Podcast Summary
Keeping It Real: Conversations with Jillian Michaels
Episode: How to Burn Fat, Build Muscle, Boost Libido, Regrow Hair & Slow Aging — The Ultimate Protocols
Date: December 3, 2025
Host: Jillian Michaels
Guest: Ben Greenfield
Episode Overview
This episode dives into the latest science and practical applications for fat loss, muscle building, libido, hair regrowth, and longevity. Renowned biohacker Ben Greenfield joins Jillian Michaels to discuss everything from hormones and peptides to blood filtration, gene therapy, environmental toxins, and the deeper, often missing, elements of well-being and healthspan. Ben and Jillian bring both expertise and candor, critically examining both the promise and perils of modern “big gun” biohacks, while grounding the conversation in ancestral wisdom, personal development, and actionable lifestyle choices.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Testosterone, Men's Health, and Hormones
Timestamps: 02:24–24:04
-
Primary Concerns for Men:
- Top men's health topics: testosterone, prostate health, heart disease.
- Testosterone is over-hyped as a direct libido booster—its main benefits are energy, motivation, and confidence, with only marginal direct impact on sex drive.
"Testosterone doesn't remarkably increase libido... more energy, getting into the gym, better self-confidence..."
—Ben (02:59) -
Why Jumping to TRT Can Be a Mistake:
- “Pill mills” make testosterone accessible without full workups.
- Most men should focus first on the basics—micronutrients (magnesium, zinc, boron), healthy fats, vitamin D, lifestyle and environmental exposures.
-
Body Fat and Environmental Disruptors:
- Microplastics and xenoestrogens disrupt hormones and get stored in fat, impacting weight and testosterone efficacy.
- “Fat can store toxins and estrogens... can increase propensity for an obesogenic state based on environmental exposures.”
—Ben (07:58)
-
Training and Hormone Regulation:
- Leg training boosts androgen receptor density and testosterone sensitivity.
- Brief, strategic stressors (cold plunges, heavy lifting) build resilience; chronic stress is harmful, acute stress is essential.
"You need to have the basics in first before you go to the big guns."
—Ben (05:44) -
On Aging and Genetics:
- Age is the overriding reason for declining testosterone, despite lifestyle. Ben shares his personal need for TRT due to past endurance-sport stress and intensive training.
"If you do everything right... and you're young...masochistic endurance sports...chronic repetitive motion cardio...then you still might need it."
—Ben (13:17)
- Age is the overriding reason for declining testosterone, despite lifestyle. Ben shares his personal need for TRT due to past endurance-sport stress and intensive training.
-
Society, Masculinity & Rites of Passage:
- Decline in “rites of passage” leaves young men without a transition to adulthood, sometimes replaced by risky or numbing behaviors.
“Many men go into their 20s, 30s, 40s...still trying to prove to the world they’re men.”
—Ben (13:53)
2. Testosterone Replacement: Methods, Risks, and Smarter Alternatives
Timestamps: 20:17–24:04
-
Modes of Administration:
- Pellets: Fixed dose, no adjustment.
- Injections: Lead to unnatural hormone surges.
- Oral forms: Short-lived, situational testosterone boosts.
- Creams (Ben's choice): Mimic natural patterns, require care to avoid transference.
-
Protecting Fertility:
- Compounds like Clomid, Enclomiphene, or hCG can maintain natural testosterone production and fertility when on TRT.
-
Doctor Selection:
- See a functional or precision medicine doctor, not just online prescription services.
3. Peptides, Biohacking, and Safety
Timestamps: 24:22–40:48
-
What Are Peptides?
- Short amino acid chains with regulatory effects; not all are experimental (insulin, GLP-1 drugs are well-established).
-
Hype and Dangers:
- Many buy peptides from gray-market sources—risk includes contamination and inaccurate dosing.
- Always ask for lab certificates of analysis, avoid China-sourced products, look for US or Germany, and seek “CGMP” or FDA-compliant manufacturing.
-
Potential of Peptides:
- Ben describes using peptides for immunity, injury recovery, libido, and more.
“...Proceed at your own risk. I order peptides online...that’s the deep, dark world of bodybuilding.”
—Ben (35:04) -
GLP-1 Agonists (Ozempic, Wegovy, next-gen drugs):
- Microdosing may reduce side effects like muscle loss and poor appetite but regulations limit compounding pharmacies.
-
Personal Testimony:
- Jillian shares using a peptide stack to help her wife’s rare autoimmune flare, voicing both hope and wariness.
“It made a huge difference for her... but I’m trying to discourage people...”
—Jillian (36:48)
4. Biohacking vs. Fundamentals: What Really Matters?
Timestamps: 40:48–46:24
-
Ben’s Philosophy:
- “One foot in modern science, one foot in ancestral wisdom.”
- Many “biohacks” (red light therapy, saunas, PEMF mats) attempt to replicate ancestral environmental challenges.
- The danger is using tech as a substitute for real, meaningful challenge and connection with nature.
-
Big Rock Principles:
- Sleep, nutrition, stress management, sunlight, movement.
- Biohacks are “the icing,” not the cake.
“If you want to be 100% safe: swing kettlebells, hit the cold plunge, get in the sauna, eat adequate protein...”
