Watchman News

Fatty liver disease now affects almost 40% of the global population,1 yet many don’t even know they have it. It develops quietly through years of consuming processed food and sugary drinks, along with sedentary habits. By the time symptoms show up, many look for quick fixes and detox programs like trendy flushes. But what if the solution is already sitting in your fridge?

Vegetables are well-known for their ability to support digestion or lower cholesterol, but some of them go further. Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, found that certain fiber-rich varieties take part in deeper metabolic repair, shaping how your body handles sugar and fat at the cellular level.

What Did the Study on Inulin and Liver Health Reveal?

In a study published in Nature Metabolism, the UC Irvine researchers investigated how inulin, a type of prebiotic fiber found in vegetables like garlic, onions, and chicory, may help reverse fatty liver disease by training gut microbes to metabolize sugar before it reaches the liver.

The researchers used high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a common sweetener found in sodas and packaged foods, to induce fatty liver in mice. This model reflects how excessive fructose drives liver fat accumulation and metabolic dysfunction, even in people who are not overweight.2

• Modeling fatty liver disease in mice — Researchers used male mice to mimic fatty liver disease without obesity. For 16 weeks, mice consumed HFCS in their drinking water, which led to insulin resistance, fat accumulation in the liver, and early signs of fibrosis. This mirrors the silent progression often seen in lean human patients who go undiagnosed.3

Cholsoon Jang, Ph.D., an assistant professor of biological chemistry who leads the Nutrient Metabolism and Disease Lab in the UC Irvine School of Medicine, said, “We found that consuming a type of dietary fiber called inulin, abundant in vegetables, changes the bacteria in the gut to promote the consumption of harmful dietary fructose.”4

• Testing inulin as both prevention and treatment — Inulin was added to the diet from the start (to test prevention) or after liver damage had developed (to test reversal). In both cases, the researchers measured insulin sensitivity and examined liver tissue for fat buildup and fibrosis. Their results showed that inulin improved insulin sensitivity, lowered liver fat, and reduced early signs of fibrosis.5

• Microbial mechanism of action — Inulin didn’t change how the body itself digests fructose. Instead, it trained gut microbes in the small intestines, particularly a species called Bacteroides acidifaciens, to break down fructose before it reached the liver. This cuts down on fructose spillover, the overflow of sugar into the liver and colon that fuels fat production and inflammation.6 As explained in an article by UC Irvine:

“Researchers found that inulin stimulates the breakdown of dietary fructose by small intestinal gut bacteria, reducing fructose spillover to colon and liver. This action prevents fructose-induced hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and augments hepatic serine/glycine production for antioxidant synthesis, protecting the liver from lipid accumulation and oxidative stress.”7

• Redirecting sugar into antioxidant production — Inulin didn’t just avoid fat buildup; it also rerouted sugar into protective molecules. The liver made more serine, glycine, and glutathione, which help neutralize oxidative stress and shield liver cells from damage. This shift suggests that fiber can push metabolism toward repair instead of harm.8

• Boosting fat burning and reducing fat buildup — Inulin enhanced the liver’s ability to oxidize fat while suppressing lipogenesis, the process of creating new fat. This dual effect helped restore healthier liver function even under continued HFCS exposure.9

• Microbiome dependency confirmed — When mice were given antibiotics to wipe out gut bacteria, inulin’s benefits vanished. But when gut microbes from inulin-fed mice were transplanted into others, the recipients showed similar improvements. This proves the effect depends on the microbiome, not just fiber alone.10

• Isolating the role of B. acidifaciens — In single-species inoculation experiments, mice given B. acidifaciens showed enhanced fructose breakdown in the small intestine and reduced fatty acid synthesis in the liver. However, the bacterium alone didn’t reproduce all the benefits of inulin, suggesting that other microbial species also contribute to the protective effects.

• Translating the findings into practice — These findings highlight how dietary fiber can be used strategically to restore liver health through the gut, opening the door to food-first strategies for managing fatty liver disease. Jang says:

“By identifying specific gut bacteria and metabolic pathways involved, our findings can guide personalized nutrition strategies …”11

It’s important to note that the study specifically examined HFCS, not the natural fructose in whole fruits. Fruits contain fiber and antioxidants that slow sugar absorption and support metabolic health, so they don’t trigger the same harmful effects as refined sweeteners. These findings don’t suggest avoiding fruit; rather, they highlight the dangers of processed sugars and the value of fiber-rich vegetables to counteract their effects.

