The Dr. Hyman Show

The number on your scale tells you almost nothing about your actual health. You can lose weight while becoming less healthy—or stay the same weight while dramatically improving your metabolism, reducing your risk of disease, and adding years to your life.

In today's episode, I discuss:

Why the scale can completely miss what's happening inside your body and the hidden health risks it can't measure

The dangerous difference between muscle and visceral belly fat, and why one protects you while the other drives disease

The five health markers I pay attention to instead of body weight—including one simple measurement you can do at home

How insulin resistance develops years before diabetes and the early warning signs you can catch before it's too late

The goal isn't simply to lose weight; it's to build a healthier metabolism. The healthiest body isn't always the lightest one—it's the one that's functioning the way it was designed to.

Resources Mentioned:

Want to dive deeper into why muscle is the key to longevity? Listen to my full conversation with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon here

Track your health with Function Health: https://functionhealth.com/mark (Use code MARK2026 for $50 off your membership.)

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

(0:00) Rethinking weight loss: muscle, metabolism, and key health metrics

(7:17) Chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic health

(11:00) Five metrics that matter more than weight

(13:17) Shifting focus: Prioritizing health over weight loss

(15:14) Muscle and longevity with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

Heart disease is still the leading cause of death worldwide. Yet many people assume it only happens to those who are older, out of shape, or obviously unhealthy.

In this episode, I sit down with cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Jeremy London, whose own heart attack challenged many of the assumptions we make about heart health. We discuss why prevention isn't always as straightforward as it seems—and how understanding your personal risk can help you take a more proactive approach to your health.

We cover:

Why some healthy people still develop heart disease

The difference between standard cholesterol tests and a more complete assessment

How to better understand your personal cardiovascular risk

The lifestyle changes that can help lower your long-term cardiovascular risk

Interested in more comprehensive lab testing? Learn more at Function and use code MARK2026 to save $50 on your membership.

Heart disease is often preventable—but only if you know what to look for. Listen to my conversation with Dr. Jeremy London to learn how a better understanding of your personal risk can help you protect your long-term heart 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

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What if one of the most powerful anti-aging tools wasn't a supplement, medication, or expensive biohack—but the way you exercise? While many people think of exercise as a way to lose weight or burn calories, its greatest benefits happen deep inside your cells.

In today's episode, I discuss:

The two most effective forms of exercise for healthy aging and longevity

What happens inside your cells when you challenge your muscles and cardiovascular system

The often-overlooked factor that can determine whether you stay strong and independent as you age

The minimum amount of exercise needed to support your muscles, metabolism, heart, and brain

How and why you should measure your VO2 max

Healthy aging isn't about finding the latest longevity hack—it's about consistently giving your body the signals it needs to adapt, grow stronger, and stay resilient.

Resources Mentioned:

Track your metabolic health with Function Health: https://functionhealth.com/mark (Use code MARK2026 for $50 off your membership.)

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

(0:00) The role of exercise, types of exercise, and debunking strength training and HIIT myths

(2:05) Mitochondria, aging, and chronic disease

(4:24) Movement, mitochondrial health, and essential types of movement for longevity

(5:54) Prioritizing strength training and muscle as a longevity organ after age 40

(8:17) Building a resilient immune system

(10:27) HIIT, VO2 max, and interval training routines

(13:24) Combining strength training and HIIT; starting from scratch and common questions

(15:17) Movement as medicine and closing remarks

Living with chronic illness can feel like collecting diagnoses without getting real answers. Symptoms are treated one at a time, but the underlying causes can easily be missed. What if asking a different question is the first step toward feeling better?

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Richard Horowitz, an internationally recognized Lyme disease expert and author of the new book Ending Chronic Illness. After caring for thousands of patients over more than four decades, he explains why many seemingly unrelated conditions share common underlying drivers—and why thinking like a medical detective may help uncover them.

We discuss:

Why treating the diagnosis isn't always the same as treating the problem—and how to start looking deeper

How hidden infections, environmental toxins, gut health, and other overlooked factors can quietly drive chronic illness

What new research may reveal about the links between infection, inflammation, and brain health

How to begin uncovering what's really driving persistent symptoms

Our bodies are constantly communicating with us. The challenge isn't that they're silent—it's that we haven't always known how to listen. Sometimes finding better answers begins with asking different questions.

Continue Exploring

If you'd like to explore Dr. Horowitz's work further, here are two great places to start:

Take his Symptom Assessment Quiz to better understand what may be contributing to your symptoms.

