Dr. Kara Fitzgerald | New Frontiers in Functional Medicine, Longevity, Epigenetics

For anyone who has been paying attention, you may already know that the takeaways related to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) from the original Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study have been completely overhauled. It’s about time! As a result, it’s not an understatement to say that we are in the midst of a total transformation in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and it’s essential that as providers we (1) get up to speed on the nuances of the new interpretations and (2) learn how to personalize the guidance we give. Dr. Allison Smith, from Precision Analytical, is really a bright, guiding light in this new era of hormone care. She joins me in this episode of New Frontiers to start to unpack some of those important considerations and share resources for where practitioners can learn more. She explains why more detailed hormone metabolite testing can provide answers to hormonal symptoms when standard serum measures of testosterone and estrogen are “normal.” She also shines a light on the need for understanding how our patients are metabolizing hormones, especially if they are on HRT as well as to optimize their long-term cardiovascular, bone, skin, and brain health. This is indispensable listening and I’m sure you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did. - DrKF Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources. GUEST DETAILS Dr. Allison Smith, ND, Lead Clinical Educator at Precision Analytical Email drsmith@dutchtest.com Dr. Allison Smith completed her N.D. at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, and has worked in private practice focusing on primary care, women’s health and dermatologic laser therapy. Over the last 10 years, she has consulted with providers on thousands of cases in the context of hormone testing and brought awareness of testing to providers in clinical practice through consulting, webinars, case presentations, and articles. She now leads an esteemed lineup of clinical educators at Precision Analytical, home of the DUTCH test. THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR Precision Analytical, Home of the DUTCH Test https://dutchtest.com/ New Frontiers Listeners, elevate your patient care - download the A Sample Report of the DUTCH Test https://tinyurl.com/yc7e3xfh CONNECT WITH DrKF Want more? Join our newsletter here: https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/newsletter/ Or take our pop quiz and test your BioAge! https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/bioagequiz YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaraFitzgerald/ DrKF Clinic: Patient consults with DrKF physicians including Younger You Concierge: https://tinyurl.com/yx4fjhkb Younger You Group Program: https://tinyurl.com/4hvusavw Younger You book: https://tinyurl.com/mr4d9tym Better Broths and Healing Tonics book: https://tinyurl.com/3644mrfw

How do we prevent cognitive decline before it even begins? The answer might not be what you think. I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Dr. Owen Phillips, a Stanford-trained neuroscientist and founder of BrainKey, who is helping to revolutionize brain care. His team is using AI technology to uncover subtle brain changes long before they result in disease—transforming the way we approach brain health. And here’s the kicker—Dr. Phillips reveals why protecting your brain actually starts with protecting your vasculature—No surprise when you consider it’s essential for feeding this power-hungry organ. This shift in thinking could change how we all approach cognitive health moving forward. We touch on heavy metal toxicity, long Covid, sports injuries and more, so if you’re ready to rethink brain health and prevention, this conversation will leave you with a fresh perspective. Be sure to grab a copy of the Brain Anatomy PDF and follow along for even more insights. ~DrKF Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources. GUEST DETAILS Owen Phillips, PhD - CEO & Founder, BrainKey https://owenphillips.com/ Dr. Owen Phillips, a Stanford-trained neuroscientist and Y Combinator-backed founder, leads BrainKey in revolutionizing brain health through AI-driven analysis of brain aging. His mission is inspired by a personal experience with his mother’s misdiagnosis, fueling his commitment to preventing cognitive decline worldwide. THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS DIAMOND Rupa Health: https://tinyurl.com/4anbz7b3 Biotics Research: https://www.bioticsresearch.com/ Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z GOLD TimeLine Nutrition: https://tinyurl.com/bdzx2xms OneSkin: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtw4zt MIDROLL DUTCH: Learn more about DUTCH testing https://tinyurl.com/2y24st67 QUALIA: Try Qualia Senolytic with code KARA15 for 15% off at http://qualialife.com/Kara15 CONNECT WITH DrKF: Want more? Join our newsletter here: https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/newsletter/ Or take our pop quiz and test your BioAge! https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/bioagequiz YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaraFitzgerald/ DrKF Clinic: Patient consults with DrKF physicians including Younger You Concierge: https://tinyurl.com/yx4fjhkb

