Metabolic health

One way to think about metabolic disease is as a disorder in fuel processing. Whether we’re talking about hyperinsulinemia or type 2 diabetes, the fundamental problem is that the body is not doing a good job storing and accessing fuel.

I think of the three most deadly chronic diseases — heart disease, cancer, and dementia — as pillars all resting on the foundation of metabolic disease. While complications from metabolic disease often do not directly lead to death, the indirect cost is staggering. Each of the other major pillars of chronic disease is exacerbated and amplified by metabolic dysregulation.

Metabolic disease typically exists on a continuum — progressing from hyperinsulinemia, to insulin resistance, to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, all the way to type 2 diabetes — and tends to cluster with five signs which make up the diagnostic criteria for Metabolic Syndrome, including: high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, elevated blood glucose, truncal obesity, and low HDL-cholesterol.

The following is a collection of content that dives deeper into the topic of metabolic health, discussing specific strategies for prevention and treatment.

Nutrition

Guest Episode

Metabolism, energy balance, and aging: How diet, calorie restriction, and macronutrients influence longevity and metabolic health

Ep. #324 with Eric Ravussin, Ph.D.

Medications & supplements

AMA

New insights on GLP-1 agonists (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro)

Ep. #320 (AMA #64)

Nutrition

Free Article

Back on the merry-go-round of bad science regarding meat consumption

Nutrition

Guest Episode

Rethinking nutrition science: the evolving landscape of obesity treatment, GLP-1 agonists, protein, and the need for higher research standards

Ep. #314 with David Allison, Ph.D.

Longevity

Podcast Episode

Longevity 101

Ep. #311

Nutrition

AMA

Preventing cognitive decline, nutrition myths, lowering blood glucose, apoB, and blood pressure, and more

Ep. #306 (AMA #60)

Nutrition

Premium Article

Do high protein diets increase cancer risk?

Risks

Guest Episode

Confronting a metabolic epidemic: understanding liver health and how to prevent, diagnose, and manage MAFLD and liver disease

Ep. #302 with Julia Wattacheril, M.D., M.P.H.

Medications & supplements

Podcast Episode

Special episode: Peter on exercise, fasting, nutrition, stem cells, geroprotective drugs, and more — promising interventions or just noise?

Ep. #300

Sleep

Free Article

Does the timing of sleep loss during the night impact subsequent negative metabolic effects?

Nutrition

Free Article

Does low iron intake change exercise capacity?

Nutrition

Guest Episode

Gut health & the microbiome: improving and maintaining the microbiome, probiotics, prebiotics, innovative treatments, and more

Ep. #283 with Colleen Cutcliffe, Ph.D.

Medications & supplements

AMA

Metabolic health & pharmacologic interventions: SGLT-2 inhibitors, metformin, GLP-1 agonists, and the impact of statins

Ep. #279 (AMA #53)

Risks

AMA

Understanding and improving your metabolic health

Ep. #271 (AMA #51)

Risks

Guest Episode

Latest insights on Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, exercise, nutrition, and fasting

Ep. #252 with Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D.

Medications & supplements

Free Article

Is a recent clinical trial enough to support the use of semaglutide in treating adolescent obesity?

Risks

The five main tools for managing blood glucose numbers

Risks

Guest Episode

Metabolomics, NAD+, and cancer metabolism

Ep. #216 with Josh Rabinowitz, M.D., Ph.D.

Nutrition

Guest Episode

The gut-brain connection

Ep. #215 with Michael Gershon, M.D.

Nutrition

Guest Episode

Sugar & Cancer: Does Fructose Cause Cancer?

with Sam Apple

Nutrition

Guest Episode

Is natural sugar from fruit just as ‘bad’ as added sugar?

with Rick Johnson, M.D.

Risks

Metabolic dysfunction case study and a framework for metabolic health

Risks

How metabolic health impacts your 'optimal' diet

Nutrition

AMA

Fruits & vegetables—everything you need to know

Ep. #211 (AMA #36)