Metabolic Mind

Type 2 diabetes is often treated as a chronic, progressive disease, but Dr. David Unwin has spent years showing that, for many patients, remission is possible through low-carb nutrition and a different approach to care.

In this episode, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with Dr. Unwin about how his work as an NHS primary care physician changed after he began focusing on insulin resistance, carbohydrate intake, and the underlying drivers of type 2 diabetes rather than blood sugar alone.

Dr. Unwin shares how his approach to care evolved and discusses published real-world findings on type 2 diabetes remission among patients who chose a low-carb approach. He also explains why long-term maintenance became just as important as achieving remission in the first place, and how he uses continuous glucose monitors to support that process. He also describes his approach to behavioral support, including addressing food addiction.

They discuss:

• How Dr. Unwin’s approach to type 2 diabetes changed after discovering low-carb nutrition
• What his published NHS data show about drug-free diabetes remission
• Why insulin resistance is central to how he explains type 2 diabetes to patients
• How low-carb diets can be personalized using A1C, weight, waist circumference, and continuous glucose monitoring
• Why maintaining remission can be harder than achieving it
• The role food and carbohydrate addiction may play in long-term adherence
• How continuous glucose monitors can provide immediate feedback
• Where GLP-1 medications may fit alongside nutrition and behavior change
• Why medication management with a healthcare provider is especially important when starting a low-carb diet
• What Dr. Unwin believes the rise in type 2 diabetes tells us about changes in our food environment

Dr. Unwin’s experience shows how much can change when clinicians look beyond glucose control and ask what may be driving the disease in the first place. His work also offers a hopeful reminder that type 2 diabetes does not always have to follow the progressive path many patients are taught to expect.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #Type2Diabetes

Expert Featured:

Dr. David Unwin

• https://x.com/lowcarbGP

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Can stevia fit into a ketogenic diet? What does the evidence say about oxalates? And how might a ketogenic diet affect bone health?

In this episode of Metabolic Mailbag, Dr. Bret Scher and psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede answer listener questions about sweeteners, exercise, ketone levels, continuous ketone monitoring, and more.

They discuss:

• Why stevia can still be considered a keto-friendly sweetener, and why individual response matters
• What the evidence does and does not show about “oxalate dumping”
• Why oxalate intake and symptoms can vary so much from person to person
• What research says about ketogenic diets and bone health in children versus adults
• Why protein, resistance training, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin K2, estrogen, and cortisol all matter for preserving bone mass
• Why some people see lower ketone readings in the morning and higher readings later
• How food intake, exercise, sleep, and circadian rhythm can affect ketone levels
• What continuous ketone monitors may teach us about daily ketone patterns
• How exercise can both help you enter ketosis and temporarily lower blood ketone levels
• Why even short bouts of movement can support metabolic and mental health

Dr. Ede also explains why context matters with ketogenic therapy. A ketone reading or food choice can mean different things depending on the person and their health goals.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #QuestionAndAnswer

Expert Featured:

Dr. Georgia Ede, MD- Author, Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiaedemd/
• https://x.com/GeorgiaEdeMD
• https://www.instagram.com/georgiaedemd/

Resources Mentioned:

Papers

• Effects of the Daily Consumption of Stevia on Glucose Homeostasis, Body Weight, and Energy Intake
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14681845/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24606099/
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346560858_Hypercalcemia_in_Children_Using_the_Ketogenic_Diet_A_Multicenter_Study
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9932495/

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice or establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications. In addition, it is important to note that people may respond differently to ketosis, and there isn't one recognized universal response.

Therapeutic nutritional ketosis, or simply starting a ketogenic diet, is a powerful health and medical intervention that can change your body's metabolism and can dramatically alter brain function, medication levels, sleep patterns, energy levels, and other physiologic functions. If you have a psychiatric diagnosis, behavioral health symptoms, or take medications for a psychiatric condition, you should not start a ketogenic diet alone. Instead, consider starting a therapeutic ketogenic intervention with careful monitoring from your healthcare provider or an experienced clinician. We hope you will share information with your healthcare provider and discuss whether therapeutic ketosis is an appropriate, safe, and potentially effective intervention for you.

Metabolic psychiatry is growing quickly, and clinicians and researchers around the world have been asking for a better way to connect and learn from one another to help move the field forward.

Dr. Bret Scher speaks with Dr. Kirk Nylen, Managing Director of Neuroscience at Baszucki Group, and psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede about MetPsy, a new global community for clinicians and researchers working in metabolic psychiatry.

The idea grew out of a needs assessment that drew responses from more than 500 people across 39 countries. The top request was clear: a dedicated space for community, collaboration, education, and shared clinical experience.

