EPOC Explained: The Afterburn Effect That Boosts Metabolism and Mitochondria

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Episode Summary: Boosting Energy and Mitochondria Efficiency with HIT and EPOC

In this episode of Over 40 Fitness Hacks, host Brad Williams dives deep into how High-Intensity Training (HIT) and Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) can reignite energy levels, boost metabolism, and increase mitochondrial efficiency—especially important for those of us over 40.

After recovering from hernia surgery, Brad shares his experience noticing a drop in calorie burn and energy output on his Whoop tracker. He explains how this decline connected to reduced mitochondrial activity from skipping HIT sessions. Turning to ChatGPT for insights, Brad explores how HIT stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis—the process of creating new mitochondria—by pushing the body to oxygen debt and triggering powerful recovery processes afterward.

He breaks down the “afterburn effect” (EPOC), explaining how intense bursts of effort force the body to consume extra oxygen post-workout to restore balance, repair tissue, and boost metabolism for up to 36 hours. Brad also compares Zone 2 cardio (steady-state fat burning) with Zone 5 HIT (maximum heart rate, short bursts) and why both are crucial for longevity and efficiency.

Listeners will learn:

• How HIT drives more calorie burn and mitochondrial density than slower workouts.
  

• The science behind EPOC and why it’s a key to sustained fat loss.
  

• How to structure HIT for maximum efficiency (e.g., 30 seconds all-out, 90 seconds rest).
  

• Why adding weights or masks during HIT can actually reduce heart rate and efficiency.
  

• The importance of balancing intensity with recovery to avoid cortisol spikes and fatigue.
  

Brad wraps up by sharing his plan to reintroduce weekly HIT sessions—short, bodyweight-based, and focused purely on speed and heart rate—to reignite energy and optimize his mitochondria naturally before turning back to supplements.

🎧 Key takeaway: You don’t need long workouts—just efficient, intense bursts that supercharge your metabolism and rebuild your body’s cellular engines.

If you're interested in online personal training or being a guest on my podcast, "Over 40 Fitness Hacks," you can reach me at brad@over40fitnesshacks.com or visit my website at:

www.Over40FitnessHacks.com

Additionally, check out my Yelp reviews for my local business, Evolve Gym in Huntington Beach, at https://bit.ly/3GCKRzV

Rebuilding Health with Oxygen: The Science Behind EWOT

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Brad Pitzele - EWOT (Exercise While On Oxygen Therapy)

www.onethousandroads.com

YouTube: @OneThousandRoadsHQ

In this episode of Over 40 Fitness Hacks, host Brad Williams sits down with Brad Pitzele, founder of One Thousand Roads, to explore Exercise with Oxygen Therapy (EWOT)—a powerful biohacking modality that combines cardio exercise with oxygen enrichment to boost health, performance, and longevity.

Brad shares his personal battle with autoimmune arthritis and Lyme disease, a journey that began over a decade ago. After years of medication cycles, painful symptoms, and even a bout with melanoma, he sought alternative healing paths. Conventional treatments offered no long-term relief, leading him to research deeper into root causes and natural recovery methods.

When a doctor suggested trying hyperbaric oxygen therapy or EWOT, Pitzele balked at the cost and accessibility of hyperbaric chambers. Instead, he built his own EWOT system, experienced dramatic recovery over several months, and eventually founded One Thousand Roads in 2018 to make the technology affordable and accessible.

EWOT involves 15 minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise while breathing near-pure oxygen through a mask connected to a large oxygen reservoir. Key points:

• Uses oxygen concentrators to fill a 1,000-liter reservoir.
  

• Enables oxygen delivery far beyond what standard machines can supply.
  

• Can be used with any stationary cardio equipment (bike, treadmill, rebounder, etc.).
  

• Requires only standard electrical outlets and minimal setup space.
  

Pitzele explains that as we age, “inflammaging” causes microscopic capillaries to constrict, restricting oxygen delivery and forcing cells into low-energy, anaerobic states. EWOT reverses this by:

• Reoxygenating plasma to reach starved tissues.
  

• Reducing inflammation and restoring blood flow.
  

• Reactivating mitochondria (cellular powerhouses) and promoting new mitochondrial growth.
  

• Boosting VO₂ max, endurance, and recovery.
  

• Enhancing detoxification, as oxygen helps flush toxins and lactic acid.
  

• Supporting fat burning and overall energy production.
  

Unlike hyperbaric oxygen, which relies on external pressure, EWOT uses exercise-driven oxygen demand for faster, more efficient absorption.

