#819: Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D. — Protocols for Fasting, Lowering Dementia Risk, Reversing Heart Aging, Using Sauna for Longevity (Hotter is Not Better), and a Few Supplements That Might Actually Matter
The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author, Human Guinea Pig
4.6 • 17.7K Ratings
🗓️ 23 July 2025
⏱️ 151 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D. (@foundmyfitness) is a biomedical scientist and the founder of FoundMyFitness, a platform dedicated to delivering rigorous, evidence-based insights on improving healthspan and mitigating age-related diseases.
Sponsors:
Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://HelixSleep.com/Tim (27% off all mattress orders)
Momentous high-quality creatine and other supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for up to 35% off)
David Protein Bars 28g of protein, 150 calories, and 0g of sugar: https://davidprotein.com/tim (Buy 4 cartons, get the 5th free.)
Monarch Money track, budget, plan, and do more with your money: MonarchMoney.com/Tim (50% off your first year at monarchmoney.com with code TIM)
Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Start.
[00:04:54] Dealing with aging parents and other topics on the table.
[00:10:43] How a common multivitamin helps reverse cognitive and memory aging.
[00:12:04] The importance of supplementation — especially as we age.
[00:13:10] Effectively supplementing with omega-3 fish oil to counter APOE4 and Alzheimer's risks.
[00:16:50] The CoQ10 and omega-3 protocol that has helped Rhonda's father manage Parkinson's symptoms for nearly a decade.
[00:19:28] Sulforaphane: a potent NRF2 activator with an unexpected benefit for Rhonda's mother's tremors.
[00:25:34] How Rhonda convinced her mom to start CrossFit and the power of community-based, senior-focused fitness.
[00:26:52] The earlier the intervention, the better the outcomes.
[00:32:25] Intermittent fasting vs. extended fasting and my own results.
[00:44:31] Does fasting destroy muscle mass? Debunking the catabolism fear and understanding the crucial role of the re-feeding phase.
[00:57:24] "Dirty" fasting: what really happens to autophagy and metabolic benefits when you add a splash of cream or MCT oil to your coffee?
[01:00:44] VO2 max: the one metric that may predict lifespan more accurately than anything else, and how we work to improve it.
[01:12:07] How a two-year exercise program reversed heart aging by 20 years in previously sedentary, middle-aged adults.
[01:16:18] Lactate isn't the enemy: how vigorous exercise creates a superfuel that protects and grows the brain.
[01:20:30] The optimal sauna protocol (temperature and frequency) for slashing dementia risk by 66%.
[01:29:17] If you're human, you'll find a use for curcumin.
[01:30:43] Creatine for cognition: moving beyond the gym with a powerful, science-backed tool for focus and combating sleep deprivation.
[01:42:41] Still vitamin D deficient despite taking supplements? Here's the critical cofactor you're probably missing.
[01:53:52] Shocking sources of microplastics in our daily lives, including chewing gum and teabags.
[02:04:10] The uncomfortable truth about "moderate" alcohol consumption, cancer risk, and why the "sick quitter" hypothesis makes most older studies unreliable.
[02:17:03] The ups and downs of ketamine and psilocybin on cognition and longevity.
[02:24:19] Parting thoughts and where to find more from Rhonda.
*
Show notes for this episode: https://tim.blog/2025/07/24/dr-rhonda-patrick/
For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.
For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsors
Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.
For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.
Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.
Follow Tim:
Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss
Instagram: instagram.com/timferriss
YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss
Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello, boys and girls, ladies and germs, this is Tim Ferriss, and welcome to another episode |
| 0:04.5 | of The Tim Ferriss Show, where it is my job to interview and deconstruct world-class |
| 0:09.3 | performers, but also sometimes to raid the learnings and toolkits and actionable takeaways |
| 0:16.1 | from people like scientists who are also implementing what they learn on themselves. |
| 0:22.3 | My guest today is one such person. |
| 0:24.3 | I had her on very early in the podcast game, and I've had her on multiple times. |
| 0:29.9 | Rhonda Patrick, PhD, here to share the latest and greatest. |
| 0:33.4 | She is a biomedical scientist and the founder of Found My Fitness, |
| 0:37.2 | a platform dedicated to delivering |
| 0:39.2 | rigorous, evidence-based insights on improving health span and mitigating age-related diseases. |
| 0:45.6 | She and I text offline a lot about all of this and more. |
| 0:50.2 | Through her podcast website and YouTube channel, reaching millions globally, she translates |
| 0:54.7 | complex science into actionable strategies for metabolic health, brain aging, and overall improved |
| 1:01.1 | health span. She is an associate scientist and board member at the Faddy Acid Research Institute, |
| 1:06.4 | where her work focuses on the role of omega-3 fatty acids in metabolic health and brain aging. |
| 1:11.2 | Her peer-reviewed publications have appeared in top-tier journals, including Nature Cell Biology, |
| 1:17.1 | the FASB journal, and experimental gerontology. You can find all things Rhonda Patrick PhD at |
| 1:23.5 | foundmyfitness.com, and you can find her on X and other places at Found My Fitness. |
| 1:30.1 | So just a few words from the folks who make this podcast possible, and then we'll get right |
| 1:35.1 | into this very wide-ranging and actionable conversation with Rhonda Patrick. |
| 1:42.3 | Creatine isn't just for muscle, it turns out. It's essential daily fuel for your brain, your |
| 1:46.8 | body, and long-term performance. For me, I have Alzheimer's and dementia risk in my family. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author, Human Guinea Pig, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author, Human Guinea Pig and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.

