This week on The Colosseum...
The main deep dive is David Sinclair and Life Biosciences' partial epigenetic reprogramming therapy, which the FDA cleared for the first in human trials in January 2026 starting with the eyes. We explain what partial reprogramming actually is, why the Yamanaka factors matter, why the eye is the place to start for this kind of work, and what the real risks and limitations of this approach are.
We also discuss three new studies that hit the timeline this week. A Nature Communications paper on whether rebound sleep can offset the mortality risks of poor sleep, a Journal of the American College of Surgeons review that showed prehabilitation before surgery cuts postoperative complications by 48%, and a year-long randomized trial in the Journal of Sport and Health Science finding that aerobic exercise lowers long-term cortisol levels.
In athletes and races, we review Sebastian Sawe's sub-2-hour marathon at the 2026 London Marathon, the HYROX Warsaw Major where both men's and women's Elite 15 world records fell in the same weekend, Matthew Johnson's 7 Ironmans in 7 days, and Jason Gay's Wall Street Journal article on whether the sub-2 breakthrough was because of the shoes or the carbs, with a further look at race fueling from David Roche, Courtney Dauwalter, Kris Jones, and Eliud Kipchoge.
Quick hits include Chris Williamson's Neutonic, WHOOP's new sleep variability research, EMFs affect on children, Consistent habits and measurable changes from Gary Brecka, and the debate on how much you should be relying on wearable sleep data.
What is The Colosseum | Health & Performance?
The Colosseum is a weekly show built on a simple idea: modern science has answered a lot of questions about how to train, eat, recover, and live well — and most people are still left guessing.
Each episode, hosts Tyler and Jayden break down the latest news across health, wellness, and fitness. Exercise science. Endurance sports. Health tech. Performance nutrition. Recovery and longevity. It's the kind of honest, curious conversation you'd have with a friend who reads the research so you don't have to.
Expect deep dives on science, research, and training for IRONMAN, HYROX, and ultra-endurance events. Conversations with or about athletes, coaches, founders, and researchers pushing the field forward. And honest conversations about the wellness trends shaping how people train, eat, and recover.
New episodes weekly. Part of The Colosseum — a modern health movement.