Talking with Dr. Julie Faitg was a powerful reminder of just how much we’re discovering about mitochondria and aging. When you pair an elite mitochondrial scientist with a breakthrough nutrient like Urolithin A, the insights go beyond what you’d expect. Julie gives us this incredible look into how we can actually change the course of aging at the cellular level. This conversation made me rethink what we know about supporting long-term health and resilience, and I think it will do the same for you. It’s one of those big-picture, eye-opening conversations that I can’t wait for you to hear. ~DrKF CHECK OUT THE SHOW NOTES AT https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for a full list of links and resources. GUEST DETAILS Dr. Julie Faitg, PhD Email: jfaitg@timeline.com Dr. Julie Faitg is a leading expert in mitochondrial research, with over nine years of experience focusing on muscle and brain biology, and recently expanding her expertise to include skin health. Holding a PhD in Translational and Clinical Research from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research, she collaborates with renowned scientists worldwide, including Nobel laureate Eric Kandel and mitochondrial experts. Currently, Dr. Faitg serves as the Senior Translational Scientist and Regulatory Affairs Lead at Timeline, where she makes significant contributions to research and development across various organ systems in the field of mitochondrial biology. THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR Timeline: https://tinyurl.com/4x832df9 SPECIAL OFFER: Timeline is offering a 10% discount on all of their products to New Frontiers listeners. Head over to https://tinyurl.com/4x832df9 and use code KaraSkin at checkout. CONNECT WITH DrKF: Want more? Join our newsletter here: https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/newsletter/ Or take our pop quiz and test your BioAge! https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/bioagequiz YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaraFitzgerald/ DrKF Clinic: Patient consults with DrKF physicians including Younger You Concierge: https://tinyurl.com/yx4fjhkb Younger You Group Program: https://tinyurl.com/4hvusavw Younger You book: https://tinyurl.com/mr4d9tym Better Broths and Healing Tonics book: https://tinyurl.com/3644mrfw

It’s not overstating it to say that I have cited Dr. Artemis Simopoulos’ work in virtually every lecture I have ever given that included the topic of omega-3 fatty acids. She is an incredible human being, indomitable NIH researcher, and absolute legend in her field. In our conversation on New Frontiers, Dr. Simopoulos reviews those essential truths about the evolution of our dietary intake of omega-3 vs. omega-6 fatty acids, the increase in ultra-processed food consumption, and how these play into our health landscape today. She also pulls on some particularly interesting threads around genetic variability in our ability to metabolize fatty acids and the implications of this for inflammatory conditions (of course, almost all chronic diseases have an inflammatory component). This is especially relevant for “rapid metabolizer” populations that tend to over-produce prostaglandins and leukotrienes, compared to resolvins, when exposed to a standard American diet. I know her insights will inform how you personalize your recommendations. - DrKF Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources. GUEST DETAILS Artemis P. Simopoulos, M.D., President, The Center for Genetics Nutrition and Health https://tinyurl.com/4x2zahxk Artemis P. Simopoulos, M.D., the author of The Healthiest Diet for You: Scientific Aspects (her latest book), is the Founder and President of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, a nonprofit educational organization in Washington, D.C. since 1990. A graduate of Bar- nard College, Columbia University, with a major in Chemistry, and a graduate of the Boston University School of Medicine, she is a physician and endocrinologist whose research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was on the nutritional aspects of genetic and endocrine disorders; evolutionary aspects of diet and fatty acids; and the importance of a balanced ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids in health and disease and in growth and development. Dr. Simopoulos is a world authority on essential fatty acids and was nutritional adviser to the Office of Consumer Affairs at the White House. She is the author of The Omega Diet; The Healing Diet and has completed a Chapter for the Encyclopedia of UN- ESCO on “Omega-3, Omega-6, Omega-9 Fatty Acids: Sources, Metabolism and Supplements.” She is currently Consulting Editor to Lifestyle Genomics. Dr. Simopoulos has edited over 60 books and journal supplements in addition to publishing over 370 scientific papers. She has received many awards, has been Visiting Professor and Keynote Speaker worldwide. THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS DIAMOND Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z Biotics Research: https://www.bioticsresearch.com/ Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z GOLD OneSkin: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtw4zt TimeLine Nutrition:: https://tinyurl.com/bdzx2xms MIDROLL QUALIA: Try Qualia Senolytic at http://qualialife.com/Kara15 with code KARA15 for 15% off. DUTCH -- Learn more about DUTCH Testing https://tinyurl.com/2y24st67 CONNECT WITH DrKF: Want more? Join our newsletter here: https://tinyurl.com/mrx7ykbr YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/

