Skinny Is Where You Go to Die: Muscle Power & Myokines for Ageing Women with Dr. Paul Taylor

Your muscles aren't just for moving — they're an endocrine organ, releasing hundreds of signalling molecules called myokines every time you contract them. Dr. Paul Taylor breaks down the science of myokines, why muscular power (not just strength) is the strongest predictor of how long you'll live, and why the pursuit of "skinny" is costing women their healthspan.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Death by Comfort: How Modern Life Is Killing Us and What We Can Do About It by Dr. Paul Taylor
The Hardiness Podcast with Dr. Paul Taylor
Dr. Paul Taylor's website
Frank W. Booth et al., "Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases", Comprehensive Physiology, 2012
Physical Activity Patterns and Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Hunter-Gatherers, Hadza hunter-gatherer study using continuous heart-rate monitoring
Ultra-Processed Food Exposure and Adverse Health Outcomes: Umbrella Review of Epidemiological Meta-Analyses, The BMJ, 2024
Mark Seery, "Challenge or Threat? Cardiovascular Indexes of Resilience and Vulnerability to Potential Stress in Humans", University at Buffalo
COSMOS-Mind: Effects of Cocoa Extract and a Multivitamin on Cognitive Function, randomized clinical trial in older adults
Biosphere 2: Calorie Restriction and Physiologic, Hematologic, Hormonal, and Biochemical Changes
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Cold Water Exposure with Professor Mike Tipton, The Hardiness Podcast
Muscle Power Versus Strength as a Predictor of Mortality in Middle-Aged and Older Men and Women, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2025
BIO
Dr. Paul Taylor is a Psychophysiologist, with a PhD in Psychology, separate master's degrees in Exercise Science and Nutrition and a postgraduate qualification in Neuroscience. As Director of Paul Taylor Consulting, he has conducted published research that shows that his programs have proven benefits for increasing hardiness, cognitive function and employee wellbeing, whilst reducing burnout across multiple industries. More at paultaylor.biz/about
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TOPICS COVERED
Myokines: what they are and how muscle contraction releases them
Muscle as an endocrine organ/exercise as medicine
The molecule of hope (irisin) and the myokine-brain connection
Being sedentary as "an active depressant"
Muscular power vs. strength vs. size for longevity
Two major waves of aging (40-44 and 60) and accelerated muscle loss
Sarcopenia, falls risk, and mortality in older adults
Hormesis and the case for reintroducing discomfort (Death by Comfort)
Cold plunge and cortisol: debunking the myth for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women
Cortisol response vs. threat response vs. challenge response
Chronic stress, amygdala hypertrophy, and frontal lobe shrinkage
Ultra-processed foods and the 80/20 rule
Protein requirements in perimenopause and menopause (1.6-2g/kg body weight)
Debunking low-protein "longevity diet" claims and Blue Zone research
Grip strength, VO2 max, and muscular power hazard ratios vs. smoking risk
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