male 2.0!

Tracy Gapin, MD, FACS  is a board-certified Urologist,  world-renowned Men’s Health & Performance Expert, Author, and Professional Speaker. Using state-of-the-art biometric monitoring, nutrition, and lifestyle intervention, Dr. Gapin coaches Fortune 500 executives and evolutionary leaders of business, sports medicine, and high performance. He specializes in cutting-edge precision medicine with an emphasis on epigenetics, providing men with a personalized path to optimizing health & performance. www.GapinInstitute.com

Want more tips to optimize your health?  Listen to the latest podcasts. Click HERE

References

Campbell, J. D., Trock, B. J., Oppenheim, A. R., Anusionwu, I., Gor, R. A., & Burnett, A. L. (2019). Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that assess the efficacy of low-intensity shockwave therapy for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Therapeutic Advances in Urology, 11, 1756287219838364. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1756287219838364

Epifanova, M. V., Gvasalia, B. R., Durashov, M. A., & Artemenko, S. A. (2020). Platelet-rich plasma therapy for male sexual dysfunction: Myth or Reality?. Sexual Medicine Reviews, 8(1), 106-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.02.002

Giuliano, F. (2004). Control of penile erection by the melanocortinergic system: Experimental evidence and therapeutic perspectives. Journal of Andrology, 25(5), 683-691. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1939-4640.2004.tb02842.x

He, M., & von Schwarz, E. R. (2020). Stem-cell therapy for erectile dysfunction: a review of clinical outcomes. International Journal of Impotence Research, 33, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-0279-8

Men’s Health: How BPC 157 Could Supercharge Your Body’s Healing and Health

How BPC-157 could supercharge your body's healing and health
BPC-157 helps repair tissues and helps your body recover.

I’m getting really excited about peptides.

It’s not just me: the general medical community is coming to understand—if slowly— what a small group of dedicated researchers have known for decades: peptides may be the key to aging gracefully. 

They’re promising for a few reasons. 

The first—and most important—is that they actually seem to work. Unlike many fads in the men’s health and precision medicine space, peptides are walking the talk.

The second is that they work by using your body’s own biology. Rather than introducing a harsh chemical to your system and hoping for the best, peptides are already used by your body to regulate itself. So they fit well in our body’s complex machinery.

And the third reason is that there are so many. There are thousands of peptides known to science, and only a handful have been truly and properly studied. Different peptides have very different effects. There’s a ton of promise. 

This article is about one peptide in particular that is widely used in athletics and by biohackers. It’s called “gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound” but is more commonly known as BPC-157—“body protection compound”. 

While we’re still learning more about it, the evidence indicates it could be used to greatly boost recovery from injuries, help heal stomach ulcers, and have a number of other protective effects. 

What is BPC-157?

BPC is a peptide, which means it’s a short chain of amino acids—the substances that make up proteins. It’s a pentadecapeptide, which means that it’s made up of 15 amino acids held together by peptide bonds.

BPC is considered a “synthetic” peptide because this particular substance is created synthetically in a lab. But it was derived from a protein that is found in the human body. BPC, chemically, looks like a smaller part of that natural protein.

Peptides are often used by our bodies as chemical messengers. They help regulate a number of different functions and get the body performing at its best. 

Because they’re naturally used by our body, supplementing peptides has become an effective therapeutic technique. The peptide therapies that exist can be used for a number of beneficial uses including to boost the immune system, to help with weight loss and burning fat, and even to reduce inflammation.

What does BPC-157 do?

Well, it appears that it has a number of potential benefits, especially when it comes to helping your body heal and repair after an injury.

BPC-157 speeds up tissue repair

BPC-157 has been found to speed up the healing of lean body tissues like muscle, ligaments, and tendons.

Some of the promising studies on BPC-157 have found that they may be effective in speeding up the repair of ligaments, tendons, muscle tissue, and even the skin. 

For example, in one study, BPC-157 consistently healed damaged ligaments in rats much quicker than if it was not present. The healing was effective, too: it preserved the function and biomechanics of the joint. In another study, BPC-157 was found to kickstart the production of collagen. Collagen helps skin look elastic, and is also essential to joint health, as well as hair and nails. In a further study, BPC sped up bone repair. 

Those results seem to hold across studies. In a 2019 review, researchers found that BPC-157 was consistently able to repair soft tissue injuries across all the research that they reviewed. They noted,

“All of the studies to date that have tested BPC 157 as a treatment therapy have demonstrated extremely positive healing effects for various injury types in a number of soft tissues.”

I should note an important caveat to this research: most of the studies that have been done on this peptide have been done on animals—usually rats. That’s normal:  animal studies are used to get a sense of what a compound does and to get a sense of its safety. That’s partly so that humans are not put at risk, but it’s also because research on animals is much less expensive to do. Then researchers move to humans so they are confident that it could work and when they are willing to invest in much more expensive research.

Since rats have a lot in common with humans, including how our muscles and lean tissues work, the research results for BPC-157 are quite promising. 

But of course, since most of the research hasn’t been conducted on humans, we need to be cautious about making too much of these findings.

BPC-157 helps heal your gut

One of the focuses of BPC-157 research is on its role in contributing to gut health. This is the focus mostly because BPC-157 was originally derived from a protein that is found in the gut. 

Research now suggests that it can have a powerful effect on protecting and healing damaged digestive tissue: it’s been found to inhibit the formation of lesions in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. This is especially true of the oral form of BPC-157, which is especially good for the gut. 

BPC-157 route of administration

BPC-157 can be taken orally or it can be injected subcutaneously (just beneath the skin).  It appears to have the most powerful effect on gut health when taken orally, whereas subcutaneous injections are better for reducing systemic inflammation and aiding with tissue repair. BPC-157 can be injected subcutaneously in the lower abdomen, or for better effect in specific joints or muscles, can be injected near the site of concern (for example, you might inject it near the elbow if you wanted to heal an elbow injury). 

BPC-157 reduces harmful side effects of other medications

It can also help protect the gut from other chemicals.

The magic of modern medicine has given us a number of important pharmacological interventions (medications) for a wide range of diseases and medical issues. These are often essential.

But they also may have some harmful side effects. 

For example, haloperidol is a commonly used medication for treating the symptoms of some psychological illnesses like mania and schizophrenia. It’s a very useful drug, but it can also be quite rough on the body. One side effect of haloperidol is that it causes stomach lesions. Stomach lesions are also a side effect of some chemotherapy medications that are used to treat cancer.  

BPC-157 seems to be able to counteract these in many cases, preventing these lesions. That suggests it could be useful as a complementary therapy when these other medications are prescribed.

BCP-157 enhances blood flow

Doctors and scientists suspect that one of the ways BPC works to repair tissue is by increasing blood flow to injuries. After all, blood brings the body what it needs to repair itself: oxygen, nutrients, antibodies, and so on. 

And BPC-157 seems to increase blood flow. There appear to be two ways that it does so. 

The first is by upregulating the expression of growth factor early growth response gene-1 (also called EGR-1). This gene is involved in increasing the amount of blood that flows to wounds.

The second way it does this is by actually increasing the number of blood vessels. The fancy medical terms are angiogenesis (the creation of arteries) and vasculogenesis (the creation of veins). BPC-157 seems to activate vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, which are involved in increasing the number of blood vessels and repairing them. 

This insight comes from in vitro studies, which means studies done on cells isolated outside of the body (imagine scientists looking under a microscope at a petri dish). So, again, we have to be careful not to make too much of these results, since we’re investigating the effects of BPC-157 outside the body.

Still, these results are exciting because they provide a possible explanation for why we consistently see BPC-157 improving the healing and repair of tissues. 

BPC-157 has anti-inflammatory properties

Some studies have found the BPC-157 is an anti-inflammatory. It was found to significantly decrease inflammation in patients with ulcerative colitis, which is a kind of bowel disease. 

Researchers were especially optimistic about the use of BPC-157 as a treatment for inflammation because it didn’t show the same kind of side effects that other commonly prescribed anti-inflammatories have. 

What’s more, BPC-157 seems to be useful in treating both acute and chronic inflammation

BPC-157 seems to be neuroprotective

plastic brain and central nervous system model
BPC may help fight against diseases of the central nervous system and brain.

If that’s not enough, BPC could be a salve for various kinds of traumatic brain injuries. Researchers found that it has neuroprotective effects: it protects somatosensory neurons, it appears to promote peripheral nerve regeneration, and it seems to slow or even reverse the course of traumatic brain injuries from progressing. 

All those effects have led researchers to conclude that BPC 157 could serve as a new soldier in the battle against disorders of the nervous system. 

What about BPC side effects?

It’s important to make it clear that the research on BPC in humans is limited. 

BPC has been found to be safe in clinical trials conducted in several countries, with no toxicity reported. Those results are consistent with the results from the animal studies conducted to date: there haven’t been any instances of toxicity reported. 

But because of the lack of research on side effects, there is still much that we don’t know. That’s why all peptides should be carefully administered under the guidance of a clinical research trial or a qualified physician. Ideally, you’ll want to ensure that you have a doctor who understands the promise and any risks associated with peptide therapy so that you can get well-informed advice. 

Peptides can be part of a systems health approach

Our bodies are complex and massively interrelated. 

How you eat, how you sleep, whether you’re stressed, and your sexual health all are influenced by, and in turn influence, each other. You need all those things to be in place to thrive. You can’t just take a peptide and suddenly feel young and energetic again. 

But peptides can be a part of a systems-based approach to health, just like hormone therapy, a weight loss program, and other forms of lifestyle medicine. BPC-157, in particular, is promising as a way to help repair injured tissues, reduce inflammation, and generally help your body heal itself. It may be a form of peptide therapy that’s appropriate for you.

Remember, always consult a qualified physician before starting a peptide regimen. Most physicians aren’t well-versed in the promising effects of peptide therapies, but some are. Look for a doctor you can trust that understands the complexity of the body and can help you optimize your health and your life. 

BPS-157 might just be a crucial part of that.

 man looking at sunset on mountain, BPC-157 peptide therapy for health
Peptide therapy could be a useful addition to your health regimen. Ask about whether it’s right for you.

Schedule a consultation to learn how peptides can help YOU.

Ready to take the next steps?

Download the Blueprint

Schedule a Call

**************************

In Male 2.0™, Dr. Tracy Gapin has turned everything we once thought we knew about men’s health and performance upside down. The old model of how to be “a man” is broken. A man who works himself to death.  Unfortunately, a man who tries to NOT get sick but isn’t really healthy either.  And a man who takes a pill for every ill but is never really cured. That was Male 1.0. Now, imagine being THE MAN ─ owning your performance in the bedroom, the weight room, and the boardroom. Living a fully optimized life. Becoming limitless. This is Male 2.0!

Tracy Gapin, MD, FACS  is a board-certified Urologist,  world renowned Men’s Health & Performance Expert, Author, and Professional Speaker. Using state-of-the-art biometric monitoring, nutrition and lifestyle intervention, Dr. Gapin coaches Fortune 500 executives and evolutionary leaders of business, sports medicine, and high performance. He specializes in cutting-edge precision medicine with an emphasis on epigenetics, providing men with a personalized path to optimizing health & performance. www.GapinInstitute.com

Want more tips to optimize your health?  Listen to the latest podcasts. Click HERE

References

Cerovecki, T., Bojanic, I., Brcic, L., Radic, B., Vukoja, I., Seiwerth, S., & Sikiric, P. (2010). Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (PL 14736) improves ligament healing in the rat. Journal of orthopaedic research, 28(9), 1155-1161.

Gwyer, D., Wragg, N. M., & Wilson, S. L. (2019). Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healing. Cell and tissue research, 377(2), 153-159.

