Dr. Dwayne Jackson is a health specialist, medical educator, scientist, and entrepreneur with a PhD in neurovascular physiology.

Mitochondrial peptides may be promising, but they cannot replace the aerobic base that makes their effects measurable. Dr. Dwayne Jackson explains AMPK and mitochondrial signaling, what MOTS-c and SS-31 can and cannot tell us, and why fitness data, training, and recovery come before any experimental compound.

Expect to learn how aerobic fitness supports strength and Strongman training, why lactate clearance and conditioning can become the rate limiter, what AMPK and mTOR signal, how kidney disease changed Dwayne’s perspective on aerobic capacity, where the evidence for MOTS-c and SS-31 is limited, how to design a more useful N-of-1 experiment, and why training, nutrition, recovery, COAs, and third-party testing come before experimental compounds.

Connect with Dwayne:

• Website: drdwaynejackson.com
• Google Scholar

Episodes you’ll enjoy next:

• #396 — Are Your Peptides Illegal? — Rick Collins: A practical look at peptide science, regulation, and the gray market.
• #393 — From Powerlifter to Trail Runner — Paul Oneid & Cody Miller: VO2 max, cardiac adaptations, and the transition from strength sports to endurance.

Episode Timestamps:

• 01:53 — Mitochondrial peptides and the aerobic-training foundation
• 03:19 — Peptides as training amplifiers, not replacements
• 04:22 — AMPK, mTOR and mitochondrial signaling
• 05:50 — Why aerobic fitness supports strength and Strongman training
• 08:12 — Conditioning, lactate clearance and the rate limiter for strength athletes
• 10:58 — Wingate tests and overlapping energy systems
• 15:12 — Kidney disease, mitochondrial dysfunction and aerobic collapse
• 21:22 — Hypertensive crisis, dialysis and recognizing a major fitness decline
• 24:48 — Kidney transplant recovery and rebuilding aerobic capacity
• 28:27 — The evidence and limitations behind mitochondrial peptides
• 34:55 — MOTS-c, AMPK activation and anecdotal HIIT performance
• 39:59 — SS-31, cardiolipin and mitochondrial efficiency
• 48:32 — Why training, nutrition and recovery come before peptides
• 58:40 — Using performance data to make an N-of-1 experiment more useful
• 1:01:22 — SS-31 before training, AMPK timing and recovery trade-offs
• 1:06:07 — SLU-PP-332, exercise mimetics and the gap in human data
• 1:09:17 — Peptide sourcing, COAs and third-party testing
• 1:12:02 — Genetics, response variability and sustainable performance

Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Emily Werner, PhD, RD, CSSD, IFNCP is Team Dietitian for the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) and Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), and Nutrition Affairs Sport Lead at Timeline.

Dr. Emily joins Dr. Mike to unpack postbiotics, urolithin A, and why mitochondrial health matters for pro athletes and everyday people alike, digging into the real research behind Timeline's Mitopure and why chasing $200K gadgets rarely beats getting the fundamentals right.

Expect to learn what a postbiotic actually is and how urolithin A differs from other supplements, why old-school and new-school sports dietitians disagree on peptides and supplement fads, how chronic undereating quietly undermines performance in women's sports, what the current human performance research on urolithin A actually shows, how Mitopure is dosed and why urolithin A can't be reliably food-sourced, and why product quality and manufacturing integrity matter more than marketing claims, and much more.

Connect with Emily:

• Website: https://www.eateliteperform.com/
• Instagram: @emilywerner34
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-n-werner-phd-rd-cssd-ifncp-4a820a97/

Episodes you'll enjoy next:

• #377 — Methylene Blue for Mitochondria & Performance: Benefits, Dosing & Risks with Dr. Scott Sherr: Listen here
• #382 — Creatine for Muscle, Bone, Brain & Longevity (Plus Caffeine, Dosing, and Safety) with Dr. Darren Candow: Listen here

Episode Timestamps:

2:21 Welcome & introductions
6:09 What is a postbiotic? Pre-, pro-, and postbiotics explained
7:09 Urolithin A: the postbiotic behind Mitopure
8:19 How Emily started consulting for Timeline
10:11 Old-school vs. new-school sports dietitians on supplements
13:53 Peptides, anecdata, and why athletes ignore the data
20:05 The hardest lesson: letting go when clients won't listen
21:15 Money, ego, and athletes chasing $200K wellness gadgets
24:53 Chronic undereating in women's sports
30:48 Nutrition's real job: keeping athletes available to play
33:19 Inside Mitopure: Timeline's flagship urolithin A product
35:06 Mitochondria, mitophagy, and why they matter as we age
38:16 Diet, fasting, and exercise as natural mitophagy triggers
43:36 What the performance research on urolithin A actually shows
53:19 Aging, aerobic capacity, and Emily's 101-year-old grandma
55:40 Mitopure dosing: how much urolithin A and when to take it
57:14 Why urolithin A can't be food-sourced (and can't be faked)
1:03:19 Why product quality and integrity matter in supplements

Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Zach Moore is a nutrition and exercise coach based in southern Indiana, coaching clients online and in person.

Zach cuts through the noise of complicated programming and diet protocols to get back to what actually works — minimalist strength training, honest macro-setting, and paying attention to gut health and micronutrient status before chasing anything fancier.

Expect to learn how to build serious strength with far less training volume than you think, why chasing perfect programming conditions is often a waste of energy, how Zach sets carbohydrate and macro targets for real-world clients, when (and when not) to bother with micronutrient or gut testing, and why micronutrients matter even on restrictive or elimination diets, and much more.

Connect with Zach:
Website: zmoore.com
Instagram: @ZachMFitness

Episodes you'll enjoy next:

• #388 — What Vinegar & Lifting Really Do To Your Gut: Listen here
• #397 — Why Getting Better Never Gets Easier with Cliff Wilson: Listen here

Episode Timestamps:

• 02:37 Training in a garage gym during a heat wave
• 03:53 Grip strength, sweat & cold water immersion
• 06:32 Overthinking training & lessons from old-time strongmen
• 09:54 Minimalist strength training & the trap bar deadlift
• 15:13 Go-to lifts & why you must add muscle for body comp
• 17:42 Progressive overload & long-term strength gains
• 19:56 How too much program variety kills progress
• 27:06 Individualizing & dialing in training volume
• 30:42 Favorite upper & lower body exercises
• 35:46 Nutrition foundations: informed eating
• 38:10 Eating enough to fuel training & recomp
• 44:06 Determining carb needs & setting client macros
• 48:13 The insulin myth: do carbs turn into fat?
• 52:40 Meal balance, fat timing & digestion
• 55:34 Tracking micronutrients with Cronometer
• 58:13 Gut testing, carnivore & elimination diets
• 1:02:25 Sleep tips: circadian rhythm, light & temperature
• 1:04:39 The Shiftwave chair for stress downregulation & sleep

Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter