Dr Karan Explores

Endometriosis red flags are often missed, especially when symptoms look like IBS, bladder issues, or “normal” test results.In this episode of Dr Karan Explores, Dr Karan Rajan speaks with Carla Cressy about her lived experience of endometriosis, the long road to diagnosis, what severe disease can look like, and how to advocate for yourself when you’re being dismissed.In this conversation, we cover:Warning signs doctors often miss (bowel/rectal pain, bladder/UTI-like symptoms, bleeding after sex, severe fatigue)Why endometriosis can be mislabelled as IBS/IBDWhy normal blood tests/scans don’t necessarily rule endometriosis out — and what to do nextThe impact on mental health, work, relationships, and quality of lifeFertility and access: egg freezing, NHS gaps, and why pathways matterPractical advocacy: symptom diaries, bringing someone to appointments, asking for documentation, and next-step questions to move care forwardAbout Dr Karan: Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, and educator dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor.🚽 Discover Throne’s incredible new smart toilet device at http://thronescience.com 🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 📕 Pre-order my new book, This Is Vital Information, here: https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=472cbbde-00e2-42ab-8a3f-725656fab3a5🔥 Head to https://loamscience.com/ try LOAM - and get an additional 10% with code POD10.🤖 Discover my digital twin here: http://DrKaran.ai 📱Connect with me:Instagram: / drkaranrajanFacebook: / drkaranTikTok: / dr.karanrX: / drkaranrajanWebsite: www.drkaranrajan.com

💬 Vision and eyesight are two totally different things. And most of us are ignoring both! But improving your eye health is really easy when you know how. Not only can simple techniques help you stave off myopia, they can even improve your whole experience of the world.⚡To discuss the art of vision training - and why it’s so crucial for all of us - Dr Karan is joined by Dr Bryce Appelbaum, Neuro-optometrist and CEO of MyVisionFirst. Whether you want to optimise your vision, or correct annoying issues, this conversation is for you.🎧 Stay tuned to find out:➡ The difference between eyesight and vision - and why it’s important to separate them➡︎ How even “perfect” eyesight can be optimised➡︎ What screens are actually doing to our eyes➡︎ Simple exercises to reduce common eye problems➡︎ What happens when eye problems go unnoticed or are misdiagnosed➡︎ How vision problems can mimic symptoms of ADHD and dyslexia#DrKaran, #MedicalScience, #HealthEducation, #HealthTips, #MedicalScience, #EyeSight, #EyeCare, #VisionTraining, #EyeHealthDon't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@DrKaran?sub_confirmation=1 📕 Chapters(0:00) Introduction - The difference between “vision” and “eyesight”(1:25) The eye-brain connection(2:56) How vision is really measured(4:39) Bringing vision back to a 92-year-old(9:38) Can “perfect” eyesight may be hiding real problems(12:09) Why cases of myopia/nearsightedness is rising(15:10) How to alleviate damage from screen-time(17:44) Signs you eyes have had too much screens(20:12) Simple tricks to alleviate common eye problems(24:18) The problem of misdiagnosed vision problems(26:52) How vision problems can mimic symptoms of ADHD and dyslexia(32:24) How often kids’ vision problems are being missed(35:46) Other environmental issues that affect vision(39:25) Two things you should start today for better eye health🚽 Discover Throne’s incredible new smart toilet device at http://thronescience.com 🤖 Discover my digital twin here: http://DrKaran.ai 🔥  Head to https://loamscience.com/ try LOAM - and get an additional 10% with code POD10.🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 📕 Pre-order my new book, This Is Vital Information, here: https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=472cbbde-00e2-42ab-8a3f-725656fab3a5🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.About Dr Karan:Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, and educator dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor. His content provides reliable, research-driven insights designed to inform and empower viewers to better understand their health.📱Connect with me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaranR/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr  X: https://twitter.com/drkaranrajan  Website: https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation

Can psilocybin treat depression within a day? In this episode, Dr Karan Rajan sits down with psychedelic researcher Dr Rayyan Zafar to break down the science of psilocybin, treatment-resistant depression, brain scans, microdosing, and whether psychedelic therapy could become a real part of mainstream mental health care.They explore why current antidepressants do not work for everyone, how psychedelics may affect the brain differently, what researchers are seeing on scans after a single dose, and why the conversation around psychedelic therapy is far more nuanced than internet hype suggests.In this episode:Why psychiatry needs new tools for depressionWhy SSRIs do not work for everyoneHow psilocybin interacts with serotonin receptorsThe idea of a “plastic window” after psychedelic therapyWhether psychedelics could help healthy people, not just patientsWhat the evidence says about microdosingThe real safety questions around psychedelic treatmentDMT, short-acting psychedelics, and where the field may go next00:00 - Welcome Dr Rayyan Zafar04:35 - How psychedelics work in the brain07:29 - Psychedelics, culture and meaning-making08:21 - What counts as treatment-resistant depression?15:26 - Could psychedelics become preventative medicine?17:20 - Depression, rumination and the default mode network20:37 - The “plastic window” and why therapy matters26:09 - The truth about Microdosing33:20 - Safety, screening and who should avoid psychedelics42:04 - DMT, ayahuasca and future treatments44:04 - Why short-acting psychedelics matterAbout Dr Karan:Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, and educator dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor. 🚽 Discover Throne’s incredible new smart toilet device at http://thronescience.com🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook📕 Pre-order my new book, This Is Vital Information, here: https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=472cbbde-00e2-42ab-8a3f-725656fab3a5🔥 Head to https://loamscience.com/ try LOAM - and get an additional 10% with code POD10.🤖 Discover my digital twin here: http://DrKaran.aiConnect with me:Instagram: / drkaranrajanFacebook: / drkaranTikTok: / dr.karanrX: / drkaranrajanWebsite: www.drkaranrajan.com#Psilocybin #MentalHealth #Neuroscience #PsychedelicTherapy #healthpodcast

💬 Health isn’t just about what you eat - it’s about when. Meal timing matters much more than you might realise. The same food eaten at different times can have wildly different effects on your body. ⚡To discuss the emerging field of chrononutrition, Dr Karan is joined by Adriano dos Santos - known as The Circadian Nutritionist. Together they explain how your organs and even your gut microbiome keep time - operating on a circadian clock!🎧 Stay tuned to find out:➡ How clock genes throughout our entire body impact our health➡︎ Why poor meal timing can create a lack of energy, sleep struggles and even IBS➡︎ How late nate phone scrolling isn’t as bad as you think➡︎ Why late night snacking and evening exercise confuses your body clock➡︎ Why not all fasting is created equal➡︎ Which foods and habits will improve your health and body clock the fastest#DrKaran, #MedicalScience, #HealthEducation, #HealthTips, #MedicalScience, #MealTiming, #ChronoNutrition, #CircadianNutrition, #DietTips, #GutHealth,Don't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@DrKaran?sub_confirmation=1 📕 Chapters(0:00) Introduction - Why chrono nutrition is so important for health(02:15) The health impacts of not paying attention to meal timing(04:46) How  butyrate interacts with your internal clock(06:56) What happens when your gut timing is out of sync(10:35) The gut clock’s role in sleep(14:37) How late night phone scrolling impacts your body clock(18:40) Should you avoid late night snacking?(21:58) How the same calories affect you differently depending on when you eat them(26:26) Should you eating your fibre earlier in the day?(31:19) Why fasting might not be as healthy as we thought(36:09) How body clock disruption could cause IBS(40:12) Specific food and habits to improve🚽 Discover Throne’s incredible new smart toilet device at http://thronescience.com 🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 📕 Pre-order my new book, This Is Vital Information, here: https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation?utm_source=linktree_profile_share🔥  Head to https://loamscience.com/ try LOAM - and get an additional 10% with code POD10.🤖 Discover my digital twin here: http://DrKaran.ai 🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.About Dr Karan:Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, and educator dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor. His content provides reliable, research-driven insights designed to inform and empower viewers to better understand their health.📱Connect with me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaranR/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr  X: https://twitter.com/drkaranrajan  Website: https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation

The best sleep schedule (according to science) isn’t just “8 hours”, it’s timing + consistency.In this episode, Dr Karan Rajan speaks with Professor Gina R. Poe about how to build a sleep schedule that supports deep sleep, REM sleep, memory, and long-term performance, using the levers that actually move the needle: consistent timing, light exposure, temperature, naps, and meal timing. In this conversation, we cover:Why sleep consistency is repeatedly linked with performance and healthier ageing outcomes A practical “best schedule” window (and why earlier sleep helps catch key deep-sleep biology) How light at night disrupts circadian timing (and why dim red light matters) Naps: when they help, and when they can backfire on night sleep Temperature and why overheating can reduce REM sleep Meal timing (“chrononutrition”) and why late meals can fragment sleep Plus: REM sleep, sleep spindles, memory, alcohol, and why some sedatives alter sleep architecture 🎬 Chapters01:03 – Introducing Professor Gina R. Poe 01:51 – REM sleep: remembering AND forgetting02:15 – Crick’s REM-for-forgetting hypothesis04:16 – Hippocampus → neocortex: how memories move during sleep06:06 – Stress “sweet spot” for learning (too little vs too much) 07:39 – Rats in space: learning in 3D/zero gravity11:26 – Locus coeruleus (“blue spot”): arousal, learning, and REM switching14:26 – Nightmares/PTSD: why REM needs the LC to go quiet17:33 – Alcohol + sedatives: how they can reduce spindles and REM 18:47 – Sleep architecture 101: cycles, deep sleep, REM, spindles 20:48 – Growth hormone timing + why circadian alignment matters 21:27 – “You can’t catch up”: why your body has a schedule 23:17 – Transition into REM: spindles, K-complexes, P-waves 25:53 – How to increase spindles: learning something new 27:32 – What reduces spindles: sleeping pills/benzos/alcohol 28:29 – Wearables vs EEG: what tracking can and can’t tell you 31:27 – Wearables + alcohol effects + women & temperature tracking 33:19 – Hormones & sleep: what we know, what’s inconclusive (and why) 36:59 – New parents: shifts, feeding timing, and protecting circadian rhythm 40:15 – Night feeds: don’t turn on bright lights (use dim red light) 41:29 – The best sleep schedule (science-based): consistency + timing 43:38 – Naps: when they help and when they hurt bedtime 44:42 – Temperature: why overheating can reduce REM sleep 47:28 – Meal timing: avoid late meals + use meals to reset jet lag 49:16 – The research gap: women’s cycles, diaries, and better studies 🚽 Discover Throne’s incredible new smart toilet device at ⁠http://thronescience.com⁠🔥 Try LOAM and get an additional 10% with code POD10: https://loamscience.com/products/loam-prebiotic-fiber-formula?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=drkaranexplores🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy-to-action health tips and science: ⁠https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: ⁠https://geni.us/DrKaranBook⁠📕 Pre-order my new book, This Is Vital Information: ⁠https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformationAbout Dr Karan:Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, and educator dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor.📱Connect with me:Instagram: / drkaranrajanFacebook: / drkaranTikTok: / dr.karanrX: / drkaranrajanWebsite: www.drkaranrajan.com#SleepScience #CircadianRhythm #SleepSchedule #REMSleep #DeepSleep

Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, a board-certified physician and obesity/GLP-1 researcher, breaks down the GLP-1 craze. He debunks GLP-1–branded foods and risky telehealth compounding. Short practical tips on nausea, alcohol, supplements, and why next-gen drugs like retatrutide matter are discussed in clear, fast-paced conversation.