Sikiric, P. S., Seiwerth, S., Rucman, R., Turkovic, B., Rokotov, D. S., Brcic, L., … & Sebecic, B. (2012). Effect of Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on Gastrointestinal Tract. In Filaretova L. P., &  Takeuchi, K. (Eds.), Cell/Tissue Injury and Cytoprotection/Organoprotection in the Gastrointestinal Tract (Vol. 30, pp. 191-201). Karger Publishers.

CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin: Your Key to Turn Back the Clock on Aging?

CJC-1295 and ipamorelin blog image
Active man using peptide therapy checking watch
CJC-1295 can help bring your growth hormone levels back up to help you feel young again.

We’re having a revolution in medicine and biology. We’re at the point where the medical community is starting to redefine aging. 

We used to think about growing older almost like an inevitable disease. Our approach to aging healthily was to study the complications and declines in health that come with increasing years around the sun, and then try to find treatments for those, or minimize the risk factors. That strategy is reactive and passive.

But functional and integrative physicians have sought more—and we’re finding it. 

Pioneering scientists and medical researchers are leading a shift in the understanding of aging from one focused on treating disease to one that focuses on preserving health and enhancing the body’s own capacity to heal. 

 We are learning to use principles of preventive medicine to stay healthy and well.

The body has a drive towards balance, especially at the cellular level. Harnessing what we know about cell functions allows us to prevent their breakdown, regardless of the number of candles on our birthday cake. 

That effectively means this: we can keep ourselves young.

Peptide therapy is one way that we’re starting to do that. Some forward-looking physicians and medical practitioners are now using peptides as a way to reverse the cellular clock in your body and enable it to function like it used to when you were younger. 

One of the exciting peptides in this field is CJC-1295.

What is CJC-1295?

CJC-1295 is the creative (or not!) name that scientists have assigned to a particular synthetic peptide.
“Synthetic peptide” just means that it’s a chain of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) that was created by scientists. It was made to chemically resemble a hormone that your body already makes called growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). GHRH is part of your body’s system to regulate the production and release of growth hormone (GH).

Why growth hormone matters

Growth hormone is essential. It’s involved in a ton of important bodily processes, especially those that support the creation and repair of tissue. For example, it’s involved in muscle gains after a workout, rejuvenating skin cells, repairing injured tissues, improving immune system functioning, and much more. 

Basically, when new cells are being created, growth hormone is part of that process. 

Most people produce lots of growth hormone when they’re young—it’s an important part of children’s development into adulthood. And production of growth hormone continues to be high going into young adulthood. 

Growth hormone declines with age

But—surprise—it starts to decline with age. Growth hormone levels in the blood are much lower in older adults than they are in young adults. That’s part of the reason that your body takes longer to recover as you get older: it doesn’t have the hormonal support it needs to repair and heal itself. 

Increasing growth hormone can be a powerful part of an anti-aging therapy strategy

But how can you increase GH levels? 

While it’s possible to supplement growth hormone directly, it’s not ideal. Directly supplementing GH can lead to some nasty side effects

Instead, it’s just as effective—and easier on the body—to supplement the other chemicals that regulate growth hormone.

Growth hormone secretagogues

That’s where “growth hormone secretagogues” come in. Growth hormone secretagogues make up a group of peptides that stimulate the production and secretion of growth hormone. 

That means that they stimulate the body to produce and secrete its own growth hormone. That turns out to be a lot easier on your body.

What does CJC-1295 do?

CJC-1295 is one of those growth hormone secretagogues. 

What it does is mimic your body’s naturally made growth hormone-releasing hormone. By doing that, CJC-1295 is able to bind to the same receptors that GHRH does. And so it has the same effect: it tells your body to produce more growth hormone.

What is Ipamorelin?

Ipamorelin is another growth hormone secretagogue. The end result of Ipamorelin is the same as CJC-1295: it increases the GH that’s available in your blood and that makes it to cells. 

But Ipamorelin works slightly differently from CJC-1295.

The chemistry is slightly complicated, but very briefly, Ipamorelin falls into a different category called growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs). GHRPs mimic a substance your body makes called Ghrelin, which is also involved in the regulation of growth hormone. 

Ghrelin helps turn down something called somatostatin—an inhibitor of GH. So Ghrelin basically creates the right conditions for growth hormone to be secreted.

What does Ipamorelin do?

Ipamorelin mimics Ghrelin. Because it looks the same to your body as Ghrelin, it has the same effect of turning down somatostatin and encouraging your body to secrete more GH.

CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin have complementary effects

GHRHs, like CJC-1295, and GHRPs, like Ipamorelin, work together. 

CJC-1295 tells your body to produce more GH. Then, Ipamorelin creates an environment where GH can easily be secreted. 

Together, CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin pack a one-two punch for upping your GH levels and supporting your body to create new tissue.

What are the potential benefits of Ipamorelin and CJC-1295?

Great, so CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin can work together to increase the amount of growth hormone in your blood. We know that they both really do increase GH, and this helps your cells get what they need to function properly, repair themselves, and create new, healthy cells. 

But what does that actually mean for you?

What are the potential health benefits that you would actually notice?

First, I should make it clear that the research is still being done. We don’t yet thoroughly understand all of the effects of either Ipamorelin or CJC-1295. The results look promising, but we still need to do more to gain a comprehensive understanding. 

Still, based on the existing research, there are several potential benefits to your health that you’ll be able to notice.

Faster muscle growth

Man lifting weights support of elevated GH levels
Faster muscle growth is possible with CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin

Higher levels of growth hormone in the blood make it easier for your body to synthesize proteins and muscle fibers. That means CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin support muscle building: they make it easier for you to gain muscle mass.

Indeed, several studies have found that higher GH levels in the blood lead to significant muscle gains and greater strength. That’s part of the reason that CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin are so popular in bodybuilding communities. 

Fat burning

Another benefit of the higher GH levels that come from growth hormone secretagogues is that they tend to spur on higher metabolism. The bigger the metabolism “fire,” the more fat gets burned

Of course, neither CJC-1295 nor any other peptide is a magic weight-loss solution. It takes some effort to lose weight: you have to exercise, eat a reasonably healthy diet, and more. But helping your cells get what they need to actually burn the fat can certainly help.

Younger-looking skin

You already know that age takes a toll on the skin. What’s happening is that the collagen in the skin is breaking down, and is not being replaced. That makes the skin less elastic and thinner. And that leads to wrinkles. 

The formation and maintenance of collagen rely on growth hormone. And it turns out that increasing the amount of growth hormone that’s available in the blood makes it easier for the body to replace collagen. The result is younger-looking skin.

Improved sleep

Couple sleeping better with the aid of CJC-1295
Quality sleep affects many aspects of your life.

Sleep and growth hormone are linked. 

Much of your body’s growth hormone is secreted while you sleep. That makes sense since sleep is when your body does the most repair of tissue. If you think your muscles grow in the gym, you’re wrong: the gym may initiate the growth, but that growth happens when you sleep.

But it turns out that it goes the other way, too: CJC-1295 appears to improve sleep as well. And better sleep means better health and general bodily functioning.

Are there side effects of CJC-1295?

Again, it’s important to stress that we’re still in the early days of understanding exactly what effects peptides can have on the body. In general, they appear to be safe—partly because rather than adding new substances or chemicals, our bodies already use peptides to communicate. So they’re typically well-tolerated. 

The studies that do exist on CJC-1295 suggest that it’s generally safe, well-tolerated, and has minimal side effects.

Still, some side effects have been noted. These include:

  • dizziness
  • headache
  • nausea
  • flu-like symptoms
  • hives
  • increased heart rate
  • flushing
  • hyperactivity
  • redness and tenderness at injection site
  • difficulty swallowing

Possible adverse effects are the reason that all peptide therapies should be conducted under the supervision of a qualified physician. A doctor that specializes in lifestyle medicine can help you ensure that any peptide doses are safe, appropriate for your particular biochemistry, and help you minimize unintended side effects.

Man running with the help of peptide therapy
Unlock your potential by adding peptides to your health regime.

Peptide Therapy can be powerful

As far as we’ve come in modern medicine, we’ve still got a long way to go. 

The medical community is really just now beginning to see the vast potential of peptide therapies in preserving health and regular functioning as we get older. 

But the promise is there.

CJC-1295 is just one of a number of peptides that—under the proper medical guidance—could be a useful addition to your personalized medicine and health regime.

Conclusion

As more studies reveal their health benefits beyond weight loss, the known benefits of peptides are worth acknowledging.  Peptides and peptide therapy are cutting-edge tools. You can use them to optimize your health, slow the aging process, and reduce inflammation. Learning new ways to target and use peptides, polypeptides and proteins helps you move away from disease and towards better health. 

If you’re interested in radically upgrading your health, you’ll want to keep a close eye on the power of peptides and consider adding these therapies to your regimen. After all, when it comes to living a better life for a longer span of time, we’re looking at brand new ways to do just that – and the sky’s the limit. 

The best place to start if you want a hormonal optimization or peptide program is by seeing a physician first.  Have a doctor draw your blood and evaluate whether you are a candidate for therapy.

Gapin Institute  is currently accepting new clients and offers a comprehensive evaluation, blood test and state-of-the-art screening. If you are tired of being tired… or you have tried everything to lose that unwanted weight but nothing seems to be working, our Peptide therapy might be the piece to the puzzle that you are missing. Call us today to schedule your consultation. (941) 444-1441.

You’ll get access to a genetic-based report and analysis, along with a private consultation that will put you on track to your ultimate health. 

With the Male 2.0 Method, I test your DNA, interpret the results, and create a customized strategy just for you. This plan is specific to YOUR individual genes and lifestyle.  It will improve every area of your life, from your health and professional productivity to your overall longevity and total wellbeing. Male 2.0 gives you the actionable tools you need right now.  It reveals what you need to customize and design your future limitless self.

Schedule a consultation to learn how peptides can help YOU.

Ready to take the next steps?

Schedule a Call

In Male 2.0™, Dr. Tracy Gapin has turned everything we once thought we knew about men’s health and performance upside down. The old model of how to be “a man” is broken. A man who works himself to death.  Unfortunately, a man who tries to NOT get sick but isn’t really healthy either.  And a man who takes a pill for every ill but is never really cured. That was Male 1.0. Now, imagine being THE MAN ─ owning your performance in the bedroom, the weight room, and the boardroom. Living a fully optimized life. Becoming limitless. This is Male 2.0!

Tracy Gapin, MD, FACS  is a board-certified Urologist,  world renowned Men’s Health & Performance Expert, Author, and Professional Speaker. Using state-of-the-art biometric monitoring, nutrition and lifestyle intervention, Dr. Gapin coaches Fortune 500 executives and evolutionary leaders of business, sports medicine, and high performance. He specializes in cutting-edge precision medicine with an emphasis on epigenetics, providing men with a personalized path to optimizing health & performance. www.GapinInstitute.com

Want more tips to optimize your health?  Listen to the latest podcasts. Click HERE

References

Bartke, A. (2019). Growth hormone and aging: updated review. The World Journal of Men’s Health, 37(1), 19-30.

Florini, J. R. (1987). Hormonal control of muscle growth. Muscle & Nerve: Official Journal of the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, 10(7), 577-598.

Raun, K, Hansen, B., Johansen, N., Thogersen, H, Madsen, K, Ankersen, M, & Andersen, P. (1998). Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. European Journal of Endocrinology. 139 (5): 552–561.

Seeds, W. (2020). Peptide protocols, volume 1. Seeds scientific performance research.

Teichman, S. L., Neale, A., Lawrence, B., Gagnon, C., Castaigne, J. P., & Frohman, L. A. (2006). Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 91(3), 799-805.