The centrality of gut health in total body health and aging means it’s a key topic for us to keep revisiting and updating our knowledge on. For instance, how confident do you feel about interpreting analytical indices such as phyla distribution, dysbiosis index, diversity score, as well as the myriad bacterial populations that can be resident in the GI tract? Join me and Dr. Julia Malkowski as we dive into advanced stool testing and how the insights gleaned from the GI360 test can tell us a lot about our patients’ health and lifestyle (ever wondered how the carnivore diet, long-term use of GLP-1 agonists, or chronic stress impact the gut?). We also explore keystone bacterial species and their impact on systemic health, what is better than fiber for increasing microbiome diversity, different testing methods including the impressive MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry Technology and a ton of clinical pearls on tackling those report findings in clinical practice. There is something for everyone in this excellent conversation with Dr. Julia Malkowski, from the newly-minted to the seasoned functional medicine practitioner, and health-savvy consumers too. Tune in, grab your GI360 Sample Report and get ready to take notes! ~DrKF Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources. GUEST DETAILS Julia Malkowski, ND, DC, BSc Dr. Malkowski began her career in Functional Medicine upon seeing excellent results restoring the health of her infant son. She went on to complete her bachelor's degree in biomedical science, Doctorate in Chiropractic and Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine, while raising her healthy family. She remains committed to optimal health on a personal and professional level as Staff Doctor of Clinical Education at Doctor’s Data, Inc., and maintains her own private functional medicine practice Docere Health outside Chicago, IL. THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR Doctor’s Data, Inc. https://doctorsdata.com/GI360-stool New Frontiers Listeners, Download the GI360 Sample Report and follow along with the podcast to uncover clinical pearls that can transform your patient care. https://tinyurl.com/bdf9ptjh CONNECT with DrKF on: YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/

It's important to me to include a variety of voices in the sphere of aging and longevity, and Matt Kaeberlein PhD is certainly one that I appreciate for his tempered and rational arguments. I value his insights and his work with other scientists who are tussling with the challenging questions and research interpretations in this field. We are at this extraordinary inflexion point where scientists are debating the very definition of aging itself, which has important implications for how we then measure and study it. Dr. Kaeberlein shares his thoughts on this as well as the latest on longevity interventions such as rapamycin, metformin, intermittent fasting, and caloric restriction. Find out why he thinks we'll always hit a wall with moving the needle on lifespan, and why healthspan is such an important target. I think you will find this conversation illuminating and useful. An additional note for any of my listeners/readers who have been tracking the various discussions around the utility of epigenetic clocks and other measures of aging: I personally very much believe in epigenetics, even as the field continues to evolve. The foundation of this traces back to my beginnings in this field, working under my mentor Richard Lord PhD, who taught me that as scientists and clinicians we have no choice but to embrace uncertainty. No laboratory tests are as precise as many of us would like to think they are - microbiome, organic acid, nutrient testing, those foundational tools of functional medicine that we are very comfortable using, included. This applies to standard labs too - I recently received a notification from one of the two biggest labs in the US stating that, due to a change in the testing instrument used, values for red cell indices (the oldest tests on the planet!) would be altered compared to prior results. As clinicians we have to grapple with uncomfortable uncertainty in medicine every single day - from that reality we still have to move forward and make the best clinical decisions we can. Epigenetic age testing is simply another tool in the mix that can add value to understanding a patient's picture, and we can use it even as we interpret it with a similar acknowledgement of uncertainty. If you would like to add your thoughts to this discussion, please share below. - DrKF Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources. GUEST DETAILS Matt Kaeberlein, PhD, CEO, Optispan https://tinyurl.com/2r89rvdd Email Matt@optispan.life THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS DIAMOND Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z GOLD TimeLine Nutrition: https://tinyurl.com/bdzx2xms OneSkin: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtw4zt MIDROLL DUTCH: Learn more about DUTCH testing https://tinyurl.com/2y24st67 QUALIA: Try Qualia Senolytic with code KARA15 for 15% off at http://qualialife.com/Kara15 CONNECT WITH Dr. Fitzgerald on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz

Dr. Valerie Gershenhorn, a top expert in functional dermatology, delves into the fascinating gut-skin axis. She discusses how digestive health significantly influences chronic skin conditions like acne and eczema. Insights on gut dysbiosis, the impact of stress, and innovative treatment strategies, including herbal remedies and dietary adjustments, are shared. The connection between oral health and skin conditions is also explored, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach to skincare. A must-listen for those seeking deeper skin health solutions!

Your thymus isn't talked about much, but this small organ in your upper chest is a key component of your immune system that is solely responsible for the essential "education" of the immune cells that protect your body from invaders. Through this action it also affects levels of inflammation (an immune-mediated process). It's also interesting to note that most of us end up dying of an immune-related dysfunction - even cardiovascular disease, as Dr. Greg Fahy points out in this New Frontiers podcast, is often caused by atherosclerosis driven by underlying chronic inflammation. I was thrilled to finally sit down with Dr. Fahy, whose groundbreaking work in aging has reshaped our understanding of what’s possible. His 2019 TRIIM study, showing clear epigenetic age reversal through thymus regeneration, was an absolute game-changer. The thinking prior to that was that epigenetic age reversal was not possible! It was exciting to read his publication as we were in the midst of our own original clinical trial. I'm sure you'll enjoy his recounting of that adventure and just how he's rejuvenating thymic function, the rationale for targeting immune rejuvenation, and the trial extensions he's currently working on now. ~ DrKF Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources. GUEST DETAILS Greg Fahy, PhD https://tinyurl.com/3f4jww7j Chief Scientific Officer, Co-founder Intervene Immune https://tinyurl.com/4anbz7b3 Biotics Research: https://www.bioticsresearch.com/ Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z GOLD TimeLine Nutrition: https://tinyurl.com/bdzx2xms OneSkin: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtw4zt MIDROLL DUTCH: Learn more about DUTCH testing https://tinyurl.com/2y24st67 ONESKIN: Try OneSkin for yourself with coupon code DRKARA15 to receive 15% off your first purchase at https://tinyurl.com/ycxvz5we SHOW NOTES Intervene Immune https://interveneimmune.com/ Reversal of epigenetic aging and immunosenescent trends in humans https://tinyurl.com/55dhx453 TRIIM-X Trial: Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation Extension Trial https://tinyurl.com/y65cu33p The Future of Aging: Pathways to Human Life Extension https://tinyurl.com/3hmbx29c

