The Peter Attia Drive - podcast cover

The Peter Attia Drive

Peter Attia, MDwww.peterattiamd.com
Expert insight on health, performance, longevity, critical thinking, and pursuing excellence. Dr. Peter Attia (Stanford/Hopkins/NIH-trained MD) talks with leaders in their fields.
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Episodes

#379 - AMA #79: A guide to cardiorespiratory training at any fitness level to improve healthspan, lifespan, and long-term independence

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter brings together his most up-to-date thinking on cardiorespiratory fitness into a single, practical guide designed to help listeners structure training for maximal impact on healthspan, lifespan, and long-term independence. He explains why cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the strongest modifiable predictors of longevi...

Jan 12, 202639 minEp. 379

#378 ‒ Women's health and performance: how training, nutrition, and hormones interact across life stages | Abbie Smith-Ryan, Ph.D.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Abbie Smith-Ryan is a leading researcher in exercise physiology whose work focuses on how training and nutrition influence body composition, metabolism, cardiovascular health, and women's health across the lifespan, with particular attention on perimenopause and post-menopause. In this episode, Abbie explains how early exercise and play help build the foundation for...

Jan 05, 20262 hr 12 minEp. 378

Building & Changing Habits | James Clear (#183 rebroadcast)

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter James Clear is the author of the New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits. His extensive research into human behavior has helped him identify key components of habit formation and develop the "Four Laws of Behavioral Change." In this episode, James provides insights into how both good and bad habits are formed, including the influence of genetics, environment, social...

Dec 29, 20252 hr 20 min

#377 ‒ Special episode: Understanding true happiness and the tools to cultivate a meaningful life—insights from past interviews with Arthur Brooks

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this special episode of The Drive, Peter presents a curated "best of" conversation with bestselling author and previous guest Arthur Brooks, organized around four core themes: happiness itself, the forces that undermine it, the tools and practices that help cultivate it, and the courage required to live and love well. The episode brings together the most meaningf...

Dec 22, 20251 hr 40 minEp. 377

#376 - AMA #78: Longevity interventions, exercise, diagnostic screening, and managing high apoB, hypertension, metabolic health, and more

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter tackles a wide-ranging set of listener questions spanning lifespan interventions, exercise, cardiovascular risk reduction, time-restricted eating, blood pressure management, hormone therapy, diagnostics, and more. Peter reveals the single most important lever for extending healthspan and lifespan, and explains how he mo...

Dec 15, 202522 minEp. 376

#375 - Ketogenic diet, ketosis & hyperbaric oxygen: metabolic therapies for weight loss, cognition, Alzheimer's & more | Dom D'Agostino, Ph.D.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Dom D'Agostino is a neuroscientist and professor at the forefront of metabolic therapies, including ketogenic diets, exogenous ketones, and hyperbaric oxygen. In this episode, Dom breaks down nutritional versus supplemental ketosis, defines meaningful ketone thresholds, and outlines practical ways to achieve ketosis. He explains how a ketogenic diet can support meta...

Dec 08, 20252 hr 8 minEp. 375

#374 - The evolutionary biology of testosterone: how it shapes male development and sex-based behavioral differences, | Carole Hooven, Ph.D.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Carole Hooven is a human evolutionary biologist whose research centers on testosterone, sex differences, and behavior. In this episode, she explores how prenatal testosterone orchestrates male development in the body and brain, how early hormonal surges shape lifelong behavioral tendencies, and what rare natural experiments—such as 5-alpha-reductase deficiency—revea...

Dec 01, 20252 hr 5 minEp. 374

The impact of gratitude, serving others, embracing mortality, and living intentionally | Walter Green (#288 rebroadcast)

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Walter Green is a remarkable philanthropist, mentor, author of This Is the Moment!, and founder of the impactful "Say It Now" movement. In this episode, Walter delves into the unique insights gained from his challenging upbringing, discusses embracing mortality, and highlights the mindset of "finishing strong." He shares insights on intentionality, thinking in rever...

Nov 24, 20251 hr 31 min

#373 – Thyroid function and hypothyroidism: why current diagnosis and treatment fall short for many, and how new approaches are transforming care | Antonio Bianco, M.D., Ph.D.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Antonio Bianco is a world-renowned physician-scientist and expert in thyroid physiology and metabolism. In this episode, Antonio explores the complex biology of thyroid hormone production, conversion, and regulation—highlighting how deiodinase enzymes modulate hormone activity at the tissue level and why that matters for interpreting lab results. He discusses the sh...

Nov 17, 20252 hr 20 minEp. 373

#372 - AMA #77: Dietary fiber and health outcomes: real benefits, overhyped claims, and practical applications

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter breaks down the science of dietary fiber, moving beyond the blanket advice to "eat more fiber" to uncover what it actually does in the body and where its benefits are truly supported by evidence. He explains how different types of fiber—soluble, insoluble, viscous, and fermentable—affect digestion, satiety, weight manag...

