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Fit For Science

Fit For Science

Written by: Stephan Reichl and Rob ter Horst
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 Two scientists discuss how they live their best life, using science, data, tech, wearables, and systems. Fit For Science is a deep-dive podcast hosted by two biological data scientists, Rob and Stephan, exploring the intersection of research, health tech, and data-driven lifestyle design. The hosts provide evidence-based systems, layered with practical "N=2" personal experimentation, to cut through the noise in the health and fitness industry. The Quantified Scientist (Rob): youtube.com/TheQuantifiedScientist Stephan's Website: http://polytechnist.meStephan Reichl and Rob ter Horst Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • The 4 Types of Wearables! Epigenetic Aging & Peakspan vs Healthspan? (+ Enhanced Games) (Fit For Science Episode 7)

    The 4 Types of Wearables! Epigenetic Aging & Peakspan vs Healthspan? (+ Enhanced Games) (Fit For Science Episode 7)
    Jan 19 2026
    Rob and Stephan categorize the modern wearable landscape, explain the shift from epigenetic to proteomic aging clocks, and debate the ethical implications of the upcoming 2026 Enhanced Games.📝SummaryIn this episode, biological data scientists Rob and Stephan provide a systematic framework for navigating the wearable market by defining four distinct device categories: Sleep, Sports, Smartwatches, and Health, while highlighting the technical trade-offs between battery life, GPS robustness, and algorithmic precision. The discussion transitions into the cutting-edge science of biological aging, contrasting traditional epigenetic methylation clocks with emerging organ-specific proteomic models that offer greater interpretability and more actionable insights for disease prevention. They introduce the concept of Peakspan, a proposed metric for maintaining 90% of optimal physiological performance throughout life, and conclude with a deep dive into the 2026 Enhanced Games, exploring the transhumanist debate over the supervised use of performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports.⏳Chapters00:00:00 The Four Wearable Archetypes: Sleep, Sports, Smartwatch, and Health 00:11:53 Software vs. Hardware: Why Tech Giants Lead in Heart Rate Accuracy 00:24:54 Decoding Biological Age: Epigenetic Clocks and Methylation Patterns 00:40:59 The Proteomic Shift: Using Organ-Specific Clocks to Predict Morbidity 00:51:09 Beyond Healthspan: Defining Peakspan at the 90% Performance Threshold 01:03:14 Cognitive Aging: Fluid vs. Crystallized Intelligence 01:12:22 Enhanced Games 2026: The Transhumanist Future of Competitive Sports 📚ResourcesEpigenetics - Wikipedia Unfolded, the DNA in a single human cell is about 2 meters (6.5 feet) long, containing roughly 3 billion base pairs.Steve Horvath's Epigenetic clock - WikipediaThe first/original clock was actually based on DNA methylation levels in saliva, not blood.An unbiased comparison of 14 epigenetic clocks in relation to 174 incident disease outcomes | Nature Communications DNA methylation GrimAge strongly predicts lifespan and healthspan - PMC CeMM: Landsteiner LecturesProtein-based organ aging clock research Tony Wyss-Coray, PhDAmino acid - WikipediaDunedinPACE, a DNA methylation biomarker of the pace of aging - PMC Amazing TIME article about biological age (published after recording 16.01.2026) The Race to Measure How We Age | TIME -omics: Proteomics & GenomicsMayo Clinic Q and A: Lifespan vs. healthspan Peakspan preprint paperFluid and crystallized intelligence - WikipediaTranshumanism - Wikipedia Enhanced Games 2026🎙️AboutFit For Science is a deep-dive podcast hosted by two biological data scientists, Rob and Stephan, exploring the intersection of research, health tech, and data-driven lifestyle design. The hosts provide evidence-based systems, layered with practical "N=2" personal experimentation, to cut through the noise in the health and fitness industry.Learn more and subscribe on your favorite platforms:YouTubeSpotifyApple PodcastsAmazon Music⚠️Disclaimer: This podcast represents our own opinions and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or financial advice or a professional relationship.
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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • Is “Biological Age” Useful According to Science? Systematic 2026 Outlook & 2025 Year Review (Fit For Science Episode 6)

