Matt Kaeberlein, PhD

Brain Aging Isn't Inevitable: Basics Beat Supplements

We talk a lot about brain aging as if it’s inevitable. It’s not. In my latest podcast conversation with @DrRagnar—author of The Stimulated Mind—we unpack what’s actually working for brain longevity and what isn’t. A few takeaways that stood out to me: • The adult brain is far more plastic than most people realize. You can build and maintain function well into your 70s and beyond. • Many of the most effective interventions are not exotic—they’re behavioral: exercise, cognitive challenge, sleep, and metabolic health. • The “3S” framework (Stimulus, Supply, Support) is a useful way to think about brain health as a system—not a supplement stack. • There’s a lot of noise around “brain boosting” tools and supplements. Very little of it holds up to scrutiny. One of the most important points is that we actually have more control over our cognitive trajectory than most people think. But that control comes from consistently doing the basics well—not chasing shortcuts. We also get into: - Whether dementia risk is really rising (the answer is more nuanced than headlines suggest) - What high-performance athletes actually do (and don’t do) for brain health - Why exercise may be the single most powerful tool for neuroplasticity - And where emerging tools like neurostimulation and psychedelics might fit (with a healthy dose of skepticism) If you’re interested in what the science actually says about keeping your brain sharp as you age and want a deeper dive, his new book The Stimulated Mind is worth checking out. 🎧 Listen here: https://t.co/j5eDrgHuIt