What You Eat Matters for Your Liver

A 2015 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine reminds us that the liver is “under the great load of conducting various functions for the survival of the host.”12 In other words, your liver does it all — from processing nutrients and hormones to filtering toxins. Every meal you eat either helps it thrive or adds to its burden.

• Fatty liver can occur even without obesity — Fatty liver disease develops when fat builds up in your liver cells,13 quietly straining an organ essential to energy, metabolism, and detoxification. It’s now the most common chronic liver condition worldwide — and it doesn’t just affect people who are overweight or alcoholics. Even lean individuals can develop fatty liver without symptoms.

While conventional medicine has branded this condition with names like alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), I prefer to simply call it “fatty liver disease,” because the name doesn’t change the threat. The additional attribution to cause is just medical jargon that provides no additional information about the condition itself, and all three are synonyms for fatty liver disease.

• The gut and liver are biologically linked — These two organs are connected by the portal vein, which delivers nutrients, toxins, and microbial byproducts from the gut directly to the liver. This pathway, often referred to as the gut-liver axis,14 means that changes in the gut microbiome can rapidly influence liver health. A 2025 study found that dietary fiber reshaped the gut microbiota to consume more fructose, reducing its spillover to the liver and reversing fat buildup.15

• Plant foods actively support liver health — In the same study, researchers explored how specific fruits, root crops, and vegetables can help maintain optimal liver function. For example, they highlighted that sweet potatoes may help “attenuate liver injury,” while lemons and banana help decrease liver damage and relieve cirrhosis.

“Plant foods is an essential part of the human diet and comprises various compounds which are closely related to liver health. Selected food plants can provide nutritional and medicinal support for liver disease,” they explained.16

These Are Some of the Best Vegetables for Fatty Liver

Inulin isn’t hiding in exotic foods — it’s in everyday vegetables you already know. These plant-based sources deliver prebiotic fiber that supports gut health and metabolic balance. The Hearty Soul notes that garlic, onions, asparagus, chicory root, and Jerusalem artichoke are among the richest sources. Here’s how they stack up and how to use them:

• Onion and garlic — Garlic contains about 1.5 gram (g) of inulin per 3 cloves, while onions offer around 1 g per half cup. Both contribute to gut-friendly fiber and flavor. Roast whole garlic heads until soft and mash into yogurt to make delicious spreads. Add onions to soups, omelets, and salads for an easy fiber boost.17

• Asparagus — One cup of raw asparagus provides roughly 2.8 g of fiber and 2 to 3 g of inulin. It’s also rich in folate and antioxidants. Steam lightly and finish with olive oil and lemon zest for a gut-friendly side dish.18

• Jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke) and chicory root — Jerusalem artichoke delivers about 18 g of inulin per 100 g, while chicory root offers up to 41.6 g. These are among the most concentrated whole-food sources. Roast Jerusalem artichokes for a nutty flavor. Brew chicory root as a coffee alternative or add powdered forms to smoothies.19 To guide you in adding more inulin to your diet, here’s a handy table:20,21,22,23,24

Vegetable
Serving size per 100 grams (g)
Total fiber (g)

Garlic
12.5 g
~0.3 g

Onion (raw-dried)
4.7 – 31.9 g
~1.7 g

Asparagus
2.5 g
~2.8 g

Chicory root
41.6 g
~0.7 g

Jerusalem artichoke
18 g
~2.4 g

• Cooked vegetables may be better tolerated during gut healing — Raw vegetables are naturally high in fiber, which can be difficult to digest for those with compromised gut function. Cooking helps break down tough fibers, making vegetables gentler on the digestive system while preserving most of their nutrients. Once gut health improves, raw vegetables can be gradually reintroduced to increase fiber intake without triggering discomfort.

Can Eating Inulin-Rich Vegetables Actually Help ‘Reverse’ Fatty Liver?

When people hear “reverse,” they often think of a quick fix — but liver health doesn’t work that way. Animal studies show reversal of fatty liver features under controlled conditions, but in humans, the evidence points to improvement, not complete reversal. Here’s what research tells us:

• Inulin may improve liver enzymes and blood sugar — A randomized trial published in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN studied 46 women with Type 2 diabetes. Those who received 10 g/day of chicory inulin for two months had significant reductions in fasting glucose, HbA1c, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) compared to placebo. Blood pressure also dropped, and serum calcium increased. The researchers concluded:25

“Supplementation with enriched chicory for two months significantly reduced hematocrit and mean corpuscular volume values and improved glucose and calcium homeostasis, liver function tests, and blood pressure.”

