#797: Dr. Keith Baar, UC Davis — Simple Exercises That Can Repair Tendons (Tennis Elbow, etc.), Collagen Fact vs. Fiction, Isometrics vs. Eccentrics, JAK Inhibitors, Growth Hormone vs. IGF-1, The Anti-RICE Protocol, and How to Use Load as an Anti-Inflammatory

This podcast episode interviews Dr. Keith Baar, a professor specializing in physiology and membrane biology, about tendon health and injury recovery. The discussion covers isometric exercise protocols for tendon strengthening, debunking common misconceptions about eccentric training, and the role of factors like collagen supplementation and estrogen in tendon health. Dr. Baar emphasizes the importance of isometric holds (10-30 seconds) with 6-8 hour rest periods for optimal tendon loading and minimizing injury, contrasting this with the limitations of eccentric training. A key takeaway is that for chronic injuries, overcoming isometrics are recommended over yielding isometrics to ensure even load distribution across the tendon. The interview also touches upon the effects of ketogenic diets and rapamycin on muscle and tendon health, as well as the impact of estrogen on tendon stiffness in women.