They discuss:

• Who MetPsy is designed for, from experienced practitioners to those just entering the field
• How clinicians and researchers can learn from one another
• Why metabolic psychiatry extends beyond ketogenic therapy alone
• How clinicians can discuss challenging cases and learn from more experienced peers
• Why multidisciplinary care is so important in metabolic psychiatry
• How greater collaboration could improve both research and clinical practice
• Dr. Georgia Ede’s updated metabolic psychiatry training program, now available free with CME
• The clinician community of practice and live case discussions
• How MetPsy aims to expand access to safe, confident metabolic psychiatry care

For clinicians and researchers interested in metabolic psychiatry, MetPsy is a place to connect with peers and take part in ongoing learning.

👉 If you’re a clinician, researcher, trainee, dietitian, therapist, or other licensed health professional interested in metabolic psychiatry, visit http://MetPsy.com to join the network.

#MetabolicPsychiatry #MetabolicMind #MetPsy

Expert Featured:

Dr. Kirk Nylen

• https://www.metabolicmind.org/team/kirk-nylen-phd/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirknylen/

Dr. Georgia Ede, MD- Author, Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiaedemd/
• https://x.com/GeorgiaEdeMD
• https://www.instagram.com/georgiaedemd/

Resources Mentioned:

• https://www.metpsy.com/

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Meal timing, morning light, sleep, and exercise can all influence circadian rhythm, with potentially important effects on metabolic health.

In this episode, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with circadian biology expert Dr. Satchin Panda about how our internal clocks work, what disrupts them, and how everyday timing choices can affect metabolism, brain function, and long-term health.

Dr. Panda describes how light helps synchronize the brain’s central clock, while food timing may influence clocks in other organs and tissues. He also breaks down why the timing of your first and last meals matters, what shift work can do to metabolic health, and how even a one-hour clock change for “daylight savings” can disrupt circadian biology.

They discuss:

• How circadian rhythms influence metabolism and brain function
• Why morning light and daytime light exposure matter
• The difference between central and peripheral circadian clocks
• Why Dr. Panda recommends waiting one to two hours after waking before eating
• Why eating several hours before bed may support sleep and metabolic health
• Why the timing of a time-restricted eating window matters, not just its length
• What research in firefighters suggests about food timing during shift work
• Practical strategies for people working overnight or irregular schedules
• How light exposure is being used in some mental health settings
• Why Dr. Panda favors permanent standard time over changing the clocks twice a year

Dr. Panda’s research offers a practical framework for thinking about circadian health. Paying closer attention to habits like when you eat, get sunlight, exercise, and sleep may help keep your internal clocks better aligned.

👉 Looking for lifestyle practices that can help support metabolic and mental health? Sign up for THINK+SMART and receive our free guide: http://metabolicmind.org/thinksmart/get-started/

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#CircadianRhythm #TimeRestrictedEating #MetabolicMind

Expert Featured:

Dr. Satchin Panda

• https://www.instagram.com/satchin.panda/?hl=en
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/satchin-panda-926ba369
• https://x.com/SatchinPanda

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Can ketogenic therapy help offset some of the metabolic side effects of clozapine while preserving its psychiatric benefits?

Dr. Deanna Kelly, a leading clozapine researcher, joins Dr. Bret Scher to discuss what she has seen clinically when ketogenic therapy is used alongside clozapine and other antipsychotic medications.

Dr. Kelly shares the case of a patient taking clozapine who also had diabetes and metabolic syndrome. After five weeks on a ketogenic diet, the patient’s glucose, insulin, and hemoglobin A1C returned to the normal range. She also explains why people taking antipsychotics such as clozapine or olanzapine may have a harder time reaching ketosis and why careful monitoring matters.

They discuss:

• Using ketogenic therapy alongside clozapine
• Metabolic side effects associated with antipsychotic treatment
• Why ketosis may be harder to achieve on clozapine or olanzapine
• Changes in clozapine blood levels that may occur with ketogenic therapy
• Why lower clozapine levels do not automatically mean the dose should be increased
• The possibility of gradually reducing antipsychotic doses once someone is stable
• Why Dr. Kelly views dose reduction through a harm-reduction lens
• The importance of expert clinical supervision when adjusting psychiatric medications

The research in this area is still limited, but Dr. Kelly believes there is real promise in exploring whether ketogenic therapy can help reduce metabolic burden and, in some cases, support lower antipsychotic doses without sacrificing psychiatric stability.

Medication safety is critical. Clozapine and other psychiatric medications should only be adjusted with experienced clinical supervision, especially when starting ketogenic therapy, because medication levels and effects can change as metabolism changes.

