Stronger with Don Saladino

Episode: Can Exercise Really Make You Younger?

Guest: Dr. Dwayne Jackson
Date: August 26, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode explores the concept of "biological age" vs. "chronological age" and whether exercise—especially aerobic training—can effectively “make you younger” on a cellular and functional level. Host Don Saladino and guest Dr. Dwayne Jackson, a health scientist and expert in exercise physiology, delve into the science behind biological aging, debunk common myths, and provide actionable advice on how nutrition, resistance training, and lifestyle factors influence our lifespan and healthspan.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Biological Age vs. Chronological Age

• Definition & Importance
  • Biological age reflects cellular health and functional capabilities, not just the number of years lived.
  • Recent popularity comes from the biohacking movement and the search for longevity shortcuts.

Quote:
"Chronological versus biological age really comes down to... are you healthy?"
— Dr. Dwayne Jackson [05:22]

• Many people in their 50s–70s feel younger than in their 20s or 30s thanks to lifestyle changes, not just genetics.

2. Foundation: Movement & Nutrition Over Biohacks

• The most potent "anti-aging" strategies are still high-quality nutrition, exercise, and sleep—not expensive gadgets or therapies.
• Modalities like sauna, cold plunges, red lights are secondary (“icing on the cake”) to the basics.

Quote:
"We need to focus on eating enough high quality foods and exercise. You do that on top of getting good sleep, you're gonna be pretty close to that finish line."
— Don Saladino [01:11, repeated emphasis 25:41]

3. Aerobic Exercise & Mitochondrial Health

• Mitochondria are the cell's energy producers ("powerhouses"), essential for cellular health.
• Aerobic activity (not just running, but any sustained moderate activity—walking, cycling, etc.) increases mitochondrial density and function, improving energy and reducing biological age.

Quote:
"Probably one of the biggest missed opportunities... is utilizing aerobic style exercise to push the limits of their mitochondria... accompanied by a high-quality, anti-inflammatory whole food diet."
— Dr. Dwayne Jackson [06:16]

• Aerobic conditioning also supports better recovery from and performance in resistance training.

4. Role of Resistance Training

• Crucial for muscle preservation, metabolic health, and longevity ("Muscle is the organ of longevity").
• When combined with aerobic training, creates adaptive, energy-efficient muscle.
• Resistance training promotes mitophagy—the clearing of damaged mitochondria for healthier, more efficient cells.

Quote:
"With heavy resistance training, you actually put your muscle through a process called mitophagy... Then aerobic activity increases mitochondrial density."
— Dr. Jackson [11:00]

5. Programming for Beginners vs. Advanced

• For Beginners:

  • Start with simple movement—aim for 10,000 steps/day, but even 5,000 is a big improvement ([16:34]).
  • Entry-level resistance training: Three full-body sessions per week, 30 minutes each ([36:30]).

  Quote:
  "If they're starting at ground zero, I would just give them the old 10,000 steps a day thing and hope that they get five... improvements happen real quick."
  — Dr. Jackson [16:34]

• Diet:

  • Eat enough high-quality food—calorie deficits and under-eating hinder progress and recovery.
  • Mediterranean-style diets with increased protein are recommended.

6. The Nutrition Disconnect: Undereating & Metabolic Adaptation

• Many health-conscious people under-eat, leading to low energy, poor performance, and stalled progress—not just body composition issues, but also quality of life impairments ([19:37], [24:22]).
• Dr. Jackson discusses metabolic adaptation: chronic low-calorie diets slow metabolism, reduce movement (even unconscious activity), and can cause hormone disruptions.
• Solution: Slowly increase calories, focusing on nutrient density.

Quote:
"When people report... eating 1400 calories and they're stuck... you need to do what I call calorie finding... Most feel better, perform better, sleep better, psychosocial context improves."
— Dr. Jackson [33:05]

7. Social & Psychological Context

• Health is not just biological; psychosocial factors (community, stress, relationships) strongly influence aging.
• Example: Mediterranean cultures thrive not only from diet but also social eating habits and lower-stress lifestyles.

