October 26, 2023
Picture yourself in your mid-70s, feeling as though you’re at the prime of your life.
Yes, it’s possible.
Around two decades ago, Warren’s unwavering interest in health and well-being led him to channel his energy and resources into the field of natural health. In 1998, he, alongside his son, Lance Matthews, embarked on a journey that would ultimately result in the creation of Xtend-Life Natural Products in 2000. Today, Xtend-Life is celebrated as one of New Zealand’s business success stories, known for its commitment to purity, innovative formulations, and competitive pricing. Their products, ranging from natural supplements to Zupafoods™, Omega-3, and skincare, reach thousands of customers in over 40 countries each month. Warren’s mission is clear: to promote scientific research and wider public awareness of the genuine benefits of pure, natural products combined with sensible diet and lifestyles.
My second guest, Ivor Cummins, is a seasoned chemical engineer with a remarkable career in the medical device industry and beyond. With a specialty in leading teams through complex problem-solving efforts, Ivor’s expertise is unquestionable. He’s a University College Dublin graduate who spent the first six years of his career developing and optimizing medical devices like hemodialysis units, hemoperfusion cartridges, and coronary stent assemblies. Over the years, Ivor continued to enhance his professional knowledge by becoming a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and a Project Management Professional (PMP). He also completed an Innovation and Entrepreneurial Management Certificate at Stanford University.
Ivor resides in Dublin, Ireland, with his family, and he’s the author of Eat Rich, Live Long: Use the Power of Low-Carb and Keto for Weight Loss and Great Health. You might also recognize him from his often controversial yet informative low-carb and keto website and podcast, “The Fat Emperor.”
In today’s episode, Warren will share his remarkable insights into living a long and healthy life at the age of 76, Ivor will explore the intricate world of multivitamin absorption and delivery mechanisms, and we’ll unravel the significance of blending different forms of vitamins, minerals, and supplements for optimal health. Additionally, we’ll discuss heart health and the choices we make regarding medications. Get ready for an enlightening conversation that may very well transform your perspective on well-being and longevity.
During our discussion, you’ll discover:
-Who are Warren Matthews and Ivor Cummins?…1:18
- Warren hails from Christchurch, New Zealand
- Innovative multivitamin formula and his company Xtend-Life (use code GREENFIELD to save 15%)
- Ivor – chemical engineer with expertise in biochemistry and nutrition
- Ivor is from Ireland – the The Fat Emperor podcast
-Warren’s secrets to living a long and healthy life at 76…4:14
-Nutraceutical ingredients and manufacturing processes…12:10
- Excipients in the nutraceutical industry
- New ingredients as excipients are 10 times more expensive than magnesium but have no potential downsides and are compatible with other botanical extracts
- Took almost a year before the first bottle was released
- Sourcing specific ingredients from around the world, which were difficult to obtain and cost $80,000
- Enteric coating was crucial for the product’s effectiveness, as some ingredients were sensitive to stomach acid and needed to be released in the upper intestine
-Multivitamin absorption and delivery mechanisms…20:32
- Total Balance Xtend-Life multivitamin (use code GREENFIELD to save 15%)
- Multivitamin absorption and the reasoning behind the formula’s 7 tablets
- Enzymes in the product help break down ingredients for absorption in the bloodstream
- The importance of balancing supplements to address various organs and systems in the body
- The effectiveness of multivitamins that target specific nutrients based on bloodwork parameters, suggests a more personalized approach
-Can comprehensive multivitamins lead to overdosing if other supplements are taken in combination?…27:10
- Opinions on vitamin K and vitamin K2
- Ivor mentions Dr Barrie Tan on tocotrienols, where he highlights the importance of vitamin K for heart health, with evidence from epidemiological studies and mechanistic evidence on calcification of the vascular system
- Podcasts with Dr. Barrie Tan:
- The importance of adequate magnesium, DHA, EPA, vitamin D, and other nutrients for optimal health
- Limitations of traditional blood tests in measuring magnesium levels and the potential risks of overdosing on vitamin D
-Vitamins, minerals, and supplements with a focus on blending different forms for optimal health…33:11
- Vitamin D study – those who are at risk of GI cancer benefit a lot from 4000-10,000 international units a day
