The research that supposedly supports hormesis falls apart under scientific scrutiny.

In this comprehensive 78-minute Deep Dive, Biospark Health researchers Sarah Chen and Marcus Thompson systematically dismantle the scientific foundations of hormesis - the theory underlying cold exposure, fasting, and extreme exercise protocols.

Drawing on peer-reviewed research, the work of Hans Selye, Ray Peat, and Jay Feldman, plus studies on C. elegans lifespan extension, reactive oxygen species, and autophagy mechanisms, this episode reveals why the longevity industry may be aging itself into oblivion.

In this Deep Dive, you'll learn:

• Why the C. elegans worm studies that "prove" hormesis actually demonstrate metabolic crippling - the worms live longer in labs but would die immediately in real environments
• The two contexts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and why the same signal produces opposite outcomes depending on your energy state
• Why autophagy activation without adequate cellular energy is DESTRUCTION, not repair... you're breaking things down without resources to rebuild
• How cumulative stress invalidates the U-shaped dose-response curve - we're already past the "beneficial" range before adding any deliberate stressors
• The 2018 Cell Metabolism study proving caloric restriction benefits come from gut microbiota changes, NOT from stress adaptation
• Why the FADH2/NADH ratio during fat oxidation (ketosis/fasting) creates the exact metabolic environment seen in cancer cells
• How five compounds at hormetic doses would push any organism into the harmful range when combined, and we're exposed to hundreds
• The complete scientific case for "support over stress" as the path to metabolic optimization

Research-Dense Discussion: This episode cites over 20 peer-reviewed studies and provides the biochemical mechanisms behind why hormesis fails at the cellular level.