The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka

Episode 240: Q&A with Gary Brecka: Peptides, Migraines, Sleep Protocols & More!

Date: January 29, 2026
Host: Gary Brecka

Episode Overview

In this Q&A episode, human biologist and longevity expert Gary Brecka answers listener-submitted questions ranging from optimizing sleep for first responders, migraines, and kids’ snacks, to peptide therapy and hormone replacement. Drawing from decades of experience in both the life insurance and wellness industries, Gary addresses root causes, corrects health misconceptions, and gives practical, science-backed advice—always aiming for actionable steps to help listeners become their "ultimate human."

Key Topics and Insights

1. Sleep Optimization for First Responders

[01:20]

• Challenge: Irregular schedules make it impossible for first responders to stick to a consistent sleep routine.
• Gary’s Advice:
  • Regulate light exposure: Use a full organic cotton eye mask at night to block even small amounts of light, which “raises cortisol and disrupts sleep pattern.”
  • Consistent eating times: “Make your eating schedule the same whether or not you're sleeping on a different schedule. This will actually keep your digestive pattern on the same clock.”
  • Natural light upon waking: “Whenever you wake up, get outside and get some natural sunlight into your eyes.”
  • Circadian cues (Zeitgebers): Light, exercise, and eating times all help control circadian rhythm—even when sleep schedules are erratic.

2. Combating Sarcopenia and Maintaining Weight in Seniors

[04:20]

• Issue: Muscle loss (sarcopenia), healthy weight gain, and metabolic maintenance in people over 65.
• Gary’s Protocol:
  • Increase protein intake: “One gram of protein per kilogram of body weight.”
  • Essential amino acids: “I would add essential amino acids to your diet—2 to 3 servings a day.”
  • Regular weight training: “If you want to live a long time, lift heavy weight. ... At least three days a week.”
  • Balanced nutrition: Focus on proteins and healthy fats, supplementing as needed.

3. Migraines and MTHFR Gene Mutation

[07:00]

• Listener: Struggles with daily migraines; conventional treatments failing; suspects a methylation/gene role (MTHFR).
• Gary’s Insight:
  • Sodium and hydration: “There was an interesting study...the inverse relationship between migraine headaches and sodium.”
  • Mechanism: “Your brain has no pain receptors...the pain is coming from the dura, which hates being stretched or contracted, determined by sodium gradient.”
  • Practical tip: “By adding a mineral salt to your drinking water, you might be able to put migraine headaches permanently in remission.”
    • Caveat: If on cardiac medication or a low-salt diet, consult your doctor first.
  • On gene mutations: MTHFR and methylation issues can contribute, but address hydration and minerals first.

4. Exercise Timing and Digestion

[13:10]

• Myth-busting: “The 30-minute metabolic window actually doesn’t exist.”
• Gary’s routine: “Exercise first thing in the morning, fasted—just take all nine essential amino acids mixed with mineral salt and hydrogen water, which doesn’t break a fast.”
• If you get lightheaded: Add essential amino acids (may help); if not, have a protein shake then wait 30 minutes before exercise.

5. Do Amino Acids Break a Fast?

[15:00]

• Listener confusion: Do essential amino acids cause an insulin response and halt autophagy?
• Gary’s Answer: “All nine essential amino acids pass through the liver without being cleaved. ... They don’t break a fast because they actually don’t engage the liver.”
• Recommendation: Use essential amino acids to help meet protein needs without exceeding macro goals.

6. Whey Protein – Junk Food or Mega-Nutritious?

[16:15]

• Gary’s View: “I like hydrolyzed whey protein, but no, it’s not a junk product.”
• Key consideration: Opt for whey during/after exercise—“Not just drinking protein shakes for the sake of drinking.”
• Label reading: Watch out for high-glycemic sugars, poor-quality additives.
• Bottom line: Quality and bioavailability outweigh minimal processing concerns when sourced well.

7. Travel Health Strategies

[18:40]

• Gary’s #1 Travel Hack: “Keep your digestion on the same time.”
  • “When I travel to London (5 hours ahead), I don’t feed my body between 10pm and 6am Eastern Time, even if I’m in London.”
• Application: For short trips, eat on your usual home time to preserve metabolic health.
• For longer stays: “If you’re going to be in location for more than seven days, just go through the damage of getting onto the time zone.”