If you're interested in online personal training or being a guest on my podcast, "Over 40 Fitness Hacks," you can reach me at brad@over40fitnesshacks.com or visit my website at:

www.Over40FitnessHacks.com

Additionally, check out my Yelp reviews for my local business, Evolve Gym in Huntington Beach, at https://bit.ly/3GCKRzV

Beyond the Calcium Score: Longevity & Your Own Stem Cells

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Dr. Khoshal Latifzai - Rocky Mountain Regenerative Medicine

www.RMRM.com

Guest: Dr. Kal Khoshal, MD (Rocky Mountain Regenerative Medicine, Boulder, CO) Focus: Longevity, prevention-first diagnostics, and regenerative therapies (peptides, hormones, PRP, stem cells).

Origin story & model: After Dartmouth Med and a Yale EM residency, Dr. Khoshal left the ER due to burnout and the “band-aid” nature of conventional care. He built a cash-pay concierge clinic to spend 60–90 minutes with patients, run deeper diagnostics, and create long-term, prevention-focused plans. He does not bill insurance (patients keep catastrophic coverage), which lets him order better tests and avoid the admin churn.

Diagnostics that actually predict risk:

• Starts from top U.S. mortality drivers (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, trauma in older adults) and then chooses biomarkers that best reflect true risk, repeating them multiple times per year and explaining results in plain English with written notes.
  

• Cancer screening: uses blood tests that detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as an early, broad screen; positives are followed by imaging (often full-body MRI or targeted MRI/PET).
  

• Heart disease: warns that calcium-score CT can miss early non-calcified plaque (common in 40s–60s). Prefers imaging that sees soft plaque before calcification.
  

• Whole-body MRI: advocates this for catching issues (like leg artery disease) that localized scans miss—especially relevant to older adults.
  

Therapies & philosophy:

• Tools include peptides, hormones, PRP, and stem cells, but only after foundations: exercise, nutrition, and social health—there’s no shortcut.
  

• Stem cells: strongly prefers autologous (your own) cells that are culture-expanded in a sterile lab, stored, and used over time (IV for systemic repair; guided injections for joints/spine).
  

• • Cautions against routine allogeneic (donor/cord) cells due to immune reactions and potential long-term autoimmunity.
    

  • Banking earlier is better, but even older adults can benefit; he shared an 80-year-old scoliosis case that avoided major spine surgery after one procedure.
    

  • In-clinic process: mini-lipo harvest → lab isolation & expansion → cryostorage (annual maintenance fee ~$350).
    

  • Advises skepticism about overseas clinics and some cord-blood banks with variable quality/control.

If you're interested in online personal training or being a guest on my podcast, "Over 40 Fitness Hacks," you can reach me at brad@over40fitnesshacks.com or visit my website at:

www.Over40FitnessHacks.com

Additionally, check out my Yelp reviews for my local business, Evolve Gym in Huntington Beach, at https://bit.ly/3GCKRzV

Why I’m Changing My Fitness Routine After Hernia SurgeryClick On My Website Below To Schedule A Free 15 Min Zoom Call:

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Glutathione Patch:

Episode Summary – Post-Hernia Recovery & New Fitness PlanRecovery Context

Brad Williams (Over 40 Fitness Hacks) shares his post-hernia surgery update and how the recovery process is forcing him to pause and re-evaluate his approach. While the downtime is frustrating, it’s giving him space to reset his training and nutrition strategy.

• Protein-focused intermittent fasting: 180–200g of protein across 2 meals daily.
  

• Routine:
  

• • 3 full-body gym sessions (30 minutes, time under tension, circuit style).
    

  • PT/rebounding on Tues & Thurs.
    

  • Daily 1–2 mile walks.
    

  • Planned HIIT trampoline sessions (not always done).
    

• Supplements: Glutathione patches boosted caloric expenditure and energy when used, but results declined after stopping.
  

• Routine stagnation: Same workouts/walks no longer elevate heart rate beyond Zone 2.
  

• Calorie balance: Needs ~1800–2000 calories daily to feel good, but weight loss requires dipping to ~1500, which tanks energy, hormones, and libido.
  

• Reluctant to adopt other cardio forms (boxing, yoga, pilates) despite potential benefits.
  

• Not interested in “outworking” calories with marathon-style activity like his brother’s volleyball sessions.
  

• Red light therapy (Trifecta Light): Tried 12 sessions ($200 unlimited). Minimal personal results (slight arm nerve relief), but his 80-year-old mom noticed some weight loss. Brad is skeptical it’s worth it for him long-term.
  

• Glutathione patches (Lifewave): Previously the best measurable boost on Whoop data, may revisit later.
  

• Testing over supplement overload: Pausing new supplement trials to focus on his own experiment with diet/training changes.
  

1. Nutrition Shift:
   

2. • Move from 2 meals → 3 meals daily.
     

   • Increase protein to 225–250g/day (all from real meat, no whey or pea protein).
     

   • Lunch carries most carbs/fats, dinner focuses on salad + lean proteins (Mediterranean style: fish, chicken, crab, scallops).
     

   • Maintain monthly 36–48 hour fasts for autophagy, while loosening daily fasting windows.
     

