Metabolic dysfunction rarely announces itself. We tend to think of metabolic health as a line you cross the day you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but the decay usually begins years earlier, at the level of the cell. In this masterclass I bring together Dr Iñigo San Millán, Dr Alan Flanagan, Dr Kevin Hall, Dr Robert Eckel, Professor Roy Taylor, and Dr Christos Mantzoros to explain what metabolic flexibility is, why your mitochondria sit at the centre of it, and what you can actually do about it. What We Cover Why lactate is a fuel and a signal, not a waste product, and our best non-invasive window into mitochondrial function Whether a calorie really is a calorie, and what the controlled chamber studies found The twin cycle hypothesis, and why type 2 diabetes is more reversible than we were taught The personal fat threshold, and why a normal BMI can still hide a problem Whether sugar or saturated fat does more to drive fat in the liver Why Zone 2 earns its reputation, and how much of it you actually need Metabolic health is not fixed, and it is rarely too late to move in a better direction. I hope this conversation gives you a clearer picture of what is happening beneath the surface, and a few levers you can start pulling today. To learn more from the experts featured in this masterclass, you can follow Dr Iñigo San Millán on Instagram and Twitter, explore Professor Roy Taylor's work on type 2 diabetes remission at Newcastle University, read more from Dr Kevin Hall at kevinhallphd.com or on LinkedIn, and find Dr Alan Flanagan on Instagram and through Alinea Nutrition. The masterclass also features insights from Dr Robert Eckel and Dr Christos Mantzoros. If you are enjoying The Proof, please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts. It genuinely helps more people find these conversations. The 81-Year-Old Who Reversed 30 Years of Damage (00:00) What Metabolic Health Actually Means Now (01:57) Why Mitochondria Decide Your Disease Risk (06:01) What Is Metabolic Flexibility? (12:47) Hepatic Fat Oxidation and the Sex Difference (15:20) Is a Calorie Really a Calorie? (18:29) You Can Be Sick Before You're Diagnosed (28:41) Why Lactate Is the Biomarker to Watch (29:20) Lactate Is Not a Waste Product (31:03) Is Lactic Acid Burn a Myth? (36:42) Why Athletes Clear Lactate and You Don't (40:34) When High Lactate Predicts Death (43:01) The Study That Found Damage in Healthy People (47:13) The Lactate Test That Beats Blood Sugar (54:31) Training Zones 1 to 6 Explained by Fuel (58:50) Why Zone 2 Builds Mitochondria Best (1:09:18) How to Know You're in Zone 2 Without a Lab (1:16:50) Is 150 Minutes a Week Enough? (1:23:39) Why You Still Need High Intensity Training (1:28:10) What Obesity Research Got Wrong (1:31:44) The Twin Cycle Hypothesis of Type 2 Diabetes (1:35:04) Your Personal Fat Threshold Explained (1:42:26) Why Some People Store Fat Safely (1:45:45) Why BMI Fails as a Health Measure (1:51:29) Sugar or Saturated Fat: What Drives Liver Fat? (1:55:07) 15kg Weight Loss and Diabetes Remission (2:01:05) Does Weight Loss Really Destroy Muscle? (2:04:39) Why Exercise Alone Doesn't Drop Weight (2:07:05) 3 Tests That Reveal Your Metabolic Health (2:11:14) What Blue Zones Get Right About Movement (2:17:40) Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Function Health Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States. Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico. Momentous My go-to supplement brand for protein and creatine is Momentous. Use code THEPROOF for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com. Momentous ships to many countries worldwide depending on local import regulations. Truemed Truemed helps qualified customers use pre-tax HSA or FSA dollars on health-related products like fitness, recovery, and sleep tools, often saving around 30% on average. Visit truemed.com/THEPROOF to see what qualifies. This is hands down the best way to make the most of your health dollars. IM8 With 92 nutrients, including Vitamin B12, Iodine, Selenium and Vitamin D, in highly absorbable forms, IM8 Daily Essentials is the perfect all-in-one daily multi-vitamin to ensure you meet your daily micronutrient needs. IM8 is offering an exclusive 10% off your first order with a free welcome kit when you enter the promo code SIMON at checkout on im8health.com. IM8 ships to 27 countries including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and many regions across Europe, Asia, and South America. WHOOP Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com Host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Subscribe & Connect: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram: @simonhill Twitter: @theproof Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

