Ever wondered why the world is addicted to caffeine and coffee? Brace yourselves as we meander through the rich aroma and complex brew of coffee with Dr. Lonnie Lowery, our distinguished guest for the episode. With over two decades of expertise in nutrition, exercise physiology, and academic consulting, Dr. Lowery brings a blend of insights that leaves no stone unturned - from the antioxidant powerhouse that coffee is, to the much-debated timing of the first morning cup. Timeline: 0:30 – Tony and I chat a little about Izzy vs. Strickland; what a surprise. 3:34 Dr. Lowery’s reason for getting the RD after the Ph.D.; the weird ideological views of many in the nutrition field. “What you’re doing here is illegal…” says an RD to Dr. Lowery. There is no “license to science” Dr. Lowery says. 5:40 Oftentimes times an MS RD degree is sufficient in a Dietetics department; even at R1 institutions. 8:20 Dietetics is not just nutrition science even though many of the lay public think of it as “nutrition science.” 10:15 Connecting the dots after the fact. What a professional program is like vs. an academic program. 15:00 Waiting 2 hours to drink coffee to avoid the afternoon crash? Where’s the data? Just because something sounds logical, doesn’t make it physiological. 16:32 Coffee vs. Caffeine – they aren’t the same. 16:40 Americans get most of their antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables. 17:38 Coffee really is good for you! Remember that coffee is not just one thing. 19:16 Coffee vs. Caffeine (in equal amounts of caffeine) – what does the data say? 28:55  How many cups of coffee do you need daily to get the health benefits? 33:26 Lonnie’s evolution vis a vis his personal training goals – started out in Tae Kwon Do and then bodybuilding.  39:15 Tolkien quote – “Fighting the Long Defeat” 39:55 Speed and power decline rapidly with age; Tony is still fighting this loss of speed 42:00 Lonnie was a “tissue assassin.”  44:49 The nickel and dime science of sets and reps; Lonnie talks about prescribing a “dose of iron [weight].” About our special guest: Lonnie Lowery is a nutrition and exercise physiology professor of over 20 years, a food industry and academic consultant, a former competitive bodybuilder, and a huge coffee nerd throughout it all. Lonnie is a member of the American Society of Nutrition and the Institute of Food Technologists; he is also past president of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists and is a Fellow of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Lonnie earned his first two graduate degrees (MA, PhD) in exercise physiology, principally from Kent State University, and later his MS in nutrition/dietetics from the same institution. That same year (2004) he became a Registered Dietitian as well. He co-hosts the long-running IronRadio podcast and its sister show, Nutrition Radio. Both shows can be found, among other places, at www.NutritionRadio.org. About the Show We cover all things related to sports science, nutrition, and performance. The Sports Science Dudes represent the opinions of the hosts and guests and are not the official opinions of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), the Society for Sports Neuroscience, or Nova Southeastern University. The advice provided on this show should not be construed as medical advice and is purely an educational forum. Hosted by Jose Antonio PhD Dr. Antonio is the co-founder and CEO of the International Society of Sports Nutrition and the co-founder of the Society for Sports Neuroscience, www.issn.net. Dr. Antonio has over 120 peer-reviewed publications, and 16 books, and is a Professor at Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida in the Department of Health, and Human Performance.