Cardiovascular disease might be the leading cause of death, but after my conversation with Dr. Mark Houston, I'm more convinced than ever that we have the power to change that narrative. We delved into the power of diet and lifestyle changes, the essential role of nitric oxide and the impressive results of innovative supplements like Vascanox HP by Calroy Health Sciences in managing blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk. Dr. Houston's passion for prevention and the practical tips he shared made me feel hopeful and empowered. From understanding key tests to making everyday changes, this episode is all about giving you the tools to protect your heart health. Let's dive in and explore how we can all live longer, healthier lives. ~DrKF Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources. GUEST DETAILS Dr. Mark Houston, MD https://tinyurl.com/27thhcpr" Dr. Mark Houston is a Clinical Instructor at George Washington University. He is also Director of the Hypertension Institute and Vascular Biology and Medical Director of the division of Human Nutrition at St. Thomas Medical Group, St. Thomas Hospital and Health Services in Nashville, TN. He is on the faculty of A4M, for the FAARM and the Metabolic Medicine Institute (MMI) and George Washington University, and directs the Cardiovascular modules. He has also published seven best-selling books on vascular function. Dr. Houston has an active clinical practice, teaches, and does clinical research at St. Thomas Medical Group and Hospital. He founded the Hypertension Institute in 2000. THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR Calroy Health Sciences: Website New Frontiers Listeners, get your exclusive discount and resources from Calroy at http://calroy.com/drkf SHOW NOTES Hypertension Institute https://tinyurl.com/mr46hsph Metabolic Medicine Institute (MMI) https://tinyurl.com/2s39ryym Dr. Houston’s Study: Effects of S-Allylcysteine-Rich Garlic Extract and Dietary Inorganic Nitrate Formula on Blood Pressure and Salivary Nitric Oxide… https://tinyurl.com/4y5ndbjn About Vascanox HP https://tinyurl.com/543tamcj About Arterosil HP https://tinyurl.com/4fr6nbtc Ovationlab Vascular Support Protocol https://tinyurl.com/ynpdphmy Prevalence and Factors Associated With Circadian Blood Pressure Patterns in Hypertensive Patients https://tinyurl.com/2c7xvwz2 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2023 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association https://tinyurl.com/55shva8p CONNECT WITH DrKF on: YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/hjpc8daz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/

What a tour de force conversation with Dr. Terry Wahls, who is, with her groundbreaking research, changing both conventional and functional medicine's approach to multiple sclerosis and ultimately patient care. I'm very excited to see the findings of her ongoing clinical trials, which evaluate the use of several popular dietary patterns, using MRIs to measure brain volume loss, microbiome data, metabolomics, and more. And folks, if you want to be a research participant there's still time - register your interest on Dr. Wahls' website here. In the podcast we also dive into long COVID, mental health challenges, autoimmunity, and explore treatments in the longevity and biohacking space, such as therapeutic plasma exchange, stem cells, and exosomes. Dr. Wahls has her finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the MS community, and you’re definitely going to want to listen to this one. Enjoy! ~DrKF Check out the show notes at https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/ for the full list of links and resources. GUEST DETAILS Dr. Terry Wahls https://tinyurl.com/2ztnxbda Dr. Terry Wahls is an IFM Certified Practitioner and conducts clinical trials in the setting of Multiple Sclerosis. In 2018 she was awarded the Institute for Functional Medicine’s Linus Pauling Award for her contributions in research, clinical care, and patient advocacy. She is the author of The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat AllChronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles, and the cookbook, The WahlsProtocol Cooking for Life. Get involved in the clinical trial https://terrywahls.com/trials/ THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS DIAMOND Rupa Health: https://tinyurl.com/4anbz7b3 Biotics Research: https://www.bioticsresearch.com/ Integrative Therapeutics: https://tinyurl.com/4emwj48z GOLD TimeLine Nutrition: https://tinyurl.com/bdzx2xms OneSkin: https://tinyurl.com/ycxtw4zt Try OneSkin for yourself with coupon code DRKARA15 to receive 15% off your first purchase. MIDROLL DUTCH: Learn more about DUTCH testing https://tinyurl.com/2y24st67 ONESKIN: Try OneSkin for yourself with coupon code DRKARA15 to receive 15% off your first purchase at https://tinyurl.com/ycxvz5we SHOW NOTES WahlsTM Diet Cheat Sheet http://www.terrywahls.com/diet The Wahls Behavior Change Model for Complex Chronic Diseases: A Clinician’s Guide https://tinyurl.com/mv47ww9k The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles https://tinyurl.com/2p9rn82j Efficacy of Diet on Fatigue and Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of Randomized Trials https://tinyurl.com/y5ahbn5s The WAVES randomized parallel-arm clinical trial https://tinyurl.com/5c2rkufb