Inflammation Makes You Gain Weight. Peptide Therapy Can Help You Lose Weight.

Weight loss is one of the most common health concerns among my clients.

Men struggle with weight loss even though they do all the right things: they go to the gym regularly, they eat a clean diet, they take what they think are the right supplements… but something just isn’t right. 

Losing weight seems like it should be easy if you’ve straightened out your diet and exercise… So, why is it so hard to lose that stubborn fat?

First off, the body is complex.There are a ton of factors beyond diet and exercise that matter for losing weight. Of course, sleep is really important, your hormones and testosterone matter, and stress plays a huge factor. Your microbiome and gut health almost certainly play a role, too. 

And, of course, your genes matter. Not just your actual genetic makeup, but also epigeneticswhich genes are turned on or off at a given time. 

In order to understand weight loss, and men’s health in general, we have to think about the body as a sophisticated system. If you want to lose weight, get more energy, and feel younger, there’s a constellation of factors that matter.

And here’s a big one that people often miss: inflammation. 

In this article, I want to explain the connection between your body’s inflammatory response and the difficulty you may have shedding those extra pounds. And then I’ll tell you how you can address your inflammation with targeted peptides to help you finally lose weight. 

What is inflammation?

Inflammation is your body’s general immune response. There are two main types that we’re concerned with:

  • Acute inflammation is a localized response. It’s what you get when you sprain your ankle and it swells up, gets red, and gets warm. Or when you get an infected cut. Acute inflammation is your body sending in the “good guys” to repair tissue or get rid of toxins. 
  • Chronic inflammation is a longer term, generalized response. It happens when your body’s own white blood cells stick around longer than they need to and start attacking your own body. It’s a deep-rooted, systemic problem. 

Chronic inflammation can have serious health consequences, including increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, Alzheimer’s, prostate disorders, and more.

But in addition to all those severe health issues, inflammation can also just affect how we feel day to day. It could be what’s sapping your energy and making you feel lethargic.

And, most central to this article, chronic inflammation can make it hard for you to lose weight. 

What are the signs and symptoms of chronic inflammation?

How do you know if you have chronic inflammation? It can be difficult to know, but some of the symptoms include:

  • Being overweight or obese
  • Heartburn, nausea, gas, and other gut problems
  • Fatigue and chronic feelings of being tired
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Prostate problems
  • Stress
  • Mental fog or emotional instability
  • High cholesterol or blood pressure
  • Pains or weakness in the muscles that don’t have a clear cause

Chronic inflammation often simply looks like a general feeling of being unwell without a clear cause. 

What causes inflammation?

Chronic inflammation is caused by the regular suspects that are related to poor health: a poor diet that’s high in sugars, saturated fats, and trans fats; obesity; stress; and smoking. It can also be caused by periodontal disease, an imbalance of hormones, and inadequate sleep. 

How does inflammation contribute to weight gain?

Inflammation and weight gain go together. 

First, the research suggests that fatty tissue can trigger inflammation. One study found that adipose tissue actually stimulates your body to release inflammatory mediators like interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α. Other research has suggested that overeating can lead to inflammation. So being overweight can contribute to inflammation.

But it works the other way, too: inflammation can cause you to gain weight—and keep it. One way inflammation does that is by changing how we absorb and use the food we eat. Inflammation can actually affect our gut health: it can influence the bacteria that make up our microbiome and even affect how nutrients and energy are extracted from the food we eat. 

For another thing, inflammation may cause us to feel more hungry and to choose to eat foods that are worse for us. And to make matters worse, it also may be one cause of insulin resistance, which makes it more difficult to turn blood glucose into energy.

So being overweight can contribute to chronic inflammation. And inflammation contributes to weight gain. It can turn into a vicious cycle. 

The good news is that you can reverse it: losing weight helps reduce inflammation… and reducing inflammation will help you lose weight. 

How to reduce inflammation

Adopting a generally healthy lifestyle can help reduce inflammation. That means eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet; avoiding processed foods, sugary, and fried foods; exercising enough; managing your stress; sleeping enough; and quitting smoking. Those are the basics. 

But even after doing all those things, you may find that you need a bit of a boost to lower your inflammation. 

That’s where the strategic use of peptide therapies comes in. 

Peptides can help disrupt chronic inflammation and help you lose weight

The scientific and medical community is only really just becoming aware of how important peptides can be in helping people age well.

Peptides are small chains of amino acids—like proteins, but shorter. 

What do peptides do? Well, there are now thousands of different peptides known to scientists, and there’s a huge variety in the effect that they have. But they often work as chemical signals, helping our body to regulate itself. 

For instance, some boost your immune system; others, like BPC-157, help your body repair tissues; others, like tesamorelin, stimulate growth hormone and help you put on muscle; and yet others, like amlexanox, can reduce inflammation and help burn fat. 

If peptides are made naturally, how does peptide therapy help?

Our body naturally makes peptides, but production of these essential chemical regulators tend to decrease with age. That’s one of the reasons that our body stops functioning properly as we get older.

Peptide therapies and supplements help restore key peptides back to the level you had in your early 20s. And they can bring back the benefits of a younger body: faster healing, faster metabolism, and improved weight loss, among others. 

Amlexanox and weight loss

Amlexanox is one peptide that plays a role in reducing inflammation. That’s why it’s one of the best peptides for weight loss and fat loss

Amlexanox has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. Traditionally, it’s actually been used to treat stomach ulcers because it reduces healing time and pain. It works in several ways, including by inhibiting the release of histamine and leukotrienes.

But it also has been found to promote weight loss. 

Some research has found that Amlexanox inhibits the TBK1 enzyme, which may enhance the body’s ability to burn fat. It also seems to inhibit IKK-ε, which is an inflammatory mediator. By inhibiting it, Amlexanox improves the metabolism of glucose and improves energy. 

Finally—and this brings us back to epigenetics—Amlexanox seems to “turn off” the expression of “fat genes”

While the research on Amlexanox is still in its infancy, the existing literature does suggest that Amlexanox can have some powerful effects: fighting weight loss and reducing inflammation so you feel your best.

Amlexanox plus TTA give fat a one-two punch

When Amlexanox is used to combat weight gain, it’s usually combined with Tetradecylthioacetic Acid, or TTA. 

TTA is a fatty acid that’s given as a nutritional supplement. When you hear “fatty acid”, you might think that’s a bad thing. But don’t worry—it doesn’t get used by the body for fuel. Instead, it actually helps regulate how the body stores fat.

TTA helps decrease hunger and upregulate metabolism of fat. That means it helps you burn through fat quicker. 

Together, Amlexanox and TTA are an effective fat-fighting duo. 

The men’s health takeaway: Target inflammation to lose weight

The body works together in one big system. That’s why it’s not enough for many people to use a simple equation like, “calories in, calories out”. If it were, weight-loss diets would work and it would be easier to slim down.

To really lose weight and feel healthy, you need a systems approach.

It turns out that a very significant contributor to gaining weight from fat is inflammation. That means that if you’re trying to lose weight, you want to do what you can to minimize inflammation. Some things you can do yourself, like eating well and getting enough sleep. 

 

But you might also want to power-up your own efforts with a tailor-made plan from an expert in peptide therapies. A personalized medicine plan that includes the strategic use of peptides like Amlexanox may be exactly what you need to get your body working at its best.  

Schedule a consultation to learn how  peptides can help you lose weight. 

Ready to take the next steps?

Download the Blueprint

Schedule a Call

**************************

In Male 2.0™, Dr. Tracy Gapin has turned everything we once thought we knew about men’s health and performance upside down. The old model of how to be “a man” is broken. A man who works himself to death.  Unfortunately, a man who tries to NOT get sick but isn’t really healthy either.  And a man who takes a pill for every ill but is never really cured. That was Male 1.0. Now, imagine being THE MAN ─ owning your performance in the bedroom, the weight room, and the boardroom. Living a fully optimized life. Becoming limitless. This is Male 2.0!

Tracy Gapin, MD, FACS  is a board-certified Urologist,  world renowned Men’s Health & Performance Expert, Author, and Professional Speaker. Using state-of-the-art biometric monitoring, nutrition and lifestyle intervention, Dr. Gapin coaches Fortune 500 executives and evolutionary leaders of business, sports medicine, and high performance. He specializes in cutting-edge precision medicine with an emphasis on epigenetics, providing men with a personalized path to optimizing health & performance. www.GapinInstitute.com

Want more tips to optimize your health?  Listen to the latest podcasts. Click HERE

What is Nrf2? Here’s Everything You Need to Know About the Secret to Aging Well

What is Nrf2? Healthy man photo | Gapin Institute

 

Feel like you’re just not operating at the level you used to?

People tell us that that happens with age—that our bodies start to break down.

But the most recent science is actually calling into question the inevitability of the symptoms of aging. New research in microbiology, chemistry, and genomics is showing us that those uncomfortable symptoms of aging might not be locked in.

This is where “biohacking” comes from: it’s the idea that you can give your body exactly what it needs to properly repair and rejuvenate itself. The result? Optimized health and performance.

Nrf2 is one of the most exciting discoveries in this area and holds some real promise as an anti-aging agent and as a support for your long-term health. In this article, I’ll explain what it is, what it does, and why it matters for your aging. 

What is Nrf2?

Nrf2, short for “nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2”, is a protein that is found in your cells. It is a type of protein called a “transcription factor”, which means that it is involved in gene expression—activating and deactivating parts of a genetic sequence. 

Which genes does Nrf2 affect? It regulates the expression of antioxidant proteins and enzymes, increasing their production to help your body fight off molecules that attack your cells. 

Nrf2 has been found to be an important part of your body’s system of regulating metabolism, inflammation, and immune responses

What’s special about Nrf2?

 Nrf2 is a big deal because it could be the key to aging gracefully and healthily.

When you’re young, your body is good at balancing all the needs of your body at the cellular level. But as you age, these important chemical signallers decline. You begin to produce less of the substances that you need to properly regulate your body.

That means that there are fewer of the peptides, proteins, hormones, and enzymes that help your body repair and rejuvenate. Things start to break down.

The result is that your body gets slower at repairing itself. That’s why you feel tired more often, your body takes longer to recover from exercise, and your skin begins to see signs of aging. You might also notice issues with your sleep or even erectile dysfunction

Oxidative stress contributes to symptoms of aging

At the cellular level, what’s happening is that free radicals are constantly bombarding your cells. The damage caused by these attacks causes your cells to go into a state called oxidative stress, and stop functioning properly. 

When you’re young, your body can easily fight free radicals back. But as you get older, your body can’t do this as effectively. That’s when symptoms of aging start getting worse.

Antioxidants fight free radicals and reduce oxidative stress

You’ve probably heard of the health benefits of antioxidants. Some foods are high in antioxidants and that’s why health professionals sometimes encourage you to include them in your diet. 

Antioxidants  help neutralize free radicals and minimize the damage that they cause. That helps reduce the symptoms of aging. 

But antioxidants aren’t very efficient. One antioxidant molecule neutralizes only one free radical. With more and more free radicals, we need more and more antioxidants. At some point, the antioxidants can’t keep up. 

What does Nrf2 do?

Nrf2 provides a powerful solution to overcome free radicals. It’s known as the “master regulator” of our body’s antioxidant response.

When Nrf2 is activated, it enters the nucleus and turns on several hundred genes, known collectively as “survival genes.” This, in turn, initiates the production of several of your body’s own powerful enzymes that fight free radicals. These enzymes include catalase, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase (SOD)

These enzymes are much more effective than antioxidants at getting rid of free radicals—they can neutralize over 1 million free radicals a second. What that means is that your body can clean itself out quickly and fewer of your cells get into a state of oxidative stress. 