💡 Learn more about the importance of clinical support with psych meds and how ketogenic therapy may impact medication needs and dosage on our Keto and Psych Meds Topic Page: https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/topics/keto-and-psych-meds/.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#Clozapine #KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicPsychiatry

Expert Featured:

Dr. Deanna L. Kelly

• https://www.metabolicmind.org/team/deanna-kelly-pharmd-bcpp/
• https://x.com/ProfDeannaK
• https://www.instagram.com/dr.deanna.kelly/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-l-kelly-pharmd-bcpp-3a8b299b/?isSelfProfile=false

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that adults with ADHD had more than a fourfold higher association with cognitive impairment and dementia later in life. The finding doesn't mean ADHD causes dementia, but it raises important questions about what these conditions may share biologically.

In this video, Dr. Bret Scher breaks down the study and explores one possible connection: brain energy metabolism.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 187,000 adults and also found that people with a higher genetic risk for ADHD had a 35% greater likelihood of cognitive decline, even without an ADHD diagnosis. Dr. Scher explains why these findings may point toward shared biological pathways involving glucose metabolism, mitochondrial function, insulin sensitivity, and the brain’s ability to meet its energy needs.

He covers:

• What the study found about ADHD and later cognitive decline
• Why association doesn't establish causation
• The possible connection between ADHD, brain energy metabolism, and dementia
• How sleep, chronic stress, and metabolic health may influence long-term brain health
• Why ketogenic therapy is being explored as a way to provide the brain with an additional fuel source
• How exercise and sleep may support brain metabolic function
• Why this research makes early attention to metabolic health worth considering

The research connecting ADHD, metabolism, and dementia is still developing. For people living with ADHD, these findings offer another reason to think about long-term brain health and the metabolic factors that may be modifiable over time.

👉 Interested in learning more about the potential connection between ADHD and metabolic health? Check out our blog: https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/library/blog/stories/ketogenic-therapy-for-adhd/

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#ADHD #Dementia #MetabolicHealth #MetabolicMind

Expert Featured:

Bret Scher, MD - Baszucki Group Medical Director & Host of the Metabolic Mind Podcast

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bret-scher-08baaa102/
• https://www.instagram.com/drscher858/?hl=en
• https://x.com/bschermd

Resources Mentioned:

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Late-Life Cognitive Impairment

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2854889

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

ADHD is often described as a problem with attention or hyperactivity, but psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede argues that the condition is much more complex, involving executive function, dopamine regulation, and potentially brain energy metabolism.

In this episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Bret Scher and Dr. Georgia Ede take a deeper look at ADHD, from how it is diagnosed and treated to emerging research on nutrition and glucose metabolism, including questions about ketogenic therapy

Dr. Ede draws on years of experience treating ADHD, including her time at Harvard University, Smith College, and the Hallowell Center. She explains why some people living with ADHD can focus intensely on things that interest them while struggling with everyday tasks, why stimulants can be so effective for some people, and where lifestyle strategies may fit alongside conventional care.

They cover:

• What ADHD actually is and why the name can be misleading
• How inattentive and hyperactive symptoms can look very different
• Why ADHD can affect work, relationships, self-esteem, and quality of life
• How stimulant and non-stimulant medications work
• What older studies found when children living with ADHD followed simplified whole-food diets
• Evidence of altered brain glucose metabolism in ADHD
• Why researchers are exploring possible links between ADHD and metabolic health, including research on mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation
• What Dr. Ede has observed clinically with whole-food and ketogenic approaches
• How ketogenic therapy may interact with stimulant medications
• Why there is no established ketone level for ADHD
• The first randomized controlled trial now underway at Oxford studying ketogenic therapy in adults living with ADHD and depression

The clinical evidence for ketogenic therapy in ADHD is still early, and Dr. Ede emphasizes that we do not yet know how effective it will be or who is most likely to benefit. But with research now underway, the metabolic side of ADHD is becoming an important area to watch.

Anyone considering dietary or medication changes should discuss them with their healthcare provider. Medication adjustments require supervision from a prescribing clinician.

👉 Interested in learning more about the potential connection between ADHD and metabolic health? Check out our blog: https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/library/blog/stories/ketogenic-therapy-for-adhd/

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#ADHD #KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicPsychiatry

Expert Featured:

Dr. Georgia Ede, MD- Author, Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiaedemd/
• https://x.com/GeorgiaEdeMD
• https://www.instagram.com/georgiaedemd/

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Does perimenopause make ketosis harder? Can a carnivore diet provide too much protein? And which nutrient deficiencies matter most for mental health?