GLP-1 medications are transforming obesity treatment, but they're only one piece of the puzzle. In this masterclass, I bring together insights from Dr Terry Simpson, Dr Federica Amati, Dr Mauricio Gonzalez, Dr Christos Mantzoros, and Dr Stephan Guyenet to explain how these medications work, why "food noise" matters, and what it really takes to improve long-term metabolic health. What We Cover How GLP-1 medications regulate appetite and food noise Why obesity is more complex than willpower Semaglutide vs tirzepatide and newer medications Nutrition and resistance training while taking GLP-1s The role of fibre, protein, and Mediterranean-style eating Common misconceptions and side effects I hope this episode helps you better understand both the promise and the limitations of GLP-1 medications, while highlighting the importance of lifestyle alongside any medical treatment. Why Terry Simpson Started Taking a GLP-1 (00:00) What Is Food Noise, Really? (04:59) Why GLP-1 Drugs Work So Well (10:16) What Actually Causes Obesity (17:37) How GLP-1 Medications Work in the Body (21:22) The Strange Lizard Behind GLP-1 Drugs (25:56) 3 Types of Hunger You Didn't Know About (28:41) How to Naturally Boost Fullness Signals (37:08) How Doctors Choose Which GLP-1 to Prescribe (45:10) Why Some People Don't Respond to GLP-1s (53:09) GLP-1 Side Effects, Guilt, and Eating Right (58:12) Mediterranean Diet's Effect on Long-Term Weight Loss (01:10:29) The Shame Around Taking GLP-1 Medications (01:20:00) Being Called a Pharma Shill (01:32:39) The History Behind GLP-1 Drugs (01:38:18) Will You Need GLP-1s Forever? (01:47:04) Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Eight Sleep Upgrade your sleep with the Pod 5 Ultra by Eight Sleep. Clinically validated to deliver up to 1 extra hour of quality sleep per night through temperature control and biometric tracking. Use code THEPROOF at eightsleep.com/theproof for up to $350 off. You get 30 days to try it at home and return it if you don't love it. Eight Sleep ships to the U.S. (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and territories), Canada, Mexico, most of the EU, the U.K., Australia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. ProLon ProLon’s 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet is a science-backed, plant-based program designed to support metabolic health while keeping your body in a fasting-like state. Get 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift at ProLonLife.com/THEPROOF. ProLon ships within the United States. SwimClub SwimClub is a science-backed supplement designed to support male fertility, sperm health, and reproductive wellness. Head to swimclub.co to get 25% off your first order with code THEPROOF. Function Health Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States. Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico. WHOOP Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com Host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Subscribe & Connect: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram: @simonhill Twitter: @theproof Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

We tend to treat pregnancy as the starting line for a child's health. In this episode, Dr Federica Amati, Head Nutritionist at ZOE, makes the evidence-based case that the window opens earlier, in the months before conception, and that it shapes fertility and lifelong health in ways most of us were never told. What I valued most is her balance. The science is striking, but she frames it as information to act on rather than a reason for guilt, and she is honest about how much sits with environment and policy rather than individual choice. What we cover: Why the first 1,000 days may be the longevity lever almost no one talks about How a father's metabolic health links to his child's brain, and a mother's to their metabolism The 90-day preconception window, and what both partners can do What the decline in sperm counts really means for individuals GLP-1 medications, fertility, and a contraception detail too few people hear Protein, eggs, soy, and choosing a prenatal supplement, myths included Whether you are planning a pregnancy, supporting a partner, or simply curious about how much of our health is set before birth, I think this one will stay with you. To connect with Dr Federica Amati, follow her on Instagram and explore her work at ZOE. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to rate and review The Proof on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people find these conversations. Intro (00:00) Why Your Baby's Health Is Set Before Birth (03:13) Dr. Federica Amati's Background in Maternal Nutrition (07:41) What 48 of 52 Cell Differentiations Means for Your Baby (15:33) How Egg and Sperm Health Drive Conception Outcomes (21:40) Does What You Do Preconception Affect the Baby Too (26:09) Sperm DNA and Placental Health: The Father's Hidden Role (30:39) Heat, Laptops, and Sauna: What Kills Sperm Quality (32:56) Is the 50% Sperm Count Decline Real (39:32) Soy Foods, Testosterone, and Male Fertility Myths Debunked (44:30) Foods to Avoid in the 90-Day Preconception Window (48:10) GLP-1 Drugs, Fertility, and Unplanned Pregnancies (54:28) First Trimester Nausea: What Actually Helps (59:42) How to Choose a Prenatal Supplement (01:04:34) How Much Protein Do You Actually Need in Pregnancy (01:07:30) Can a Plant-Based Diet Work During Pregnancy (01:11:59) Tylenol in Pregnancy: Is It Safe (01:15:55) Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. We'd love your feedback. Complete our quick 2-minute audience survey to help us better understand what content, topics, and guests you enjoy most. Take the survey at voicingchange.media/simon. This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. IM8 With 92 nutrients, including Vitamin B12, Iodine, Selenium and Vitamin D, in highly absorbable forms, IM8 Daily Essentials is the perfect all-in-one daily multi-vitamin to ensure you meet your daily micronutrient needs. IM8 is offering an exclusive 10% off your first order with a free welcome kit when you enter the promo code SIMON at checkout on im8health.com. IM8 ships to 27 countries including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and many regions across Europe, Asia, and South America. Function Health Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States. Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico. Pique Pique’s Nandaka combines fermented Pu’er tea, full-spectrum Reishi, ceremonial cacao, and L-theanine for calm, sustained energy without the coffee crash. Unlock 20% off and establish your powerful foundation for sustained well-being at Piquelife.com/SIMON. Pique ships within the U.S. and to Australia, Canada, and select EU countries. Truemed Truemed helps qualified customers use pre-tax HSA or FSA dollars on health-related products like fitness, recovery, and sleep tools, often saving around 30% on average. Visit truemed.com/THEPROOF to see what qualifies. This is hands down the best way to make the most of your health dollars. WHOOP Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com Host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Subscribe & Connect: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram: @simonhill Twitter: @theproof Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

In late 2024 a CT scan revealed a small amount of soft plaque in my arteries. Sixteen months later I scanned again, and my plaque volume had dropped by around forty percent. In this episode I ask the cardiologist behind the technology whether a result like that can really be trusted. Dr Campbell Rogers is an interventional cardiologist, a former Harvard faculty member who ran the cath lab at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and now Chief Medical Officer at Heartflow. What we cover: The difference between a calcium score, a CT coronary angiogram, and AI plaque analysis Why a calcium score of zero does not mean you are free of disease What my own scans showed, and why Campbell believes the result Soft versus calcified plaque, and why calcification can be a sign of stabilisation Treating the plaque you can see rather than just an ApoB number Who should consider getting scanned, and the honest trade-offs This is a conversation about seeing a disease we used to only guess at, held with the right amount of scientific humility. If you want to understand your own heart health, I think it is well worth your time. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to rate and review The Proof on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people find these conversations. To connect with Dr Campbell Rogers, visit Heartflow. How Campbell Rogers went from cardiologist to Heartflow (00:00) What Heartflow is and how it works (07:26) Coronary CT angiogram vs. stress test (11:54) Why symptoms alone miss early heart disease (13:18) How Heartflow analyzes CT scans in 90 minutes (15:58) Calcified vs. non-calcified plaque: which is riskier (21:28) Why calcium score zero doesn't mean no heart disease (28:45) Who should get a CT angiogram with AI plaque analysis (31:09) Why seeing your plaque improves medication adherence (34:04) Simon's 2024 Heartflow scan results (39:12) How plaque rupture triggers a heart attack (43:25) Simon's 2026 Heartflow scan: 40% plaque reduction in 16 months (45:43) How long to wait between CT scans (51:14) Heartflow vs. Cleerly vs. QAngio (53:12) How Heartflow results led Simon to start statins (58:21) JAMA study: Heartflow tracks plaque in prostate cancer patients (1:00:10) What is low attenuation plaque and why it's high risk (1:02:53) Who should ask their doctor about a coronary CT angiogram (1:07:37) Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. We'd love your feedback. Complete our quick 2-minute audience survey to help us better understand what content, topics, and guests you enjoy most. Take the survey at voicingchange.media/simon. This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Eight Sleep Upgrade your sleep with the Pod 5 Ultra by Eight Sleep. Clinically validated to deliver up to 1 extra hour of quality sleep per night through temperature control and biometric tracking. Use code THEPROOF at eightsleep.com/theproof for up to $500 off. The 4th of July sale ends July 12, and you get 30 days to try it at home and return it if you don't love it. Eight Sleep ships to the U.S. (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and territories), Canada, Mexico, most of the EU, the U.K., Australia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. LMNT Stay hydrated with LMNT. Get a free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavours with any purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/SIMON Find your favourite LMNT flavour, or share with a friend. And if you don’t like it? Full refund, no questions asked. LMNT ships to the U.S. and