Podcast Summary: Totally Booked with Zibby

Guest: Dr. Nicholas Perricone
Episode Title: THE BEAUTY MOLECULE: Introducing Neuroceuticals, the Breakthrough for Ageless Beauty
Date: September 19, 2025
Host: Zibby Owens

Episode Overview

This episode features Dr. Nicholas Perricone, celebrated physician, scientist, and bestselling author, discussing his new book "The Beauty Molecule: Introducing Neuroceuticals, the Breakthrough for Ageless Beauty." The conversation revolves around his latest discoveries in anti-aging, the connection between inflammation and aging, everyday routines for enhancing beauty and health, and trailblazing neuroceutical solutions such as hydrogen water and GLP-1 agonists. Dr. Perricone also shares motivating anecdotes from his career, practical tips for listeners, and his vision for a healthier, ageless future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Genesis of "The Beauty Molecule"

[05:08–07:54]

• Dr. Perricone returns to publishing after nearly a decade with entirely new science-driven insights.
• He emphasizes the need to reintroduce his foundational ideas, like the anti-inflammatory diet, to a new generation:
  • “A whole generation has gone by now. So I had to go back a little bit and start from the beginning because the anti-inflammatory diet... I wanted the generation to know how important [it] is in terms of health and beauty.” (Dr. Perricone, 05:54)
• The "beauty molecule" in focus is acetylcholine—a neurotransmitter critical to brain and muscle function, which can be enhanced via lifestyle habits.
• The book includes actionable advice: morning sunlight, stretching, meditation, and diet.

2. Dr. Perricone’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Its Impact

[07:54–15:07]

• The anti-inflammatory diet, introduced 25 years ago, was initially controversial:
  • “To talk about aging as an inflammatory disease was an outrageous thought to them... I was kind of ostracized and told to leave my little professorship at Yale...” (Dr. Perricone, 09:14)
• Foods that spike blood sugar trigger inflammation lasting up to three days; Dr. Perricone prescribes a diet of low-glycemic produce, wild salmon, and berries.
• Anecdote: Diane Sawyer challenged his claim that one could look 10 years younger in three days. Public demonstration proved the effect both visually and in mood:
  • “She said, 'I could see a difference from here.' ... The women talked about an average weight loss of five or six pounds, clarity, glowing skin, improved mood.” (Dr. Perricone, 12:07)
• CRP (C-reactive protein) blood work confirms reduced inflammation after diet.

3. Beyond Diet: GLP-1 Agonists (e.g., Mounjaro/Tirzepatide)

[15:41–18:07]

• Zibby and Dr. Perricone discuss the multi-benefit effects of GLP-1 agonists:
  • “This is the best anti-inflammatory I’ve ever seen in my career. ...The people on it, yes, they have weight loss, but they also look 10 years younger.” (Dr. Perricone, 16:01)
• GLP-1 agonists not only promote weight loss but also reduce cognitive decline and cancer risks, with potential for even broader health applications.
• Dr. Perricone is developing a transdermal, microdosed delivery system for these medications.

4. The Future of Aging & Beauty

[23:15–24:24]

• Dr. Perricone observes that today’s 50-year-olds look drastically younger than in prior generations, attributing this to lifestyle and medical advancements.
  • “Fifty-year-old people now look like they're in their twenties. ...It's a totally different world.” (Dr. Perricone, 23:26)
• Encourages people to start new ventures at any age, highlighting his own late entry into entrepreneurship.

5. Hydrogen Water: The Magic Bullet?

[24:28–31:50]

• Hydrogen water emerged from skeptical review of Japanese data; Dr. Perricone’s double-blind studies confirmed a rapid, sustained increase in NAD (the “energy molecule”) in skin after consumption.
  • “In 15 minutes, it was up 12.5% and it stayed there for hours... That's it. I'm going to go ahead and do this.” (Dr. Perricone, 26:34)
• A study in India showed hydrogen water reversed metabolic syndrome in 100% of participants after 24 weeks, with no lifestyle changes required.
  • “If we can get this country and any country in the world drinking this... we could lower healthcare cost probably by about a third in maybe three to five years.” (Dr. Perricone, 29:15)
• Key to efficacy: must be consumed from aluminum cans (not plastic), freshly opened, at specific hydrogen concentrations.

6. Practical Advice for Listeners

[31:14–32:50]

• Hydrogen water dosage: Two cans a day is effective; more does not mean more benefit.
• For children: Particularly useful for young athletes to mitigate cumulative effects of inflammation from sports injuries.
• Products can be ordered from Dr. Perricone’s platform and Amazon, with expansion to retail outlets coming.

7. Hopeful and Actionable Messages

[32:50–End]

• Zibby recaps the “game-changing” yet simple routines outlined in the book, praising their clarity and accessibility.
• Dr. Perricone underscores his motivation: empowering people to fulfill their “mission” by maintaining brain health, energy, and clarity.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On seeing palpable results quickly:
  “When you drop inflammation in the body and in the brain, all the neurotransmitters come up, and we feel really good, and we have clarity, and... the skin was glowing.”
  — Dr. Perricone, [12:40]

• On being ahead of the curve:
  “No one's mentioning it. I haven't gotten any letters of apology, by the way, but that's when you're ahead of yourself.”
  — Dr. Perricone, [10:04]

• On the promise of GLP-1s:
  “This is the best anti-inflammatory I’ve ever seen in my career. ... It works for irritable bowel syndrome, tends to slow the onset of cognitive decline, [and] a 20 to 30% decrease in risk for breast cancer.”
  — Dr. Perricone, [16:01]

• On science meeting lifestyle:
  “What we want to do is beauty from the inside out… and the outside in would be the topicals... [but] lifestyle and the anti-inflammatory diet [are foundational].”
  — Dr. Perricone, [15:08]

• On the transformative power of hydrogen water:
  “At 24 weeks ... 100% of those people that were getting the hydrogen water no longer had metabolic syndrome. ...We could lower healthcare cost probably by about a third and maybe three to five years.”
  — Dr. Perricone, [29:15]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dr. Perricone’s morning routine & intro to book: [05:06–07:54]
• Origins of anti-inflammatory diet: [09:14–15:07]
• Diane Sawyer story – dramatic evidence of diet’s impact: [11:45–14:09]
• GLP-1 agonists and new anti-aging drugs: [15:41–18:07]
• Vision of the future aging process: [23:15–24:24]
• Science and story of hydrogen water: [24:28–31:50]
• Practical usage & availability of hydrogen water: [29:59–31:50]
• Hydrogen water for kids & sports: [31:52–32:50]
• Empowering, simple health changes: [32:50–End]

Conclusion

Dr. Nicholas Perricone shares a hopeful vision for the future of health, beauty, and longevity—rooted in simple lifestyle changes, innovative science, and easily-accessible interventions like the anti-inflammatory diet and hydrogen water. Zibby Owens draws out both the cutting-edge research and practical wisdom, giving listeners both understanding and clear, achievable next steps.

Further Resources

• Dr. Perricone’s hydrogen water: available on Amazon and his official website
• Book: "The Beauty Molecule: Introducing Neuroceuticals, the Breakthrough for Ageless Beauty"
• For more: zibbymedia.com and @zibbyowens on Instagram