The 3 Silent Killers in Bodybuilding (And How to Prevent Them)

🎧 Episode Summary
In this follow-up conversation, Andrew Berry and Kyle sit down again with Dom Mutascio to break down the core health pillars that determine bodybuilding longevity. The discussion centers around three major drivers of long-term disease and premature death in athletes: blood glucose control, blood pressure, and systemic inflammation.
Dom explains why prevention beats correction, how simple at-home tools can eliminate most serious health risks, and why many bodybuilders ignore warning signs until it’s too late. The episode also covers CGMs vs finger-stick testing, lab markers beyond A1C, misuse of blood pressure medications, inflammation testing pitfalls, and the supplements that actually matter — not just what’s trendy.
This episode is a must-listen for competitors who want to maximize performance without sacrificing decades of their life.

⏱️ Time Stamps & Chapters
00:01 – Welcome Back & Why Longevity Matters
01:50 – Why Prevention Is Easier Than Reversing Disease
02:30 – The “Big 3” Causes of Most Chronic Disease
03:15 – Why Every Athlete Should Own a Glucose Meter & BP Cuff
04:27 – Endothelial Damage, Plaque & Cardiovascular Risk
05:55 – Blood Sugar Targets for Bodybuilders
06:48 – Fasted vs Post-Meal Glucose Testing Explained
08:06 – Morning High Glucose: Cortisol vs Insulin Resistance
09:12 – Using Wearables (Oura, HRV, Sleep) to Interpret Glucose
10:05 – CGMs: Useful Tool or Overrated Gadget?
11:32 – Why Finger-Stick Testing Still Matters
13:30 – A1C vs Fructosamine vs Insulin: What Actually Tells the Truth
15:05 – HOMA-IR & QUICKI for Insulin Resistance
17:04 – Ideal Fasted Insulin Levels for Athletes
18:07 – Blood Pressure: The Silent Killer in Bodybuilding
19:33 – When to Use BP Meds vs Lifestyle Fixes
20:57 – Electrolytes, Stress & Breathing Techniques
21:16 – Breathwork to Lower BP & Blood Sugar
23:09 – Cialis, Arjuna & Supplement Use for BP
24:04 – Dangers of Blindly Using BP Medication
25:56 – BP Management During Peak Week
27:34 – Systemic vs Training-Induced Inflammation
28:20 – CRP, Homocysteine & ESR Explained
30:31 – How Training Skews Lab Results
32:19 – Liver, Kidney & Muscle-Specific Lab Markers
33:58 – Calcium Scores & Cardiac CTs
34:55 – Autoimmune Flares & GI-Driven Inflammation
36:01 – GI-MAPs, Calprotectin & sIgA
36:30 – Core Supplements for Inflammation & Longevity
37:56 – Vitamin D Toxicity & Calcium Score Mistakes
39:03 – Longevity vs “Old-School” Bodybuilding Mentality
41:37 – Supplement Quality, Dosage & Duration
42:20 – Warning Signs Athletes Ignore
43:18 – Final Takeaway: You Can Be Big and Healthy

🎯 Key Themes
Bodybuilding longevity ≠ being small
Blood glucose control matters outside prep
BP meds aren’t “just in case” tools
Chronic inflammation starts with lifestyle
Supplements don’t fix poor habits
Warning signs come before catastrophe