In this episode of Metabolic Mailbag, Dr. Bret Scher and psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede answer listener questions about ketogenic therapy, menopause, carnivore diets, protein intake, and nutrition for mental health.

They discuss how hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can affect insulin sensitivity and ketone levels, and why some women may need to adjust their carbohydrate intake, exercise, or other aspects of their routine to maintain the same metabolic response.

They also cover:

• Why perimenopause and menopause can make ketosis more difficult
• How changing estrogen levels may affect insulin resistance and mental health
• Histamine intolerance and gut changes during perimenopause
• Whether carnivore diets can become too high in protein
• How to think about protein intake when therapeutic ketosis is the goal
• Why adding fat may help adjust the protein-to-fat ratio on carnivore
• Common nutrient deficiencies that can affect mental health
• The roles of B12, choline, folate, iron, iodine, and omega-3 fatty acids
• Why correcting a deficiency does not always resolve psychiatric symptoms
• The difference between folic acid and methylfolate

Dr. Ede also shares why appetite and satiety can feel very different on a well-formulated ketogenic or carnivore diet, and why individual needs often change over time.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #QuestionAndAnswer #KetogenicTherapy

Expert Featured:

Dr. Georgia Ede, MD- Author, Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiaedemd/
• https://x.com/GeorgiaEdeMD
• https://www.instagram.com/georgiaedemd/

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Some “healthy” foods may be working against your metabolic health.

In this episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Bret Scher examines how products such as agave nectar, commercial green juices, low-fat fruit yogurt, and açaí bowls can create a health halo while delivering large amounts of rapidly digestible sugar.

Dr. Scher explains how liquid carbohydrates, added sugars, and concentrated fructose may affect satiety, insulin response, hunger, and other markers of metabolic health. He also examines how front-of-package phrases such as “natural,” “low fat,” “made with real fruit,” and “superfood” can make certain products appear healthier than their nutrition labels suggest.

The episode covers:

• How liquid and rapidly digestible carbohydrates affect satiety differently from whole foods
• Why agave nectar’s low glycemic index does not tell the full story about how its fructose content is processed by the liver
• How removing fiber and adding fruit can change the metabolic effects of some commercial green juices
• How some low-fat fruit yogurts replace fat with added sugar
• Why some açaí bowls can deliver a large, rapidly absorbed sugar load
• How to assess total carbohydrates, added sugar, and ingredient lists
• Why front-of-package health claims may offer an incomplete picture of a food’s nutritional content

This episode offers a practical guide to recognizing misleading health claims and evaluating nutrition labels through a metabolic health lens.

👉 Want to stay up to date with the latest research on metabolic health and metabolic psychiatry? Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed: http://metabolicmind.org/about-us/newsletter/

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #FoodAsMedicine

Expert Featured:

Bret Scher, MD - Baszucki Group Medical Director & Host of the Metabolic Mind Podcast

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bret-scher-08baaa102/
• https://www.instagram.com/drscher858/?hl=en
• https://x.com/bschermd

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

How did humans go from being deeply connected to our food to barely knowing where it comes from or how it was made?

In this episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with experimental archaeologist and chef Dr. Bill Schindler about what human evolution can teach us about food, nutrition, and the way we eat today. Drawing on archaeology and his time with hunter-gatherer communities around the world, Dr. Schindler traces how human diets changed through hunting, food processing, agriculture, and eventually the modern food system.

A major turning point came with agriculture. Dr. Schindler describes how dietary diversity declined as societies became more dependent on a smaller number of staple crops, while people also became increasingly removed from the source and preparation of their food.

They cover:

• How hunting and food processing shaped human evolution
• What changed when humans transitioned to agriculture
• What Dr. Schindler has learned from spending time with modern hunter-gatherer communities
• Why those communities cannot be viewed as untouched examples of ancestral life
• How culture and environment shape what different populations eat
• Why nourishment involves more than macronutrients alone
• How food traditions can create a deeper connection to what we eat
• Why Dr. Schindler and his wife Christina created the Modern Stone Age Kitchen
• How fermentation, sourdough, nose-to-tail cooking, and other traditional techniques are used in a modern restaurant
• Why the way food is prepared may be just as important as the ingredients themselves

At the Modern Stone Age Kitchen, Dr. Schindler has tried to bring those lessons into everyday life by making familiar foods from scratch and using traditional preparation methods to improve nutrient density and reconnect people with the story behind their food.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#AncestralNutrition #MetabolicMind #FoodAsMedicine

Expert Featured:

Dr. Bill Schindler

• https://www.instagram.com/drbillschindler/?hl=en
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-bill-schindler-46243211
• https://www.facebook.com/drbillschindler/
• https://www.facebook.com/modernstoneagekitchen/
• https://www.instagram.com/themodernstoneage
• https://www.youtube.com/@themodernstoneage

Resources Mentioned:

• https://modernstoneage.com/
• https://modernstoneage.circle.so/ancestral-table-home
• https://modernstoneage.com/shop/p/eat-like-a-human-autographed-book

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

A new study claims ketogenic diets cause liver damage and early death. Here’s what you need to know.