    Is “Biological Age” Useful According to Science? Systematic 2026 Outlook & 2025 Year Review (Fit For Science Episode 6)
    Jan 14 2026
    Rob and Stephan analyze their 2025 health data, discuss the validity of "biological age" metrics, and set systems-based goals for the coming year.📝SummaryIn this episode, biological data scientists Rob and Stephan explore how to use wearable data to review the past year and plan for a better future. They critique the "year in review" features of popular apps, debating whether these metrics provide actionable insights or merely gamified motivation. The discussion moves into the science of cardiovascular age and pulse wave velocity, highlighting how short-term exercise interventions might alter arterial stiffness markers. Reflecting on personal growth, Rob shares his transition from manual to more automated tracking for perceived happiness, while Stephan outlines a systematic "Past Year Review" framework to replace traditional New Year’s resolutions. The episode concludes with a look at 2026 technological trends, including the potential for better batteries, screenless GPS wearables, and new FDA regulatory pathways that could integrate consumer health tech into clinical practice.⏳Chapters00:00:00 Year in Review: Discussing App Recaps and Comparisons 00:07:47 Feedback Loops: How to Use Data Trends for Behavioral Change 00:24:48 Biological Age: Decoupling Marketing from Physiological Truth 00:35:15 Cardiovascular Age: Pulse Wave Velocity and Arterial Adaptation 00:48:57 The Importance of Controls: Lessons from a Cold Exposure Study 01:03:17 Nerve Health: Tracking Impact and Recovery via Smart Scales 01:06:54 Quitter’s Day vs. Systems: Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail 01:08:15 The Past Year Review: A Data-Driven Framework for Lifestyle Design01:12:26 2026 Goals: Marathons, Biking Rivalries, and Life Balance 01:21:10 Professional Focus: Cutting Out Distractions to Finish Projects01:23:54 One-Bag Travel: Reflections on Minimalist Gear and Efficiency 01:27:03 Future Wearables: GPS, Battery Tech, and FDA Regulation📚ResourcesOura 2025 year in reviewWhoop 2025 year in review"Comparison is the death of joy." - Mark TwainArthur C. Brooks Personality Types QuizDoctor Mike confronting Dr. Amen“Imperfect data can still have value” - Joe Barnard (from https://bps.space/)Heroic dose"Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity." - Bruce LeeWhoop biological ageVO2max and longevityLancet Public Health: “7,000 steps/day linked to clinically meaningful health improvements.”: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(25)00164-1/ Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse_wave_velocity PWV relationship to blood pressure: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1814392115 Arteries: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22896-arteries Muscle memory in strength trainingEndurance memory exists and is driven by persistent structural adaptations (capillary density and cardiac remodeling) and epigenetic priming.“Quitter's day” is the second Friday in January.Stephan's Past Year Review instructionsStephan's backpack and packing listThe Greek philosopher Plato proposed the Theory of Forms, asserting that the physical world consists of imperfect copies of eternal, perfect, and abstract "master" templates existing in a higher realm of reality.Oura executives (CEO and CMO) on new regulatory pathway for wearables🎙️AboutFit For Science is a deep-dive podcast hosted by two biological data scientists, Rob and Stephan, exploring the intersection of research, health tech, and data-driven lifestyle design. The hosts provide evidence-based systems, layered with practical "N=2" personal experimentation, to cut through the noise in the health and fitness industry.Learn moreSubscribe on your favorite platformsYouTubeSpotifyApple PodcastsAmazon Music⚠️Disclaimer: This podcast represents our own opinions and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or financial advice or a professional relationship.
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    1 hr and 42 mins
  • Apple Sleep Updates, Wearable Subscriptions & The Philosophy of Self-Tracking (Fit For Science Episode 5)

    Apple Sleep Updates, Wearable Subscriptions & The Philosophy of Self-Tracking (Fit For Science Episode 5)
    Jan 9 2026
    Data scientists Rob and Stephan discuss Apple's latest sleep algorithm improvements, the evolving landscape of wearable subscriptions, and three reasons for personal (health) tracking.📝SummaryIn this episode, the hosts examine the rapid iteration cycles of health technology, starting with Apple’s recent algorithmic improvements to sleep stage detection. They explore the "subscriptionification" of the wearable industry, comparing business models from Whoop, Oura, and Eight Sleep while debating the value of AI-driven health coaching and gamification metrics like "biological age". The discussion transitions into nutritional tracking, covering the medical origin of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and the practical challenges of picture-based food logging. Finally, they dive into three reasons behind self-quantification, highlighting for example how the Hawthorne effect, where the act of observation itself alters behavior, can be a powerful tool for behavior change.⏳Chapters00:00:00 Apple Sleep Algorithm: Improved deep sleep and awake detection 00:09:00 Continuous Sleep: Moving beyond 30-second epoch sleep stages 00:13:20 Data Repositories: The lack of centralized sleep data compared to genomics 00:17:20 Subscription Models: The industry shift from ownership to service licenses 00:35:00 AI Coaching: The utility and hype of AI advisors in wearables 00:44:00 Eight Sleep: Thermal regulation, bed tracking, and high-tier costs 01:13:50 CGM Deep Dive: Continuous glucose monitoring and individual responses 01:29:30 Nutrition Tracking: From barcodes to picture-based food logging 01:35:20 The Hawthorne Effect: Using observation as a tool for behavior change 01:42:00 Management Philosophy: Drucker and Kelvin on the necessity of measurement01:47:40 Technological Optimism: Staying healthy to witness the future📚ResourcesApple sleep staging paper with updated appendix: https://www.apple.com/health/pdf/Estimating_Sleep_Stages_from_Apple_Watch_Oct_2025.pdf The Quantified Scientist - Can Wearables Predict How You Feel?: https://youtu.be/iwZrtb6tlUo Apple Health uses SDNN (Standard Deviation of Normal-to-Normal intervals) as its metric for Heart Rate Variability, while others (such as Oura, Garmin, and Fitbit) use RMSSD.Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/ Dexcom G7 & Stelo: https://www.dexcom.com/ FreeStyle Libre by Abbott: https://www.freestyle.abbott/ Levels Health App: https://framer.levels.com/ A glucose spike is a rapid rise in blood sugar, defined generally as above 140 mg/dL.Nature Medicine paper on individual variations in glycemic responses: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03719-2Clarification: Not Ultrahuman (https://www.ultrahuman.com/) but Supersapiens (https://www.supersapiens.com/) use CGMs for optimal metabolic fueling/efficiency.rTracker app by Robert Miller: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rtracker-track-it-your-way/id486541371Star Trek Qs (immortal species): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_(Star_Trek) Isaac Asimov's Foundation as TV series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_(TV_series) Three Body Problem as TV series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Body_Problem_(TV_series) 🎙️AboutFit For Science is a deep-dive podcast hosted by two biological data scientists, Rob and Stephan, exploring the intersection of research, health tech, and data-driven lifestyle design. Learn more: https://www.fitforscience.com/ Subscribe on your favorite platformsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FitForScience Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/56TjUxuMsPETb0kGEJ7nwf Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fit-for-science/id1863479802Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.de/podcasts/c3e54ee7-4a2c-442e-a59f-553fbfb02b11/fit-for-science ⚠️Disclaimer: This podcast represents our own opinions and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or financial advice or a professional relationship.
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    1 hr and 55 mins
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