3. Training Adjustments:
   

4. • Recommit to HIIT once per week (30s on/off on rebounder with vest, dumbbells, band, oxygen mask).
     

   • Keep gym/rehab/walking structure, but recognize the need for stimulus change if progress stalls.
     

5. Biohacker’s Edge:
   

6. • Lean on protein-driven thermogenesis and added lean mass to naturally raise BMR.
     

   • Hold off on glutathione patches until he proves the new plan works.
     

If you're interested in online personal training or being a guest on my podcast, "Over 40 Fitness Hacks," you can reach me at brad@over40fitnesshacks.com or visit my website at:

www.Over40FitnessHacks.com

Additionally, check out my Yelp reviews for my local business, Evolve Gym in Huntington Beach, at https://bit.ly/3GCKRzV

Creatine Without the Bloat: Con-Cret’s Founder on HCL vs. Monohydrate

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Mark Faulkner - Con-Cret Supplements

Social Media: @concret_creatine

www.Con-Cret.com

Brad opened by sharing your personal experience with creatine monohydrate — its benefits for strength and endurance, but also the downside of bloating and water retention that kept you from using it consistently. Mark clarified that “HCL” vs. “hcl” is just a marketing capitalization difference and explained that creatine hydrochloride (HCL) can offer the same benefits with fewer side effects due to its superior bioavailability.

Mark shared his science-heavy background (physics, biochemistry, toxicology) and his experience co-founding a forensic toxicology lab. His team built the NFL’s steroid testing program, which sparked his interest in safe, legal performance enhancers. After selling the lab, he partnered with sports medicine researchers to find steroid alternatives that could help athletes recover and maintain strength safely. This search led to creatine HCL, which showed strong results for strength, endurance, and recovery without the typical side effects of monohydrate.

• Bioavailability & Efficiency: Creatine HCL is more easily absorbed due to its chemical structure and compatibility with stomach acid (HCL), allowing smaller doses to deliver more creatine to muscle, brain, and immune cells.
  

• Side Effects: Princeton research shows over 50% of men and 75% of women experience bloating and GI distress with monohydrate, which is largely avoided with HCL.
  

• Performance Benefits: Faster recovery, increased training capacity, and leaner muscle gains compared to monohydrate.
  

Mark emphasized that creatine supports all cells — not just muscles:

• Brain health & cognition: Supports energy for thinking and memory.
  

• Immune system: T-cells upregulate creatine receptors before attacking pathogens or abnormal cells (e.g., cancer), so adequate creatine helps them “win the fight.”
  

• Disease prevention & longevity: The CDC is investigating low creatine levels as a factor in rising chronic disease rates.
  

Mark provided a three-tier approach:

1. Daily Health: 750 mg per day for most people.
   

2. Exercise / Biohacking: 750 mg per 100 lbs of body weight 30–60 minutes pre-workout (double up on very strenuous days).
   

3. Medical/Disease States: Higher doses (up to 4–6 g daily) split into multiple servings.
   

He also noted that creatine should be taken daily with no need to cycle off, and extra doses can help with fatigue, poor sleep, or jet lag.

Mark stressed that over 90% of creatine is made in China, and quality can vary dramatically. Con-Cret is the only U.S.-made creatine, manufactured in an NSF-certified facility in Nebraska, ensuring purity and safety for athletes who undergo drug testing. Con-Cret holds multiple patents for its creatine HCL technology, further setting it apart.

If you're interested in online personal training or being a guest on my podcast, "Over 40 Fitness Hacks," you can reach me at brad@over40fitnesshacks.com or visit my website at:

www.Over40FitnessHacks.com

Additionally, check out my Yelp reviews for my local business, Evolve Gym in Huntington Beach, at https://bit.ly/3GCKRzV

Protecting Your Body from EMF: The Hidden Threat to Longevity Over 40

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Arthur - CEO of HAVN - EMF Clothing

www.havnwear.com

15% Off Discount Code: OVER40

Social Media: @HAVNWEAR

Arthur, founder of HAVN (pronounced "Haven") Clothing, joined the show to raise awareness around EMF (electromagnetic field) radiation, which is emitted from everyday electronics like phones, Wi-Fi routers, smartwatches, and even microwaves. Though not widely discussed, EMFs have been classified by the World Health Organization as a Class 2B possible carcinogen and are linked in over 2,000 studies to issues like:

• DNA damage
  

• Neurological disorders
  

• Sleep disruption
  

• Cardiovascular disease
  

• Fertility problems
  

Arthur’s background in biology and engineering, plus personal experiences with illness in his family, led him to explore the health risks of EMF exposure and design protective clothing through HAVN.

As technology evolves (especially with 5G and 6G), EMF exposure is increasing. Newer tech requires more antennas and emits stronger frequencies, especially in urban areas and smart homes filled with connected devices.