- Benefits of vitamin D, including reducing the risk of colon cancer and the importance of balancing with vitamin K and magnesium
- Mixing different forms of vitamin E
- Tocotrienols and Tocopherols
- GG Pure (use code GREENFIELD to save 15%) is the Geranylgeraniol (GG) supplement
- Provides additional benefits for heart and vascular health
- Can be added to the multivitamin for a more comprehensive approach
- Dr. Barrie Tan also helped formulate Xtend Quinol CoQ10 + GG (use code GREENFIELD to save 15%)
- Importance of understanding the form of nutrients in a multivitamin, citing folic acid as an example
- Debate surrounding folic acid and whether to use methyl tetrahydrofolate or synthetic folic acid in a multivitamin
-Heart health and calcification based on Ivor’s personal story…38:19
- Warren recounts his experience with puffiness and shortness of breath, despite no history of chest pain or exercise issues, and wonders if it could be related to their work
- Doctor diagnosed aortic stenosis, recommended surgery to replace valve (open heart surgery)
- Warren researched calcification in soft tissue, found potential for reversal with time (2-3 years), and found Ivor’s podcast The Fat Emperor
- That’s how their professional relationship started
-Heart health and medication choices…44:20
- Ivor discusses calcification in the arteries, which can be detected through a calcium scan
- A sign of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation
- High score on a calcium scan indicates a need to dig deeper to identify what has gone wrong
- May involve using statins, PCs, and other treatments
- Warren refuses to take statins despite doctor’s recommendations, citing research and personal experience
- Warren questions the effectiveness of statins, citing a British Medical Journal study that found average life extension is approximately 4 days over a 5-year period
- Statin response varies based on individual vascular pathology
- Some showing significant improvement in events despite low calcium scores
- Importance of addressing underlying causes of inflammation, such as insulin resistance, rather than solely relying on statins for cholesterol management
- Importance of magnesium for overall health, citing a specific product derived from seawater that contains trace minerals and has shown a dramatic reduction in calcification in RCTs
- The magnesium used in the Xtend-Life formula is from seawater, with additional trace elements
- Ben adds magnesium salts to his ice bath
-Health and wellness practices of a 76-year-old entrepreneur…55:56
- The differences between folic acid and folate, and the potential risks of high folic acid levels
- Folate is the natural form taken from food
- Folic acid is synthetic, converted to folate in the liver
- Energy drinks contain high amounts of folic acid, which can promote homocysteine issues and inflammation
- Warren’s self-care routine
- Hot tub
- Infrared sauna
- Healthy eating
- Staying active through flying and boat building
- Importance of weightlifting for older men and women
- Ben’s program of super slow training with single set failure to exhaustion
- Warren’s and Ivor’s friend, Dr. Ben Bocchicchio‘s program
- Does a 15-minute workout with heavy weights
- Aiming for failure to exhaustion, finding it easier to stick to due to its brevity
- Xtend-Life (use code GREENFIELD to save 15%)
-And much more…
Upcoming Events:
- Couples Collective: October 25th – 29th, 2023
Couples Collective is an exclusive and immersive way to explore health, wellness, and mindset with your significant other. Jessa and I will be leading a health optimization and relationships workshop, alongside many other awesome couples. This is a small event, and access requires you to interview with event-holder OWN IT to ensure a right fit. However, for those who are said fit, this event is designed to bring you into deeper union within your relationship and onward into greater connection with your life, love, health, and happiness. I’m looking for 6 to 7 powerful couples to come join me at the event – are you one of them? Learn more here.
- Elements of Vitality: December 8th, 2023
Return to the Elements of Vitality—this will be the second time my good friend Dr. John Lieurance and I collaborate to bring you the most effective and cutting-edge health and wellness advice, protocols, and some of our favorite tools. If you’re into health and wellness, and you want to stay on top of all of the cutting-edge, latest, and greatest innovations and protocols, you don’t want to miss this event. Learn more here.
Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.
Resources from this episode:
– Warren Matthews and Ivor Cummins:
– Podcasts:
– Other Resources:
Episode Sponsors:
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Do you have questions, thoughts, or feedback for Warren Matthews, Ivor Cummins, or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!
