Tracking Your Body’s Data to Improve Health Outcomes with Dr. Sara Gottfried

Nov 15, 2023

Dr. Sara Gottfried, MD from Harvard Medical School and completed residency at UCSF, talks about tracking data for precision medicine, impacts of birth control pills on women's health, erectile dysfunction as a warning sign, hormone replacement therapy for women, tracking cortisol levels, consequences of early menopause, sleep tracking with wearables, challenges of ketogenic diet, significance of testing for improved health outcomes, and the balance of weightlifting and cardio.

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ANECDOTE

Alzheimer's Inspiration

Dr. Gottfried's grandmother had Alzheimer's and the medical system failed her.
This inspired her to go to medical school after dropping out of bioengineering.

INSIGHT

Hormone Imbalance in Women

Hormone imbalance is more common in women due to hormonal fluctuations.
Women experience significant shifts during puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause.

INSIGHT

Heart Disease in Women

Cardiovascular disease is increasing among women aged 35-54.
Women's hearts have smaller coronary arteries and experience different symptoms than men.

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In this episode of Longevity By Design, Dr. Gil Blander and Ashley Reaver interview Dr. Sara Gottfried. Dr. Gottfried received her MD from Harvard Medical School and completed residency at UCSF, however she is more likely to prescribe a continuous glucose monitor and personalized nutrition plan to her patients than the latest pharmaceutical.

This episode is a must listen for anyone trying to optimize their wellness plan. Dr. Gottfried discusses all the data she tracks and how that helps her practice precision medicine. This conversation also sheds light on how birth control pills impact women's health, how erectile dysfunction is an early warning sign for atherosclerosis, and gives advice for women seeking hormone replacement therapy.

Episode timestamps:

Introduction: (0:00–1:00)
Dr. Gottfried’s motivation for becoming a physician: (1:00–4:30)
Dr. Gottfried’s fascination with performance and healthspan: (4:30–5:30)
How do we define “hormone balance”: (5:30–7:10)
Is hormone balance more common in men or women? (7:10–9:30)
Understanding heart disease trends in women: (9:30–12:07
Why women should track their body composition over time: (12:07–16:23)
Testosterone is the most abundant hormone in the female body: (16:23–19:19)
Chronic stress can accelerate testosterone decline in women (19:19–20:20)
How the birth control pill impacts women: (20:20–26:58)
Cortisol is one of the most important hormones in the body: (26:58–32:50)
Dr. Gottfried’s recommendation for lowering cortisol?: (32:50–37:30)
Insulin and avoiding diabetes: (37:30–38:45)
Tracking your metrics over time (time-series): (38:45–40:30)
DEXA scans and tracking body composition: (40:30–42:30)
Cortisol in professional athletes: (42:30–45:43)
The female athlete triad: (45:43–49:45)
Understanding your health goals: (49:45–51:50)
The importance of sleep: (51:50–59:11)
Behavioral science: (59:11–1:03:10)
Keto diets and the mediterranean diet: (1:03:10–1:07:30)
Hormone replacement therapy: (1:07:30–1:15:35)
Erectile dysfunction: (1:15:35–1:19:00)
Dr. Gottfried’s top tip for healthspan: (1:19:00–1:21:33)

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