Dr Karan Explores

💬 “Is it something truly in our water, what we eat, the types of stressors that we have in the life that we lead today? It's very challenging to pinpoint.” -Dr Austin Chiang ⚡️ Dr Austin Chiang is a gastroenterologist and well known health influencer. He’s also the author of ‘Gut: An Owner’s Guide’ and is the Chief Medical Officer of Medtronic. ⚡️ In this episode, Austin and I discuss various issues concerning gut health, including the rise in both IBS and colorectal cancer, and what you can do to protect your health. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ The signs and symptoms of IBS - and why you should always seek professional advice ➡ Why colorectal cancer is set to be the #1 cancer killer among young people ➡︎ How AI is advancing the field of gut health ➡︎ The dangers of colonic irrigation, probiotics and other “gut hacks” ➡︎ The truth about “leaky gut syndrome” 📕 Chapters (1:40) What does the gut do? (6:08) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (13:30) Brain gut connection (15:49) Colorectal cancer rising (21:00) Dangers of gut “detoxes” (23:13) Probiotics (25:29) Leaky gut syndrome (27:24) Taking action on gut health (33:31) AI and tech advancements (37:16) What’s in Austin’s cupboards? (40:09) Three things you should never do 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Austin: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinchiangmd/  Website: http://www.austinchiang.com/  📕 Find Austin’s book ‘Gut: An Owner’s Guide’ here: https://amzn.eu/d/41gEHdO  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Nature has lots of things that are really harmful. It has lots of things that are really benign. And that's the same with synthetic things. Synthetic things can be really toxic. They can be really safe.” -Dr Michelle Wong ⚡️ Dr Michelle Wong is a science educator, cosmetic chemist and founder of Lab Muffin Beauty Science, where she helps people figure out which beauty products are and aren’t worth buying. ⚡️ In this episode, Michelle and I put the chemical vs natural debate to the test, and look at the science of skin care products. What’s safe and what’s toxic? 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ Why it doesn’t need to be edible to go on your face ➡ Why homemade and DIY sunscreen is a terrible idea ➡︎ Why skin care ingredients actually work and which are overhyped ➡︎ A simple skin care guide for beginners ➡︎ The truth about preservatives like paraben 📕 Chapters (4:15) Does skin care actually work? (6:30) Inventing new skin care ingredients (9:45) Chemicals vs natural (12:39) DIY sunscreen (22:17) Sunscreen and vitamin D (28:47) Science of collagen (31:19) Overhyped ingredients (34:27) Parabens and preservatives (41:41) Becoming more skin care savvy (44:20) Science based skin care routine (50:01) Skin microbiome (52:50) Natural products that work 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Michelle: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/labmuffinbeautyscience/  Website: https://labmuffin.com/  📕 Find Michelle’s book ‘The Science of Beauty’ here: https://amzn.eu/d/inztPnb  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

In this discussion, Dr. Nicola Guess, a nutrition scientist at the University of Oxford specializing in type 2 diabetes prevention, dismantles common health myths. She reveals why continuous glucose monitors are mostly unnecessary for non-diabetics and critiques the misleading nature of microbiome tests claiming personalized advice. Nicola emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach to ultra-processed foods and the real health markers to monitor, offering actionable insights while cutting through the noise of trendy diet hacks.

💬 “Breast milk really is a nutritional powerhouse. It's more than nutrition. So many different factors come together to give your infants the best start in life.” -Dr Sioned Jones ⚡️ Dr Sioned Jones is the co-founder of BoobyBiome, an all-female team of doctors working out the science behind breast milk, what makes it so beneficial to the health of babies, and how we might be able to replicate its benefits. ⚡️ In this episode, Sioned and I explore the nutrients and bacteria that make up breast milk, and the crucial role it plays in establishing a healthy gut microbiome in infants. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎The side-effects of poor gut health in infants ➡︎How one of puzzling component of breast milk can now be harnessed to improve gut health ➡︎How a mother’s own microbiome impacts her baby’s ➡︎Why pumping and storing breast milk can compromise its health benefits ➡︎Whether you should be heading to your nearest lactation bar to chug down shots of the stuff! 📕 Chapters (2:04) What makes breast milk so great? (5:19) Breast milk vs formula (10:46) How mothers make breast milk (15:12) Adults drinking breast milk? (18:49) What causes poor gut health in babies? (22:01) Critical window for microbiome developments (26:00) Actionable strategies for mothers (28:32) Why storing breast milk may compromise its benefits (31:38) Benefits of colostrum (33:17) How breastfeeding benefits the mother (33:48) Scientific advancements (37:02) Fixing an unhealthy gut (40:04) Will formula ever match breast milk? (41:30) Other people breastfeeding your baby (43:57) Does a mother’s health affect breast milk quality? 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Sioned: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsionedjones https://www.instagram.com/boobybiome LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sionedfjones/ 🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

In this discussion, Camilla Nord, an award-winning neuroscientist from the University of Cambridge, tackles the complexities of mental health. She emphasizes the often-overlooked role of interoception and gut health in emotional well-being. The conversation critiques traditional treatments and the simplification of brain chemistry. Nord also explores the links between genetics, experiences, and mental health, while urging a shift toward personalized treatment approaches. Discover actionable strategies to enhance mental wellness beyond common advice.