Even wearables like fitness trackers (e.g., WHOOP) and cell phones—due to proximity—may be worse offenders than Wi-Fi routers. EMFs are likened to pollution: invisible, everywhere, and cumulative in their effects over time.

Arthur emphasizes reducing exposure, especially during sleep (1/3 of your life!), as a powerful first step. His top free or low-cost tips:

1. Put your phone on airplane mode or keep it out of the bedroom at night.
   

2. Turn off your Wi-Fi router overnight (via timer plug if necessary).
   

3. Avoid sleeping with wearables like WHOOP or smartwatches.
   

4. Keep devices off your body when not in use.
   

5. Use EMF meters (offered by HAVN) to detect high-emission areas in your home.
   

Arthur developed HAVN Clothing (spelled HAVN, removing “EMF” from “haven”) to shield essential organs from EMF without compromising modern life. Their proprietary WaveStopper fabric blocks 99.7% of EMFs (400 MHz–40 GHz) using silver fiber mesh.

Available products include:

• Pajamas
  

• Underwear
  

• Hats and beanies
  

• Gaiters for thyroid
  

• Blankets
  

• Hoodies for travel
  

These are particularly helpful for people living in apartments or dense urban environments where community EMF exposure is high. For beginners, Arthur recommends starting with headwear, underwear, and sleepwear to protect the most vulnerable organs during sleep.

If you're interested in online personal training or being a guest on my podcast, "Over 40 Fitness Hacks," you can reach me at brad@over40fitnesshacks.com or visit my website at:

www.Over40FitnessHacks.com

Additionally, check out my Yelp reviews for my local business, Evolve Gym in Huntington Beach, at https://bit.ly/3GCKRzV

Gut Health, Sleep Hacks & Time Under Tension: My Latest Over 40 Fitness Blueprint

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Summary Recap:

• You aim for 170–200g of protein per day, averaging ~2100 calories, based on your Whoop-tracked expenditure (~2600 calories).
  

• Food strategy:
  

• • Keto-focused but include carb refeeds midweek (e.g., half a baked potato) for hormonal balance.
    

  • Include organ meats via jerky (beef liver & heart) to avoid cooking them.
    

  • Avoid high-oxalate vegetables (e.g., spinach, kale), favor raw organic produce.
    

  • Dinner includes variety: ground turkey, wild salmon, corn tortillas, guacamole, eggs, and gut-healthy snacks like pumpkin seeds and cashews.
    

• You prioritize blood glucose and insulin control by:
  

• • Eating fiber and protein first, carbs last.
    

  • Using psyllium husk before meals (working to upgrade to a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber based on recent podcast guest advice).
    

• Gym workouts (Mon/Wed/Fri):
  

• • Full-body sessions using time under tension training (5–10 second reps, slower tempo).
    

  • Prioritize joint safety and mind-muscle connection.
    

• Off days (Tues/Thurs/weekends):
  

• • Wear Hyperwear weight vest for added resistance during walks or errands.
    

  • Use JumpSport rebounder for low-impact cardio and pelvic floor engagement.
    

  • Skip extra modalities like yoga/boxing due to time and recovery focus.
    

• Anti-inflammatory strategy:
  

• • Avoid processed foods.
    

  • Take Fusionary Formulas Turmeric Gold—high in curcumin—for inflammation support (after interviewing Dr. Shah).
    

• Gut health strategy:
  

• • Recently tested with Tiny Health—superior reporting over past tests.
    

  • Implement daily food checklist (posted on your fridge) tailored to your unique microbiome issues.
    

  • Supplements include targeted probiotics or food-based fixes (based on test results).
    

• New test goal: Improve score from 83 to 100 using personalized changes.
  

• New experiment: Red light therapy for cellular-level inflammation reduction.
  

• Optimized with:
  

• • Earlier bedtime, screen curfew.
    

  • Whoop tracking for HRV and recovery.
    

  • Magnesium Breakthrough (BiOptimizers) with a full spectrum of magnesium types—key to lowering blood pressure and improving sleep quality.
    

  • Glycine powder (discovered via ChatGPT) to boost nitric oxide, aiding sleep and overall circulation.
    

• You acknowledge this pillar is deeply personal and harder to fix with supplements.
  

• You focus on daily life improvements, maintaining low stress through structure and purpose.
  

• While you don’t dwell on this topic in the episode, you emphasize continued self-work and awareness.
  

• Used selectively—only when your diet doesn’t meet all needs.
  

If you're interested in online personal training or being a guest on my podcast, "Over 40 Fitness Hacks," you can reach me at brad@over40fitnesshacks.com or visit my website at:

www.Over40FitnessHacks.com

Additionally, check out my Yelp reviews for my local business, Evolve Gym in Huntington Beach, at https://bit.ly/3GCKRzV