The VitalWhys Journal
Articles
Long-form pieces on longevity, training, sleep, and living deliberately. No fluff. Written for people who treat health like it matters.
longevity
Berberine vs. Metformin for Anti-Aging: What the Longevity Research Actually Says
Both berberine and metformin activate AMPK — a cellular pathway strongly implicated in aging. But the longevity evidence behind each is very different. Here's what the research shows and what it doesn't.
May 30, 2026 · 8 min read
zone 2
Heart Rate Zones by Age: The Complete Reference Table
All five heart rate training zones, calculated for every age from 20 to 70. Find your numbers, understand what each zone does, and know which one you should be spending most of your time in.
May 25, 2026 · 11 min read
zone 2
The Exact Zone 2 Heart Rate Formula for Your Age
Every trainer has a Zone 2 formula. Most of them are wrong for you specifically. Here's what the research actually says about how to find your aerobic threshold — and why fixed percentages mislead more people than they help.
May 4, 2026 · 10 min read
muscle
The Muscle Loss Nobody Talks About After 30
You lose roughly 1% of your muscle mass every year after 30. That sounds manageable until you see the strength numbers — which decline two to four times faster. By your 50s, the compounding effect is significant. Most men don't act on this until it's already expensive to reverse.
May 4, 2026 · 9 min read
longevity
What Bryan Johnson's Blueprint Protocol Actually Costs (And the 80/20 Version)
Bryan Johnson spends $2 million a year trying to reverse his biological age. The full protocol is inaccessible to almost everyone. But the underlying science identifies a handful of interventions that deliver the majority of the benefit at a fraction of the cost.
May 4, 2026 · 8 min read
GLP-1
What GLP-1 Drugs Are Doing to Bone Density and Muscle Mass
GLP-1 drugs produce dramatic weight loss. What the prescribing conversation often omits: a meaningful portion of that weight is lean mass, not fat. And rapid weight loss of any kind — drug-assisted or not — reduces the mechanical load on bones. Here's what the 2025 data shows.
May 4, 2026 · 9 min read
body composition
Why Midsection Fat Won't Move No Matter How Clean You Eat
You've fixed your diet. You're training consistently. The waist measurement barely moves. Visceral fat responds to a different set of inputs than subcutaneous fat — and most clean-eating protocols never address them.
May 4, 2026 · 9 min read
heart health
Why Your LDL Number Is Meaningless Without This Test
Your doctor checks your LDL cholesterol and tells you it looks fine. But LDL-C alone doesn't predict cardiovascular risk — and a 14-year Framingham study proves it. The number you actually need to know requires a different test.
May 4, 2026 · 8 min read
longevity
Alcohol and Longevity: What the Research Actually Says
For decades, moderate drinking was considered heart-healthy. Recent research has largely dismantled that claim. Here's an honest look at what alcohol actually does to your body, your sleep, your brain, and your longevity odds.
May 3, 2026 · 6 min read