“We have, because of the nature of our information landscape now, essentially zero capacity to hold any accountability to sources of misinformation. So it's a really terrible time to be an evidence-based healthcare professional.” -Dr Alan Flanagan Dr Alan Flanagan is a major myth buster in the nutrition space, holding an MSc and PhD in nutrition from the University of Surrey. In this episode Alan and I debunk common nutrition advice you might be following, and explain the dangerous real life impact online influencers and “gurus” are having on your health. Stay tuned to find out: The dangers of following extreme diets like keto and carnivore Why you don’t need to be worried about glucose spikes The limitations of personalised nutrition and microbiome research Why sweeteners and seed oils have been wrongly demonised How to spot a charlatan online Chapters (2:12) Real life consequences of misinformation (8:00) Why people look to online “gurus” (13:17) Personalised nutrition con (20:36) Continuous glucose monitors (26:59) Seed oils are healthy! (32:50) Artificial sweeteners (39:49) Cancer misinformation (45:18) Does the time you eat matter? (49:22) Microbiome research (54:21) How to spot a charlatan online Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook An OG Podcasts production.

“The human body is made for pleasure. Every bit of your body can give you an intense amount of pleasure. It just depends on how you treat it” -Seema Anand Seema Anand is an expert in sexual health and pleasure and an authority on the ancient Indian text the Kama Sutra. In this episode Seema and I break the taboo around sex and she explains how people can find a deeper sense of pleasure and sexual satisfaction in their relationships. Stay tuned to find out: The real meaning of the Kama Sutra and what it teaches us about sexual pleasure How to start exploring your own pleasure senses Why you should listen to erotic podcasts instead of watching porn How to actually satisfy your partner in bed Chapters (2:03) Religion and sex (4:51) Truths about the Kama Sutra (12:09) The orgasm gap (16:19) Increase your pleasure diet (26:00) How men can pleasure their partners (33:55) How to increase libido (36:28) Tackling shame in relationships (38:36) Bedroom red flags (42:10) “No fap” and other myths (46:02) Why we’re having less sex Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook An OG Podcasts production.

“The vegans hate the carnivores. The carnivores hate the keto people. And a lot of these folks are in a battle for a non-existent entity, and that entity is the crowned king of ‘this is the best diet for everyone’.” -Dr Mike Israetel Dr Mike Israetel is an exercise scientist, bodybuilder, YouTuber and founder of Renaissance Periodization. He’s known for his no-nonsense, science backed approach to fitness and diet. In this episode, I ask Mike just how often and how hard you have to workout for health, and whether there really is one diet that is best for everyone. Stay tuned to find out: What diet tribes get wrong about good nutrition Why you can get away with training a lot less than you think The truth behind “calories in, calories out” Whether nutrient timing is important Why creatine might just be the best supplement around Chapters (2:00) How little can you workout? (10:19) Calories in, calories out (18:57) Which diet tribe is right about health? (26:25) Are artificial sweeteners bad for you? (34:46) Why diet is so individualised (40:35) The benefits of creatine (47:47) Nutrient timing and protein absorption (55:26) Dr Mike’s 4 tenants for success Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook An OG Podcasts production.

“If you enjoy coffee, just go and enjoy coffee, and the data in general suggests that actually caffeine or coffee consumption overall is very beneficial for a number of health outcomes.” -Dr Bryan Saunders Dr Bryan Saunders is a researcher at the University of São Paulo, who specialises in the study of caffeine, and in particular its effects on exercise performance. He’s co-authored multiple studies on the topic and sheds light on many of the myths that are perpetuated online. In this episode, I ask Bryan how caffeine is affecting our bodies, everything from the mechanisms behind its ergogenic effects to the truth behind habitual coffee consumption. Stay tuned to find out: Whether your morning coffee really is bad for your health How caffeine improves exercise performance Whether caffeine actually stops affecting you the more you consume it If genetic variations mean some people are immune to its effects When you need to stop drinking caffeine for a good night’s sleep Chapters (1:56) Morning coffee effects and your adenosine system (8:27) Does caffeine affect habitual coffee drinkers? (10:58) Placebo effect of morning cuppa (14:29) Non-caffeine benefits of coffee (15:40) Boosting exercise performance (21:57) The dose you need (24:10) Ideal time to consume caffeine (25:38) Negative effects of overconsumption (30:13) Feeling more TIRED after caffeine? (34:23) Do you need a caffeine fast? (37:45) Half-life of caffeine and sleep impacts (43:34) Long-term physiological effects of caffeine (45:33) Differences between coffee beans Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook An OG Podcasts production.

“A lot of women's health stuff - there's no easy diagnosis. So very, very often women's health things end up getting put into, you have fibromyalgia, you're a hypochondriac, or something like irritable bowel syndrome.” -Dr Karen Tang Dr Karen Tang is a gynaecologist who specialises in the treatment of pelvic pain, endometriosis and fibroids. She also does a great service educating the public on social media, raising awareness of women’s health issues. In this episode, I ask Karen how people can figure out what’s causing their pelvic pain, what surprising habits may be causing problems, how patients can better advocate for themselves, and how she’d reimagine sex ed. Stay tuned to find out: Why “stabbing butthole pain” has gone viral, and what it actually is Why endometriosis is so commonly misdiagnosed as IBS How female anatomy, especially the uterus, does NOT look like it does in the textbooks Why we should teach children the proper names for their reproductive organs Why you should get a pelvic floor PT! Chapters (1:24) Stabbing butthole pain (4:36) Endometriosis - more than a pelvic condition (6:43) Endo vs IBS (8:45) How much pain is too much? (10:38) The link between gynaecological conditions (13:20) Being proactive about your health (16:14) How to advocate for yourself at the doctor’s (21:56) Actionable tips for perimenopause/menopause (26:04) How to take care of your pelvic floor health (31:36) What the uterus actually looks like (34:49) Reimagining sex sed (36:53) Teaching children about sexual health (38:26) The plague of misinformation Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBookAn OG Podcasts production.