Protein needs for athletes and aging

Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky's VO2 max was once 87.6 ml/kg/min — an elite-level mark few humans have reached. He's competed at three world championships in three different sports. He's also had three cardiac ablation surgeries, bled from his bowels after races, and watched his vision tunnel to a speck crossing a finish line. His story is a master class in where the line falls between peak performance and self-destruction.

Now 63, Tarnopolsky is a neurologist, neuromuscular disease specialist, and supplement formulator who has channeled decades of elite athletic experience and hundreds of published studies into the idea that keeping metabolic throughput high is what protects us as we age.

In this conversation with Dom D'Agostino, he shares practical strategies anyone can apply: why resistance training three times per week is non-negotiable after 50, why post-exercise nutrient timing improved performance in a simulated training camp with identical calories, why he says creatine belongs in nearly everyone's regimen, and why he personally takes his mitochondrial supplement stack situationally after hard efforts rather than daily.

Questions Answered in This Episode:

• What is the only intervention proven to extend human lifespan — and by how much?
• At what point does endurance exercise become pro-aging — and what are the warning signs?
• What simple nutrient timing strategy improved performance with zero extra calories?
• How did a bodybuilder bar conversation lead to a published discovery about growth hormone and collagen?
• What muscle and bone costs of Ozempic aren't getting enough attention?
• Why did elite endurance athletes need nearly as much dietary protein as bodybuilders — and why were bodybuilders massively overconsuming?

This conversation reframes the longevity debate around what's actually been proven in human clinical trials — not Petri dishes, not animal models, and not social media influencers.

Special thanks to the sponsors of this episode:

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Please keep in mind: The Metabolic Link does not provide medical or health advice, but rather general information that does not serve as a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional. Never delay in seeking medical advice from an appropriately licensed medical provider for any health condition that you may have.