Ultimately, that means you feel fewer symptoms of aging: better energy, better sleep, and even a better sex life

How do I get Nrf2?

Great, Nrf2 can support my health. How do I get it?

You actually don’t need to get Nrf2—it’s already right there in your cells. It comes pre-installed.

The problem is that it’s not activated. It’s a bit like an engine: it just sits in your cells not doing anything until it’s turned on. That’s what Nrf2 activation therapies do: they get into your cells to turn on Nrf2 so that it can enter the nucleus and work its magic. 

Some foods have been shown to activate Nrf2 and the Nrf2 pathway. These have been supported by studies in nutrigenomics—the study of how food influences gene expression and cellular function. 

Some Nrf2-activating foods include:

  • Dark chocolate 

  • Legumes, like lentils, beans, and peas

  • Vegetables, especially dark leafy greens like spinach and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and bok choy

  • Spices, especially ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, and yellow mustard

  • Herbs, like oregano

  • Red wine

  • Tea, especially green and white teas

What about Nrf2 supplements? Do they work?

In addition to activating Nrf2 through the diet, there are now supplements that activate Nrf2 and significantly reduce oxidative stress. 

These have been extremely well-researched by the scientific community and some of the supplements have very strong evidence supporting their use. 

Protandim®, for example, is a supplement designed to activate Nrf2. There have been numerous studies that demonstrate that it improves your body’s antioxidant response capacity. Peer-reviewed, human clinical studies show that it reduces cellular stress in humans by an average of 40 percent in 30 days. Research even suggests that it could be effective in preventing age-related diseases like:

The takeaway for your health: Nrf2 activators could help you feel younger. A men’s health secret.

We often think that there isn’t much we can do about the declines in our bodies that come with age. But science is showing us that that’s not necessarily the case. 

There actually may be ways that we can give our body what it needs to better regulate, repair, and rejuvenate itself.

Nrf2 appears to be one of those ways. Activating the Nrf2 pathway could be a relatively simple—but powerful—way to help you feel younger again. 

It might be as easy as making good diet choices or taking a supplement. 

Schedule a consultation to learn how to personalized health advice so you can live your life to the fullest. 

Ready to take the next steps?

Download the Blueprint

Schedule a Call

**************************

In Male 2.0™, Dr. Tracy Gapin has turned everything we once thought we knew about men’s health and performance upside down. The old model of how to be “a man” is broken. A man who works himself to death.  Unfortunately, a man who tries to NOT get sick but isn’t really healthy either.  And a man who takes a pill for every ill but is never really cured. That was Male 1.0. Now, imagine being THE MAN ─ owning your performance in the bedroom, the weight room, and the boardroom. Living a fully optimized life. Becoming limitless. This is Male 2.0!

Tracy Gapin, MD, FACS  is a board-certified Urologist,  world renowned Men’s Health & Performance Expert, Author, and Professional Speaker. Using state-of-the-art biometric monitoring, nutrition and lifestyle intervention, Dr. Gapin coaches Fortune 500 executives and evolutionary leaders of business, sports medicine, and high performance. He specializes in cutting-edge precision medicine with an emphasis on epigenetics, providing men with a personalized path to optimizing health & performance. www.GapinInstitute.com

Want more tips to optimize your health?  Listen to the latest podcasts. Click HERE

References

Houghton, C. A., Fassett, R. G., & Coombes, J. S. (2016). Sulforaphane and other nutrigenomic Nrf2 activators: can the clinician’s expectation be matched by the reality?. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7857186

Hybertson, B. M., Gao, B., Bose, S. K., & McCord, J. M. (2011). Oxidative stress in health and disease: the therapeutic potential of Nrf2 activation. Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 32(4-6), 234-246.

Lim, J. L., der Pol, V., Susanne, M. A., Baron, W., McCord, J. M., De Vries, H. E., & Van Horssen, J. (2016). Protandim protects oligodendrocytes against an oxidative insult. Antioxidants, 5(3), 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox5030030

Top Health Tests Every Man Needs in 2021

TOP health tests every man needs in 2021 | Gapin institute
men's health tests Gapin Institute

With medical advice constantly changing, it can be a real challenge to keep track of all the tests you should be getting. And you can’t always rely on your primary physician because they tend to only run rudimentary screenings like cholesterol and glucose. 

If you want to optimize your health in the coming year and regain your vitality, you’ll need to move beyond the basics. To help men safeguard their health, we’ve gathered a list of ten cutting-edge health tests every man should consider getting in 2021.

1. DNA

Top Health Tests Every Man Needs in 2021

Health is no longer a one-size-fits-all field. In order to improve your health, your energy, and your longevity, you need to take an individualized, systems-based approach. That means taking a peak at your body’s own blueprint and the best way to do that is through DNA testing.

DNA testing is conducted via a mouth swab, hair sample, or blood test. According to the National Institutes of Health, genetic testing can be used to predict your risk of developing up to 2,000 hereditary diseases and conditions.[1] Such testing enables people to detect hereditary diseases well ahead of the curve, before symptoms have even begun to develop.

When most people think about their genes, they think about factors that are beyond their control, but that is simply not the case. According to the concept of epigenetics, lifestyle factors can dramatically alter how your genes are expressed. Think of it like this—if your genes are the notes of a song, your lifestyle factors are the musicians who emphasize certain notes over others. Just like the same song can sound different when another musician does a cover, the expression of your genes can be significantly altered depending on your diet, health habits, and activity level.

The key thing to remember is that no two people are identical and so no two health plans should be identical either. Only DNA testing will allow you to follow a comprehensive, data-driven health plan (including nutritional guidance) designed for your specific needs. 

2. Epigenetic (Biologic) Age

They say age is just a number, and to some extent that is true. We’ve all heard stories of people in their 60’s and 70’s running marathons, swimming oceans, or hiking mountains. On the other hand, we’ve also heard of people who “prematurely aged” themselves because of bad habits like smoking, drinking, poor diet, poor sleep or a sedentary lifestyle. Clearly, when it comes to both types of people, the age on their driver’s license doesn’t tell the whole story.

What if you could take a test that told you where you stood age-wise in terms of your biology, not your chronology? Turns out, there is such a test.

Calculating someone’s biological age relies on that concept of epigenetics we just discussed. Your genes are turned on or off through the process of DNA methylation. Methylation simple means your DNA has been chemically modified—it doesn’t change your DNA sequence but it does alter how your genes are expressed. There are specific areas of your DNA sequence (or genome) that tend to show increased methylation with age and others that show decreased methylation. You can therefore detect someone’s biological (or epigenetic) age by testing the amount of methylation occurring at these thousands of sites across their genome. The result gives you a good idea of how old your body feels rather than how old it actually is.

Once you know your biological age, you will be better able to predict your susceptibility to certain diseases. In fact, a recent study found that, for some diseases, biological age is a better measure of a person’s health than chronological age.[2] Amongst a group of 70 year olds, the study found that those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease had a significantly lower biological age score. And another study conducted over the course of 20 years found that people with a higher biological age were more likely to die.[3]

3. Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)

In recent years, beloved morning news anchor Al Roker revealed that he had recently been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer for men and although prostate exams can help catch the cancer early, an even better approach is a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). 

PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. Elevated PSA levels in the blood serve as an early warning signal of prostate cancer. In fact, it was a PSA test that enabled doctors to catch Al Roker’s cancer early, before it had time to produce symptoms.[4] For this reason, in 2018 the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that all men over the age of 55 should discuss PSA testing with their doctor.[5]

4. Thyroid Hormones

Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland that does a lot of heavy lifting. Located near the bottom of your throat, the thyroid helps your body regulate many of its vital processes, including metabolism, heart rate, temperature and mood.

The thyroid accomplishes this job by producing two major hormones: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). If your thyroid isn’t producing enough of these hormones, you have hypothyroidism. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, weight gain, and depression. On the other hand, if your thyroid is producing too much of these hormones, you have hyperthyroidism. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include tremors, poor sleep, weight loss, and anxiety.

Although thyroid disorders are common, they often go undiagnosed. According to the American Thyroid Association, an estimated 20 million Americans suffer from some form of thyroid disorder.[6] Unfortunately, 60% are unaware they have a thyroid issue, or have been incorrectly diagnosed with another health condition that mimics hypo- or hyperthyroidism.

Most conventional doctors screen for thyroid issues via a thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test. But a more accurate diagnosis is achieved when the test also measures Free T3 and Free T4. If you are suffering from symptoms of fatigue, unexplained weight gain/loss, and high anxiety or depression, it is time to get your thyroid hormones tested.

If a test does reveal you have a thyroid issue, treatment is fairly straightforward. Thyroid disorders are typically managed through a combination of medication, hormone replacement therapy and lifestyle changes, including the avoidance of caffeine, improved diet, and stress reduction.

Testosterone | Gapin Institute

5. Free Testosterone

Over the last three decades, low testosterone has become a global pandemic. Experts now estimate that 1 in 4 men over the age of 30 is low in this vital hormone.[7] 

Although low testosterone is associated with low sex drive and erectile dysfunction, it also produces a number of other health issues, including weight gain (especially around the midsection), loss of muscle mass, loss of bone mass, hair loss, fatigue, irritability, and poor mental focus.

Testosterone is assessed via a blood test. Once secreted, testosterone travels in your blood in two forms. The first type either binds with albumin (a type of blood protein) or molecules known as sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). The second type—called “free testosterone”—doesn’t bind to anything and remains bioavailable for your body’s use. 

Uninformed doctors often make the mistake of measuring total testosterone, but it is pretty worthless. What you want is a measure of “free testosterone.” Free testosterone is the bioavailable form of testosterone, meaning this test lets you know how much testosterone is currently available in your bloodstream. 

Conventional labs define the lower limit of “normal” testosterone to be anywhere from 250 to 350 ng/dL. But when it comes to testosterone, there is a VERY wide gap between normal and optimal levels. For this reason, many men who have testosterone levels that are low but still within the “normal” range would greatly benefit from testosterone treatment. 

If you are diagnosed with low testosterone, there are a variety of treatment plans available. These include hormone replacement therapy, identifying underlying health issues that may be causing the low testosterone, and lifestyle changes. Before starting any testosterone treatment, read this article to identify important questions you should discuss with your doctor.

vitamin d gapin institute

6. Vitamin D Level

Nearly every cell in your body uses vitamin D, making it a key factor in optimal health. Often called the “sunshine vitamin,” in truth it isn’t a vitamin at all. It’s actually a steroid hormone that either comes from your diet or is produced when your bare skin is exposed to ultraviolet B sunlight. 

It is estimated that a whopping 42% of Americans have a vitamin D deficiency! And this rate is even higher among African Americans and Latinos, those over the age of 65, and those who suffer from chronic health conditions like obesity, celiac disease, and chronic kidney or liver disease.[8]

In men, low levels of vitamin D are associated with a whole host of health issues, including erectile dysfunction, an enlarged prostate, weight gain, heart disease, bone weakness, low energy, and mood swings.[#] The good news is that if a vitamin D deficiency is detected, it is easily treated with diet and/or supplements (with a safe upper limit of 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily).[9]

7. Folate (Vitamin B9)

Vitamin B9, also called folate or folic acid, is another vital nutrient. B9 helps with cell division and growth and is necessary for the methylation process described earlier. As a result, it is essential for detoxification, hormone balance, the function of nerve cells and male/female fertility. 

Fatigue is the dominant symptom of too little B9. Pregnant women are highly susceptible to a B9 deficiency, but so too are people who suffer from digestive disorders like Celiac or Crohn’s disease, or those who have had gastrointestinal surgery.