8. Oxidative & Inflammatory Stress: What Ages Us Faster?

• Chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and poor lifestyle (alcohol, ultra-processed foods, lack of movement, poor sleep, stressful life) accelerate biological aging.
• "Rock star effect"—hard living makes you look and feel much older.

Quote:
"Oxidative stress and inflammatory stress kind of work hand and foot... If you're pushing yourself in the gym and going out drinking and not sleeping, you're actually doing the opposite of what you're trying to achieve."
— Dr. Jackson [41:50, 44:06]

9. Supplements & Add-ons: What Actually Works?

• Foundational Before Fancy: Supplements work best if the basics (food, movement, sleep) are already dialed in ([40:55]).
• Specific supplements with good data:
  • Creatine (strength, muscle preservation, cognitive function) [40:34]
  • GlyNAC (glycine + NAC) for antioxidant support [39:29]
  • Other: NMN, NAD+, Urolithin A—potential benefits but less essential than foundational habits

10. Audience Q&A: Stem Cell Therapy (Frank from NY, [49:03])

• Stem cell therapies are promising but largely unproven and not broadly available in the US due to lack of strong clinical results.
• Most could be considered last-resort experimental treatments.
• Experiences are varied, potentially driven by placebo in the short run, with unclear long-term results ([51:53–53:37]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the illusion of "biohacks":
  "People are seeking modalities and easy ways to hack their biological age. Without movement, you are not going to achieve what you think."
  — Dr. Jackson [25:41]

• On eating enough:
  "Calories are a measurement of energy. And when you're eating 300 calories for breakfast and then trying to push yourself for 800 calories, it's going to be tough."
  — Dr. Jackson [22:00]

• On lifestyle amplification:
  "You start taking these things we should be able to get away with...you couple that with a stressful lifestyle, bad relationships, this starts becoming catastrophic. And this is why people are consistently sick, they're aging faster than they should be."
  — Don Saladino [44:06]

Practical Takeaways & Recommendations (with Timestamps)

• Start with movement: Walking, then basic aerobic exercise ([16:34], [36:30])
• Mix resistance and aerobic training: Both are essential for healthspan ([12:59], [36:30])
• Eat enough nutrient-rich, whole food: Preferably Mediterranean-style plus higher protein ([19:37], [24:22])
• Prioritize sleep & social health: Sleep, relationships, and community are integral ([25:41])
• Supplements are just that—supplements: Only powerful if your foundations are set ([39:29], [40:55])
• Don’t obsess over hacks: Focus on daily, sustainable habits over “magic pills” ([25:41])
• Watch out for chronic undereating: It works against your goals ([28:25], [33:05])
• Aging is multi-factorial: Alcohol, stress, chronic inflammation speed it up, not just lack of exercise ([41:50], [44:06])

Episode Timeline

• [00:52] – Topic intro: Biological age, biohacks, and Brian Johnson's "Blueprint"
• [04:56]–[08:08] – Simple breakdown of biological age, wearable tracking, mitochondria
• [11:00] – How resistance & aerobic training work together
• [16:34] – Practical beginner advice: steps, fueling, sustainable progression
• [19:37]–[24:22] – Nutrition, undereating, building the optimal plate, psychosocial factors
• [25:41]–[28:25] – “Biohacks” vs. foundation, what actually matters
• [28:25]–[36:30] – Metabolic adaptation, increasing calories, practical training splits
• [36:30] – Starter resistance and aerobic training approach
• [39:29]–[40:55] – Supplements: what’s worth considering
• [41:50]–[47:57] – How stress, alcohol, and lifestyle “age” us; Mediterranean paradox
• [49:03]–[53:37] – Stem cell therapies, real talk on efficacy
• [53:37]–end – Wrap up and thanks

Final Thoughts

This episode strips away industry noise, centering sustainable health and real-life strength. If you want to feel stronger and younger, don’t get lost in gimmicks—opt for quality movement, adequate nutrition, restorative sleep, and meaningful social connections. All other “anti-aging” tricks are really just sprinkles, not the cake.

“Play like a kid and eat like you did in the 70s.”
— Dr. Dwayne Jackson [01:26, repeated at 24:22]