Canada, with sparkling flavors available only in the contiguous U.S. Shopify Shopify, the world's leading e-commerce platform, helps you turn browsers into buyers with the internet’s best-converting check out–up to 36% better compared to other leading e-commerce platforms. To boost your conversion rate, and grow your business, sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/proof. Momentous My go-to supplement brand for protein and creatine is Momentous. Use code THEPROOF for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com. Momentous ships to many countries worldwide depending on local import regulations. WHOOP Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com Host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Subscribe & Connect: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram: @simonhill Twitter: @theproof Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

Can a supplement actually reverse the plaque in your arteries, or only slow it down? It is the question I am asked most, and after a 2024 scan revealed early plaque in my own left anterior descending artery, it became a personal one too. This is part two of my three-part series on reversing atherosclerosis. In this solo episode I work through eight of the most popular supplements and rank them by the strength of the human evidence, not the strength of the marketing. What we cover: Why pure EPA has by far the strongest evidence for regressing plaque, and what EVAPORATE, CHERRY, JELIS, and REDUCE-IT showed The REDUCE-IT versus STRENGTH debate, and why the form of omega-3 may matter as much as the dose Aged garlic extract and vitamin K2: what the imaging and calcification data suggest Niacin and the biomarker trap: raising "good" cholesterol without lowering risk Where CoQ10, berberine, nattokinase, and pomegranate extract really sit, plus a fact-check of a popular nattokinase claim My own plan after that scan, and a preview of part three on the pharmaceuticals Only one of these eight has strong evidence behind it, and even then it is a prescription rather than a tub from the supplement aisle. Supplements can be useful additions, but never a replacement for the proven basics. You can see exactly what I take over at my personal supplement stack. If you are enjoying the series, the simplest way to help is to leave a quick rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and to share this episode with someone whose heart health you care about. Can Supplements Actually Reverse Arterial Plaque? (00:00) EVAPORATE Trial: High-Dose EPA Reversed Plaque by 9% (02:09) Why Pure EPA Outperforms Standard Fish Oil (07:22) JELIS to REDUCE-IT: EPA Cuts Cardiac Events by 25% (10:10) REDUCE-IT Controversy and RESPECT-EPA 2024 (13:47) VITAL Trial: Omega-3 for Healthy Adults + 2026 Lp(a) Data (16:51) Aged Garlic Extract: 3 Trials on Plaque and Calcification (20:09) Vitamin K2: Does Redirecting Calcium Lower Heart Risk? (23:17) Niacin Failed: Why Raising HDL Didn't Save Lives (27:50) CoQ10: Promising Mechanism, No Plaque Imaging Proof (33:18) Berberine: The Gut Pathway No Other Supplement Uses (38:21) Nattokinase: One Study Says 36% Drop, One Says Zero (41:16) Pomegranate Extract: Strong Animal Data, Weak Human Trials (49:16) Which Supplements Can Actually Reverse Atherosclerosis? (53:18) Simon's Personal Protocol for Reversing LAD Plaque (55:24) Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. We'd love your feedback. Complete our quick 2-minute audience survey to help us better understand what content, topics, and guests you enjoy most. Take the survey at voicingchange.media/simon. This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. LMNT Stay hydrated with LMNT. Get a free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavours with any purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/SIMON Find your favourite LMNT flavour, or share with a friend. And if you don’t like it? Full refund, no questions asked. LMNT ships to the U.S. and Canada, with sparkling flavors available only in the contiguous U.S. Function Health Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States. Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico. Momentous My go-to supplement brand for protein and creatine is Momentous. Use code THEPROOF for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com. Momentous ships to many countries worldwide depending on local import regulations. HomeServe Help protect your home systems – and your wallet – with HomeServe against covered repairs. Plans start at just $4.99 a month. Go to HomeServe.com to find the plan that’s right for you. HomeServe is not available everywhere. Most plans range between $4.99 to $11.99 a month your first year. Terms apply on covered repairs. WHOOP Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com Host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Subscribe & Connect: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram: @simonhill Twitter: @theproof Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