Note that the terms “folate” and “folic acid” are often used interchangeably, but there are important differences. Folate is the natural, water-soluble version of B9, whereas folic acid is the manmade version.[11] Because the synthetic version is more shelf-stable, folic acid is often used in fortifying processed foods like cereals and breads. For most people, consuming folate and folic acid have the same effect. However, an estimated 15% of Caucasians and 25% of Latinos have a MTHFR gene mutation that prevents them from converting folic acid into usable folate.[12] 

If a blood test reveals you are low in vitamin B9, there are two routes of treatment. First is diet—when you think of folate, think foliage. Folate-rich foods include dark leafy greens like spinach, collard greens, and bok choy. Organ meats, especially the liver, is another good food source. 

The second option is a supplement, but because of the potential MTHFR gene mutation, it is best to use the most bioavailable form of folate, which is MTHF (or L-methylfolate). Your doctor will provide a recommended dose based on your tests results.

8. Advanced Lipid Panel

Chances are you’ve probably had your cholesterol checked by your primary physician at some point. If so, they likely ran a “standard lipid panel”—a fasting blood test that assesses your levels of HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. However, more and more evidence now points to the importance of getting an “advanced lipid panel” to gain a deeper understanding of your cardiovascular risks.

Cholesterol refers to a yellow, waxy fat that travels through your bloodstream in tiny, protein-covered particles called lipoproteins. The high-density lipoproteins (HDL) are known as “good cholesterol” because they remove cholesterol from your arteries and dump it into your liver to be excreted. The low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are known as “bad cholesterol” because they deliver cholesterol to your arteries which can result in artery-clogging plaque. When too much plaque builds up in your arteries, you are at a greater risk for heart attacks and strokes.

An advanced lipid panel goes beyond the basics in two ways. First, it doesn’t just assess the amount of each cholesterol but also the lipid particle count and size. Think of lipoprotein particles as little taxis that shuttle fat through your arterial highway. A standard test would tell you how many fat passengers are in those taxis, but an advanced test also examines how many taxis there are and how big they are. This information is helpful because some people do not have a lot of overall LDL cholesterol, but they do have a lot of little lipid particles, with each particle carrying a small amount of cholesterol.[13] Consider this—you don’t need several big buses full of fat to cause a traffic jam, you can also get one with a bunch of half-filled taxis. Having a greater number of small lipid particles makes it easier for the cholesterol to attach to the arterial walls and form plaque, but a standard lipid panel would miss this red flag. 

Second, an advanced lipid panel typically includes an assessment of your apolipoprotein B (ApoB). The ApoB test assesses the concentration of sticky lipoproteins in your blood. The greater lipoprotein concentration you have, the more “sticky” your cholesterol is prone to be, which increases the risk of plaque development. As you might already suspect, ApoB tends to mirror the lipid particle count test mentioned above, but many experts believe ApoB is a better predictor of cardiovascular risk that particle count/size. It is also the case that each test is a better predictor for certain types of people. For these reasons, it’s a good idea to have both your particle count/size and ApoB tested, especially if heart disease runs in your family.

9. Inflammation Markers

Over the past two decades, the health field has made substantial progress in the understanding of inflammation and its link to disease. Although short-term, acute inflammation that occurs because of an infection or injury is a good thing, chronic, low-grade inflammation underlies an exhaustive list of health threats, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dementia, arthritis, cancer and diabetes, just to name a few.[14]

Two critical blood tests are used to assess low-grade inflammation: hsCRP and homocysteine.

CRP stands for C-reactive protein. This protein, which is made by the liver, increases in the blood whenever there is bodily inflammation. Although you can test for CRP, a more powerful approach is to conduct a high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) test. The hsCRP test assesses inflammation specifically in the blood vessels and coronary arteries. This test is useful for identifying those prone to cardiovascular disease and also to help identify flare-ups in people with chronic inflammatory diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

According to the American Heart Association, your risk of developing heart disease is related to your hsCRP as follows:

  • Low risk: hsCRP lower than 1.0 mg/L
  • Average risk: hsCRP between 1.0 mg/L and 3.0 mg/L
  • High risk: hsCRP than 3.0 mg/L

Homocysteine is another useful marker for inflammation. Homocysteine is an amino acid, which means it is a chemical your body uses to make protein. In a healthy individual, vitamins B12, B6 and folate are used to break down homocysteine and transform it into more useful chemicals. 

When this process works correctly, there should be little residual homocysteine left in your blood. But if a blood test reveals high levels of homocysteine remaining, it is an indication that something is wrong. It could just mean you have a deficiency in B12, B6 and/or folate. Or it might be a hint that you have that MTHFR gene mutation discussed earlier which is why you are low in folate. But it could also mean you are at a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease, stroke, or Alzheimer’s disease. There are no clear symptoms associated with high homocysteine, which is why getting it tested is so crucial.

Although both hsCRP and homocysteine are inflammatory markers, they are not related. If your blood work suggests you are high in either of these, you should consult a cardiologist who may suggest more tests and possibly medication. You should also consider adopting lifestyle factors known to reduce inflammation. These include eating an anti-inflammatory diet (like Paleo), losing weight, increasing exercise, improving your sleep, and quitting smoking. For more tips on how to reduce inflammation and slow the aging process, check out this article.

The Bottom Line

The men’s health tests I’ve discussed here are critical health indicators, and yet most conventional doctors fail to routinely screen them. To get these tests, you will need to either actively request that your doctor run them or seek out a functional medicine doctor who is more knowledgeable about these indicators. We offer all these tests with our clients at the Gapin Institute and most within our G1 Performance Health program. The bright side is that all of these tests have fairly straightforward solutions. But in order to know what to do, you need to be armed with the right information.

Hormone Hacks: Keys to Supercharging Your Weight Loss

Have you tried to lose weight and feel like you’re getting nowhere? If so, it may be that your hormones are at fault.

When men try to lose weight, they often focus on factors outside of their body, such as exercise and diet. But just as important are the factors inside your body. One such factor that is only now starting to get the attention it deserves is hormones.

Think of hormones as your body’s computer programming. Hormones act like chemical software codes that tell your body how to coordinate and control various physiological processes. Your hormonal system is complicated—over 60 different hormones work to regulate your body—and experts are only starting to understand how they impact health.

When it comes to weight loss, scientists have identified a few key hormones that play an integral role in this process. When these hormones are out of balance, even a good diet and exercise routine might not get you over your weight loss hurdle. But fear not—with just a few tweaks, you can hack your hormone code and supercharge your weight loss journey.

1. Ghrelin

hormone hunger ghrelin men's health

Do you constantly feel hungry? If so, you have the hormone ghrelin to thank for that. Ghrelin, often referred to as the “hunger hormone,” is produced by your gut and its job is to tell your brain its time to eat. When your stomach is empty, your ghrelin level goes up and rings the dinner bell. When you eat and your stomach is full, your ghrelin level goes down and so does your fork.

But here’s the rub: eating isn’t the only thing that impacts ghrelin, it also responds to stress. When you are deprived of food, your body experiences stress, ghrelin increases, and you seek out sustenance. However, this same process happens when you experience other types of stress that have nothing to do with skipping a meal. Chronic stress has been shown to increase ghrelin, causing people to eat more food and gain more weight.[1] No wonder why overeat after a particularly stressful day.

Hormone Hack: There are two simple ways to keep your ghrelin in check. First, eat smaller meals throughout the day, especially ones that include high-fiber and high-protein foods to keep your stomach feeling fuller longer. Second, you can decrease your ghrelin by engaging in stress-reduction techniques like meditation[2], getting a full night’s sleep[3], or exercise[4].

2. Leptin

Leptin is a hormone that works hand-in-hand with ghrelin to control your appetite. Leptin is produced by your fat cells and when it is released, it signals to your brain you have stored enough fat. As a result, you feel full and stop eating. So if ghrelin is your appetite’s go-signal, leptin is its stop-signal.

But as we gain weight, things get more complicated. As endocrinologist Dr. Scott Isaacs states, “as you start to develop obesity, you start to become resistant to leptin. So you may have high levels of leptin, but the brain isn’t registering that.”[5] As a result, you keep feeling hungry and keep eating far past the point that is necessary. As a result, your leptin resistance sets you up for weight gain, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Hormone Hack: Think protein. Whereas obesity makes you less sensitive to leptin, eating protein makes you more sensitive.[6] And while you are at it, cut down on the carbs as well, since triglycerides impair the transport of leptin.[7] Beyond diet, exercise[8] and sleep[3] are two healthy habits known to improve your body’s response to leptin

3. Cortisol

Did you know that when you are stressed, it is practically impossible to burn fat? That’s because when your body is stressed, it produces cortisol and cortisol tells your body to hold onto fat, especially that all-annoying fat around the belly.

Cortisol is a stress hormone that naturally peaks in the morning, levels out throughout the day, and drops at night. But when you are exposed to chronic stressors—say work stress, relationship stress, or a global pandemic—your cortisol stays high. This hormone change causes your body to redistribute body fat to your middle, break down muscle and bone, and raise blood sugar, all in an attempt to prepare you for fight or flight.

Hormone Hack: Stress management is key to keeping cortisol low.[9] Your body doesn’t care how you do it—meditation, a morning jog, a nature hike, a warm bath, herbal tea, socializing with friends—as long as you do it. Also consider taking “adaptogens” which are supplements known to calm your body and make it more resilient to stress.[10] These include ashwaganda, rhodiola and L-theanine, all which lower cortisol.

4. Insulin

If you frequently crave sugar and feel like a meal isn’t complete without dessert, there’s a good chance you’re suffering from insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that keeps your blood sugar in check. When you eat too much sugar or simple carbs (which your body easily converts into sugar), your blood sugar spikes. Your body then produces insulin, whose job it is to funnel the sugar out of your blood and into your cells.

Overtime, consuming too much sugar makes your cells insensitive to insulin, which in turn blocks sugar from entering your cells. That sounds like a good thing but it’s not. This tricks your body into thinking you aren’t getting enough sugar, even though your blood is flooded with it, and as a result you crave sugar even more. When that happens, you have become insulin resistant and it becomes harder to lose weight.

Hormone Hack: When it comes to consuming carbs, slow is the key word. Instead of fast-burning carbs that spike your insulin levels, you want nutrient-dense carbs that take a long time to digest, thereby stabilizing your body’s delicate balance between insulin and blood sugar. Steer clear of sugars and white carbs (i.e., white bread, white potatoes, white rice) and look for slow carb foods (i.e., foods low on the Glycemic Index) like quinoa, nuts, beans, and sweet potatoes.[11]

5. Testosterone

When you hear the word “testosterone” you probably think of sex, but this hormone has impacts that reach far beyond the bedroom. Testosterone helps your body burn fat and build muscle. So when testosterone is low, it becomes nearly impossible to lose weight.

Low testosterone in men is more common than you think. A recent study found that over the last three decades, testosterone levels declined by over 30 percent.[12] In fact, low testosterone has become such a common problem, 1 in 4 men over the age of 30 suffer from it.[13]

Hormone Hack: Stress has a major impact on your testosterone, so getting your stress under control is vital. You can also boost your testosterone naturally by improving diet and sleep, or via testosterone replacement therapy. But if you chose the latter approach, make sure you read my article on what to discuss with your doctor before starting testosterone first so that you are fully prepared for what’s in store.

