AMA #76: Peter evaluates longevity drugs, aspirin for CVD, and strategies to improve muscle mass — proven, promising, fuzzy, noise, or nonsense?

Peter Attia

Oct 27, 2025

Episode description

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode

Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content

Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter

In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter revisits the "proven, promising, fuzzy, noise, nonsense" scale and applies it to a variety of popular topics. He begins with a refresher on what each category represents before classifying a range of interventions based on the strength of their supporting evidence. The conversation spans three main areas: drugs for geroprotection (including GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, methylene blue, and telomere-lengthening supplements), the use of low-dose aspirin for cardiovascular disease prevention, and strategies to improve muscle mass through optimal protein intake and follistatin gene therapy. This episode provides a clear, evidence-based overview for listeners seeking to understand where these popular health and longevity interventions stand on the spectrum of scientific credibility.

If you're not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you'll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you're a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your private RSS feed or our website at the AMA #76 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits here.

We discuss:

  • A scale for evaluating scientific claims: proven, promising, fuzzy, noise, or nonsense [1:30];

  • Strong convictions, loosely held: the mindset that separates great scientists from the rest [7:30];

  • GLP-1 receptor agonists: are there benefits beyond improving metabolic health and promoting weight loss? [12:45];

  • GLP-1 drugs and the brain: exploring the potential cognitive benefits [18:45];

  • GLP-1 drugs and lifespan: examining the evidence for potential geroprotective effects [23:00];

  • Rapamycin and geroprotection: why it remains in the "promising" category [25:45];

  • SGL

Episode description

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode

Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content

Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter

In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter revisits the "proven, promising, fuzzy, noise, nonsense" scale and applies it to a variety of popular topics. He begins with a refresher on what each category represents before classifying a range of interventions based on the strength of their supporting evidence. The conversation spans three main areas: drugs for geroprotection (including GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, methylene blue, and telomere-lengthening supplements), the use of low-dose aspirin for cardiovascular disease prevention, and strategies to improve muscle mass through optimal protein intake and follistatin gene therapy. This episode provides a clear, evidence-based overview for listeners seeking to understand where these popular health and longevity interventions stand on the spectrum of scientific credibility.

If you're not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you'll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you're a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your private RSS feed or our website at the AMA #76 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits here.

We discuss:

  • A scale for evaluating scientific claims: proven, promising, fuzzy, noise, or nonsense [1:30];

  • Strong convictions, loosely held: the mindset that separates great scientists from the rest [7:30];

  • GLP-1 receptor agonists: are there benefits beyond improving metabolic health and promoting weight loss? [12:45];

  • GLP-1 drugs and the brain: exploring the potential cognitive benefits [18:45];

  • GLP-1 drugs and lifespan: examining the evidence for potential geroprotective effects [23:00];

  • Rapamycin and geroprotection: why it remains in the "promising" category [25:45];

  • SGL

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Adopt investor mindset to evaluate health information effectively

To evaluate health information effectively, one should have 'strong convictions, loosely held,' a principle borrowed from hedge fund investing that prioritizes changing your mind based on new data.

Prioritize objective data over elegant theories in health claims

A beautiful hypothesis can be 'categorically slayed by ugly facts,' highlighting the importance of prioritizing objective data over elegant theories when evaluating health claims.

Categorize health interventions on five-tier scale

Health interventions can be categorized on a scale from 'Proven' (well-established) to 'Promising,' 'Fuzzy,' 'Noise' (no meaningful results), and 'Nonsense' (disproven by data).

Recognize 'nonsense' claims as actively disproven health assertions

A health claim is categorized as 'nonsense' not due to a lack of evidence, but because available data actively refutes the claim, making it as close to disproven as possible.

Recognize limits of 'proven' in biological claims

Unlike mathematics, nothing in biology is ever truly proven; the 'proven' category simply means a claim is supported by the most high-quality, consistent data available.

Investigate GLP-1s for unique anti-aging effects

A key question for drugs like Ozempic is whether they possess a unique anti-aging effect that improves lifespan beyond their known metabolic health benefits.

Prioritize data over ego to avoid costly investment mistakes

Unlike in science where being wrong may only damage your reputation, in investing, clinging to a bad idea costs real money, which enforces a stricter adherence to data over ego.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Unlock the wisdom of longevity

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Unlock the wisdom of longevity

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Unlock the wisdom of longevity

Unlock the wisdom of longevity

© Mindsip 2025 – Made with ❤ in Vilnius

Unlock the wisdom of longevity

© Mindsip 2025 – Made with ❤ in Vilnius