For decades we have treated the number on the scale as the goal of metabolic health. Dr Mauricio Gonzalez, a triple board-certified physician and endocrinology fellow practising in New York, makes the case that we have been measuring the wrong thing. In this conversation we explore why liver fat, not body weight, is becoming the real target, what the latest weight-loss medications can and cannot do, and how to cut through the hype and dogma that surround this field. What we cover: Why isolated blood tests and blood pressure readings tell you very little The myth that GLP-1 medications are "the easy way out" Why liver fat may matter more than body weight How diabetes clinics now remove medications instead of adding them Which supplements earn their place, and which Mauricio has cooled on The minimum effective dose for exercise, and knowing when "enough" is enough A grounded, practical conversation with a doctor who meets people where they are. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to rate and review The Proof on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it genuinely helps more people find these conversations. To connect with Dr Mauricio Gonzalez, follow him on Instagram, X, and YouTube, or visit his website at drmauriciogonzalez.com. Intro (00:00) Minimum Effective Dose for Exercise (01:38) Why Continuity of Care Reduces Mortality (07:09) How Type 2 Diabetes Silently Develops Over 12 Years (09:23) Statin vs. PCSK9 Inhibitor: How Doctors Choose (12:45) How GLP-1 Drugs Transformed the Diabetes Clinic (21:46) Why Doctors Now Measure Organ Fat, Not Body Weight (30:25) How Fatty Liver Disease Is Diagnosed (34:05) How Liver Fat Drives Insulin Resistance (40:47) Wegovy vs. Zepbound: How to Choose a GLP-1 (48:18) Should Lean People Use GLP-1s for Metabolic Health? (51:53) Why Patients Feel Guilty Taking GLP-1s (54:13) How Mauricio’s Nutrition Advice Has Evolved Over a Decade (01:04:35) Supplements on GLP-1s: What's Worth Taking (01:09:42) Minimum Effective Dose for Resistance Training (01:16:52) When Health Optimization Becomes Counterproductive (01:21:20) Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. SwimClub SwimClub is a science-backed supplement designed to support male fertility, sperm health, and reproductive wellness. Head to swimclub.co to get 25% off your first order with code THEPROOF. Eight Sleep Upgrade your sleep with the Pod 5 Ultra by Eight Sleep. Use code THEPROOF at eightsleep.com/theproof for up to $500 off. The 4th of July sale ends July 12, and you get 30 days to try it at home and return it if you don't love it. Eight Sleep ships to the U.S. (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and territories), Canada, Mexico, most of the EU, the U.K., Australia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. Truemed Truemed helps qualified customers use pre-tax HSA or FSA dollars on health-related products like fitness, recovery, and sleep tools, often saving around 30% on average. Visit truemed.com/THEPROOF to see what qualifies. This is hands down the best way to make the most of your health dollars. ProLon ProLon’s 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet is a science-backed, plant-based program designed to support metabolic health while keeping your body in a fasting-like state. Get 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift at ProLonLife.com/THEPROOF. ProLon ships within the United States. WHOOP Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com Host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Subscribe & Connect: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram: @simonhill Twitter: @theproof Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

In this episode, exercise physiologist Dr Margie Davenport walks me through what the evidence actually shows about exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Margie chaired the 2019 Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity throughout Pregnancy, the 2025 Canadian postpartum guideline, and the upcoming International Olympic Committee consensus statement on athletes through pregnancy and postpartum. We cover where the 140 bpm rule came from, the scale of the benefits at the population level, what direct fetal monitoring during HIIT and heavy lifting really shows, the new postpartum data, and why so many of the historical prohibitions do not survive contact with the data. What we cover: Where the 1985 "stay below 140 bpm" rule came from, and why it has long outlived its evidence Around 40 percent fewer cases of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, and around 67 percent fewer cases of depression during pregnancy HIIT, heavy resistance training, and what fetal monitoring shows The 51 percent reduction in complications among women who kept lifting heavy Postpartum: the six-week myth, breastfeeding and injury risk, and a 45 percent reduction in postpartum depression The short list of actual "don'ts": scuba diving, and a few situational cautions The paradigm shift from prohibition to shared decision-making If this episode is useful, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share it with someone in your life who is trying to make sense of conflicting advice. To connect with Dr Margie Davenport, visit exerciseandpregnancy.ca, follow her on Instagram at @DrMargieDavenport, or find her on LinkedIn and YouTube. Intro (00:00) Why Pregnancy Exercise Advice Feels So Confusing (01:15) The Most Damaging Myth About Exercise In Pregnancy (03:08) How Exercise Cuts Pregnancy Complications By 40% (05:05) Why Pregnant Women Were Excluded From Research (07:46) Can You Do High Intensity Workouts While Pregnant (12:49) How Exercise Lowers Preeclampsia And Diabetes Risk (16:43) How Much Exercise Is Safe During Pregnancy (27:03) Is Heavy Lifting Safe During Pregnancy (32:10) What You Should Never Do While Pregnant (40:41) Pelvic Floor Exercises Every Pregnant Woman Needs (47:41) How To Know If You're Overexerting While Pregnant (56:12) Does Exercise Affect Fertility And Conception (1:00:42) Why The 140 BPM Myth Still Exists (1:04:52) How Exercise Improves Postpartum Mental Health And Sleep (1:09:28) The Truth About The 6 Week Postpartum Rule (1:11:32) Does Breastfeeding Increase Your Risk Of Injury (1:17:13) Why Pregnant Athletes Need Better Policy Support (1:19:56) What Future Pregnancy Exercise Research Will Reveal (1:24:50) Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38TERA ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Function Health Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States. Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico. Momentous My go-to supplement brand for protein and creatine is Momentous. Use code THEPROOF for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com. Momentous ships to many countries worldwide depending on local import regulations. ProLon ProLon’s 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet is a science-backed, plant-based program designed to support metabolic health while keeping your body in a fasting-like state. Get 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift at ProLonLife.com/THEPROOF. ProLon ships within the United States. IM8 With 92 nutrients, including Vitamin B12, Iodine, Selenium and Vitamin D, in highly absorbable forms, IM8 Daily Essentials is the perfect all-in-one daily multi-vitamin to ensure you meet your daily micronutrient needs. IM8 is offering an exclusive 10% off your first order with a free welcome kit when you enter the promo code SIMON at checkout on im8health.com. IM8 ships to 27 countries including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and many regions across Europe, Asia, and South America. WHOOP WHOOP, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. WHOOP ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com Host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Subscribe & Connect: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram: @simonhill Twitter: @theproof Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

GLP-1 medications are now part of the mainstream conversation, but the biology of appetite and satiety, the system these drugs operate within, gets far less attention than the drugs themselves. In this episode, I sit down with Dr Federica Amati, Head Nutritionist at ZOE and author of the new book The Appetite Reset, to explore what's actually happening in the gut and brain when appetite signals do their job, and what that means for everyone, on or off medication. Federica brings a rare combination of pharmacology, clinical nutrition, and public health expertise to a subject that rarely receives this level of nuance. This is a conversation about understanding your biology well enough to work with it. What we cover: How GLP-1 works naturally in the body, why the natural peptide lasts minutes while the drug version lasts days, and why this matters for anyone using or considering these medications The three types of hunger (hedonic, homeostatic, and microbiota-driven) and how to tell them apart in practice Why GLP-1 supplements don't replicate what the medications do "Prehab" before starting medication: gut microbiome diversity, fibre intake, and nutrient status as the foundation Why the 30g daily fibre target doesn't drop when calorie intake does on medication Protein targets of 1.2 to 1.6g per kilogram and resistance training three times a week as the most critical protective interventions for muscle and bone health The science on shame, weight stigma, and why treating obesity as a lifestyle choice is both inaccurate and actively harmful If this episode was useful, a review on Apple Podcasts or a follow on Spotify makes a genuine difference. To connect with Dr Federica Amati, follow her on Instagram at  ⁠instagram.com/dr.fede.amati⁠ or explore her work through ZOE at zoe.com⁠. Her new book, The Appetite Reset⁠, will be released on June 25 and is available to pre-order now. Intro (00:00) Why Everyone Needs to Understand Appetite Biology (01:14) How Dr. Federica Amati Became a Nutrition Expert (03:06) Why GLP-1 Drugs Are Different From Any Supplement (11:29) The Gila Monster That Led to Ozempic (17:44) What Is Food Noise and Why It Controls You (20:20) Why Willpower Isn't the Problem: Genetics and Epigenetics (24:06) How GLP-1s Change Your Relationship With Food and Joy (30:54) Lowest Effective Dose: Why More Isn't Better (34:08) The Muscle Loss Risk Nobody Warns You About (39:34) Microdosing GLP-1s: Does It Work or Is It Dangerous (41:59) The Three Types of Hunger and How to Tell Them Apart (44:51) How Your Gut Microbes Drive Cravings and Leptin Resistance (50:17) Why Calories Alone Don't Explain Appetite (58:07) How to Manage Food Noise Without a GLP-1 (01:04:46) Prehab Before GLP-1s (01:11:09) The Fiber, Fat, and Gut Prep Protocol for GLP-1 Users (01:13:56) What Clinical Trials Actually Include That Real-World Use Doesn't (01:21:41) Do You Need Supplements on a GLP-1? (01:27:15) Obesity Is Not a Lifestyle Choice: Shame, Stigma, and GLP-1s (01:29:49) Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. LMNT Stay hydrated with LMNT. Get a free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavours with any purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/SIMON Find your favourite LMNT flavour, or share with a friend. And if you don’t like it? Full refund, no questions asked. LMNT ships to the U.S. and Canada, with sparkling flavors available only in the contiguous U.S. Shopify Shopify, the world's leading e-commerce platform, helps you turn browsers into buyers with the internet’s best-converting check out–up to 36% better compared to other leading e-commerce platforms. To boost your conversion rate, and grow your business, sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/proof. Pique Pique’s Nandaka combines fermented Pu’er tea, full-spectrum Reishi, ceremonial cacao, and L-theanine for calm, sustained energy without the coffee crash. Unlock 20% off and establish your powerful foundation for sustained well-being at Piquelife.com/SIMON. Pique ships within the U.S. and to Australia, Canada, and select EU countries. Eight Sleep Upgrade your sleep with the Pod 5 Ultra by Eight Sleep. Clinically validated to deliver up to 1 extra hour of quality sleep per night through temperature control and biometric tracking. Use code THEPROOF for $350 off at eightsleep.com/theproof. Try it risk-free for 30 days, with worldwide shipping. Eight Sleep ships to the U.S. (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and territories), Canada, Mexico, most of the EU, the U.K., Australia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. WHOOP WHOOP, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. WHOOP ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com Host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Subscribe & Connect: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram: @simonhill Twitter: @theproof Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

In this episode, I sit down with bariatric surgeon and science communicator Dr Terry Simpson for a wide-ranging conversation about health misinformation, GLP-1 medications, statins, ApoB, the Mediterranean diet, and the loud contrarians who dominate social media. Terry has familial hypercholesterolemia, a family history of premature cardiovascular disease, and lost 50 pounds on tirzepatide, all of which give him unusual personal stakes in these debates. What we cover: How to think about uncertainty in science, and Terry's heuristic for spotting misinformation The Gila monster origin story of GLP-1 medications, and the difference between native and pharmacological GLP-1 What food noise actually is, and Terry's own experience on tirzepatide His personal case for statins, an LDL of 190 brought into the 40s, and an ApoB in the 40s A defence of Ancel Keys and the Mediterranean diet Where the carnivore, anti-statin, seed oil, and nattokinase narratives fall apart Compounded GLP-1s, peptide deregulation, and why the FDA still matters If you find this episode useful, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share it with someone who might benefit. To connect with Dr Terry Simpson, visit terrysimpson.com, find him on TikTok at @drterrysimpson, Instagram at @drterrysimpsonmd, X at @drterrysimpson, and Substack at @drsimpson. His podcast is The Unfiltered MD. Intro (00:00) Why Carnivore and Anti-Vax Are Today's Biggest Health Lies (01:02) Doctors, COVID and the Cost of Speaking Up Online (03:58) How to Spot a Health Huckster (13:25) Will GLP-1 Drugs Make Bariatric Surgery Obsolete (19:12) A Bariatric Surgeon's Personal Decision to Take a GLP-1 Drug (22:54) Willpower Is Not the Problem: What Food Noise Actually Feels Like (26:23) Why Ancel Keys Was Right and Low Carb Got It Wrong (32:51) Mediterranean Diet Results That Stopped a Trial Early (39:50) Are GLP-1 Drugs the Greatest Medical Breakthrough This Century (47:38) The Real Danger of Buying Compounded GLP-1 Drugs Online (51:27) BPC-157 and Peptides: Why FDA Guardrails Actually Matter (59:42) Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Statins and a Personal Wake Up Call (01:04:69) Inflammation vs. ApoB: What Actually Causes a Heart Attack (01:13:04) CT Angiogram Results and Keto CTA Data Explained (01:16:33) Fish Oil vs. Eating Fish: Why the Supplement Doesn't Replicate the Food (01:24:35) Simon's Plant Based Diet, Seed Oils and Cooking with Olive Oil (01:28:07) The Seed Oil Debate: Are People Just Afraid of Modern Chemistry (01:33:17) Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38TERA ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. IM8 With 92 nutrients, including Vitamin B12, Iodine, Selenium and Vitamin D, in highly absorbable forms, IM8 Daily Essentials is the perfect all-in-one daily multi-vitamin to ensure you meet your daily micronutrient needs. IM8 is offering an exclusive 10% off your first order with a free welcome kit when you enter the promo code SIMON at checkout on im8health.com. IM8 ships to 27 countries including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and many regions across Europe, Asia, and South America. Function Health Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States. Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico. Truemed Truemed helps qualified customers use pre-tax HSA or FSA dollars on health-related products like fitness, recovery, and sleep tools, often saving around 30% on average. Visit truemed.com/THEPROOF to see what qualifies. This is hands down the best way to make the most of your health dollars. LMNT Stay hydrated with LMNT. Get a free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavours with any purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/SIMON Find your favourite LMNT flavour, or share with a friend. And if you don’t like it? Full refund, no questions asked. LMNT ships to the U.S. and Canada, with sparkling flavors available only in the contiguous U.S. WHOOP WHOOP, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. WHOOP ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com Host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Subscribe & Connect: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram: @simonhill Twitter: @theproof Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah Ann Macklin to explore the hidden psychological costs of modern wellness culture and why pursuing health can sometimes leave us feeling more anxious, overwhelmed, and disconnected. Sarah shares insights from her new book, Healthy Shouldn’t Be This Hard, as we unpack self-compassion, perfectionism, body image, mindset, and the pressure to constantly optimise every aspect of our lives. What We Cover Why wellness culture can become emotionally exhausting The difference between self-esteem and self-compassion How mindset shapes long-term health behaviours The psychological side of food, body image, and self-worth Why optimisation culture can backfire Practical ways to build a healthier relationship with yourself I really enjoyed this conversation with Sarah and appreciated her thoughtful, balanced perspective on what genuine wellbeing actually looks like in practice. Pre-order Sarah’s new book, Healthy Shouldn’t Be This Hard, and follow her on Instagram, subscribe to her YouTube channel, and read her writing on Substack. You can also learn more about Sarah and her work on her website. Intro (00:00) What Wellness Culture Is Getting Wrong Right Now (01:16) The Chambermaid Study: How Mindset Changes Your Body (05:48) The Milkshake Study: Your Perception Affects Your Metabolism (07:06) Sarah's Modeling Career, Collapse, and ER Wake-Up Call (09:11) How Social Media Weaponizes Self-Comparison (14:01) Has Optimization Culture Gone Too Far? (17:58) How to Know When Health Habits Become Counterproductive (22:36) Self-Compassion Is a Muscle — Here's How to Build It (27:28) How Common Is Beating Yourself Up Over Health? (30:26) The Chocolate Bar Test: Audit Your Self-Compassion (36:33) How to Reconnect with Your Real Hunger Signals (39:36) The 3-Step Compassion Framework for Eating Decisions (40:57) Discipline vs. Self-Compassion: They're Not Opposites (43:44) The "Friend Filter": The Simplest Self-Compassion Tool (57:12) What Better Wellness Culture Looks Like in 5 Years (01:02:17) Where to Find Sarah's Book "Healthy Shouldn't Be This Hard” (01:04:48) Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Pique Pique’s Nandaka combines fermented Pu’er tea, full-spectrum Reishi, ceremonial cacao, and L-theanine for calm, sustained energy without the coffee crash. Unlock 20% off and establish your powerful foundation for sustained well-being at Piquelife.com/SIMON. Pique ships within the U.S. and to Australia, Canada, and select EU countries. Eight Sleep Upgrade your sleep with the Pod 5 Ultra by Eight Sleep. Clinically validated to deliver up to 1 extra hour of quality sleep per night through temperature control and biometric tracking. Use code THEPROOF for $350 off at eightsleep.com/theproof. Try it risk-free for 30 days, with worldwide shipping. Eight Sleep ships to the U.S. (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and territories), Canada, Mexico, most of the EU, the U.K., Australia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. Truemed Truemed helps qualified customers use pre-tax HSA or FSA dollars on health-related products like fitness, recovery, and sleep tools, often saving around 30% on average. Visit truemed.com/THEPROOF to see what qualifies. This is hands down the best way to make the most of your health dollars. SwimClub SwimClub is a science-backed supplement designed to support male fertility, sperm health, and reproductive wellness. Head to swimclub.co to get 25% off your first order with code THEPROOF. WHOOP Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of theproof.com Host of The Proof with Simon Hill Author of The Proof is in the Plants Subscribe & Connect: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram: @simonhill Twitter: @theproof Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.