179 - Blood flow restriction—benefits, uses, & the relationship between muscle size and strength

Jeremy Loenneke has a Ph.D. in exercise physiology, a Master’s in nutrition and exercise, and is currently the director of the Kevser Ermin Applied Physiology Laboratory at the University of Mississippi, where he focuses his research on skeletal muscle adaptations to exercise in combination with blood flow restriction (BFR). In this episode, Jeremy explains the science of BFR and the mechanisms by which BFR training can produce hypertrophy using low loads. Here, he reviews anatomy and terminology of muscle structure and discusses the evidence that increasing muscular strength may not be dependent on increasing muscle size. Additionally, Jeremy goes into depth on how one might take advantage of BFR training, including practical applications for athletes and average people, as well as the situations for which BFR training would be most advantageous.

We discuss:
00:00:00 - intro
00:00:10 - Jeremy’s interest in exercise and weightlifting and his scientific training
00:05:24 - The microstructure and physiology of muscle
00:10:42 - Definitions of fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers
00:20:18 - Comparison of strength vs. hypertrophy
00:28:00 - Blood flow restriction training and the origins of the Kaatsu system
00:45:28 - The details and metrics related to exercise under blood flow restriction
00:54:25 - Considerations when training with blood flow restriction: loading, pace, rest, and risks
01:06:53 - Blood flow restriction studies and the relationship between muscle size and muscle strength
01:21:00 - Evidence that increasing muscular strength is not dependent on increasing the size of the muscle
01:32:35 - Practical applications of blood flow restriction training for athletes and average people
01:40:50 - Situations in which blood flow restriction training is most advantageous
01:46:02 - The mechanisms by which blood flow restriction training can produce so much hypertrophy at such low loads
01:54:26 - Applications of “passive” blood flow restriction training
01:59:15 - What experiments would Jeremy do if he had unlimited resources?

Show notes page: https://peterattiamd.com/jeremyloenneke/

--------
About:

The Peter Attia Drive is a weekly, ultra-deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing health, longevity, critical thinking…and a few other things. With over 30 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including fasting, ketosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.

Peter is a physician focusing on the applied science of longevity. His practice deals extensively with nutritional interventions, exercise physiology, sleep physiology, emotional and mental health, and pharmacology to increase lifespan (delay the onset of chronic disease), while simultaneously improving healthspan (quality of life).

Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com
Subscribe to receive exclusive subscriber-only content: https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe
Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter

Connect with Peter on:
Facebook: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDFB
Twitter: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDTW
Instagram: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDIG

Subscribe to The Drive:
Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveApplePodcasts
Overcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveOvercast
Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheDriveSpotify
Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheDriveGoogle