#101 Dr. Andy Galpin: The Optimal Diet, Supplement, & Recovery Protocol for Peak Performance

Rhonda Patrick

Apr 22, 2025

Episode description

Download my “How to Train According to the Experts” guide

Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot

Nutrition, supplementation, and recovery are foundational for enhancing exercise performance, but their full potential often remains untapped. In this episode, Dr. Andy Galpin, a renowned expert who has coached Olympians, world champions, and professional athletes across major sports, breaks down exactly how to leverage these critical elements to meaningfully enhance your results.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction
(05:01) Eating to perform vs. eating to live longer—do you have to choose?
(08:20) Training fasted—are the mitochondrial benefits worth it?
(14:53) What should you eat before early-morning strength training?
(16:52) Why nutrient timing isn't critical for the average exerciser
(18:44) Is intermittent fasting killing your gains?
(29:24) Carbs before resistance training—fuel or fluff?
(31:07) Endurance fueling strategies—what actually works?
(36:02) When is post-exercise carb intake truly essential?
(37:35) Game day fueling—how to get it right
(40:25) Carb supplements vs. whole foods—what do elite athletes actually eat?
(43:18) Rethinking fat intake for exercise performance
(46:14) Metabolic flexibility—how the term got hijacked
(50:39) The real test of metabolic health—why skipping a meal shouldn't break you
(51:55) Are anaerobic and aerobic systems truly separate?
(55:56) Does protein timing really matter?
(58:27) Whole foods vs. protein powders
(1:03:21) Fat timing—overlooked or irrelevant?
(1:04:48) The truth about seed oils and saturated fat
(1:09:43) Magnesium—who actually needs to supplement?
(1:11:43) The problem with magnesium blood tests
(1:13:01) Why the magnesium RDA might not be enough
(1:13:54) Magnesium citrate, glycinate, or threonate—does it matter?
(1:15:55) Do magnesium supplements really aid recovery?
(1:18:35) Omega-3 supplementation—is the AFib risk real?
(1:22:10) Can omega-3s prevent muscle loss during inactivity?
(1:26:14) Why "performance anchors" matter more than supplements
(1:30:47) Iron deficiency—the hidden performance killer?
(1:33:42) Does caffeine before workouts increase fat burning?
(1:35:29) Caffeine cycling—smart strategy or outdated myth?
(1:38:45) Can music measurably enhance workout performance?
(1:39:57) Rhodiola rosea—fatigue fighter or placebo?
(1:44:38) Beetroot, citrulline, arginine—do nitric oxide boosters work?
(1:55:07) Beta-alanine—why the tingles might be worth it
(2:0

Episode description

Download my “How to Train According to the Experts” guide

Discover my premium podcast, The Aliquot

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction
(05:01) Eating to perform vs. eating to live longer—do you have to choose?
(08:20) Training fasted—are the mitochondrial benefits worth it?
(14:53) What should you eat before early-morning strength training?
(16:52) Why nutrient timing isn't critical for the average exerciser
(18:44) Is intermittent fasting killing your gains?
(29:24) Carbs before resistance training—fuel or fluff?
(31:07) Endurance fueling strategies—what actually works?
(36:02) When is post-exercise carb intake truly essential?
(37:35) Game day fueling—how to get it right
(40:25) Carb supplements vs. whole foods—what do elite athletes actually eat?
(43:18) Rethinking fat intake for exercise performance
(46:14) Metabolic flexibility—how the term got hijacked
(50:39) The real test of metabolic health—why skipping a meal shouldn't break you
(51:55) Are anaerobic and aerobic systems truly separate?
(55:56) Does protein timing really matter?
(58:27) Whole foods vs. protein powders
(1:03:21) Fat timing—overlooked or irrelevant?
(1:04:48) The truth about seed oils and saturated fat
(1:09:43) Magnesium—who actually needs to supplement?
(1:11:43) The problem with magnesium blood tests
(1:13:01) Why the magnesium RDA might not be enough
(1:13:54) Magnesium citrate, glycinate, or threonate—does it matter?
(1:15:55) Do magnesium supplements really aid recovery?
(1:18:35) Omega-3 supplementation—is the AFib risk real?
(1:22:10) Can omega-3s prevent muscle loss during inactivity?
(1:26:14) Why "performance anchors" matter more than supplements
(1:30:47) Iron deficiency—the hidden performance killer?
(1:33:42) Does caffeine before workouts increase fat burning?
(1:35:29) Caffeine cycling—smart strategy or outdated myth?
(1:38:45) Can music measurably enhance workout performance?
(1:39:57) Rhodiola rosea—fatigue fighter or placebo?
(1:44:38) Beetroot, citrulline, arginine—do nitric oxide boosters work?
(1:55:07) Beta-alanine—why the tingles might be worth it
(2:0

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Reduce bedroom CO2 levels to improve sleep quality

High carbon dioxide levels in the bedroom, often above 900 parts per million, can dramatically impair sleep quality and next-day cognitive function.

#air-quality

#sleep

Monitor nightly respiratory rate for early stress detection

Your nightly respiratory rate is a more sensitive and earlier indicator of physiological stress or illness than heart rate variability (HRV) or resting heart rate.

#stress

#testing

Clarify metabolic flexibility as efficient fuel usage

The term 'metabolic flexibility' has been hijacked to mean maximizing fat burning, when its true meaning is the ability to efficiently use both fats and carbohydrates as fuel.

#metabolism

Choose whole eggs for superior muscle and strength gains

A study where protein and calories were matched found that consuming whole eggs resulted in greater muscle and strength gains compared to consuming egg whites alone.

#muscle

#protein

Utilize rhodiola to manage stress response during intense exercise

Rhodiola rosea acts as an adaptogen by mitigating the body's stress response to intense exercise, rather than providing a direct stimulant effect like caffeine.

#adaptogen

#stress

Moderate citrulline intake to avoid intense effects

While both beetroot and citrulline enhance blood flow, citrulline can be so potent that some people find the effect unpleasantly intense.

#blood-flow

#supplement

Boost immunity with high-dose glutamine intake

Taking high doses of glutamine, around 10-20 grams per day, may be an effective strategy for boosting immune function and preventing common illnesses.

#glutamine

#immune-system

Trust your feelings as primary recovery metric

Your subjective feeling of progress and pain is the most important recovery metric, often proving more reliable than data from wearable devices.

#recovery

Utilize water pressure to enhance recovery

The simple orthostatic pressure from being immersed in water, regardless of temperature, significantly aids recovery by promoting fluid exchange in tissues.