The Tom Brady effect: how to achieve optimal performance at any age

When Tom Brady takes the field in Super Bowl LV, he will be the oldest to ever appear in a Super Bowl at age 43. 

While the average career span for an NFL quarterback is three years, Brady has been playing for two decades and will make his 10th Super Bowl appearance this Sunday. In defying the aging process and achieving peak performance, he follows a rigorous daily routine and health regimen. 

Dr. Myles Spar, Chief Medical Officer of Vault Health, is an integrative men’s health specialist and has served as a medical consultant to professional sports leagues— educating players, coaches, and trainers on best practices and preventative measures.

“Any person – of any age, shape, or fitness level – can apply Tom Brady’s principles in their pursuit of health, wellness, and peak performance,” says Dr. Spar. 

To illustrate this, he has taken the key principles of Brady’s health regimen and adapted them into actionable tips to help men achieve optimal performance at any age. 

Here are his tips to achieve optimal performance at any age, even if you’re not Tom Brady:

1. Eat Nutritious, Well-Balanced Meals and Snacks. 
Tom Brady micromanages everything that goes into his body. Every calorie, every ingredient, and right down to the time he eats his meals. He’s heavy on vegetables and lean protein and stays away from alcohol, caffeine, dairy, and sugar. 

FOR YOU – “Think about what you’re eating, and when. Sweat the details. If you’re making changes, make one small change today and another small change next week. They start to add up, but they have to be sustainable. Remember, garbage calories in, garbage training out. And for those who need extra help shedding body fat or gaining muscle mass, Vault has affordable, easily accessible personalized treatment plans and supplements to help men get the results they desire,” says Dr. Spar.  

2. Treat sleep like the priority it is. 
Brady’s in bed at 8:30 pm every night. He knows quality sleep can improve reaction time, increase overall health, increase focus and accuracy, and prevent mental errors. He naps. He solves a series of brain puzzles before bed to destimulate his brain, allowing him to get to sleep by 9 p.m. and wake up without an alarm.

FOR YOU – Get enough sleep! Besides the above-mentioned sleep benefits, late at night, people make poorer choices with food and alcohol. Shutting it down on the early side can reduce those temptations. Throughout the day, take time to rest when you can. Think about your craft, sport, or work – in a positive way – before going to bed. 

“Consult your doctor if you’re still having trouble falling or staying asleep because there are many healthy, natural prescriptions that can help you. For example, the prescription peptide and natural formulation in Vault’s Brain Kit protects the brain from the toxic effects of the stress hormone cortisol and helps build new brain cells. This can improve memory, attention, and sleep,” says Dr. Spar. 

3. Hydration is key.
After he hops out of bed at 6 a.m., the first thing Brady reaches for is a 20-ounce glass of water infused with electrolytes. Then he sips a smoothie, which typically contains blueberries, bananas, nuts, and seeds. Pretty normal. During his 8 a.m. workout, he drinks more electrolyte-infused water, followed by a post-workout protein shake. When all is said and done, Brady drinks anywhere between 12 to 25 glasses of water a day. (However, he trains a lot harder than the average human being, so the 25 glasses of water make sense for him.) 

FOR YOU – In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day. “For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day,” says Dr. Spar. 

4. Strengthen your overall health with supplements. 
Tom Brady has talked extensively about the supplements he takes in many interviews, which include whey protein powder, protein bars, multivitamins, probiotics, and a B complex, to name a few.

FOR YOU – “The best thing to do before starting to take any supplements is to consult your doctor, conduct a full self-audit of your mood, physical health, ability to focus, and overall well being throughout the day to properly assess the areas you’d like to improve and what your overall goals are. For example, guys who want to support their general health, increase their energy levels, and burn more fat would greatly benefit from Vault’s Vitamin B12 Mic Fat Burner,” says Dr. Spar.

5. Train your brain, not just your body. 
Brady spends 15 minutes per day playing brain games, drilling his cognitive speed and pattern recognition. That prep, plus film study gives Brady the special edge he needs to outplay the opposing team’s defense at the line of scrimmage.

FOR YOU – “It’s natural for memory and cognitive function to decline with age, but there are many things you can do to rapidly slow down this process. For guys who want better focus and attention, memory, and mental energy, I usually recommend Vault’s Brain Kit, which includes prescription peptide and a naturally-formulated brain boost supplement that work together to increase cognitive functioning,” says Dr. Spar.

6. Focus on longevity.
Every season is predicted to be Tom’s last. Every summer the columnists and commentators declare he’s too old to perform at the top of the sport: He should retire, what else does he have to prove? He should exit on top, with his legacy intact.

FOR YOU – “Forget everyone else’s narrative for your life and your activities. If you still have a passion for your work or your sport, there is no reason to stop. It is also important to remember that once you stop it will be difficult to start back up or reach the level you have already achieved,” says Dr. Spar.

For more information about how men can live a long, healthy life and thwart the negative effects of aging as Tom Brady has successfully done over the years, visit vaulthealth.com/consumer-health.