Female-Specific Exercise & Nutrition for Health, Performance & Longevity | Dr. Stacy Sims

About this video

• Video Title: Female-Specific Exercise & Nutrition for Health, Performance & Longevity | Dr. Stacy Sims
• Channel: Andrew Huberman
• Speakers: Andrew Huberman, Dr. Stacy Sims
• Duration: 02:28:38

Overview

This video features Dr. Stacy Sims, an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, discussing exercise and nutrition strategies tailored for women's health, performance, and longevity. The conversation covers how hormonal cycles, perimenopause, and menopause influence training and nutritional needs, with practical advice on optimizing fitness and well-being across different life stages.

Key takeaways

• Intermittent Fasting for Women: Intermittent fasting and prolonged fasting can be detrimental for active women due to higher oxidative fiber content, potentially increasing cortisol and disrupting key hormones like luteinizing hormone and thyroid function. Time-restricted eating aligned with circadian rhythms is generally more beneficial.
• Training Intensity and Fueling: Women who train fasted, especially with caffeine, may exacerbate stress responses. Ingesting a small amount of protein (around 15g) and carbohydrates (around 30g for cardio) before training can improve performance, brain function, and blunt cortisol spikes.
• Post-Training Nutrition: Women have a narrower recovery window than men. Consuming 30-50g of protein within an hour after training is recommended to stop catabolism and initiate repair, with older women potentially needing more due to anabolic resistance.
• Training by Age and Hormonal Phase: Training intensity and focus should adapt across life stages. Younger women benefit from training to failure for strength and hypertrophy, while older women should focus on heavier lifting with repetitions in reserve to maintain strength and support cognitive health. Training should also consider menstrual cycle phases, with the follicular phase being optimal for high intensity.
• Hormonal Changes and Lifestyle: Perimenopause and menopause bring significant hormonal shifts that impact body composition, sleep, and increase injury risk. Strategies like heavy lifting, high-intensity interval training, and proper nutrition are crucial for managing these changes and promoting longevity.
• Exercise Modalities: Polarized training, combining true high-intensity work (short bursts of maximal effort) with very low-intensity recovery (like walking), is more effective than moderate-intensity exercise for women, especially those in perimenopause and beyond, for hormonal regulation, metabolic health, and cognitive function.
• Supplements and Nutrition: Key supplements for women include creatine (for brain, mood, gut health), Vitamin D3 (especially with low sun exposure), and protein powder. Adaptogens like ashwagandha and shisandra can help manage cortisol and improve focus, but timing and cycling are important.
• Pregnancy and Exercise: During pregnancy, women should stay active but focus on maintaining fitness rather than making gains. Moderate heat exposure (like hot yoga) can be beneficial for placental vascularization, while extreme heat or cold exposure should be approached with caution and ideally discussed with a healthcare provider.
• Listening to One's Body: A critical takeaway is the importance for women to intrinsically understand and listen to their own bodies and hormonal cycles, overriding external societal pressures or fitness trends that may not be optimal for their individual needs.