“Top performers, including professional athletes, often appear metabolically fit but operate under chronic sympathetic dominance, running their bodies in a constant fight-or-flight mode,” said Dr. Hyman. Functional physician and co-founder and chief physician of Function Health told Muscle & Fitness that “this cognitive and physical overload causes mitochondrial fatigue, increases oxidative stress, and elevates cortisol, fueling inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and slower tissue repair.”
Many of these changes, including mitochondrial decline and inflammation, are among the twelve hallmarks of aging. The paradox of being fit yet physiologically exhausted is a paradox that Dr. Hyman often sees. He cites that 50 to 80 percent of retired athletes suffer from chronic pain or joint problems, and about half face long-term health problems after their careers end. “Peak performance does not guarantee long-term well-being,” he reemphasizes, adding that “tackling this starts with understanding the body’s biochemical profile.”
That concept is now expanding to the world of top sports. Earlier this year, Function Health has announced a groundbreaking partnership with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA)and thus becomes the official Biomarker Partner. The partnership gives both active and retired players access to more than 100 advanced laboratory tests on heart health, hormones, inflammation, toxins and more.
“Although athletes are often seen as the pinnacle of physical fitness, there is always an opportunity to improve their race-day performance and their overall well-being,” said Dr. Hyman. “Our partnership with the NBPA is transformative and gives players the tools to perform better, reduce injuries, improve recovery and extend their careers – helping them thrive both on and off the field.”
The aging toll of emotional stress
In one of his recent videos on Instagram, Dr. Hyman the broken heart syndrome not just as a metaphor, but as a real physiological reaction that can cause serious health problems. So I had to ask, “Can emotional distress accelerate aging?” He says emotional stress is one of the most overlooked accelerators of biological wear and tear.
“Unresolved trauma can ‘biochemically embed’ itself in the body, amplifying cycles of inflammation, metabolic dysfunction and accelerated cellular aging,” he explained.
He described how prolonged activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis increases cortisol and suppresses DHEA (a hormone tied to the balance between testosterone and estrogen), fueling systemic inflammation and oxidative damage. “At the mitochondrial level, that means less efficient energy production and more free radicals,” explains Dr. Hyman out. “These signals can change gene expression and accelerate biological aging.”
The goal of Function Health is to make invisible stress visible and then actionable. Members have access to tests for cortisol, DHEA, thyroid function, sex hormones and key mental health biomarkers, in addition to nutritional assessments for B12, Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc and others. “These insights enable targeted interventions, including nutrition, supplementation, hormone therapy and detoxification, that support resilience, reduce inflammation, optimize mitochondrial function and ultimately slow the biochemical aging processes associated with emotional stress,” explains Dr. Hyman out.
For Hyman, the future of performance medicine is about integration. Recovery, nutrition, hormones, emotional balance and even purpose are part of the same biological network. “It’s about moving from information to transformation and helping people not only live longer, but live better together,” he said.
Meet Dr. Hyman at Eudēmonia
That same integration is the main theme at Eudēmonia, the health and longevity summit returning to West Palm Beach from November 14 to 16. Dr. Hyman will take the stage alongside 150 thought leaders, innovators and advocates, including Andrew Huberman and Halle Berry, for both keynote lectures and panel discussions.
What makes this meeting so special, he says, is that it is an experience about connection, purpose and actionable insight, combining cutting-edge diagnostics and data with the wisdom of community and lifestyle. “It combines the best of science and technology with the human side of health,” Hyman told Muscle & Fitness, reiterating his view that longevity depends as much on relationships and recovery as it does on biomarkers and labs.
Dr. Hyman also said he is looking forward to high-level keynotes and panels and exploring how diagnostics and modalities such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, PEMF and contrast treatments can fit within functional medicine protocols.
Why you should care
Whether you’re training for a race or your next big event, longevity is a conversation we can’t ignore. Amid the noise of performance hacks and wellness trends, Eudēmonia brings together the industry voices at the forefront of what it means to live a good life.
In a culture that celebrates non-stop production, Dr. Hyman to recovery and downshift almost counterintuitive, but it could be exactly what’s missing. ”Autonomous [nervous system] recovery is critical, including structured rest, sleep optimization, parasympathetic activation through breathing or low-intensity exercise, and nutrition that supports mitochondrial health.”
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