6. Melatonin

Melatonin is known as the sleep hormone, but new research shows it also has an impact on weight gain. For example, one study found obese participants who took 5 mg of melatonin nightly for six months reduced their body mass index by 5 percent.[14]

Hormone Hack: Sleep is your body’s prime time for hormone regulation. If you aren’t getting enough of good-quality sleep (meaning 7-8 hours every night), you are depriving your endocrine system and setting yourself up for weight gain (as well as a whole host of other health issues). To help your body make its own melatonin, practice good sleep-hygiene by avoiding computer/cellphone screens an hour before bedtime and cranking your air conditioner to 66 degrees. If good sleep still eludes you, consider supplementing with 3-5 mg of melatonin per night.

7. Growth Hormones

During puberty, your pituitary gland floods your body with growth hormones. But most don’t realize that growth hormones continue to play an important role in your health long after your acne clears and your voice stops cracking.

As an adult, your pituitary gland is responsible for producing human growth hormone (HGH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). These two growth hormones play a vital role in breaking down fat so that it can be used for energy and muscle building. When these hormones are in short supply, the scale begins to creep up.

Hormone Hack: Boost your own growth hormones by supplementing with peptides. Peptides are short strains of amino acids found naturally in the body and they serve as building blocks for protein. To learn more about this topic, check out this article where I outline which peptides are most effective for weight loss. And in addition to peptides, consider adding HIIT and/or resistance training to your exercise routine since both have been shown to boost IGF-1.[15]

The Bottom Line

If you feel like you’ve tried every diet and exercise program in the book and are still struggling to lose weight, there may be a problem with your inner computer code. The good news is with a few simple hacks, you can get your hormones back in line and supercharge your weight loss journey.

Ready to take the next steps?

Download the Blueprint

Schedule a Call

**************************

Want even more hacks? Check out this article on 5 simple things you can do TODAY to normalize your hormones.

50 Leaders Transforming Health & The Future of Medicine

Finding the best resources for upgrading your health can be a difficult task.  My goal is to help every man on the planet optimize his performance, testosterone, health, and life.   My passion is to help men thrive so they can be better fathers, husbands, leaders, and role models for future generations. 

To that end, I’ve launched the Male 2.0 Movement to tackle the testosterone epidemic and men’s health crisis we are experiencing. My goal is to help men overcome issues such as obesity, cognitive decline, metabolic syndrome, hormone imbalance, and aging. I’ve joined forces with other experts in the field to transform men’s lives and create long-term positive change for generations to come.

I want you to have access to everything you need to be the best man you can be, so I’ve gathered a list of the top 50 influencers who are optimizing men’s health.  These are thought leaders in the human optimization arena focused on transforming men’s lives. Listed alphabetically but not in any other order, each person addresses different challenges and has unique methodologies based in the latest research and science.  For those of you new to my blog, I’m also including how I’m contributing to this movement through my practice and unique Male 2.0 Method. 

About Tracy Gapin, MD

Dr. Tracy Gapin

Tracy Gapin, MD is a medical doctor and practicing surgeon tackling the Men’s health crisis and Testosterone epidemic. He is focused on helping men not just improve testosterone levels, but also upgrade energy level, focus, vitality, and performance, and actually reverse aging. In fact, he clearly believes men’s health is not just about testosterone optimization, but human optimization. 

His Male 2.0 method approaches health using epigenetic science and four key factors:  Mindset, Aging, Lifestyle, and Environment. Many men are challenged by symptoms caused from low testosterone.  However, you’ll have limited results if you are addressing testosterone without taking a more comprehensive approach, integrating solutions for other aspects of health as well, including sleep, mindset, nutrition, fitness, and detoxification. 

Using cutting-edge age management protocols, Dr. Gapin coaches Fortune 500 executives, entrepreneurs, and evolutionary leaders of business and high performance. He incorporates epigenetic coaching, hormone optimization, peptide therapy, state-of-the-art biometric monitoring, and nutrition and lifestyle intervention to provide men a personalized path to optimizing health & performance.

Hear more on Dr. Gapin’s men’s health podcast coming soon — Beyond Testosterone.

50 Health Optimization Leaders Transforming Men’s Health

Boomer Anderson is the founder of Decoding SuperHuman and a leader in genetic technology.  He thought he was in good health at 30— already using biohacking, working out and eating clean.  But then he was diagnosed with heart disease.  He decided to use his genetic code and data to optimize his health and performance— and now helps others achieve superhuman results.  The Decoding Superhuman methodology provides an individualized approach to performance backed by science and data. It utilizes behavior change, performance analysis, and data technology to help clients achieve and sustain a high-performance life.  You can also check out his podcast in which he discusses a variety of topics such as sleep, environment, nutrition and behavior. https://decodingsuperhuman.com/

Dr. Peter Attia

Dr. Peter Attia is the founder of Attia Medical, a medical practice with offices in San Diego and New York City, focusing on the applied science of longevity. He applies nutritional biochemistry, exercise & sleep physiology, pharmacology, and four-system endocrinology to delay the onset of chronic disease, while simultaneously improving quality of life.   A trained physician whose career started in general and oncological surgery, he has shifted his focus to the applied science of longevity, the extension of human life and well-being. Peter is the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of the fasting app Zero and hosts a popular weekly podcast, The Drive, with topics including fasting, ketosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.  https://peterattiamd.com/

Dave Asprey

Dave Asprey is Bulletproof founder, CEO and Father of Biohacking whose “aha moment” happened on a trek in Tibet when he experienced the rejuvenation of yak butter tea.  Bulletproof is built on the science that helped Dave lose 100 pounds and hack his own biology to become a stronger, healthier person. Bulletproof products are backed by the ancient knowledge from Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine that transformed Dave’s life.  The Bulletproof line started with a focus on coffee but now offers a wide range of research-backed supplements and nutrition. https://www.bulletproof.com/

Dr. Axe

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, doctor of chiropractic and clinical nutritionist with a passion to help people with their health. He operates one of the world’s largest natural health websites, DrAxe.com.  Dr. Axe is the best-selling author of the groundbreaking heath book Eat Dirt and Keto Diet. His latest book, The Collagen Diet, is now available in stores. He worked with U.S. athletes at the 2012 Olympic games and has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show and Today Showhttps://draxe.com/

Dr. Jeffrey S. Bland

Dr. Jeffrey S. Bland is known as the “father of functional medicine.” Over the past thirty-five years, Dr. Bland has traveled more than six million miles, teaching more than a hundred thousand health-care practitioners in the United States, Canada, and more than forty other countries about functional medicine. He has been a university biochemistry professor, a research director at the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine, the co-founder of the Institute for Functional Medicine in 1991, and the founder/president of the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute. He has authored more than one hundred scientific publications and ten books for health professionals and consumers. https://jeffreybland.com/

Ben Brown

Ben Brown, is the owner of BSL Nutrition, an online nutrition & fitness consulting business specializing in individualized nutrition, lifestyle, and strength training programs for highly driven busy men. He has masters degrees in Clinical Nutrition and Exercise physiology, but it was his own personal journey with chronic fatigue and Epstein-Barr Virus that inspired him to support others in removing common immune suppressing habits.  He works with both individuals and businesses, as well as consulting professional sports teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks and Golden State Warriors. Although these are cool opportunities, he finds it more rewarding to work with regular day “Joes”: those who are struggling to find the balance between business and family to optimize their health. https://www.bslnutrition.com/

Jay Campbell

Jay Campbell is the founder of the TOT Revolution site and podcast, a leading resource in men’s health with a focus on hormones and optimizing health.  When Jay was 29, he was kicked in the testicles and has been receiving therapeutic testosterone since. Jay’s ultimate mission is to create resources for men to get the real and honest truth about using therapeutic testosterone.  He also founded www.menshealthcare.com as the premier online destination for patients to find the best vetted physicians in the USA. Jay has experience working with thousands of men in optimizing their nutrition and fitness. https://www.totrevolution.com/

Dr. Michael A. Dempsy

Dr. Michael A. Dempsy, is a seasoned physician with a busy general endocrinology practice, with a special emphasis on diabetes.  He has been actively involved in more than 150 diabetes related clinical trials since 2000 with research focusing on rapid and long acting insulin analogues as well as new oral or injectable glucose lowering therapies.  As your go-to resource for research and education on diabetes, he provides a unique perspective on the underlying causes, prevention, and treatment. http://www.thediabetesdoc.com/

Dr. Geo Espinosa

Dr. Geo Espinosa is a naturopathic doctor, acupuncturist and functional medicine practitioner recognized as an authority in holistic urology and men’s health. His thriving clinical practice focuses on conditions such as prostate cancer, pelvic pain, and sexual dysfunction.  Dr. Geo is the author of the best selling prostate cancer book: Thrive, Don’t Only Survive.  Dr. Geo created XY Wellness (https://www.xywellness.com/) as a resource offering integrative programs, supplements, and education for men living with prostate cancer.  https://drgeo.com/

William (Bill) Faloon

William (Bill) Faloon has been researching anti-aging since the 1960’s and compiled the 1,500 page medical reference book Disease Prevention and Treatment and his latest book is Pharmocracy.   He argues that aging is the greatest affliction of humanity and that if people had the opportunity to live longer, many of society’s problems would disappear.  Holding a controversial stand, the federal government raided his facilities twice, initiated an 11-year criminal investigation, and threw him in jail in 1991! After several lawsuits, all claims and charges were revoked.  However, with more media coverage, he has been able to spread his scientifically- supported message of optimal health to hundreds of thousands of members and subscribers of Life Extension Magazine.  https://www.lifeextension.com/

Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss is someone most of us have heard of, but we couldn’t leave him off the list.  Tim Ferriss has been listed as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and one of Fortune’s “40 under 40.” His mission is to help people hack their lives for optimal performance and health.  An author, speaker, and podcast host, Tim tests and experiments with ways to become superhuman and accelerate results in the least amount of time.  Known best for his first book, The 4-Hour Workweek, he has gone on to apply this 4 hour technology to fitness and cooking in additional books.  If you no longer want to be ruled by the belief that having a life you love requires a lot of time and effort, follow Tim Ferriss!  https://tim.blog/

Dr. Tracy Gapin

Dr. Tracy Gapin is a world renowned men’s health & performance expert, professional speaker, entrepreneur, and author of Male 2.0: Cracking the Code to Limitless Health and Vitality. He has over 20 years of experience focused on providing Fortune 500 executives, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and athletes a personalized path to optimizing their health and performance. Dr. Gapin incorporates precision hormone optimization, peptide therapy, state-of-the-art biometric tracking, epigenetic coaching, and cutting-edge age management protocols to help men not just optimize their testosterone levels but transform their health and vitality and reverse aging so they can be the most amazing version of themselves. As a renowned speaker, Dr. Gapin shares his signature talk with medical audiences and men’s health organizations: A Data-Driven Personalized Approach to Optimizing Men’s Health. Founder of the Gapin Institute for Men’s Health and the Male 2.0 Method, he is creating a meaningful impact for men’s health. https://drtracygapin.com/

Ben Greenfield

Ben Greenfield has been named one of the world’s top 100 most influential people in health and fitness, coaching the world’s top CEO’s and athletes.  A self-proclaimed science nerd, he built a brick-and-mortar fitness empire, wrote a bestselling book “Beyond Training” and now has an online blog and podcast that is top rated for his resources around biohacking, health, and fitness. As founder and CEO of Kion, Ben now creates step-by-step solutions for the world’s active, high-achievers to live a full life with optimized minds and bodies.  https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/