Subscribe to his Medical Detective Substack ****for ongoing insights into chronic illness, Lyme disease, and root-cause medicine.

Interested in getting tested?

Many of the lab tests discussed in this episode are available through Function, making it easier to get a more comprehensive picture of your 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

Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hymanhttps://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast

Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journalhttps://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 Timeline, Cozy Earth, Seatopia, Perfect Amino, BON CHARGE, and Made In.

Support healthy aging and get up to 20% off when you subscribe on top of the new starting price of $79 at timeline.com/drhyman.

Upgrade your sleep setup with cozyearth.com and enjoy 20% off with code HYMAN.

Find a cleaner source of seafood. Check out seatopia.fish and use code HYMAN for free shipping on your first order.

Help fill protein gaps at bodyhealth.com and use code HYMAN20 for 20% off.

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(0:00) Infections and toxins as root causes of chronic illness; Dr. Horowitz's background and journey to functional medicine

(5:37) Discovering and treating various infections, toxins, and Dr. Hyman's personal health story

(9:16) Root causes of chronic disease, inflammation, and testing for infections and toxins

(15:11) Sponsor: Seatopia and PerfectAmino

(16:42) Importance of diet, addressing multiple health factors, and autoimmune misdiagnosis

(19:26) Role of infections, toxins, microbiome, and leaky gut in autoimmune diseases and inflammation

(21:06) Treating underlying causes and neuroinflammation in chronic diseases

(24:37) Nutritional deficiencies, COVID-19, and the importance of sleep in chronic illness management

(30:19) Plant medicines, supplements, and dapsone in treating neuroinflammation, Lyme, and Alzheimer's

(41:30) Use of methylene blue in treatment protocols

(44:56) Sponsor: Bon Charge

(45:58) Sponsor: Made In

(46:43) Evolution of treatment protocols and six principal causes of inflammation

(50:18) Importance of adrenal function and hormone treatment in chronic illness

(52:17) Differential diagnosis vs. root cause analysis and root cause testing

(56:38) Horowitz's questionnaire and protocols for treating chronic infections

(58:39) Addressing mold-related health issues and Dr. Hyman's personal experience

(1:01:01) Mold testing, detoxification, and controversies in treatment

(1:07:47) Insurance challenges and HHS innovation grant for chronic illness research

(1:09:04) Importance of root cause medicine and Mark Hyman's upcoming book on longevity

(1:11:56) Personalized medicine, reversing Alzheimer's biomarkers, and research funding priorities

(1:15:02) Influence of Buddhist principles and personal experiences with chronic illness

(1:16:01) Hope for patients, resources for learning, and closing remarks

What if the fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, or mysterious symptoms you've been chasing for years weren't caused by stress, aging, or burnout—but by a tick bite you never even noticed? Lyme disease is one of the most misunderstood illnesses in medicine. But Lyme is rarely just one infection—it's often part of a much bigger picture involving co-infections, immune dysfunction, inflammation, gut health, and environmental triggers.

In today's episode, I walk through a functional medicine approach to Lyme disease and tick-borne illness, including:

Why Lyme disease is so often missed—and the hidden role of co-infections like Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma

The limitations of conventional testing and treatment, and how functional medicine looks beyond the infection to understand why some people recover while others remain chronically ill

The role of herbs, antibiotics, gut repair, detoxification, immune support, and mitochondrial health in a comprehensive recovery plan

What the latest evidence says about emerging therapies like ozone, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and hyperthermia—as well as practical strategies to prevent tick-borne illness in the first place

Lyme disease isn't always just an infection—it's often a whole-body disruption. By addressing the underlying drivers of inflammation, immune dysfunction, gut health, and cellular resilience alongside the infection itself, you give your body the best chance to heal and recover.

Resources Mentioned:

Track your metabolic health with Function Health: https://functionhealth.com/mark (Use code MARK2026 for $50 off your membership.)

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

(0:00) Introduction to Lyme disease, overview, and Dr. Hyman's experience

(4:13) Functional medicine's approach and comprehensive treatment strategies

(10:51) Innovative therapies for Lyme disease

(14:08) Managing die-off reactions and restoring gut health

(17:18) Supporting the immune and nervous systems; prevention strategies

(19:29) Future research, persistent symptoms, and conclusion

(21:15) Alzheimer's disease, neuroinflammation, and call to action