A 2025 mouse study recently made headlines, warning that ketogenic diets may lead to fatty liver, high triglycerides, and a shortened lifespan.

But here’s the catch:

These findings were in genetically altered mice fed a 90% fat diet, filled with highly synthetic components, and they contradict what human trials have shown again and again.

In real people, ketogenic diets have consistently been linked to:

✅ Lower liver fat and improved liver enzymes

✅ Reduced triglycerides

✅ Improved insulin sensitivity and A1c

✅ Medication reduction or even remission in type 2 diabetes

So why the disconnect?

In this video, Dr. Bret Scher breaks it down:

• What the mouse study really showed (and what it didn’t)
• Key biological differences between mice and humans
• Why human evidence still supports a well-formulated ketogenic diet’s safety and benefits
• What to look for when evaluating nutrition headlines

Animal data can provide hints and raise important questions, but when human trials show clear benefits, that’s the signal we should trust.

👉 Learn more about the powerful effect of metabolic therapies on the brain and body by subscribing to Metabolic Mind: https://www.youtube.com/@metabolicmind.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #FoodAsMedicine

Expert Featured:

Dr. Bret Scher

• Baszucki Group Medical Director
• https://x.com/bschermd

Resources Mentioned:

A long-term ketogenic diet causes hyperlipidemia, liver dysfunction, and glucose intolerance from impaired insulin secretion in mice

• https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx2752

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Can ketosis change symptoms of bulimia? Is low-carb eating safe in your 80s? And what really happens to digestion on a carnivore diet?

In this episode of Metabolic Mailbag, Dr. Bret Scher answers questions about ketogenic therapy for eating disorders, low-carb diets in older adults, carnivore diets and gut health, constipation on a ketogenic diet, and even a few easy keto movie-night snacks. He also looks at why being in ketosis may affect symptoms differently than simply eating low carb, what to consider when fasting later in life, and how to think about bowel habits and microbiome changes when fiber intake is very low.

He covers:

• Whether intermittent fasting and low-carb eating are appropriate at age 81
• Why adequate protein remains important with fasting
• What current research suggests about ketogenic therapy and eating disorders
• Fiber, bowel habits, and constipation on carnivore and ketogenic diets
• What emerging research suggests about microbiome diversity on carnivore
• Magnesium options for constipation
• Simple keto snack ideas for a movie night

As always, Dr. Scher emphasizes individual context, clinical guidance, and the importance of looking beyond a single number or dietary rule.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicMailbag

Expert Featured:

Bret Scher, MD

• https://www.instagram.com/drscher858/?hl=en
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bret-scher-08baaa102/
• https://x.com/bschermd

Resources Mentioned:

Papers

• https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06000774
• https://toward.health/dr-tro-co-authors-case-series-demonstrating-feasibility-of-ketogenic-diet-for-patients-with-obesity-binge-eating-food-addiction-symptoms/
• https://www.wsj.com/health/can-ozempic-treat-binge-eating-for-some-the-answer-is-yes-dbdc009f
• https://journals.bioscientifica.com/mah/article/4/1/MAH250015/77637/Long-term-adherence-to-the-carnivore-diet-and-its
• https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4654
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6546328/

Videos

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cThdgRm9ApE

Additional resources

• https://brainenergy.com/

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Alzheimer’s disease is usually discussed in terms of plaques, tangles, and genetics. Dr. Stephen Cunnane has spent years studying another piece of the puzzle: what happens when the aging brain can no longer use glucose efficiently, and whether ketones can help fill that energy gap.

In this interview, Dr. Bret Scher and Dr. Cunnane discuss the metabolic side of cognitive decline, including insulin resistance, brain glucose metabolism, and why metabolic health may play an important role in both prevention and treatment.

