Dr. Rick's Insights

By Dr. Rick Cohen • Updated September 24, 2025 Certain ingredients blunt the very compounds you’re trying to get from a smoothie. When polyphenol-rich foods are blended with ingredients that contain high polyphenol oxidase (PPO), flavan-3-ols and related flavanols are degraded before you ever absorb them. The most common offender in home smoothies is the banana. Why bananas can sabotage a flavanol smoothie High-PPO foods drive an enzymatic reaction that oxidizes flavanols. A controlled, single-blinded, cross-over study showed that pairing flavan-3-ols with a banana-based drink led to an 84% lower peak plasma level versus capsules, and markedly lower than a...

Ask Dr. Cohen When BCAAs Shrink Muscles: How to Use BCAAs the Right Way By: Rick Cohen, M.D. • Updated September 24, 2025 If you’ve heard of BCAAs, currently supplement with them, or you’re considering a BCAA product—read this first. You’ll learn the essentials: what BCAAs are, why an imbalance can backfire, and how to use them correctly so you’re supporting—not shrinking—your muscles. We’ll keep your original links and structure so the post retains its SEO value and slug history. What are BCAAs? BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) are three amino acids with a branched structure: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They’re...

Ask Dr. Cohen C15:0 Fatty Acid — The New Essential Fatty Acid for Healthy Aging By Rick Cohen, M.D. • Updated September 24, 2025 Dolphin longevity research helped spotlight C15:0’s potential role in mammalian health. For years, we simplified fats into “good” vs. “bad.” But emerging research shows not all saturated fats are equal. C15:0 (pentadecanoic acid), an odd-chain saturated fatty acid, has been associated with healthier aging, stronger cell membranes, and reduced inflammation. It may even deserve classification as the first new essential fatty acid discovered in decades. Why C15:0 Matters Unlike common even-chain saturated fats (which often track...

Ask Dr. Cohen My Five Longevity Commandments By Rick Cohen, M.D. • Updated September 24, 2025 I follow many habits for healthspan, but these five strategies consistently deliver the highest leverage. They integrate ancient wisdom, modern research, and practical daily action. Each one addresses a common aging problem, offers a process solution, and ties into tools you can apply right away. Commandment #1: Control Glucose The problem: Spikes in blood sugar accelerate aging even in “healthy” eaters. Post-meal surges drive advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which stiffen collagen, increase wrinkles, inflame joints, and damage organs. Repeated glucose fluctuations also shorten...