Low Carb MD Podcast

Dr. Jason Fung is a Canadian nephrologist and leading voice in metabolic health, best known for making the science of fasting and insulin resistance simple, practical, and empowering. Through his books, lectures, and clinical work, he's helped thousands rethink weight loss, type 2 diabetes, and long-term health by focusing on hormones, not just calories. Dr. Fung is the co-founder of The Fasting Method and a sought-after educator on metabolic health. In this episode, Drs. Tro and Jason talk about… (00:00) Intro (03:12) GLP-1s, hunger, and sustainable weight loss (07:35) The three types of hunger (12:14) The energy balance model for weight loss (19:35) Dealing with homeostatic hunger (30:21) How poor sleep impacts your weight (33:32) The three 'why's you have to ask to find the real solution to a problem (37:27) Reactive hypolgycemia (40:17) What Dr. Fung eats (44:44) The 'second stomach' phenomenon (46:24) The sugar diet (49:24) How to prevent weight regain after losing weight on a GLP-1 (53:08) A study showing how the body becomes (55:13) Audience Q&A (01:03:17) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Dr. Jason Fung: The Fasting Method: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/ Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01BT8K6FK Website/Books: https://www.doctorjasonfung.com/ iG: https://www.instagram.com/drjasonfung/ X: https://x.com/drjasonfung YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoyL4iGArWn5Hu0V_sAhK2w The Hunger Code Pre-Order/Masterclass: https://www.doctorjasonfung.com/gift-with-purchase-offer Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Peter Cummings is a preventive health practitioner and endurance sports coach with more than 30 years of experience helping people improve metabolic health through exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle change. A Metabolic Health Practitioner (MHP) and Nutrition Network Practitioner (NNP), he specializes in therapeutic carbohydrate reduction, cardiorespiratory fitness, and personalized exercise prescription. Cummings has authored peer-reviewed research in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine – FOCUS and has helped train health professionals to integrate fitness and lifestyle interventions into clinical care. In addition to his work in preventive medicine, he has coached athletes to multiple national and state championship titles, bringing a data-driven approach to both human performance and chronic disease prevention. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian and Peter talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:56) VOT Max (04:19) Health Ballistics (Peter's new book!) (10:00) Bridging the gap between medicine and exercise (16:59) Berberine and Metformin (19:45) Helping people turn their health around and reverse diabetes (29:12) Cardiac rehab (34:43) Interval training (39:21) Carbs and exercise (42:56) Conflicts of interest in exercise science (45:45) The biggest barriers to systemic change in the fields of exercise science and nutrition (48:07) Tim Noakes' Central Governor Theory (55:09) Exercise physiology and fat burning (01:04:51) Peter's new book, Health Ballistics (01:09:35) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Peter Cummings: Plan 2 Peak: https://www.plan2peak.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/coachcumm/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/plan2peak? Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Dr. Alan Schaffer is a board-certified physician specializing in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. With decades of clinical experience, he focuses on the intersection of respiratory health, sleep disorders, and metabolic health, including the role of nutrition and carbohydrate restriction in improving chronic disease. Dr. Schaffer practices with St. Peter's Health Partners in New York and is a frequent educator and media guest discussing conditions such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and the broader drivers of cardiometabolic health. In this episode, Drs. Tro and Alan talk about… (00:00) Intro (09:59) Sleep Medicine and metabolic health (13:37) Pulmonary Medicine and environmental factors (18:57) How Dr. Alan helps his patients improve their sleep quality and metabolic health (26:43) Helping late bloomer patients (32:30) How to help patients trust you as a doctor (37:07) Sleep apnea and CPAP (42:52) Sleep apnea tools and tips (46:08) Sleep tape (52:05) Didjeridoo (55:16) Weight loss and sleep apnea (01:01:52) The Cholesterol Code documentary (See links below) For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The Cholesterol Code Screening (Wed, Apr 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM CDT): https://gathr.com/events/0ed2437d/the-cholesterol-code-at-amc-crystal-run-16 Cholesterol Code Movie: https://cholesterolcodemovie.com Dr. Alan Schaffer: https://www.sphp.com/provider/alan-edward-schaffer-md-sleep-medicine-0 Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Dr. Marion Mass is a pediatrician, educator, and fierce advocate for restoring integrity to American medicine. A co-founder of the nonprofit Practicing Physicians of America, she has been a leading voice calling out the corporate forces reshaping health care and their impact on doctors and patients alike. In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro, and Dr. Marion talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:29) Systemic problems in medicine over the last few decades and how we can solve them (05:27) Perverse incentives in health insurance and how health care can be made cheaper (14:40) Conflicts of interest in health insurance (19:52) What brought Dr. Marion to medicine and inspired her to work to reform the healthcare system (25:37) Conflicts of interest in the AMA and other medical organizations (35:23) The path forward to a more transparent medical care system (41:19) Remdesivir and Covid (46:53) Perverse incentives in gender change procedures and drugs (51:48) Governmental and political interference in the practice of medicine (01:02:35) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Dr. Marion Mass: Free 2 Care: https://t.co/cdcldrTMEM X: https://x.com/mass_marion?lang=en Practicing Physicians of America: https://practicingphysician.org Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Cynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner, bestselling author, and leading voice in women's metabolic health. With over two decades of clinical experience, she's known for translating complex science into practical strategies—helping women navigate perimenopause, optimize fasting, and reclaim energy, resilience, and long-term wellness. In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro, and Cynthia talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:28) Hormonal shifts, the microbiome, and metabolic health (07:50) How modern developments in food production and the advent of mass-produced plastics have impacted our health (17:40) Fiber (25:43) Intermittent fasting and menopause (28:07) Inulin (31:27) Antibiotics and food sensitivities (33:45) The complexity of the gut microbiome (44:55) The insufficiency of modern testing (50:00) Gut health and mental health (53:42) Fermented foods (01:00:47) Good, better, best (01:03:16) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Cynthia Thurlow: Website: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/ X: https://x.com/_CynthiaThurlow IG: https://www.instagram.com/cynthia_thurlow_/ Books: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2345217/cynthia-thurlow-np/ Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Dr. Frank Dumont is Executive Medical Director at Virta Health, where he leads medical strategy to advance safe, scalable metabolic care. A longtime internal medicine physician at Estes Park Medical Center, he previously directed its Wellness Service Line. A Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Dumont has also served in leadership roles with the Colorado Medical Society and the American Medical Association. In this episode, Drs. Brian and Frank talk about… (00:00) Intro (04:03) How Dr. Frank's personal health issues and professional experiences as a doctor led him to adopt a metabolic health approach to healing himself and his patients (10:41) Exercise, nutrition, and de-prescribing (14:22) Fat adaptation and fasting (24:09) Virta's peer-reviewed publications and long-term data (30:09) The positive cascading effect on holistic health of metabolic lifestyle interventions (36:25) Social support and mental health (44:41) Dr. Frank's experience leaving a standard medical practice and becoming a metabolic health practitioner (52:22) Moral injury and physician burnout in the standard medical care system (54:05) Employe wellness and metabolic health care (01:01:01) Outro/plugs For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Dr. Frank Dumont: Virta Health: https://www.virtahealth.com/ X: https://x.com/FrankDumont Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-d-dumont-46aa00b7/ Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Michael Prager is a journalist and writer focused on food addiction and the science of ultra-processed foods. Drawing on personal experience and deep reporting, he explores how modern food environments hijack appetite—and what it takes to reclaim health, agency, and freedom around food. He is also the chairman of the Food Addiction Institute and the author of two books: Fat Boy Thin Man and Sustainable You. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Michael talk about… (00:00) Intro (03:15) Michael's personal health journey dealing with food addiction and how he first became interested in researching food addiction (13:38) How spiritual and emotional health relate to physical health (28:12) Food addiction research and new developments in the mission to get food addiction officially recognized (39:10) Practical tips for dealing with food addiction (44:41) How Michael went from being a food addict to being the chairman of the Food Addiction Institute and writing books on food addiction (53:08) Michael's spiritual journey from being a hardcore agnostic to believing in and praying to God (01:00:52) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Michael Prager: Books: https://michaelprager.com/books Website: https://michaelprager.com/ X: https://x.com/fatboythinman Food Addiction Institute: https://foodaddictioninstitute.org Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

When there is no guest to interview, Dr. Brian and Dr. Tro get to talk about whatever they want! Today, that's the microbiome and metabolic health. The conversation ranges from fasting to microplastics to inulin and beyond. You are not likely to walk away without hearing something about gut health that you've never heard before. In this episode, Drs. Tro and Brian talk about… (00:00) Intro (03:24) How the peer review process works for scientific publications (10:50) How the SMHP is tackling the barriers to good science caused by the standard peer review process (17:04) Fasting, the microbiome, and metabolic health (33:47) Mold, food allergies, and gut health (40:36) IMP issues, low carb diets, and inulin (43:15) Microplastics (46:06) Stress and physical health (49:20) The recent SMHP Symposium for Metabolic Health (link below for CME) For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Dr. Jessica Rose interview on the Life's Best Medicine Podcast: https://lifesbestmedicine.com/podcast/episode-282-dr-jessica-rose/ The SMHP Symposium for Metabolic Health CME: https://thesmhp.org/accreditation-process/#providers Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Dr. Matt Bernstein is a clinical psychiatrist and leading voice in metabolic psychiatry, with 25 years of experience helping people achieve lasting mental health and functional recovery. A Columbia graduate (summa cum laude) and Penn-trained physician, he completed residency at MGH/McLean, where he served as chief resident and later held senior leadership roles. Now Chief Medical Officer at Ellenhorn, he develops innovative, community-based models for mental health care and serves on advisory boards advancing the metabolic psychiatry movement. In this episode, Drs. Tro and Matthew talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:19) How Dr. Matthew found his way into metabolic psychiatry (05:53) Autoimmune encephalitis (09:59) Psychiatric health and the physical body (14:41) Infectious diseases causing psychiatric diseases (18:25) Psychiatric guidelines (23:04) How Dr. Matthew's clinic approaches the treatment of psychiatric disorders from a metabolic health perspective (26:31) How diet effects the brain (29:00) The most amazing case of disease reversal Dr. Matthew has seen recently (34:22) The data on the effectiveness of metabolic psychiatry and why many psychiatrists currently practicing are resistant to it (37:32) The great work being done to heal people at Accord Mental Health (43:27) Outro and plugs For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Dr. Matt Bernstein: Accord Mental Health: https://accordmh.com/ Ellenhorn: https://www.ellenhorn.com/ Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Dr. Jason Fung, a Canadian nephrologist known for making fasting and insulin-resistance science practical. He explores why calories-only advice fails. He breaks hunger into homeostatic, hedonic, and conditioned forms. He explains how hormones, ultra-processed foods, digestion, and environment drive overeating and outlines practical rules like fasting and avoiding processed foods.