8. Healthy Snacks for Kids

[20:45]

• Avoid: Processed sugars, seed oils, artificial ingredients.
• Gary’s Snack List:
  • Grass-fed beef jerky
  • Parmesan crisps (“High protein, satisfy cravings without junk”)
  • Whole fat Greek yogurt + monk fruit + berries + grain-free granola: “Tastes like Ben & Jerry’s”
  • Fruits ending in “berry,” cucumbers (“Kids love the crunch”)
  • Chips fried in beef tallow, salted with natural sea salt
• Quote: “Their palate changes when you feed them high sugary snacks...so to change that palette back, try switching to whole foods.”

9. Bison vs Beef as Protein Sources

[23:00]

• Gary’s Verdict: “Grass fed, grass finished beef, buffalo, bison—these are all great ways to get clean protein.”
• Leanness: Choose leaner beef if watching weight; “I personally love the satiety of having a little fat.”
• Organ meats: “Try some of the organ blends...significantly increases nutrient density.”

10. Psoriasis and Root-Cause Strategies

[24:10]

• Root issue: Often related to gut dysbiosis—“Deficient bacteria in the gut...very commonly deficient in people that have eczema and psoriasis.”
• Tips:
  • Take a good probiotic.
  • Add prebiotic/probiotic foods: “Kimchi and sauerkraut.”
  • Consider a stool GI map test.
  • “Colostrum, fermented foods...think pre, pro, and postbiotic.”
• Quote: “If you’ve commonly been using antibiotics, that could be the source of your gut dysbiosis.”

11. Hormone Replacement Therapy for Older Women

[25:45]

• Listener concern: Can a 70+ woman safely start HRT?
• Gary’s Update: “The US FDA just removed the black box warnings from female hormone therapy.”
• Misconception: The Women’s Health Initiative did not show increased breast cancer risk—“Patently false. ... In fact, the study found a reduction.”
• Action: Find a functional medicine doctor, get a DUTCH test, individualize HRT.
• Quote: “It can be a lifesaver...no matter how far out of menopause they are.”

12. Safe and Effective Peptide Therapy

[27:48]

• Gary’s Guidance:
  • “Have your peptides prescribed by a physician, preferably a functional medicine doctor.”
  • Only source from compounding pharmacies to guarantee “stability, sterility, and potency.”
  • Identify clear goals: muscle gain, longevity, wound healing, immune support, etc.
• Peptide Types Mentioned:
  • Healing: BPC-157, TB-500
  • Immune: Thymosin alpha
  • Telomere lengthening: Epitalon
  • Growth hormone secretagogues: Sirmorelin, Ipamorelin, CJC 1295, Tessamorelin
  • Skin/Collagen: GHK-CU (copper peptides)
• Dangers: Online and non-prescription peptides can be tainted, under-dosed, or fake.
• Quote: “I would be very, very wary of that. Lots of these come from China...some have tested to not even have peptides.”

Notable Quotes

• On Sleep and Light:
  “You’d be surprised how little light it takes to raise cortisol, which is called candle wattage, and this can actually cause your sleep pattern to be even more disrupted.” (Gary Brecka, [02:30])

• On Gut Health:
  “If you have something called gut dysbiosis, it might be manifesting itself in the skin.” (Gary Brecka, [24:25])

• On Hormone Therapy:
  “Good for you, because the US FDA just removed the black box warnings from female hormone therapy.” (Gary Brecka, [25:50])

• On Peptides:
  “There are a lot of peptides that you can buy over the Internet, and I would be very, very wary of that...some have tested to not even have peptides.” (Gary Brecka, [28:45])

Episode Conclusion

• Every answer is grounded in “biochemistry, physiology, and clinical evidence—this isn’t guesswork, this isn’t trends.” (Gary Brecka, [30:45])
• “We could spend 10 hours on each of these topics and still not cover everything. ... Your health isn’t complicated, it’s just misunderstood.” (Gary Brecka, [31:15])
• Gary invites listeners looking for more depth and tailored advice to join his VIP community for access to deeper dives, advanced protocols, and live Q&A.

For Further Information

Listeners are encouraged to explore links in the show notes to Gary’s resources and community for those committed to optimizing their own health on a cellular level.