Build Aerobic Fitness Before Mitochondrial Peptides: AMPK, VO2 Max & Recovery — Dr. Dwayne Jackson — #400

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