Iron Radio: AI’s Impact on Coaching & Peer Review, Urolithin A in Sports Nutrition, and Cold Water Immersion Updates

On Iron Radio, hosts Dr. Lonnie Lowery and Dr. Mike T. Nelson discuss how AI may speed content distribution, assist with business tasks, and potentially replace some lower-level coaches while still lacking context for peer review and research interpretation, raising concerns about regulation, healthcare profit motives, and data-center resource demands. They revisit urolithin A (a gut microbiota–derived metabolite linked to mitochondrial effects), referencing a 2025 Frontiers in Nutrition paper and Mike’s personal and client experiences, noting modest perceived recovery/HRV benefits, high cost, and possible responder differences due to gut conversion. Mike also summarizes a broad review on cold exposure and metabolism across organ systems, highlighting mixed recovery data, evidence that immediate post-hypertrophy cold-water immersion can reduce muscle protein synthesis via reduced blood flow, lack of clear anti-inflammatory marker changes, and practical guidance based on season, logistics, and athlete preference.

00:00 Welcome to Iron Radio

01:13 Mike’s Vegas Mastermind

01:30 AI for Content Creation

03:18 AI Limits and Assumptions

03:57 Peer Review and Academia

05:42 Jobs at Risk in Healthcare

10:23 AI in Coaching and Diets

13:10 Regulation and Data Centers

15:24 AGI Race and Safety

17:36 Urolithin A Research Overview

20:49 Mike’s Experience with UA

22:33 Gut Conversion Variability

22:58 Iron Radio Feed Update

24:10 Free Daily Newsletter

24:48 New Supplements Book

25:57 Postbiotics and Skepticism

28:04 Safety First Testing

29:00 Cold Exposure Review

31:06 Hypertrophy Tradeoffs

35:31 In Season Ice Baths

40:03 Measuring Recovery Reality

43:15 Whole Body Effects

45:51 Wrap Up and Disclaimer

Donate to the show via PayPal HERE.

You can also join Dr Mike's Insider Newsletter for more info on how to add muscle, improve your performance and body comp - all without destroying your health, go to www.ironradiodrmike.com

Thank you!

Phil, Jerrell, Mike T, and Lonnie

Iron Radio: Protein Labeling, Plant Proteins, and Arnold Classic Highlights

On Iron Radio, hosts Coach Phil Stevens, Dr. Mike T. Nelson, and Dr. Lonnie Lowery discuss a recent Food and Nutrition Policy (Feb 2026) proposal to eliminate in vivo protein digestibility requirements (PDCAAS) for protein content claims in North America, arguing it would favor plant proteins and could mislead consumers by focusing on grams per serving rather than usable amino acids. They debate implications for athletes, older adults, and the general public, raise concerns about industry-driven label changes, and note how protein blends and undisclosed ratios could be used for profit. The episode also includes show updates (new distribution via the Iron Radio Nutrition Radio Network, newsletter and book mentions) and a brief recap of Arnold event results, prize money disparities, expo changes over time, and how strongman deadlift numbers have escalated.

00:00 Iron Radio Introductions

00:55 Vegas Trip Chatter

01:40 Protein Labeling News

02:59 PDCAAS vs DIAAS Explained

04:30 Plant Proteins and Policy Push

09:57 Athletes vs Gen Pop Impact

11:59 Confusion and Digestibility Debate

15:33 Industry Motives and Sponsorship

17:03 Protein Blends and RTD Cutting

19:18 Novel Proteins and Vegan Examples

20:38 Protein Priorities Debate

21:41 Plant Based Politics

22:03 Iron Radio Network Update

23:14 Mike Nelson Newsletter Plug

23:52 New Supplements Book

25:00 Arnold Winners and Payouts

27:37 Expo Changes Since COVID

31:09 Strongman Deadlift Explosion

33:43 Media Pass Ideas and Wrap

35:03 Final Disclaimer and Outro

Donate to the show via PayPal HERE.

You can also join Dr Mike's Insider Newsletter for more info on how to add muscle, improve your performance and body comp - all without destroying your health, go to www.ironradiodrmike.com

Thank you!

Phil, Jerrell, Mike T, and Lonnie

RPE in Strength Training: Why Beginners Misuse It (and How to Calibrate It)

On Iron Radio, hosts Coach Phil Stevens, Dr. Lonnie Lowery and Dr. Mike T. Nelson discuss rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and why it can be misapplied in strength training. They define RPE as a subjective intensity scale (including the Borg 6–20 scale) and contrast it with objective measures like heart rate and percentages of 1RM. Phil argues RPE requires calibration through experience and that newer lifters often avoid hard work because they don’t yet know what true maximal effort feels like, while “tough guys” may under-rate effort. The group recommends pairing RPE with objective targets, tracking output over time for patterns, using coaching to calibrate effort, and reserving true all-out attempts for the competition platform to reduce injury risk.

00:00 Show Intro

00:33 Hosts And Agenda

01:26 RPE Hype And Pitfalls

02:53 Percentages Plus RPE

03:45 Coaching New Lifters

04:15 Strain Versus Pain

05:46 Mike Joins And Defines RPE

06:59 Subjective Versus Objective

08:32 Beginners Need Calibration

13:50 Westside Daily Max Explained

16:05 Track Output Over Time

16:24 Avoiding The RPE Hole

17:21 Peaking With RPE

18:19 Objective vs Subjective Load

19:20 RPE Ego And Failure Culture

19:44 Coaching For Psychology

21:09 Calibrating RPE Signals

23:17 Percent Work Plus RPE

24:13 Extra Work As Reward

25:47 Training Toughness Adaptation

28:19 Patterns And Outlier Days

29:40 Warmups Dont Overthink

31:13 Wrap Up And Disclaimer

Donate to the show via PayPal HERE.

You can also join Dr Mike's Insider Newsletter for more info on how to add muscle, improve your performance and body comp - all without destroying your health, go to www.ironradiodrmike.com

Thank you!

Phil, Jerrell, Mike T, and Lonnie