They cover:

• Why brain glucose utilization declines with age and Alzheimer’s disease
• How ketones may provide an alternative fuel for the brain
• What clinical trials of ketogenic diets, MCTs, and exogenous ketones have found so far
• Why some studies show improvements in quality of life or daily function even when cognitive measures change less
• What APOE4 may mean for treatment and prevention
• Why type 2 diabetes is such an important modifiable risk factor for dementia
• The roles of exercise, carbohydrate reduction, MCTs, and other lifestyle strategies
• Why Dr. Cunnane believes prevention should begin long before cognitive symptoms appear

Dr. Cunnane also shares news about SPARCUS, the Sprott Prevent Alzheimer Research Collaboration at the University of Sherbrooke. The new program will support research and education around multi-domain metabolic approaches to cognitive health, including reduced carbohydrate intake, MCTs, exercise, and omega-3 supplementation.

The research is still evolving, but Dr. Cunnane argues that we already know enough about metabolic health to start taking modifiable dementia risk factors more seriously.

👉 Want to stay up to date with the latest research on metabolic health and metabolic psychiatry? Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed: http://metabolicmind.org/about-us/newsletter/

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#AlzheimersDisease #MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy

Expert Featured:

Dr. Stephen Cunnane

• https://recherche-cerveau-sherbrooke.ca/en/laboratory-team/

Resources Mentioned:

• https://event.fourwaves.com/kc-5

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

College can be one of the most exciting times of your life, but it can also put enormous pressure on a brain that's still developing.

Psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede spent 12 years working as an on-campus psychiatrist at Harvard University and Smith College. In this video, she explains why college can be such a vulnerable time for mental health and how sleep, nutrition, alcohol, smoking, vaping, and other everyday habits may affect brain metabolism and resilience.

Dr. Ede explores the role of oxidative stress, why blood sugar and insulin matter for the brain, and how metabolic health can influence mood, concentration, memory, and the ability to cope with stress.

She shares practical strategies students can use on campus, including:

• Choosing whole foods and reducing refined carbohydrates
• Making better dining hall and snack choices
• Prioritizing sleep and regular exercise
• Limiting alcohol, smoking, and vaping
• Using a continuous glucose monitor to better understand individual responses to carbohydrates
• When a very low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet may be worth exploring for mental health concerns
• Why reaching out for professional support is essential when college starts to feel overwhelming

Any dietary changes, especially ketogenic therapy, should be explored with a qualified clinician. This is particularly important for students taking psychiatric medications or anyone with a history of eating disorders or disordered eating.

Taken together, these ideas show how metabolic health may support learning and relationships while students manage the everyday pressures of campus life.

👉 Looking for more back-to-school mental health resources for college students? Explore our Back to School blog for stories, science, and practical support for navigating campus life with mental health in mind: https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/library/blog/stories/back-to-school-metabolic-mental-health-guide/

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #BackToSchool

Expert:

Dr. Georgia Ede, MD- Author, Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiaedemd/
• https://x.com/GeorgiaEdeMD
• https://www.instagram.com/georgiaedemd/

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Does reducing carbohydrates improve metabolic health beyond what can be explained by weight loss alone?

Dr. Bret Scher breaks down a new randomized controlled trial published in Cell Metabolism that compared three diets in people with prediabetes and fatty liver disease: a ketogenic diet, a higher-carbohydrate Mediterranean diet, and a very low-fat, plant-forward diet.

One challenge with ketogenic diet research is that participants often lose more weight than those in comparison groups, making it difficult to separate the effects of carbohydrate reduction from those of weight loss itself.

In this trial, researchers provided all of the meals, and participants achieved greater than 95% dietary compliance. Importantly, all three groups ultimately lost the same 10% of their body weight. That gave researchers an unusual opportunity to compare metabolic outcomes across the three diets without differences in weight loss muddying the picture.

And even with weight loss held constant, the outcomes differed.

The ketogenic group reduced liver fat by 67%, compared with 45% in the Mediterranean and plant-forward groups, and saw larger improvements in liver insulin sensitivity. Prediabetes remission also occurred in 50% of the ketogenic group, compared with 29% of the Mediterranean group and 7% of the low-fat, plant-forward group.

Dr. Scher covers:

• Why similar weight loss across the three groups makes this trial especially informative
• How all three diets affected skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity
• Why liver insulin sensitivity improved more with the ketogenic diet
• The differences in liver fat reduction between the three groups
• Prediabetes remission rates across each dietary approach
• How carbohydrate reduction may suppress liver fat production
• Changes in the glucagon-to-insulin ratio on ketogenic therapy
• What the study found about saturated fat, LDL cholesterol, and ApoB
• Improvements in triglycerides, VLDL, and lipoprotein insulin resistance
• The study’s limitations, including its small size and 4- to 5-month duration

For people with fatty liver disease or prediabetes, this study adds evidence that carbohydrate reduction may produce metabolic benefits beyond those achieved through weight loss alone.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #FoodAsMedicine

Expert Featured:

Bret Scher, MD - Baszucki Group Medical Director & Host of the Metabolic Mind Podcast

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bret-scher-08baaa102/
• https://www.instagram.com/drscher858/?hl=en
• https://x.com/bschermd

Resources Mentioned:

Effect of diet macronutrient content on the cardiometabolic response to weight loss: A randomized clinical trial

http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1550413126002937

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice or establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications. In addition, it is important to note that people may respond differently to ketosis, and there isn't one recognized universal response.