Dr. Jeffrey Gladden

Dr. Jeffrey Gladden is a board certified interventional cardiologist and founder of Apex Health, Human Performance & Longevity Optimization. Though interventional cardiology had been his calling and livelihood for the 25 years, Dr. Gladden knew he needed a change for the sake of his own health and that of his family when, in his mid-fifties, his health took a turn for the worse. When modern medicine couldn’t help him, he threw himself into learning everything he could about functional medicine, bio-identical hormone replacement and age management medicine. This led to diagnosing his own subclinical hypothyroidism.  With changes in diet based on genetics and gut biome data, he began to feel more youthful again. He is now committed to sharing his knowledge with others through consulting and as co-host of the podcast, “Living Beyond 120”. https://livingbeyond120.com/

David Goggins

David Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes. The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside Magazine to name him “The Fittest (Real) Man in America.”  But David doesn’t care about metals and accolades, rather it is about achieving his personal best and pushing himself well past his comfort zone. For him, physical and mental suffering are a journey of self-discovery and no other experience makes him feel more clear, focused, and alive. In his book Can’t Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us only tap into 40% of our capabilities.  He illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential. https://davidgoggins.com/

Aubrey de Grey

Aubrey de Grey is an English author and biomedical gerontologist.  As the Chief Science Officer of the SENS Research Foundation and VP of New Technology Discovery at AgeX Therapeutics, his mission is to reduce death from age-related causes through regenerative medicine.  Dr. Grey has identified seven types of molecular and cellular damage and provides access to therapies that can repair this damage. He has been interviewed as an expert on anti-aging in top media outlets like 60 Minutes, The New York Times, and TEDhttps://www.sens.org/

Dr. Mickra Hamilton

Dr. Mickra Hamilton is Co-Founder and CEO of Apeiron Zoh and the Apeiron Academy.  She is also a retired Colonel and Human Performance Subject Matter Expert in the United States Air Force Reserves.  As a “Human Systems Designer,” and creative disruptor in the field of Epigenetic Human Performance Coaching, she creates a new paradigm for what is possible for human flourishing through a personalized systems-based precision approach.  Dr. Hamiltons speaks internationally on topics such as epigenetics of the human environment, performance breathing, conscious leadership, peak psychophysiological performance and stress optimization. In Apeiron’s R & D division, her current developments focus on 3-D soundscape/naturescape virtual reality programming and breath/heart/brain entrainment to  create beneficial shifts in states of consciousness. https://www.apeironzoh.com/

Bill Hanks

Bill Hanks left his career in engineering to open Cryo Recovery (now Huemn) in Houston,Texas after a personal health transformation using cryotherapy to reduce an inflammatory disease.  Cryotherapy works with the body’s natural systems to reduce inflammation and increase metabolism. An avid learner and researcher, he gathers the latest science from doctors, therapists, and scientists from around the world to find the best ways to address the human system from an engineering perspective.  His team now offers a variety of services to support the human body in healing without surgery or medication, but modalities such as light therapy and lymphatic drainage, in addition to whole and local cryotherapy. https://behuemn.com

Dr. Bob Harding

Dr. Bob Harding is an innovative physician who believes food is the best medicine and that optimizing your lifestyle for your genetic blueprint can create a healthy vibrant life.  In his medical practice, he saw chronic illness in the lives of people his own age and recognized a major contributing factor not addressed in conventional medicine:  lifestyle. Once working long stressful shifts as an ER doctor, he transformed his body from one struggling with obesity, relentless heartburn and pre-diabetes, to a slim (losing 40 pounds) physique with no more symptoms.  Not only did Dr. Harding use low-carb eating, specific supplements, stress reduction, and hormone optimization to create these drastic shifts, he also addressed another missing component: mindset. Shifting the narrative of how he sees his own life has been key to success on his journey.  He now helps his clients reach their human potential by working with them to develop Personalized Human Optimization Programs to fit their goals.  https://drbobharding.com/

Sam Harris

Sam Harris is the author of five New York Times best sellers and has published work in top outlets like The New York Times, Time, Scientific American and The Economist. His writing and public lectures cover a wide range of topics—neuroscience, moral philosophy, religion, meditation practice, and human violence,—but generally focus on how a growing understanding of ourselves and the world is changing our sense of how we should live. He also hosts the Making Sense Podcast, in which he explores the most important questions about the human mind, society and current events.  As an avid meditation advocate, Sam has created the Waking Up Course for anyone who wants to learn to meditate in a modern, scientific context.  https://samharris.org/

Dr. Mark Hoch

Dr. Mark Hoch has a background in biological sciences, neurobiology and behavior. He instinctively knew that so much was missing in healthcare education and his mission has been to discover and master diagnosis and health optimization on all levels of human health.  This includes the physical (biochemistry, hormones and biomechanics), emotional, mental, social, environmental and spiritual aspects of what it means to be fully human. He is now bringing all that experience to health programs for you through the Apeiron Center for Human Potential.  There he offers an integrated model of modern medicine and the latest cutting edge genetic science to infinitely expand human capacity. https://www.apeironcenter.com/

Chad Howse

Chad Howse is the founder of Chad Howse Fitness and Average 2 Alpha with a mission to motivate and inspire men to be the best man they can be.  By incorporating what he has dubbed, “The Man Diet”, he is fighting the epidemic that leaves men impotent, unable to build muscle or burn fat, lethargic, and depressed: low testosterone.  His sites provide resources on relationships, health, and fitness addressing the common challenges the modern man faces. http://chadhowsefitness.com/

Dr. Mark Hyman

Dr. Mark Hyman, believes that we all deserve a life of vitality and is dedicated to tackling the root causes of chronic disease by harnessing the power of Functional Medicine to transform healthcare. Dr. Hyman is a practicing family physician, a ten-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, and an advocate in his local communities for better nutrition and health.  “Your fork is the most powerful tool to transform your health and change the world, ” he says. He is a contributor to The Huffington Post and has been featured as an expert on many media outlets such as the Today Show, Good Morning America and The Dr. Oz Show.  His podcast, “A Doctor’s Pharmacy” provides expert interviews and education on the latest trends and research in Functional Medicine.  He also provides various weight loss programs and supplements. https://drhyman.com/

Chris James

Chris James began his journey outdoors foraging medicinal and edible plants, hiking, hunting and camping in the woods as a child.  After a serious job accident that resulted in numerous traumatic injuries, he began to research ways to heal himself and make his body and mind operate at peak levels.   Soon thereafter, optimal health and performance through biohacking and ancestral health became his biggest passion and he founded PrimalHacker: a comprehensive resource for athletes, executives and entrepreneurs to perform better, feel better and live longer.  “Sitting is the new smoking,” Chris says. Since most people sit behind a desk for work, he’s helping people offset that with lifestyle changes involving technology, diet, movement and various other cutting edge therapies. https://primalhacker.com/

Dr. Anthony G. Jay

Dr. Anthony G. Jay, is the President and CEO of AJ Consulting Company. Dr. Jay has specialized in researching viruses and their inhibitors connected to fatal diseases such as HIV and Alzheimer’s disease. This has led him to his current work at Mayo Clinic in doing advanced research, epigenetics, and infrared light.  Dr. Jay is a bestselling author of Estrogeneration, a book that identifies specific artificial estrogens in our everyday environment and educates the reader on ways to take their health back.  His website provides resources and recommendations on how to reduce estrogenic exposure and optimize health with DNA analysis and biohacking. https://www.ajconsultingcompany.com/

Dr. David Jockers

Dr. David Jockers is a doctor of natural medicine, functional nutritionist, and corrective care chiropractor. His mission is to empower people with science based solutions to have a healthy and vibrant lifestyle.  He offers revolutionary online programs, recipe guides, meal plans and video instructions such as “The Sugar Detox,”  and “The Cancer Cleanse” to name a few.   Dr. Jockers speaks around the country on topics such as weight loss, brain health, functional exercise, natural detoxification and disease prevention.  He also sees patients from all over the world at his Georgia clinic, Exodus Health Center, where he helps customize specific lifestyle plans to improve performance and live with less pain and more energy.  https://drjockers.com

Dr. Isaac Jones

Dr. Isaac Jones has been named “the doctor of the future” and is a functional health expert and chiropractor who is passionate about helping executives and entrepreneurs access high performance through human potential healthcare. He and his wife, Erica, own one of the largest virtual health consulting companies in the world. He uses cutting-edge strategies such as lifestyle genetics, cellular detoxification and advanced customized nutrition solutions to create transformational results for his clients.  His clinically proven strategies create amazing results in his 6 month programs- with an average of 3x increase in energy, 2x of productivity, and an average of an 80% reversal of common disease promoting factors. https://elevays.com/

Dr. Sandra Kaufmann

Dr. Sandra Kaufmann has been recognized as “Best in Medicine” by the American Health Council.  She has an avid interest in the science of anti-aging and utilizes her knowledge in cell biology, human pharmacology and physiology to curb the effects of time on the human body.  She knows that while aging cannot be stopped entirely, with today’s science we can vastly decelerate the process with the Kaufmann Protocol. The Protocol organizes these various theories of cellular aging into seven tenets: DNA, Cellular Energy, Cellular Pathways, Quality Control, Immune System, Individual Cells, and Waste Management.  She offers both a book and now an app that allows the user to select from several pre-made, well tested regimens scientifically designed to address specific medical concerns. https://www.kaufmannprotocol.com/

Daniel Kelly

Daniel Kelly is a writer and entrepreneur who is extremely passionate about men’s health and fitness. Daniel is a leading European authority for men under 35 on testosterone optimization therapy, fitness training, mindset and men‘s health. He believes that health is not something that‘s given to you – it’s something you have to work at.  With a shift in societal and environmental norms in the last few decades, he helps men transform their approach to health and fight against the factors that degrade their bodies. He is the author of “Optimized Under 35” and you can also find additional resources at Optimized Army DanielKelly.eu

Dr. Farhan Khawaja

Dr. Farhan Khawaja aka “Doc Testosterone” is a professionally trained neuroscientist and health fitness educator. He specializes in developing state-of-the-art diet, lifestyle and fitness programs to naturally boost testosterone levels in men.  He is the creator of Aphro-D: a 100% natural formula consisting of 4 organic ingredients with scientifically-proven effects on male vitality. His Aphro D Academy provide workshops, videos, and articles to help men reclaim their masculinity and achieve peak sexual performance.  https://aphro-dacademy.com/

Pete Koch

Pete Koch is a fitness expert, retired NFL defensive end (Bengals, Chiefs and Raiders), Hollywood actor and Youtube host. His passion for helping people has propelled his decades long career as a fitness and motivation coach to celebrities, athletes and regular folks who want to look, move and feel their very best. Pete is expert at melding scientifically proven training methodologies with clinical experience and motivational talk to yield maximize results. He trains people of all ages and levels of physical condition to help them achieve their fitness, weight loss and overall health goals.  http://www.petekoch.com/

Dr. James Leonette

Dr. James Leonette is an award winning chiropractic physician and has been named “2018 Winner Circle Doctor of the Year” and “2017 Chiropractor of the Year” by The Masters Circle. Dr. Leonette has extensive education and training in medical and alternative medicine fields such as functional healing, epigenetics coaching, and nutritional therapies.  He is the founder of Alpha Emerged- a platform founded on providing individualized wellness solutions through 100% personalized strategies and recommendations plus in-depth coaching. From weight loss, to sex drvie, to mental clarity, Alpha Emerged addresses your most pressing concerns through advanced lab testing and genetic interpretation for maximum health results!  https://alphaemerged.com/

