Body check!
LeBron James, who turns 40 next month, reportedly drops $1.5 million annually to keep his body in tip-top shape.
The Lakers superstar wouldn’t confirm or deny the $1.5 million figure — initially shared by sportswriter Bill Simmons in 2016 — in Netflix’s new docuseries “Starting 5.”
“I kind of just chuckle,” James said in the series, which premiered last month. “That is a number that I will not disclose, but, more importantly, I think it’s just the time.”
The four-time NBA champion spends hours each day on his biohacking routine, which includes cryotherapy, red light therapy, hyperbaric chamber time, a mid-day nap and a high-carb, low-sugar diet.
The Post consulted Dave Asprey, an entrepreneur and author known as “the father of biohacking,” on James’ full-court press regimen — and what, exactly, that supposed $1.5 million is doing.
“LeBron focuses a lot on recovery, which is crucial if you want to perform at your full power and live a long time,” Asprey said.
Cryotherapy
“Consistency is the key,” James wrote on Instagram in 2020 as he showed off a single-room cryotherapy chamber, which can cost upwards of $90,000.
Nearly a decade ago, Bleacher Report followed James as he stepped into a chamber that drops from -110 degrees Celsius (-166 degrees Fahrenheit) to as low as -150 degrees Celsius (-238 degrees Fahrenheit) over three minutes.
“This tricks the brain into thinking that you’re freezing,” said the person who assisted James with his session. “The brain triggers a systemic reaction in the bloodstream that creates anti-inflammatory proteins. Those proteins are what decreases inflammation.”
Chronic inflammation, when your immune system stays activated long after an injury or threat of illness has passed, can lead to wear and tear on organs and tissues and has been associated with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, liver disease and several types of cancer.
Besides decreasing inflammation, cryotherapy can also trigger an endorphin rush, a metabolism and energy boost, and a loss of 500 to 800 calories per treatment.
James is known to alternate between a cold tub and a hot tub as well, tightening and dilating his blood vessels to reduce inflammation and flush out waste from his muscles.
“Cold therapy has been a part of my longevity strategy for years,” Asprey told The Post. “An ice bath, cold shower, or cryotherapy session sends a powerful signal to your body to weed out the weak cells and grow stronger, more resilient ones. This is definitely something you want if you’re planning on living a long time.”
Red light therapy
Low-level wavelengths of red light help repair James’ cells, reducing inflammation and relieving pain.
“Red light activates an enzyme called cytochrome c oxidase in your cells, which causes your mitochondria to manufacture more ATP and generate more energy,” explained Asprey, who has a light-based technology company called TrueLight.
“This helps your cells work better and reduces inflammation, which is a major cause of aging,” Asprey added.
CNN reported in 2017 that James’ longtime trainer, Mike Mancias, has also tried to hasten James’ recovery with an electro-stimulation machine, air-pumped compression sleeves and a soft tissue massage by hand.
James is a fan of the Hyperice Normatec 3 air compression boots. The Normatec 3 sells for $799 on Amazon.
Hyperbaric chamber sessions
Though his wife Savannah likens it to a coffin, James will get into a 32-inch diametric chamber for 90 minutes.
Pure oxygen is pumped into the pressurized space to enhance blood flow and circulation and reduce swelling, pain and toxins.
“Studies show that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can increase circulating stem cells in your body,” Asprey said. “This is great for longevity because stem cells are responsible for repairing your tissues and keeping them young.”
The Vitaeris 320 Portable Hyperbaric Chamber, which James has used, can retail for $23,000.
Sleep
James is known to sleep eight or nine hours a night and nap for two or three hours a day.
“That’s the best way for your body to physically and emotionally be able to recover and get back to 100% as possible. Now, will you wake up and feel 100%? There are some days you don’t,” James said on a 2018 episode of “The Tim Ferriss Show” podcast.
“So some days you feel better than others,” he continued. “But the more, and more, and more time that you get those eight — if you can get nine, that’s amazing. Sometimes, I even get 10 hours of sleep.”
James finds it easier to slumber when the room temperature is 68 to 70 degrees, when there’s complete darkness (no television or smartphone light allowed) and when the “rain on leaves” soundscape is playing on his Calm app.
“High-quality sleep is indeed one of the best longevity hacks,” Asprey said. “But unless you’re an athlete, most people don’t need to take mid-day naps if they’re sleeping well at night. Focus on getting quality sleep at night and you won’t need to take naps.”
Low-sugar, high-carb diet
James also told Ferriss that he eats as “clean as possible throughout the [NBA] season.”
He eschews sugary drinks, artificial sweeteners and fried foods in favor of gluten-free pancakes with berries at breakfast, an arugula salad with chicken for lunch and chicken parmesan with a rocket salad for dinner.
“So the sugars I kinda cut out, but the carbs I kinda ramp up. Because you’re losing so many calories, you’re burning so many calories, burning all your energy throughout those games,” James said in 2017. “So I kinda go heavy on the carbs because it gives you energy. It’s worked for me.”
Asprey said reducing added sugar promotes longevity because consistently elevated blood sugar levels can contribute to aging and chronic disease.
“The best diet strategy for longevity is to focus on high-quality animal protein (aim for at least 1 gram per pound of ideal body weight per day), healthy saturated fats and low-toxin carbs,” said Asprey, who developed the Bulletproof Diet.
James also likes to finish his dinner off with a glass of cabernet. There’s conflicting research on if any amount of alcohol is good for you.
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