For many women, the wellness strategies that carried them through their 20s and 30s can start to backfire in perimenopause. Changes in hormones, muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, sleep, and stress can make midlife feel like a completely different metabolic landscape.

In this episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with nurse practitioner Cynthia Thurlow about why perimenopause can act like a metabolic stress test. They explore how midlife can change the way women respond to carbohydrates, fasting, exercise, meal timing, and other strategies they may have relied on for years.

As Women’s Health Month brings more attention to the health challenges women face across different stages of life, this conversation focuses on one that is still too often misunderstood: the metabolic transition through perimenopause and menopause.

They cover:

• How perimenopause can affect insulin sensitivity and body composition
• Why preserving muscle becomes increasingly important in midlife
• The roles of sleep, stress, protein, meal timing, and strength training
• How intermittent fasting may need to change across the menstrual cycle and menopause
• When ketosis may help with metabolic symptoms, and why some women may benefit from more dietary flexibility
• How PMDD and severe PMS may relate to the perimenopause transition
• Where hormone replacement therapy may fit into an individualized plan
• The potential role of GLP-1 medications alongside lifestyle changes
• Why fiber and the gut microbiome deserve more attention during menopause
• Simple steps women can take now, including walking after meals, improving sleep, and staying well hydrated

Cynthia’s message is that while midlife can bring meaningful metabolic and hormonal changes, with the right support, there are practical ways to adjust nutrition, exercise, sleep, and other strategies to support overall health and wellbeing.

👉 Want to stay up to date with the latest research on metabolic health and metabolic psychiatry? Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed: http://metabolicmind.org/about-us/newsletter/

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#Menopause #Perimenopause #MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #WomensHealth

Expert Featured:

Cynthia Thurlow, NP

• https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/cynthia_thurlow_/?hl=en
• https://www.youtube.com/cynthiathurlow
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-thurlow/
• https://x.com/_CynthiaThurlow
• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-wellness-midlife-hormones-menopause-and/id1435214303
• https://cynthiathurlownp.substack.com/

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Hannah Warren spent years living with severe bipolar I disorder before discovering metabolic therapies in 2021. Today, Hannah has been in remission for more than five years, is no longer taking psychiatric medication, and works as Metabolic Mind’s Community Engagement & Advocacy Manager, helping others understand the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry.

In this course module, created as part of Nutrition Network’s broader low-carb course for vegetarians, Hannah combines her lived experience with practical guidance for using vegetarian and vegan ketogenic approaches to support metabolic and mental health.

She explains how ketogenic therapy differs from general healthy eating, how nutritional ketosis changes the fuels available to the brain, and why that shift is being studied in metabolic psychiatry

She also takes a detailed look at the practical side of vegetarian and vegan ketogenic therapy, including:

• How to structure a meat-free ketogenic diet while maintaining ketosis
• Why ketone testing is especially important for therapeutic use
• How to think about carb limits, protein targets, and complete protein sources
• Vegetarian and vegan sources of fat and omega-3s
• Key micronutrients and supplements to monitor
• Medication interactions and the importance of clinical supervision
• How to use lab testing to monitor metabolic health
• Common foods and meals that can make plant-based keto satisfying and sustainable
• Positive framing and behavior-change strategies that can support planning and long-term adherence

Hannah also shares the mistakes she made when first starting ketogenic therapy, the strategies that helped her refine her approach, and why she believes people should be able to pursue metabolic treatment options without giving up deeply held dietary values.

👉 Learn more about the benefits and implementation strategies for vegetarian low-carb diets with the full Nutrition Network course: https://courses.nutrition-network.org/p/low-carb-for-vegetarians

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #Vegetarianketo

Expert Featured:

Hannah Warren

• https://www.metabolicmind.org/team/hannah-warren/
• https://x.com/Radiantbeasting
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-warrenjhoole/
• https://www.radiantbeast.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/radiant_beasting

Resources Mentioned:

• https://courses.nutrition-network.org/p/low-carb-for-vegetarians

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

How can clinicians become more comfortable using ketogenic therapy in mental health care? In this episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with Dr. Deanna Kelly about Live It, Launch It!, a training program designed to help clinicians learn ketogenic therapy by experiencing it themselves.

