The Elite HRV Podcast: Heart Rate Variability, Biohacking Health & Performance, Quantified Self

Very informative podcast! So worth your time.

This show, I suspect for good reason, is no longer produced, but I use the app for weekly HRV readings so I hoped the podcast would be useful. I’ve only listened to 6 or 7 episodes but most have more infomercial than useful, science based info. A good example is the episode with an optometrist, on the vagus nerve. Hmmm…an optometrist? She does have a medical background and had personal motivation so…maybe. She related her horrific health experience that started with a virus and ended up with POTS that seemed not to be POTS, or maybe it was that and more. Somehow her children also got POTS but she didn’t explain how. She talked about issues with acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, and how she temporarily was able to relieve one important, related symptom with nicotine patches, but had to discontinue their use due to side effects. She didn’t explain how she fully recovered from her problems, which apparently was due to caring for the vagus nerve. The host asked but her answer was...vague. Turns out all her efforts resulted in a supplement, for sale on Amazon, intended to strengthen the parasympathetic system (PNS) and specifically the vagus nerve. It even has a catchy name, and costs more than $2/day. I’m not a neurologist or any kind of doctor but a supplement that is somehow directed at specific elements of the nervous system sounds like a sales pitch. So I queried two AI agents about ways to strengthen the PNS and specifically the vagus nerve. Both reported that evidence supports physical methods such as breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, etc. Both said that any evidence regarding supplements is not conclusive but mentioned Omega-3s, other basic supplements. Other episodes I’ve listened to featured a performance coach, who also recovered from personal difficulty but otherwise has unclear credentials, about breathing; a chiropractor and life coach about how to live fully; and a psychologist about resonant breathing. Resonant breathing does have reasonable evidence to support it so I reached out to this psychologist to see what her coaching would cost. The response I got was from some other practitioner who offered 10 sessions of coaching for a mere $7500! These people are taking advantage of two things - one is people's desperate need, or at least strong motivation, to improve their lives. The other is plausibility. Some breathing techniques can help certain issues. Some supplements can provide benefits. HRV is a useful biomarker but are the courses and add ons the app tries to sell useful? So they make a case that you NEED to purchase their solution without saying that the only certain outcome is that they’ll get your money while you will likely get little or no benefit. I'll end with a positive note on the Elite HRV app. It does seem to be useful for monitoring HRV over time. The question is will the upsells, the courses, etc., help? I don’t know.

Jason, host of the Elite HRV podcast, highlights all aspects of health, wellness and more in this can’t miss podcast! The host and expert guests offer insightful advice and information that is helpful to anyone that listens!

So appreciate the team for creating this resource! Learning a lot already!