According to reports, LeBron James, who turns 40 next month, spends $1.5 million a year to maintain his physical fitness.
The Lakers player did neither confirm or refute the $1.5 million amount, which was first brought up in the new Netflix documentary series “Starting 5.”
In addition to cryotherapy, red light treatment, hyperbaric chamber time, mid-day naps, and a high-carb, low-sugar diet, the four-time NBA champion dedicates hours each day to his biohacking regimen.
Here’s what entrepreneur and author Dave Asprey, dubbed “the father of biohacking,” has to say regarding LeBron’s full-court press program and the precise purpose of the alleged $1.5 million.
“LeBron focuses a lot on recovery, which is crucial if you want to perform at your full power and live a long time,” Asprey said.
Proper rest
According to reports, LeBron naps for two or three hours every day and sleeps for eight or nine hours every night.
“That’s the best way for your body to physically and emotionally be able to recover and get back to 100% as possible. Now, will you wake up and feel 100%? There are some days you don’t,” James said on a 2018 episode of “The Tim Ferriss Show” podcast.
He went on, “So you feel better some days than others. But it’s important to get eight and even nine hours of sleep. I even get ten hours of sleep sometimes.”
High-quality sleep is indeed one of the best longevity hacks,” Asprey said. “But unless you’re an athlete, most people don’t need to take mid-day naps if they’re sleeping well at night. Focus on getting quality sleep at night and you won’t need to take naps.”
Clean Eating Diet
LeBron says that he usually eats very clean during the season.
He likes gluten-free pancakes with berries for breakfast, an arugula salad with chicken for lunch, and chicken parmesan with rocket salad for supper, while avoiding sugary drinks, artificial sweeteners, and fried foods.
“I sort of cut out the sugars, but I kind of raise the carbs.” James says that players are burning all of their energy during the games, and losing a lot of calories. “Since carbohydrates give you energy, I kind of eat a lot of them. I found that this works for me”.
According to Asprey, lowering added sugar lengthens life expectancy since persistently high blood sugar levels can induce chronic illness and aging.
“The best diet strategy for longevity is to focus on quality carbohydrates, healthy fats, and high-quality animal protein (aim for 1 gram per pound of ideal body weight per day).”
Cryotherapy
Chronic inflammation has been linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, and several cancers. It occurs when your immune system remains active for a long time after an injury or threat of sickness has passed.
In addition to reducing inflammation, cryotherapy can result in 500–800 calorie loss each treatment, an endorphin rush, and an increase in energy and metabolism.
In order to lower inflammation and remove waste from his muscles, LeBron is known to alternate between using a hot and cold tub, which causes his blood vessels to dilate and tighten.
Asprey told The Post, “Cold therapy has been a part of my longevity strategy for years.” Your body receives a strong signal from an ice bath, cold shower, or cryotherapy session to eliminate weak cells and produce stronger, more durable ones. If you intend to live a long life, this is undoubtedly something you want.
James was followed by Bleacher Report almost ten years ago as he entered a chamber that takes three minutes to drop from -110 degrees Celsius (-166 degrees Fahrenheit) to as low as -150 degrees Celsius (-238 degrees Fahrenheit).
The person helping James with his session explained, “This fools the brain into believing that you’re freezing.” The brain causes the bloodstream to undergo a systemic reaction that produces anti-inflammatory substances. These proteins are responsible for reducing inflammation.
Red light therapy
Red light at low wavelengths aids in cell healing, lowering inflammation and easing discomfort.
“Your mitochondria produce more ATP and produce more energy when red light activates an enzyme called cytochrome c oxidase in your cells,” Asprey, who owns the light-based technology startup TrueLight, added.
“This promotes better cell function and lowers inflammation, which is a leading contributor to aging,” Asprey continued.
Hyperbaric chamber
Pumping pure oxygen into the pressured area improves circulation and blood flow while lowering toxins, discomfort, and edema. James usually spends about ninety minutes in such a chamber.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown in studies to boost the number of stem cells in circulation, according to Asprey. “Since stem cells are in charge of maintaining the youthfulness and repairing your tissues, this is excellent for longevity.”