Dr. Jeffry Life

Dr. Jeffry Life is one of the healthiest and athletically fit 78 year olds in the world.  But it wasn’t always that way. At 59 he found himself overweight with achy joints and poor health.  After seeking expert support he became the Grand Champion in Bill Phillip’s 1998 Body-for-LIFE contest. But he started losing ground as he edged toward 63, losing muscle mass, energy, and his libido.  After applying Anti-Aging Medicine, within a couple weeks he became a vibrant, healthy and happy man. This became the catalyst that moved him from Family Medicine to healthy aging medicine.  He currently has a thriving practice in Charleston, West Virginia and has authored three books. He believes it is never too late, nor too early, to start living a healthier lifestyle and empowers his clients to achieve their fitness and health goals through his cutting-edge high touch programs.  https://www.drlife.com/

Dr. Bruce H. Lipton

Dr. Bruce H. Lipton is an internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirituality. Dr. Lipton began his scientific career as a cell biologist. His research on muscular dystrophy and cloning human stem cells focused upon the molecular mechanisms controlling cell behavior.  Dr. Lipton started examining the principles of quantum physics and his research revealed that the environment controlled the behavior and physiology of the cell, turning genes on and off. His discoveries were a foreshadow of the science of epigenetics. With his deepened understanding of how the mind controls bodily functions, he now educates on leading-edge science and its connection with mind-body medicine and spiritual principles.  He is the bestselling author of The Biology of Belief and a recipient of the 2009 Goi Peace Award.  https://www.brucelipton.com/

Dr Ben Lynch

Dr Ben Lynch is the best-selling author of Dirty Genes and President of Seeking Health, a company that helps educate both the public and health professionals on how to overcome genetic dysfunction. As a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine working in environmental medicine he discovered the gap that epigenetics could fill and made it his mission to bring that cutting-edge science right into the doctor’s office through education and supplementation. If you’ve gotten your genetic challenges from websites like 23andMe and are massively confused by the wildly contradictory information, his StrateGene system can help.  It zeroes in on the genetic abnormalities that pose the greatest challenges in people’s health and then provides comprehensive plans for overcoming those challenges. He has quickly become the go-to guy on treating genetic abnormalities through diet, supplements, and lifestyle. https://www.drbenlynch.com/

Aubrey Marcus

Aubrey Marcus is the founder and CEO of Onnit, a lifestyle brand based on a holistic health philosophy he calls Total Human Optimization.  As an author of a New York Times bestselling book, “Own the Day, Own Your Life” and host of the Aubrey Marcus Podcast, Aubrey leads with vulnerability and honesty about several areas of life, with a focus on health, mindset, relationships (he is an open relationship with his fiance) and spirituality.  Aubrey is most passionate about the healing effects of psychedelic medicine, and speaks openly about his experiences with Ayahuasca as a pathway to personal transformation.  https://www.aubreymarcus.com/

Mike Matthews

Mike Matthews wants to revolutionize the fitness industry by debunking myths and providing science-backed techniques to create a healthy physique.  Mike had spent years scoring fitness magazines and following ‘trends’ but it wasn’t until he researched and applied the latest science that he got the lean and strong body he wanted.  His strength skyrocketed and his energy was through the roof all by spending less time in the gym, doing less cardio, and eating foods he actually liked!  “The real science of getting into incredible shape is very simple—much simpler than the fitness industry wants us to believe,” he says.  As author of Bigger, Leaner, Stronger and founder of Legion Athletics, his mission is to fight mainstream health and fitness pseudoscience and reform the sports supplement industry.   https://legionathletics.com/

Dr. Emeran Mayer

Dr. Emeran Mayer is a professor and director of multiple medicine departments at UCLA.  He is a world renowned gastroenterologist and neuroscientist with 35 years of experience in the study of clinical and neurobiological aspects of how the digestive system and the nervous system interact in health and disease.   His current research is on the role of the gut microbiota and brain interactions in emotion regulation, chronic pain and in obesity. His best selling book, “The Mind Gut Connection”, is a culmination of his study, sharing about the connection of the mind to mood and health.  https://emeranmayer.com/

Ben Pakulski

Ben Pakulski is an IFBB body builder and founder of the #1 Best selling muscle building program, MI40.  He also hosts the popular Muscle Intelligence Podcast and is an international speaker who educates audiences on the practical, scientific, and mental aspects of living a healthy and fit life.  In the gym, he helps his clients create a personalized approach to their goals with clear steps on how to achieve them. Ultimately, Ben wants to change the paradigm of muscle building: to encourage fitness enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds to approach their goals with introspection, mindfulness, and strategic thinking.  https://www.benpakulski.com/

Dr. Kirk Parsley

Dr. Kirk Parsley creator of Sleep Remedy is most known for his expertise in sleep medicine.  As a former Navy SEAL and Naval Medical Officer he consults and lectures worldwide on sleep, wellness, and hormonal optimization.  He has discovered that the most under-used tool in the world for enhancing performance is quality sleep. Doc Parsley’s Sleep Remedy is designed to restore commonly deficient nutrients associated with sleep through a proprietary blend that provides the body what it needs to aid the natural sleep cycle.  http://www.docparsley.com/

Sachin Patel

Sachin Patel is a father, husband, philanthropist, coach, author and speaker. He founded The Living Proof Institute as part of his own personal health transformation. Sachin’s philosophy is that “The doctor of the future is the patient.” He’s actively doing whatever it takes to keep people out of the medical system by empowering them through education, self-care, and remapping their mindset. He believes health begins at home. Sachin now coaches functional medicine practitioners around the world. Learn more at www.thesachinpatel.com

Dr. Rhonda Patrick

Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a groundbreaking researcher and scientist who is dedicated to the pursuit of longevity and optimal health. She shares the latest research on nutrition, aging, and disease prevention with her audience. Some of her frequently used topics include micronutrient deficiencies and the diseases of ages as well as the role of genetics in a person’s health status. She advocates for the importance of mindfulness, stress reduction, and sleep. It is Dr. Patrick’s goal to challenge the status quo and encourage the wider public to think about health and longevity using a proactive, preventative approach. https://www.foundmyfitness.com/

Dr. Joseph Raffaele

Dr. Joseph Raffaele is a researcher and educator of Age Management Medicine which helps advance innovative, evidence-based approaches to extending “healthspan”.  This entails keeping the body young and vital whatever its chronological age. Dr. Raffaele has created software that gives an analysis of biomarkers of aging and physiological age for each organ system and the body as a whole.  He is the co-founder of PhysioAge Medical Group, a national clinical practice that uses bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, individualized nutritional supplement programs, diet, and fitness strategies targeting the aging process.  He has appeared on the Today show, National Public Radio (NPR) and several other media outlets sharing his breakthrough technology.  http://drraffaele.com/

James Schmachtenberger

James Schmachtenberger realized early that his calling was to solve big problems.  Starting as an advocate and business owner in the medicinal cannabis industry, he got introduced to the science of ‘biohacking’ and started the Neurohacker Collective in 2015.  The idea is simple: build a global movement to upgrade human capacity and empower individuals to make good choices for their health. Neurohacker Collective offers leading information and top-of-the-line products for self-directed neurological optimization based in complex systems science.  Neurohacker Collective’s scientific approach focuses on supporting the body’s ability to self-regulate, rather than overriding regulatory systems with chemicals. The company began with a focus on psycho-affective products with the launch of their Qualia nootropic line but now offers various supplements and resources such as a podcast and blog. https://neurohacker.com/

Dr. David Sinclair

Dr. David Sinclair, named one of TIME magazine’s “100 most influential people in the world”, is a Harvard Medical School professor in the Department of Genetics and co-Director of their Center for the Biology of Aging.

He is best known for his work on understanding why we age and how to slow its effects through genetic, biophysical, and pharmaceutical approaches.

Dr. Sinclair is the co-founder of several biotechnology companies and his work is featured in five books, two documentary movies, and interviews like 60 Minutes. He is an inventor on 35 patents and has received more than 25 awards and honors for his cutting edge work. Check out what he is up to around genetics and anti-aging! https://genetics.med.harvard.edu/sinclair/people/sinclair.php

Dr. J. Richard Steadman

Dr. J. Richard Steadman is a retired sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon in Vail, Colorado, who specialized in knee injuries and disorders. He is the Founder of The Steadman Clinic, as well as the Founder of the Steadman Philippon Research Institute. Dr. Steadman is a renowned and award-winning innovator in the field of orthopaedic sports medicine. He is internationally known for the development of several advanced surgical procedures for the knee. His technique, the “package” is used to restore normal comfortable movement to a painful arthritic knee. He is also known for the “Microfracture” surgical procedure that can delay the need for more invasive procedures. As a result, Dr. Steadman and his clinic, have been sought out by professional athletes and public figures alike. https://www.thesteadmanclinic.com/

Dr. Daniel Stickler

Dr. Daniel Stickler is the Medical Director of Neurohacker Collective and cofounder of the Apeiron Zoh Inc. Disheartened by “sick care”, he believes the ideal solution for long term wellness is a holistic and allopathic approach.  After 10,000+ hours of research, he has found the answer to an optimal life:  the DNA code. But that doesn’t mean the solution is only genetic. Dr. Stickler says, “Only 20% of longevity is genetic. The rest is up to us. New research indicates the epigenetic clock can be impacted by what we do in our daily lives.” His latest research has informed the development of his Human Potential Medicine- an integrated, biospheric systems-approach that combines modern medicine with leading-edge genetic science.  https://www.apeironzoh.com/

Dr. Eric Topol

Dr. Eric Topol was voted “Most Influential Physician Executive in the US” in Modern Healthcare’s 2012 poll.  His specialty is in genomic and wireless digital innovative technologies that reshape the future of medicine. As a practicing cardiologist, he has led worldwide clinical trials to advance care for heart disease.  In the cardiac industry, his research has been the driving force behind a few discoveries. Those including how genes can increase susceptibility for heart attacks and how to use this knowledge to prevent blood clots. https://www.scripps.edu/faculty/topol/

Dr. Jean-François Tremblay

Dr. Jean-François Tremblay is one of the world’s leading experts on peptides. Jean-François studied Exercise Physiology, Biochemistry, and Pharmacy. Dr. Tremblay has been researching peptides and SARMS since the 90s. He is now a researcher at UQAM. His focus on peptides is on their practical applications in sports performance, anti-aging, and health in general. https://www.canlab.net/

Nelson Vergel

Nelson Vergel is a chemical engineer whose search for cutting-edge health resources started when he was diagnosed with HIV over 30 years ago during a time when HIV was a death sentence.  Through research, he quickly became a leading advocate in the health field as a long term survivor.  As an author, he has published multiple books on hormone management and healthy aging. His commitment is to provide integrative medicine education and resilience-building resources to as many men as possible. https://nelsonvergel.com/

Claim Your Free Copy of Male 2.0 Now

Join thousands of men who have discovered how to be unstoppable.

In Male 2.0™, Dr. Tracy Gapin has turned everything we once thought we knew about men’s health and performance upside down. The old model of how to be “a man” is broken. A man who works himself to death.  Unfortunately, a man who tries to NOT get sick but isn’t really healthy either.  And a man who takes a pill for every ill but is never really cured. That was Male 1.0. Now, imagine being THE MAN ─ owning your performance in the bedroom, the weight room, and the boardroom. Living a fully optimized life. Becoming limitless. This is Male 2.0!

Tracy Gapin, MD, FACS  is a board-certified Urologist,  world-renowned Men’s Health & Performance Expert, Author, and Professional Speaker. Using state-of-the-art biometric monitoring, nutrition, and lifestyle intervention, Dr. Gapin coaches Fortune 500 executives and evolutionary leaders of business, sports medicine, and high performance. He specializes in cutting-edge precision medicine with an emphasis on epigenetics, providing men with a personalized path to optimizing health & performance. www.GapinInstitute.com.

Ready to take the next steps?

Download the Blueprint

Schedule a Call

**************************

Want more tips to optimize your health?  Listen to the latest podcasts. Click HERE