On this episode, Jon D. Kaiser, MD taught us about the mitochondrial health and chronic disease connection.

Dr. Kaiser is a mitochondrial specialist with over thirty years of clinical and research experience in applying functional medicine approaches to treat complex medical conditions, including HIV/AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia and long COVID.

Dr. Kaiser began his career as an HIV/AIDS specialist in San Francisco at the height of the HIV epidemic. He found that many of his patients needed nutritional and mitochondrial support, especially after manifesting antiviral medication side effects.

He developed protocols to help patients improve their baseline health with an original nutraceutical formulation that supports mitochondrial health. Dr. Kaiser joined James to discuss how he has applied his protocols to help patients with other chronic illnesses and post-infection syndromes.

Tune in to learn more from Dr. Kaiser about the following topics:

•        Lifestyle factors that support healing beyond other integrative interventions 
•         How mitochondria are chemically and electrically connected and communicate with each other throughout the body
•         Parasympathetic activation as a critical component of recovery  
•        How the poor mitochondrial function impacts the neuro-endocrine-immune axis and gastrointestinal tract
•        His vision for the next steps in medicine, including the need for a readily available blood test that assays the health of mitochondria in blood cells

This episode continues to explore the theme laid out in the August 2023 Functional Forum, Mitochondrial Mayem, where we learned how mitochondrial dysfunction leads to a wide range of chronic illnesses—from autoimmunity to cardiometabolic disease, neurologic disorders and more. 

This week, we address a hot and controversial topic in medicine: weight loss pharmaceuticals. 

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptides (GIP) agonists are gaining popularity for their use in treating type 2 diabetes and, in some cases, obesity. These medications stimulate insulin secretion and are shown to increase weight loss and improve blood pressure.

However, significant gastrointestinal and other rare but concerning side effects make these medications controversial. Patients often also gain back much of the lost weight when these medications are stopped.

Our guest this episode is Christina Robins, MD, who has a successful clinic called RevitaLife, which blends family medicine, women’s health care, antiaging medicine and medical weight loss, among other services. Dr. Robins has long been using GLP-1 agonists with her patients, and she joined James to share her strategies for supporting patients using those medications in combination with nutraceutical support.

Listen to the full conversation to learn about the following:

• Lifestyle and nutraceutical support before, during and after the use of weight-loss medications
• How to prevent connective tissue and muscle loss during weight loss
• FDA approval for weight loss and type 2 diabetes drugs
• Appropriate uses for these medications and potential off-label uses
• And much, much more!

Molly Maloof, MD joins the Evolution of Medicine podcast to discuss a shared vision: connection as a critical pillar of healthcare.

Dr. Maloof recently authored and released a book called The Spark Factor, which teaches readers how to personalize biohacking strategies for better energy and health. Dr. Maloof wrote portions of the book to fill the information gaps in biohacking for women, but 80% of its content is also applicable to men.

If you listen to this short yet powerful episode, you’ll quickly recognize how well-aligned Dr. Maloof is with our year of connection. She discussed how loneliness and lack of connection—either social or connecting with your own body and health—is a leading crisis, especially post-pandemic. 

Please listen to the full audio to learn more about the following:

• How The Spark Factor helps readers personalize their journey to improve their mitochondrial energy
• How the Functional Forum will be even more critical in the age of digital and medical censorship
• The seriousness of the loneliness and mental health crises
• Some practical tips for women to better align with their cycles
• Tips on fasting and exercise for different patient groups
• And much, much more!