Dr. Kelly explains why evidence-based treatments can still take years to reach everyday clinical practice, especially when providers don't feel confident using them. To address that gap, her team recruited clinicians for a program that combined ketogenic therapy education with four weeks of personally following a ketogenic diet and published it as a study: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1913325/full

Clinicians started with very low confidence in their ability to use ketogenic therapy. With education alone, those scores improved substantially, and actually living the diet pushed confidence even higher. Participants also reported improvements in mental and physical health, along with an average weight loss of about five pounds.

They cover:

• Why clinician confidence can limit adoption of new treatments
• How Live It, Launch It! was designed
• Why experiential learning added more than education alone
• How clinicians learned to troubleshoot ketosis in real time
• What participants reported about mood, brain fog, anxiety, and physical health
• Why group support helped clinicians understand how differently people respond
• What side effects and challenges came up during the four weeks
• How this model could be scaled across residency programs and health systems
• Why the next step is measuring whether clinicians actually use ketogenic therapy more often with patients

For Dr. Kelly, the goal is to help clinicians move from knowing about ketogenic therapy to feeling prepared to discuss it and use it in practice as the evidence continues to grow.

📖 Want to learn more about metabolic psychiatry? Check out our blog “Metabolic Psychiatry: A New Lens on Mental Health” to explore how researchers and clinicians are examining the connection between metabolism and mental health: http://metabolicmind.org/resources/library/blog/stories/metabolic-psychiatry-a-new-lens-on-mental-health/

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicPsychiatry #MetabolicMind #LiveItLaunchIt

Expert Featured:

Dr. Deanna L. Kelly PharmD, BCPP

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-l-kelly-pharmd-bcpp-3a8b299b/
• https://www.instagram.com/dr.deanna.kelly/
• https://x.com/ProfDeannaK

Resources Mentioned:

• https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1913325/full

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

How should we think about LDL and ApoB, and how much metabolic health changes the cardiovascular risk picture?

In this episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with vascular surgeon Dr. Lily Johnston about cholesterol and plaque formation, along with the need to personalize cardiovascular prevention.

👉 Download our Make Sense of Your Cholesterol guide: https://metmind.co/cholesterol-listeners

Dr. Johnston brings a unique perspective as both a vascular surgeon who treats advanced blood vessel disease and a physician focused on cardiometabolic prevention. She discusses why ApoB and LDL can play a role in atherosclerosis, while also emphasizing that vascular disease is shaped by many factors, including insulin resistance, diabetes, blood pressure, inflammation, smoking history, fitness, sleep, stress, social connection, and personal goals.

They cover:

• What vascular surgeons treat and why atherosclerosis affects blood vessels throughout the body
• Why prevention starts long before surgery becomes necessary
• How LDL and ApoB fit within a broader cardiovascular risk assessment
• Why metabolic health and insulin resistance deserve more attention
• How diet, medications, and imaging can help personalize risk assessment
• Why lowering ApoB may matter more for some patients than others
• What we still need to learn about lean mass hyper-responders
• Why curiosity and humility are essential in cholesterol research
• How patients can ask better questions when the conversation focuses only on LDL

This interview offers a thoughtful look at LDL, ApoB, metabolic health, and cardiovascular prevention, with a focus on better conversations between patients and clinicians.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#LDL #ApoB #MetabolicMind #CardiovascularHealth

Expert Featured:

Dr Lily Johnston

• https://www.instagram.com/lilyjohnstonmd/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@lilyjohnstonmd
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMaFSJtYbK8LQ7AyV31TrgQ
• https://x.com/lilyej

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Is saturated fat really the villain it’s been made out to be? Or has decades of poor research and dietary policy misled us?

In this video, Dr. Bret Scher dives into the controversy surrounding RFK Jr.'s call to remove the cap on saturated fat, and the Wall Street Journal’s misleading take on it.

We explore:

✅ Why saturated fat doesn’t just mean pizza and ice cream

✅ The science behind whole foods vs. processed foods

✅ How carbs, fats, and metabolic health interact

✅ What the evidence really says about saturated fat and heart disease

✅ Why individualized, whole-food diets matter

Removing the cap on saturated fat isn’t about giving fat a health halo, it's about making room for nutrient-dense, metabolically supportive diets.

👉Subscribe to Metabolic Mind for more real conversations about metabolic health, metabolic psychiatry, and mental health: https://www.youtube.com/@metabolicmind.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #FoodAsMedicine #SaturatedFat

Expert Featured:

Dr. Bret Scher

• Baszucki Group Medical Director
• https://x.com/bschermd

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.