Nov 10, 202524 minEp. 372

#371 – Women's sexual health: desire, arousal, and orgasms, navigating perimenopause, and enhancing satisfaction | Sally Greenwald, M.D., M.P.H.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Sally Greenwald is an OB-GYN who specializes in women's sexual health from a hormonal and physiologic perspective, with expertise spanning desire, arousal, pelvic floor function, contraception, and menopause care. In this episode, she explains why sexual health is a vital component of overall well-being, exploring topics such as the drivers of desire, the anatomy of...

Nov 03, 20251 hr 52 minEp. 371

Longevity 101: a foundational guide to Peter's frameworks for longevity, and understanding CVD, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and more (re-broadcast)

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this special episode, Peter provides a comprehensive introduction to longevity, perfect for newcomers or those looking to refresh their knowledge. He lays out the foundational concepts of lifespan, healthspan, and the marginal decade. Additionally, Peter discusses the four main causes of death and their prevention, as well as detailing the five key strategies in ...

Oct 27, 20251 hr 25 min

#370 - AMA #76: Peter evaluates longevity drugs, aspirin for CVD, and strategies to improve muscle mass — proven, promising, fuzzy, noise, or nonsense?

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter revisits the "proven, promising, fuzzy, noise, nonsense" scale and applies it to a variety of popular topics. He begins with a refresher on what each category represents before classifying a range of interventions based on the strength of their supporting evidence. The conversation spans three main areas: drugs for gero...

Oct 27, 202517 minEp. 370

#369 ‒ Rethinking protein needs for performance, muscle preservation, and longevity, and the mental and physical benefits of creatine supplementation and sauna use | Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Rhonda Patrick is a scientist, health educator, and host of the FoundMyFitness podcast whose work explores the intersection of nutrition, aging, and disease prevention. In this episode, Rhonda joins Peter for part two of his deep dive on protein, continuing last week's discussion with David Allison and expanding the conversation to include creatine supplementation a...

Oct 20, 20251 hr 50 minEp. 369

#368 ‒ The protein debate: optimal intake, limitations of the RDA, whether high-protein intake is harmful, and how to think about processed foods | David Allison, Ph.D.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter David Allison is a world-renowned scientist and award-winning scientific writer who has spent more than two decades at the forefront of obesity research. In this episode, David joins for his third appearance on The Drive to bring clarity to one of the most contentious topics in modern nutrition—protein. He explores the historical pattern of demonizing macronutrients...

Oct 13, 20251 hr 49 minEp. 368

#367 - Tylenol, pregnancy, and autism: What recent studies show and how to interpret the data

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this special episode of The Drive, Peter addresses the recent headlines linking acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy to autism in exposed children. Recognizing the confusion these claims have sparked among patients, listeners, and the broader public, Peter uses this episode to provide a framework for thinking critically about complex conditions and the re...

Oct 06, 20251 hr 27 minEp. 367

#366 ‒ Transforming education with AI and an individualized, mastery-based education model | Joe Liemandt

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Joe Liemandt is a software entrepreneur turned education reformer who left Stanford in 1989 to found Trilogy, a highly profitable private software company, before pivoting to transforming K-12 learning. In this episode, Joe shares how he transitioned from leading a global software enterprise to becoming principal of Alpha School, where his focus is building a master...

Sep 29, 20251 hr 47 minEp. 366

#365 ‒ Training for longevity: A roundtable on building strength, preventing injury, meeting protein needs, guidance for women and youth athletes, and more | Gabrielle Lyon, Mike Boyle, Jeff Cavaliere

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this special episode of The Drive, Peter hosts a strength and conditioning roundtable with three experts in the field—Gabrielle Lyon, Jeff Cavaliere, and Mike Boyle. Together they explore why maintaining muscle mass, strength, and power is essential for healthspan and longevity, and examine how resistance training supports metabolic resilience and injury preventi...

Sep 22, 20252 hr 15 minEp. 365

#364 – AMA #75: Diets: how to evaluate and implement any diet including keto, carnivore, vegan, Mediterranean, and more

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter explores how to determine the right diet for yourself rather than searching for a universal "best" diet. He begins by laying out five non-negotiable criteria that any sustainable eating pattern must meet—energy balance, metabolic health, adequate protein, micronutrient sufficiency, and long-term adherence—before introdu...

Sep 15, 202513 minEp. 364

#363 ‒ A new frontier in neurosurgery: restoring brain function with brain-computer interfaces, advancing glioblastoma care, and new hope for devastating brain diseases | Edward Chang, M.D.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Edward Chang is a neurosurgeon, scientist, and a pioneering leader in functional neurosurgery and brain-computer interface technology, whose work spans the operating room, the research lab, and the engineering bench to restore speech and movement for patients who have lost these capabilities. In this episode, Edward explains the evolution of modern neurosurgery and ...