Family meals aren’t just a “nice-to-have”. They’re a longevity habit hiding in plain sight.In this episode, Dr Karan Rajan and Shawn Stevenson unpack why eating together can improve kids’ nutrition, reduce ultra-processed food reliance, support healthier eating behaviours, and strengthen the social bonds that consistently show up in long-term health and longevity conversations.You’ll hear about:Why routines (sleep + meals) matter more than perfectionHow tech and modern “kitchen culture” has changed how we eatThe evidence linking shared meals to kids’ nutrition and health outcomesThe “minimum effective dose” of family meals (and what studies associate with it)How to guide kids around food without fear-mongering or rigid restrictionUltra-processed food trends in children and how to build a healthier micro-culture at home🎬 Chapters:01:07 – Why this “hidden longevity habit” matters04:25 – Childhood responsibilities & early parenting perspective05:01 – “Kids want to sleep”: Meeting needs, not chasing perfection06:16 – Why brains love routines (sleep culture & rituals)08:09 – Nap time reality & the dog vs kid routine comparison09:04 – Kids growing up in a different world10:06 – Meal structure & defining “kitchen culture”13:22 – The life-skill decline: Kids relying on microwaves14:06 – What research shows: Shared meals, nutrients & less UPF16:54 – Eating as a cultural moment 17:47 – The “minimum effective dose”18:18 – Family dinner as stress relief19:40 – Shared meals, supervision & why “beige food” wins21:05 – Shared meals as a non-diet longevity lever21:54 – “Our genes expect us to eat together” 25:18 – Blue Zones: the overlooked role of communal meals29:00 – Protecting kids from nutrition fear-mongering30:23 – Dogma phases: Diets, trends, and staying grounded31:05 – Ultra-processed food in kids: 1999 → 2018 (the data)32:48 – Building a “micro-culture” at home 34:11 – “Both-and” parenting: Sovereignty, flexibility, and belonging36:12 – “Kids don’t listen, they watch”: Modelling habits that stick36:47 – Food, culture & fitting in 42:59 – The 80/20 mindset & starting small with cooking44:11 – UPFs, oils & nutrition nuance (olive oil vs canola sidebar)46:18 – Nutrition trend cycles: low fat → keto → high protein47:30 – Creating a “vibe” in the kitchen49:28 – Invite kids into the kitchen🚽 Discover Throne’s incredible new smart toilet device at ⁠http://thronescience.com⁠🔥 Try LOAM and get an additional 10% with code POD10: https://loamscience.com/products/loam-prebiotic-fiber-formula?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=drkaranexplores🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy-to-action health tips and science: ⁠https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: ⁠https://geni.us/DrKaranBook⁠📕 Pre-order my new book, This Is Vital Information: ⁠https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformatioAbout Dr Karan:Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, and educator dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor.📱Connect with me:Instagram: / drkaranrajanFacebook: / drkaranTikTok: / dr.karanrX: / drkaranrajanWebsite: www.drkaranrajan.com#Longevity #FamilyMeals #NutritionScience #Parenting #UltraProcessedFoods

💬 Are your supplements helping you… or are you just paying for sawdust?The supplement industry is booming, but it’s also one of the easiest industries to fake. In this episode, Dr Karan is joined by Dr Darshan Shah (surgeon and longevity expert) to break down what actually works, what’s likely a waste of money, and how to avoid supplements that can genuinely cause harm.⚡We cover contamination, Amazon “ratings”, the creatine gummy scandal, drug interactions, GLP-1 supplement marketing, and the simple blood tests that help you figure out what YOU actually need.🎧 Stay tuned to find out:➡ Why so many supplements don’t contain what the label says➡ The “essentials” most people are missing (and how to test for them)➡ Why gummies are often just expensive sweets➡ The supplement mistake that can mess with blood tests, surgery and medications➡ How to spot quality: third-party testing, COAs and real dosing➡ Why GLP-1 “supplements” are mostly marketing➡ The simplest framework to stop wasting money#DrKaran #HealthPodcast #MedicalScience #HealthEducation #Supplements #Creatine #Longevity #GutHealthDon't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW!📕 Chapters(0:00) Coming up (episode teaser)(0:56) Intro: Dr Darshan Shah returns (supplements, quality, and what actually works)(1:51) The real problem: “unregulated” quality + fake Amazon ratings(3:36) Dr Shah’s supplement stack (and why powders make compliance easier)(4:50) Creatine: why he takes it (and how much)(8:43) Creatine + poor sleep: the cognition link(11:24) The patient story: supplements causing blood sugar spikes(14:33) Supplements are chemicals: liver injury + drug interactions(15:45) Dr Karan’s creatine kidney scare (creatinine vs real kidney function)(18:57) Sponsor: LOAM(20:06) The creatine gummy scandal: “I was basically eating Haribo”(22:18) A simple consumer playbook: the “bell curve” of supplement users(24:06) The essentials list (what most people actually need)(27:02) The 3 buckets: dose, form, and evidence (why gummies usually fail)(29:58) Should you use PubMed (and how not to get misled by studies)(34:48) Why almost no supplement companies run real trials(36:42) “Black labelling”: influencer supplements as a cash grab(38:43) Surgery story: the St John’s Wort mistake that wouldn’t stop bleeding(43:22) How to check quality: third-party testing, heavy metals, and COAs(48:07) Sponsor: Throne(49:05) GLP-1 “supplements”: marketing 101 vs real value(51:46) Where to start: the key blood tests to guide supplements(53:20) Does supplement timing matter (or is consistency the real win)?(54:28) Omega-3 quality: fish oil vs algae vs krill(56:48) Red flags: proprietary blends + choosing the right magnesium forms(57:59) Next-gen probiotics vs the simplest lever: fibre(1:03:12) Dr Shah’s “simple stack” recap(1:03:45) Closing🚽 Discover Throne’s incredible new smart toilet device at http://thronescience.com🔥 Try LOAM and get an additional 10% with code POD10: https://loamscience.com/🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy-to-action health tips and science: https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook📕 Pre-order my new book, This Is Vital Information: https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation

Josh Clemente, former SpaceX engineer and founder of Levels, builds continuous monitoring tech for metabolic health. He contrasts aerospace observability with medicine. They discuss why abundant wearable data has not improved public health, the promise of measuring when healthy, risks of obsession with metrics, and the path toward multi-marker continuous monitoring and health operating systems.

💬 What does it actually take to rebuild your life after addiction?Ken Rideout has lived multiple lives: Former prison guard, Wall Street trader, opioid addict… and now the fastest marathoner in the world over 50.⚡In this episode, Ken opens up about the darkest moment that forced him to change, what opioid withdrawal REALLY feels like, and the identity shift that helped him go from rock bottom to elite endurance athlete.🎧 Stay tuned to find out:➡ The “rock bottom” moment that finally flipped the switch➡ What opioid withdrawal is actually like➡ How Ken used discipline, discomfort and running to rebuild his identity➡ The truth about hiding addiction inside a “normal” life➡ Why ambition can quietly steal your presence (especially as a parent)➡ The uncomfortable reality of CPR, end-of-life decisions and quality of life#DrKaran #HealthPodcast #MedicalScience #HealthEducation #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #Fitness #Running #LongevityDon't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCREKb1GS1jwZIpH4qn9tyuA📕 Chapters(0:00) Coming up (episode trailer)(1:22) Introduction (in-person pod with Ken Rideout)(3:37) Growing up around addiction, violence and instability(4:07) “My mind always needed to be busy”(5:56) Moving to New York and quitting drinking (finance culture)(7:47) The injury that started it: ankle surgery + Percocet(8:01) Wall Street insecurity and imposter syndrome(10:00) Marriage, adoption and battling addiction in secret(10:34) The withdrawal trap: Subutex vs Percocet(11:00) The shame loop: “What are you doing?”(11:12) Detox in secret and hiding it from his wife(14:37) Running through withdrawal (10 miles a day)(14:56) The balcony moment(14:59) “I’d rather be dead than live like this”(15:05) The final straw: telling his wife the truth(15:27) Vivitrol and the first real relief(23:43) Covid, routines collapsing and old habits creeping back(32:07) Parenting, ambition and being present(40:32) Facing death as a doctor (why planning matters)(45:59) CPR myths: what TV gets wrong(49:15) Sponsor: Throne(50:16) Ambition vs presence (what matters long-term)(1:01:31) Purpose outside work and parenting(1:03:08) “Get out past the break” (closing)🚽 Discover Throne’s incredible new smart toilet device at http://thronescience.com🔥 Try LOAM and get an additional 10% with code POD10: https://loamscience.com/🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy-to-action health tips and science: https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook📕 Pre-order my new book, This Is Vital Information: https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformationAbout Dr Karan:Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, and educator dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor.📱Connect with me:Instagram: / drkaranrajanFacebook: / drkaranrTikTok: / dr.karanrX: / drkaranrajanWebsite: https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation