Podcast
Low Carb MD Podcast
Hosted by Dr. Brian Lenzkes, Dr. Tro · EN
Low Carb MD is a patient-centered podcast focusing on weight loss, wellness and preventative medicine. The co-hosts, Dr. Brian Lenzkes & Dr. Tro interview a new guest on each episode and walk the listeners through how they approach weight loss, wellness and disease reversal with their patients.
46episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Health | Dr. Alan Schaffer - E434
Mar 1601:11:03Tap to summarizeDr. Alan Schaffer is a board-certified physician specializing in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. With decades of clinical experience, he focuses on the intersection of respiratory health, sleep disorders, and metabolic health, including the role of nutrition and carbohydrate restriction in improving chronic disease. Dr. Schaffer practices with St. Peter's Health Partners in New York and is a frequent educator and media guest discussing conditions such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and the broader drivers of cardiometabolic health. In this episode, Drs. Tro and Alan talk about… (00:00) Intro (09:59) Sleep Medicine and metabolic health (13:37) Pulmonary Medicine and environmental factors (18:57) How Dr. Alan helps his patients improve their sleep quality and metabolic health (26:43) Helping late bloomer patients (32:30) How to help patients trust you as a doctor (37:07) Sleep apnea and CPAP (42:52) Sleep apnea tools and tips (46:08) Sleep tape (52:05) Didjeridoo (55:16) Weight loss and sleep apnea (01:01:52) The Cholesterol Code documentary (See links below) For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The Cholesterol Code Screening (Wed, Apr 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM CDT): https://gathr.com/events/0ed2437d/the-cholesterol-code-at-amc-crystal-run-16 Cholesterol Code Movie: https://cholesterolcodemovie.com Dr. Alan Schaffer: https://www.sphp.com/provider/alan-edward-schaffer-md-sleep-medicine-0 Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/
Transcribe →Quality, Accessible, Sustainable Medical Care | Dr. Marion Mass - E433
Mar 901:06:51Tap to summarizeDr. Marion Mass is a pediatrician, educator, and fierce advocate for restoring integrity to American medicine. A co-founder of the nonprofit Practicing Physicians of America, she has been a leading voice calling out the corporate forces reshaping health care and their impact on doctors and patients alike. In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro, and Dr. Marion talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:29) Systemic problems in medicine over the last few decades and how we can solve them (05:27) Perverse incentives in health insurance and how health care can be made cheaper (14:40) Conflicts of interest in health insurance (19:52) What brought Dr. Marion to medicine and inspired her to work to reform the healthcare system (25:37) Conflicts of interest in the AMA and other medical organizations (35:23) The path forward to a more transparent medical care system (41:19) Remdesivir and Covid (46:53) Perverse incentives in gender change procedures and drugs (51:48) Governmental and political interference in the practice of medicine (01:02:35) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Dr. Marion Mass: Free 2 Care: https://t.co/cdcldrTMEM X: https://x.com/mass_marion?lang=en Practicing Physicians of America: https://practicingphysician.org Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/
Transcribe →The Menopause Gut | Cynthia Thurlow - E432
Mar 201:08:33Tap to summarizeCynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner, bestselling author, and leading voice in women's metabolic health. With over two decades of clinical experience, she's known for translating complex science into practical strategies—helping women navigate perimenopause, optimize fasting, and reclaim energy, resilience, and long-term wellness. In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro, and Cynthia talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:28) Hormonal shifts, the microbiome, and metabolic health (07:50) How modern developments in food production and the advent of mass-produced plastics have impacted our health (17:40) Fiber (25:43) Intermittent fasting and menopause (28:07) Inulin (31:27) Antibiotics and food sensitivities (33:45) The complexity of the gut microbiome (44:55) The insufficiency of modern testing (50:00) Gut health and mental health (53:42) Fermented foods (01:00:47) Good, better, best (01:03:16) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Cynthia Thurlow: Website: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/ X: https://x.com/_CynthiaThurlow IG: https://www.instagram.com/cynthia_thurlow_/ Books: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2345217/cynthia-thurlow-np/ Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/
Transcribe →The Metabolic Healthcare Revolution | Dr. Frank Dumont - E431
Feb 2301:04:39Tap to summarizeDr. Frank Dumont is Executive Medical Director at Virta Health, where he leads medical strategy to advance safe, scalable metabolic care. A longtime internal medicine physician at Estes Park Medical Center, he previously directed its Wellness Service Line. A Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Dumont has also served in leadership roles with the Colorado Medical Society and the American Medical Association. In this episode, Drs. Brian and Frank talk about… (00:00) Intro (04:03) How Dr. Frank's personal health issues and professional experiences as a doctor led him to adopt a metabolic health approach to healing himself and his patients (10:41) Exercise, nutrition, and de-prescribing (14:22) Fat adaptation and fasting (24:09) Virta's peer-reviewed publications and long-term data (30:09) The positive cascading effect on holistic health of metabolic lifestyle interventions (36:25) Social support and mental health (44:41) Dr. Frank's experience leaving a standard medical practice and becoming a metabolic health practitioner (52:22) Moral injury and physician burnout in the standard medical care system (54:05) Employe wellness and metabolic health care (01:01:01) Outro/plugs For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Dr. Frank Dumont: Virta Health: https://www.virtahealth.com/ X: https://x.com/FrankDumont Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-d-dumont-46aa00b7/ Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/
Transcribe →Eating in the Age of Addiction | Michael Prager - E430
Feb 1601:09:49Tap to summarizeMichael Prager is a journalist and writer focused on food addiction and the science of ultra-processed foods. Drawing on personal experience and deep reporting, he explores how modern food environments hijack appetite—and what it takes to reclaim health, agency, and freedom around food. He is also the chairman of the Food Addiction Institute and the author of two books: Fat Boy Thin Man and Sustainable You. In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Michael talk about… (00:00) Intro (03:15) Michael's personal health journey dealing with food addiction and how he first became interested in researching food addiction (13:38) How spiritual and emotional health relate to physical health (28:12) Food addiction research and new developments in the mission to get food addiction officially recognized (39:10) Practical tips for dealing with food addiction (44:41) How Michael went from being a food addict to being the chairman of the Food Addiction Institute and writing books on food addiction (53:08) Michael's spiritual journey from being a hardcore agnostic to believing in and praying to God (01:00:52) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Michael Prager: Books: https://michaelprager.com/books Website: https://michaelprager.com/ X: https://x.com/fatboythinman Food Addiction Institute: https://foodaddictioninstitute.org Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/
Transcribe →The Microbiome and Metabolic Health | Dr. Brian and Dr. Tro - E429
Feb 900:59:59Tap to summarizeWhen there is no guest to interview, Dr. Brian and Dr. Tro get to talk about whatever they want! Today, that's the microbiome and metabolic health. The conversation ranges from fasting to microplastics to inulin and beyond. You are not likely to walk away without hearing something about gut health that you've never heard before. In this episode, Drs. Tro and Brian talk about… (00:00) Intro (03:24) How the peer review process works for scientific publications (10:50) How the SMHP is tackling the barriers to good science caused by the standard peer review process (17:04) Fasting, the microbiome, and metabolic health (33:47) Mold, food allergies, and gut health (40:36) IMP issues, low carb diets, and inulin (43:15) Microplastics (46:06) Stress and physical health (49:20) The recent SMHP Symposium for Metabolic Health (link below for CME) For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Dr. Jessica Rose interview on the Life's Best Medicine Podcast: https://lifesbestmedicine.com/podcast/episode-282-dr-jessica-rose/ The SMHP Symposium for Metabolic Health CME: https://thesmhp.org/accreditation-process/#providers Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/
Transcribe →The Power of Metabolic Psychiatry | Dr. Matt Bernstein - E428
Feb 200:47:58Tap to summarizeDr. Matt Bernstein is a clinical psychiatrist and leading voice in metabolic psychiatry, with 25 years of experience helping people achieve lasting mental health and functional recovery. A Columbia graduate (summa cum laude) and Penn-trained physician, he completed residency at MGH/McLean, where he served as chief resident and later held senior leadership roles. Now Chief Medical Officer at Ellenhorn, he develops innovative, community-based models for mental health care and serves on advisory boards advancing the metabolic psychiatry movement. In this episode, Drs. Tro and Matthew talk about… (00:00) Intro (02:19) How Dr. Matthew found his way into metabolic psychiatry (05:53) Autoimmune encephalitis (09:59) Psychiatric health and the physical body (14:41) Infectious diseases causing psychiatric diseases (18:25) Psychiatric guidelines (23:04) How Dr. Matthew's clinic approaches the treatment of psychiatric disorders from a metabolic health perspective (26:31) How diet effects the brain (29:00) The most amazing case of disease reversal Dr. Matthew has seen recently (34:22) The data on the effectiveness of metabolic psychiatry and why many psychiatrists currently practicing are resistant to it (37:32) The great work being done to heal people at Accord Mental Health (43:27) Outro and plugs For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Dr. Matt Bernstein: Accord Mental Health: https://accordmh.com/ Ellenhorn: https://www.ellenhorn.com/ Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/
Transcribe →The Hunger Code | Dr. Jason Fung - E427
Jan 2601:12:48Tap to summarizeDr. Jason Fung is a Canadian nephrologist and leading voice in metabolic health, best known for making the science of fasting and insulin resistance simple, practical, and empowering. Through his books, lectures, and clinical work, he's helped thousands rethink weight loss, type 2 diabetes, and long-term health by focusing on hormones, not just calories. Dr. Fung is the co-founder of The Fasting Method and a sought-after educator on metabolic health. In this episode, Drs. Brian, Tro, and Jason talk about… (00:00) Intro (05:46) The new dietary guidelines and food pyramid (08:02) The Huger Code and understanding hunger (13:19) Why the calories-in/calories-out model for weight-loss is ineffective (17:44) Hedonic hunger (19:06) Conditioned hunger (24:41) Hormones and calories (28:15) Insulin and fat-burning (31:47) The process of digestion and how every step of the process impacts hormones and weight (38:08) While ultra-processed foods are SO much more obesogenic than whole foods (39:53) Food addiction and effective treatment (46:19) The 3 Golden Rules of Weight Loss (49:25) Dr. Fung's new book and masterclass! (Links below) (51:55) Human biology and flavor variety (57:09) Fasting and satiety (01:04:43) Hubris, pride, and ignorance in medicine (01:09:15) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Dr. Jason Fung: The Fasting Method: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/ Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01BT8K6FK Website/Books: https://www.doctorjasonfung.com/ iG: https://www.instagram.com/drjasonfung/ X: https://x.com/drjasonfung YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoyL4iGArWn5Hu0V_sAhK2w The Hunger Code Pre-Order/Masterclass: https://www.doctorjasonfung.com/gift-with-purchase-offer Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/
Transcribe →The NEW Dietary Guidelines Have Arrived! - E426
Jan 1901:00:44Tap to summarizeThe new Dietary Guidelines for Americans have finally arrived! When this podcast first started approximately 8 years ago, a paradigm shift of this magnitude seemed like a nice but impossible dream. In this episode we discuss the content, creation, and future impacts of our new national guidelines. In this episode, Drs. Brian and Tro talk about… (00:00) Intro (01:25) The top people involved in bringing about the recent changes to our dietary guidelines (05:39) The content of the new dietary guidelines (09:27) How the big food companies have been reacting to these guidelines (12:20) The incredible success that common sense and real science have had in medicine/nutrition in recent years (17:01) The new food pyramid (18:40) Developments in HHS (21:22) The microbiome as it relates to mental health, structural health, and metabolic health (23:30) GMOs, pesticides, and the insane value of buying food from your local producers (29:25) The mental health benefits of eating real, whole foods (39:08) New recommendations for vegans (41:16) The new vaccine schedule for kids (43:27) New DPC and HSA policies (44:43) The Low Carb MD Podcast is FREE because we don't take money from ANYONE. Please, consider supporting us on Patreon if you believe in what we are doing (link below 👇) (50:41) Corruption and conflicts of interest in medicine (01:00:04) Outro For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The New Guidelines: https://realfood.gov/ Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/
Transcribe →Low Carb Cruisin' in the Caribbean | Debbie Hubbs and Michelle Hall - E425
Jan 1200:38:04Tap to summarizeThe Low Carb Cruise brings together keto-curious travelers and seasoned low-carb veterans from around the world for an unforgettable blend of education, connection, and fun at sea. What began as a small gathering of friends and family has grown into a global community, united by inspiring seminars from leading voices in the keto space and a shared passion for healthier living. The cruise spans 7 days of Western Caribbean adventure, May 31–June 7, 2026, sailing to Roatán, Honduras; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico. In this episode, Dr. Tro talks with Low Carb Cruise organizers Debbie and Michelle about… (00:00) Intro (03:00) Last year's Low Carb Cruise (04:44) How the Low Carb Cruise came to be (06:49) How Debbie first discovered the power of Low Carb eating (11:25) The speaker line-up for this year's Low Carb Cruise (14:32) How Michelle became involved in organizing the Low Carb Cruise (21:12) GLP-1s, brain health, and inflammation (30:18) More on the speakers and docking locations on the upcoming Low Carb Cruise For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/ Debbie Hubbs and Michelle Hall: Low Carb Cruise: https://lowcarbcruise.com/ Email: info@lowcarbcruise.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/lowcarbcruise/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/lowcarbcruise/ Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://toward.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/ Toward Health App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888 Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US Learn more: https://toward.health/community/
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