Sep 08, 20251 hr 53 minEp. 363

Lower back pain: causes, treatment, and prevention of lower back injuries and pain | Stuart McGill, Ph.D. (#287 rebroadcast)

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Stuart McGill is a distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo and the chief scientific officer at Backfitpro where he specializes in evaluating complex cases of lower back pain from across the globe. In this episode, Stuart engages in a deep exploration of lower back pain, starting with the anatomy of the lower back, the workings of the spine, th...

Sep 01, 20252 hr 31 min

#362 ‒ Understanding anxiety: defining, assessing, and treating health anxiety, OCD, and the spectrum of anxiety disorders | Josh Spitalnick, Ph.D., A.B.P.P.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Josh Spitalnick is a clinical and research psychologist with expertise in treating a variety of anxiety conditions with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other evidence-based approaches. In this episode, Josh unpacks the four layers of anxiety—psychological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral—highlighting why avoidance is the key feature that transforms ordin...

Aug 25, 20252 hr 15 minEp. 362

#361 - AMA #74: Sugar and sugar substitutes: weight control, metabolic effects, and health trade-offs

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter explains how to evaluate sugar and its substitutes in the context of health. Peter explores the role of sweeteners in three common use-cases – beverages, protein supplements, and sweet treats – and breaks down how our evolutionary craving for sweetness now clashes with today's food environment. He examines whether sugar...

Aug 18, 202516 minEp. 361

#360 ‒ How to change your habits: why they form and how to build or break them | Charles Duhigg, M.B.A

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author known for distilling complex neuroscience and psychology into practical strategies for behavior change, performance, and decision-making. In this episode, Charles explores the neuroscience behind habit formation, including how cue-routine-reward loops drive nearly half of our daily actions...

Aug 11, 20252 hr 13 minEp. 360

#359 ‒ How metabolic and immune system dysfunction drive the aging process, the role of NAD, promising interventions, aging clocks, and more | Eric Verdin, M.D.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Eric Verdin is a physician-scientist and the CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging whose career has centered on understanding how epigenetics, metabolism, and the immune system influence the aging process. In this episode, Eric traces his scientific journey from studying viruses and histone deacetylases (HDACs) to leading aging research at the Buck Institu...

Aug 04, 20252 hr 11 minEp. 359

#358 ‒ Peter's takeaways on navigating HRT, rejuvenating the face, understanding the biology of aging, optimizing fertility, and learning to live well from the dying | Quarterly Podcast Summary #6

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this quarterly podcast summary (QPS) episode, Peter summarizes his biggest takeaways from the last three months of guest interviews on the podcast. Peter shares key insights from his discussions with Paul Turek and Paula Amato on male and female fertility; Rachel Rubin on menopause and hormone replacement therapy; Brian Kennedy on the biology of aging; Tanuj Nakr...

Jul 28, 202512 minEp. 358

#357 ‒ A new era of longevity science: models of aging, human trials of rapamycin, biological clocks, promising compounds, and lifestyle interventions | Brian Kennedy, Ph.D.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Brian Kennedy is a renowned biologist, leader in aging research, and director of the Center for Healthy Longevity at the National University of Singapore. In this episode, Brian shares insights from ongoing human aging studies, including clinical trials of rapamycin and how dosing strategies, timing, and exercise may influence outcomes. He presents two key models of...

Jul 21, 20251 hr 57 minEp. 357

#356 - AMA #73: Preserving brain health, optimizing exercise programming, improving body composition, and more

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter addresses frequently requested topics, including brain health, exercise programming, and body composition. He explores the factors that influence dementia risk—including metabolic health, fitness, sleep, hearing, cholesterol levels, and more. He explains how to implement zone 2 training and VO₂ max intervals for cardiov...

Jul 14, 202517 minEp. 356

Navigating bone health: early life influences and advanced strategies for improvement and injury prevention (#214 rebroadcast)

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this episode from July 2022, Peter dives deep into the topic of bone health and explains why this is an important topic for everyone, from children to the elderly. He begins with an overview of bone mineral density, how it's measured, how it changes over the course of life, and the variability between sexes largely due to changes in estrogen levels. From there he...

Jul 07, 20251 hr 32 min

#355 – Skincare strategies, the science of facial aging, and cosmetic-intervention guidance | Tanuj Nakra, M.D. & Suzan Obagi, M.D.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter Tanuj Nakra and Suzan Obagi, two leading experts in aesthetic medicine, join Peter to explore the science of facial aging and skin health as well as the responsibilities physicians face in the world of cosmetic procedures. In this episode, they examine the biological and hormonal drivers of facial aging, the evolutionary and psychological foundations of attractivene...

Jun 30, 20252 hr 57 minEp. 355
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