—Ben (60:51)
5. Experimental Therapies: Blood Filtration, Plasma Swaps, Gene Therapy
Timestamps: 46:31–60:16
-
Blood and Plasma “Oil Changes”:
- Ben recounts experiences with blood filtration in Mexico, young donor plasma infusions in Texas, gene therapy in Cabo.
- No long-term clinical data; these are still experimental.
-
Anabolic vs. Catabolic Longevity Models:
- Debate: “Pro-growth” (protein, anabolic agents) vs. “Anti-growth” (fasting, caloric restriction).
- Best approach cycles both: “press-pulse” like our ancestors—periods of fasting, then rebuilding.
-
Peptide Cycles:
- Responsible use involves “washout” periods and cycling to mimic nature.
6. Cognitive Function & Anti-Aging for the Brain
Timestamps: 60:57–68:33
-
Standard Tools:
- Exercise and fish oil still dominate as evidence-backed, practical interventions.
-
Stacking for Brain Health:
- Ben recommends multimodal programs (e.g., Dale Bredesen’s Protocol): hyperbaric oxygen, red light therapy, fish oil, creatine, ketones, nootropics, peptides (Cerebrolysin, C-Max, C-Lank).
-
Lifestyle Still #1:
- “The hard part is doing the actual work that makes smoke come out your ears”—e.g., learning, gaming, family debates, brain aerobics.
-
Nicotine for Focus:
- Nicotine can help, but gum and pouches have microplastic and additive risks; Ben prefers clean patches or lozenges.
“If you want to be as clean as possible, you just slap on a patch...”
—Ben (69:36)
7. Hair Regrowth Protocols
Timestamps: 70:23–75:27
- Best Baseline:
- Collagen, amino acids, essential micronutrients.
- Key Hacks:
- Blood flow stimulation: Derma rolling or micro-needling plus topical serums (GHK-Cu, caffeine-based serums).
- Red Light Therapy helmet daily.
- Follicular transfer (surgical) as last resort.
“I derma-roll the scalp twice a week... and then rub in a serum. And then: red light helmet.”
—Ben (74:09)
8. Libido & Sexual Health
Timestamps: 75:27–81:39
- Root Causes and Hacks:
- Baseline: Balance stress, train regularly, sleep, healthy relationships.
- Novel options: Intranasal peptides like PT-141 (especially for women), oxytocin nasal sprays, Melanotan (with caveats).
- Nitric oxide precursors: Beetroot, arugula, watermelon, avoid overuse of mouthwash.
- Microdosed tadalafil (Cialis/Viagra) for vascular health and libido.
“Nature doesn’t want you to make babies when you’re surrounded by tigers.”
—Ben (75:50)
9. Longevity: What’s on the Horizon?
Timestamps: 81:39–88:14
- Emerging Trends:
- Regular “oil changes” with plasma exchange, blood filtration, especially for high-toxic-load individuals.
- Peptides remain hot, despite regulatory hurdles.
- But no technology trumps the foundational impact of real, face-to-face, community connection.
“The fix is in our face: get out of the basement, make new friends, fabricate situations where people come together...”
—Ben (87:40)
10. Faith, Purpose, and True Longevity
Timestamps: 88:14–95:21
- Religious Practice & Well-Being:
- Ben distinguishes between extrinsic (community-based) and intrinsic (meaning/purpose-based) religiosity.
- Community and faith both provide structure, communal care, and a deep sense of purpose—shown to be the strongest longevity factor in the Harvard study.
“It’s living as healthy as possible, as close as possible to the day you die... purpose and intrinsic religiosity feed into that.”
—Ben (92:09) - Meaning Over Material:
- Filling the “eternal hole in your soul” with connection to something greater than oneself enhances all aspects of life.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Hormones:
“Testosterone doesn’t remarkably increase libido... but it creates this feedback loop of energy, confidence, better strength.”
—Ben Greenfield (02:59) -
On Ancestral Wisdom:
“I live life with one foot in modern science, one foot in ancestral wisdom.”
—Ben Greenfield (40:55) -
On Community:
“The quality of your relationships—isolating for all confounding variables—increases or decreases risk of all-cause mortality.”
—Ben Greenfield (83:41) -
On Purpose & Faith:
“If you actually believe there is a meaning for your life... that feeds into that... and all those other things actually become more satisfying.”
—Ben Greenfield (94:18)
Important Timestamps
- Men’s Health/Testosterone Deep Dive: 02:24–24:04
- Peptides in Practice & Safety: 24:22–40:48
- Biohacking vs. Basics: 40:48–46:24
- Extreme Longevity Interventions: 46:31–60:16
- Brain Health and Cognition Hacks: 60:57–68:33
- Hair Regrowth Protocol: 70:23–75:27
- Libido Boosting Options: 75:27–81:39
- Ben’s Longevity Outlook: 81:39–88:14
- Faith, Community, and Longevity: 88:14–95:21
Episode Tone & Takeaways
The dialogue is candid, nuanced, and pragmatic. Both Jillian and Ben are unafraid to question fads, acknowledge the data gaps in new interventions, and admit personal experimentation. Ben’s practical, “here’s what I actually do” style blends deep scientific literacy with real-world caution, emphasizing both self-agency and the unavoidable role of risk in innovation.
Ultimately, the foundation—sleep, relationships, movement, stress management, moderate sunlight and nature—remains essential, with biohacks serving as “amplification, not substitution.” The deepest underpinning, both agree, is a life lived with meaning, rich connection, and purpose.
Links: