The Dr. Hyman Show

High cholesterol has been treated as the main cause of heart disease for decades. But over the years, I've changed my mind. Today, I believe cholesterol is only part of the story, and that inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic health are often the real drivers of cardiovascular disease. In this encore episode, I'm revisiting one of my most talked-about Office Hours conversations to share how my thinking has evolved and why understanding the root cause of heart disease can completely change the way you approach prevention.

In today's episode, I discuss:

Why cholesterol alone is a poor predictor of heart disease—and the biomarkers I believe matter even more, including ApoB, lipoprotein(a), inflammation, and insulin resistance

The surprising role sugar, refined carbohydrates, and metabolic dysfunction play in driving cardiovascular disease

Why two people with the same cholesterol can have dramatically different heart disease risk—and how a personalized approach changes the conversation

The nutrition, lifestyle, and testing strategies I use to help reduce inflammation, improve metabolic health, and lower cardiovascular risk at its source

Heart disease isn't simply a cholesterol problem—it's often a metabolic and inflammatory problem. When you understand what's really driving your risk, you can stop chasing a single number and start addressing the underlying biology that supports lifelong cardiovascular health.

Track your metabolic and cardiovascular health biomarkers: functionhealth.com/mark for 160+ lab tests at just $365/year. Use code MARK2026 for $50 off.

Have a question you'd love answered on Office Hours? Submit it here'

(0:00) The cholesterol and heart disease paradox; introduction and overview of cholesterol, inflammation, and metabolic health

(1:11) Sponsor: Function Health

(1:41) Traditional views vs. new science on cholesterol, inflammation, and heart disease

(4:52) Inflammation and sugar as key factors in heart disease

(8:41) Advanced markers: ApoB, lipoprotein fractionation, and comprehensive testing

(13:57) Causes of inflammation and holistic heart disease prevention

(19:35) Metabolic health risks, new technologies, and personalized interventions

(22:35) Diet, exercise, lifestyle, and supplements for heart and metabolic health

(25:03) Understanding heart disease beyond cholesterol

(25:37) Sponsor: Brain Shaping Academy

(26:33) Community engagement, sharing, and final thoughts

(28:07) Sponsor acknowledgments and closing remarks

Most health issues don't appear overnight. Long before a diagnosis is made, the body often provides subtle clues that something needs closer attention.

On this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I talk with double board-certified fertility physician Dr. Natalie Crawford about her new book, The Fertility Formula, and why fertility and hormone health can reveal far more about your health than many people realize.

We discuss:


Why the menstrual cycle may be one of the clearest indicators of overall health


How sleep, stress, and insulin resistance may be affecting your hormones


The overlooked symptoms that may signal deeper dysfunction


What many women get wrong about PCOS and hormone health


Practical strategies to support fertility, reduce inflammation, and improve long-term health

Health challenges don't begin when symptoms become impossible to ignore. They often start years earlier. Being able to recognize those signals is one of the most effective ways to take a proactive approach to your health.

Looking for a place to start? My 10-Day Detox is designed to help reduce inflammation, reset your metabolism, and build a stronger foundation for long-term health.

View Show Notes From This Episode

Sign up for Dr. Hyman’s Brainshaping Academy to learn how to nourish the biological systems that support your mental, emotional, and cognitive health - https://drhyman.com/products/brainshaping?utm_source=dr_hyman_show&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=may_27&utm_content=link

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(0:00) Infertility and fertility as indicators of overall health

(3:10) Welcome Natalie Crawford and reframing fertility as health optimization

(5:21) Access to fertility data, proactive health, and reproductive well-being

(7:25) Menstrual cycle, hormonal communication, and ovulatory dysfunction

(14:39) Inflammation's role in reproductive health

(19:11) Reproductive health relevance beyond fertility and early warning signs

(21:13) Medical training, coping mechanisms, and personal journey with celiac disease

(23:48) Self-advocacy and higher infertility rates among female physicians

(25:03) Personal experience with recurrent pregnancy loss

(27:09) Inflammation, genetics, family history, and patient-centric care

(35:38) Reducing inflammation, mitochondrial health, and top health recommendations

(38:28) Sleep, stress, and their effects on fertility

(47:25) Insulin resistance, diet optimization, and fertility

(55:37) Environmental toxins, plastics, and hormone health

(1:00:09) Unscented vs. fragrance-free products and toxin reduction

(1:01:18) Fertility, aging, ovarian health, and AMH testing

(1:07:38) Male fertility, sperm health, and testosterone

(1:09:10) Resources for reproductive health and personalized care

(1:10:16) Outro and sponsor acknowledgment

Bloating, brain fog, fatigue, skin issues, food sensitivities, autoimmune symptoms—most people treat these as separate problems. But often, they can all trace back to the same place: the gut. And the surprising part is that you don't need digestive symptoms to have gut dysfunction. Because your gut isn't just responsible for digestion—it's deeply connected to your immune system, hormones, metabolism, brain health, and inflammation throughout the body.

In today's episode, I dive into:

Why gut dysfunction can show up as fatigue, brain fog, skin issues, hormone imbalances, anxiety, and autoimmune symptoms—not just digestive problems

The biggest modern-day gut disruptors

The Functional Medicine 5R Framework for healing the gut

The simple daily habits that help build a healthier microbiome, reduce inflammation, strengthen digestion, and support long-term resilience

Healing your gut isn't about perfection, restrictive diets, or endless supplements. It's about creating the conditions your body needs to repair itself. When you support your gut, you're often supporting your immune system, your brain, your hormones, your energy, and your overall health at the same time.

Resources Mentioned:

Learn more about the 10-Day Detox: https://bit.ly/3PIUoxf

Track your metabolic and cardiovascular health biomarkers: functionhealth.com/mark for 160+ lab tests at just $365/year. Use code MARK2026 for $50 off.

Have a question you'd love answered on Office Hours? Submit it here

(0:11) Introduction and overview of gut health

(2:10) Understanding, healing, and factors disrupting gut health

(7:45) Modern lifestyle's impact and the five r's of gut healing

(17:06) Dietary diversity, mindful eating, sleep, and stress reduction

(20:53) Supplements and Q&A on probiotics, diet, and leaky gut

(23:06) Empowering listeners through functional medicine and community engagement

(24:23) Dr. Hyman's platforms, disclaimer, and gratitude to sponsors

We’ve been taught to treat chronic diseases as isolated problems to be diagnosed and managed. But these conditions may have more in common than conventional medicine has traditionally recognized.

On this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I’m joined by physician and researcher Dr. Terry Wahls, who transformed her understanding of disease after developing progressive multiple sclerosis. We discuss the emerging science behind mitochondria, inflammation, nutrition, the microbiome, and why creating health may be just as important as treating disease itself.

We explore:


What Dr. Wahls discovered about cellular health while searching for answers beyond conventional treatment


Why mitochondria may play a central role in conditions like MS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, and chronic fatigue


How food, sleep, movement, and stress directly influence inflammation, energy production, and brain health


Why focusing only on symptom suppression may overlook the deeper biological dysfunction driving chronic disease


What “creating health” actually looks like in practice—and how small daily habits can influence how you feel and function over time

What makes this conversation so compelling is that Dr. Wahls’ story challenges many of the assumptions we have about chronic disease and recovery. For me, it really highlights how profoundly nutrition, sleep, movement, and stress can shape the body’s ability to adapt and recover over time.

View Show Notes From This Episode

Sign up for Dr. Hyman’s Brainshaping Academy to learn how to nourish the biological systems that support your mental, emotional, and cognitive health

https://drhyman.com/products/brainshaping?utm_source=dr_hyman_show&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=may_27&utm_content=link

Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman

https://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast

Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journal

https://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast

Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Healthhttps://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox

Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Resultshttps://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive

This episode is brought to you by fatty15, Big Bold Health, Timeline, BON CHARGE, BIOptimizers, and Made In.

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(0:00) Dr. Terry Wahls’ illness journey, Dr. Mark Hyman’s intro, and sponsor mentions

(2:54) Dr. Wahls and Dr. Hyman discuss their medical histories

(4:00) Dr. Wahls’ experience with multiple sclerosis

(7:08) Dietary changes and physical improvements

(9:09) Environmental factors in autoimmune diseases

(11:17) Resistance in the medical system to new approaches

(12:26) Integrating basic science into clinical practice

(15:32) Mitochondrial support supplements

(20:24) Mitochondria’s role in energy-intensive tissues

(22:11) Functional medicine and Dr. Wahls’ continued health journey

(23:49) Nutrient-focused dietary approach and recovery

(26:13) Development and application of the Wahls diet

(27:35) Nutrient-rich food categories and health benefits

(30:11) NIH funding and functional medicine research potential

(34:00) Success stories from the therapeutic lifestyle clinic

(39:28) Creating health versus treating disease

(44:10) Expanding research to other chronic illnesses

(45:40) Latest clinical trials and future research directions

(47:49) Advances in chronic disease treatment science

(49:05) Predicting diet effectiveness: microbiome and genetics

(50:00) Microbiome research and multiple sclerosis

(51:18) A new theory of human biology in medicine

(53:01) Creating health through lifestyle changes

(55:13) Need for multimodal interventions in research

(58:20) Funding challenges and philanthropy’s role

(59:08) Comprehensive approaches to complex diseases

(1:01:05) Potential to reverse genetic diseases with lifestyle changes

(1:07:24) Strategies for creating a healthy human

(1:08:01) Upcoming research and initiatives by Dr. Wahls

Mold is one of the most misunderstood topics in health. Some people are told it’s not a real problem. Others are led to believe it’s the cause of every symptom they have. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.

While not everyone exposed to mold gets sick, chronic exposure to water-damaged environments can contribute to fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, sinus issues, immune dysfunction, hormone imbalances, and a wide range of symptoms that often go unexplained for years.

In today’s episode, we explore what mold-related illness actually is, who’s most vulnerable, and how to tell when your environment may be affecting your health. Here's what we cover:

The critical difference between mold exposure, mold allergies, and chronic biotoxin illness

Why some people develop severe symptoms while others in the same environment feel completely fine

The most common signs of mold-related illness—from brain fog and fatigue to anxiety, hormone disruption, and immune dysfunction

How to investigate mold safely and effectively, including environmental testing, biomarkers, and practical next steps for recovery

Mold illness is real—but so is the fear and misinformation surrounding it. The goal isn’t to panic or assume mold is the answer to every health problem. It’s to understand how your environment influences your biology, identify whether mold is truly part of the picture, and create the conditions your body needs to heal.

Resources Mentioned:

Learn more about the PK Protocol: https://bit.ly/49KS933

Track your metabolic and cardiovascular health biomarkers: functionhealth.com/mark for 160+ lab tests at just $365/year. Use code MARK2026 for $50 off.

Have a question you'd love answered on Office Hours? Submit it here