• Gut microbiota and satiety shift with inulin-rich vegetables — A trial published in 2019 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition evaluated a two-week diet providing around 15 g/day of inulin-type fructans (ITFs) from vegetables. It increased levels of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium, reduced bad bacteria, improved satiety, and supported healthier eating patterns.26

• What does this mean for you? The fact that mouse studies show reversal is exciting because it proves that changing gut microbes can directly protect the liver. For humans, the same mechanism needs confirmation, but the direction is clear — fiber matters. Adding inulin-rich vegetables is an easy way to start.

Is Inulin Safe?

While considered generally safe, certain individuals may need to moderate their intake. This guide outlines who should be cautious, how to introduce it safely, and what to look for in a high-quality supplement.

1. Side effects of inulin — Though generally safe, too much of it can cause uncomfortable digestive issues like constipation, cramping, diarrhea, gas, and bloating, especially if your gut microbiome is imbalanced. Artificial or supplemental forms may aggravate conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). To avoid problems, start with small amounts and consult your healthcare provider before adding inulin supplements.27

2. Risks if you’re FODMAP-intolerant — Inulin is a fructan, one of the natural carbohydrates that make up the FODMAP group, short for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.

These are healthy prebiotic fibers that nourish beneficial gut microbes, but in people with FODMAP intolerance or existing gut imbalance, they can ferment too quickly and cause bloating or discomfort. If that’s the case, start slowly and build tolerance as gut health improves.

3. Dosage and gradual introduction — If you’re considering taking an inulin supplement, there’s no one-size-fits-all dose. Start with 2 to 3 grams per day and increase slowly over several weeks to a typical daily intake of 8 to 18 grams. This helps minimize side effects such as gas and bloating. Avoid high doses and always follow the dosage instructions on the label or the advice of your health care provider.28

4. Make sure it’s verified and accredited — Choose supplements that display seals from the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or NSF International, two independent organizations that set strict standards for supplement quality, purity, and safety.

These certifications confirm that the product contains what the label claims, is free from harmful contaminants, and meets manufacturing standards. If a brand publishes a Certificate of Analysis (COA) from an accredited lab, that’s a sign of transparency.29

Take note, however, that although inulin supplements might seem like an easy shortcut, they are not a substitute for real food. I still recommend consuming the inulin-rich vegetables listed above as your primary source of this prebiotic fiber.

4 Safety Reminders About Inulin and Supplementation

Common side effects are gas, bloating, and diarrhea
Take extra care if you’re FODMAP-intolerant
Dose responsibly, avoid high doses
Third-party tested (USP, NSF, or COA verified)

Supporting Your Liver with Healthy Everyday Habits

Your liver works hard behind the scene, but the good news is keeping it in good shape doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are a few simple lifestyle habits you can adopt to keep it in top shape:

• Move your body daily — Regular movement improves insulin sensitivity and helps your liver process fats more efficiently. According to The Hearty Soul, “Exercise and sleep also strongly influence insulin sensitivity and metabolic stability, and together these changes can significantly lower overall metabolic risk.”30

• Use healthy traditional fats when cooking — Many processed foods contain vegetable oils like soybean, canola, corn, sunflower, and safflower. These are high in linoleic acid (LA), a polyunsaturated fat that damages mitochondrial health. Steer clear of these oils and cook with stable, healthy fats instead, such as grass fed butter, ghee, or tallow.

Aim to keep LA intake below 5 grams per day, ideally under 2 grams, and consider using a nutrition tracker (like my Pax health platform) to stay on target.

• Support cellular energy with a bioenergetic approach — Prioritize foods that encourage glucose metabolism as the body’s main energy source. For a deeper dive into this concept, check out my book “Your Guide to Cellular Health: Unlocking the Science of Longevity and Joy.”

• Get restorative sleep and manage stress — Chronic stress and poor sleep disrupt liver metabolism and gut balance. Calming routines and a dark, screen-free bedroom also helps.31

• Prioritize choline-rich foods to prevent liver fat buildup — Choline is essential for liver function, metabolism, brain health, and fetal development. Most people don’t get enough — up to 90% of U.S. adults are deficient. Eggs, especially organic pastured yolks, are among the richest sources.32

• Avoid alcohol to protect liver and gut health — Alcohol disrupts the gut microbiome and damages liver cells, accelerating fat buildup and inflammation. Even moderate intake can interfere with metabolic repair. Know more about the overt dangers of this deadly drink, check out “U.S. Alcohol-Related Deaths Are Skyrocketing, New Data Shows.”

Your liver doesn’t ask for much — just consistency. Small, repeatable choices in the kitchen and daily routine can ease its workload and support long-term vitality. Think of liver care as a quiet partnership — nourish it, and it’ll keep showing up for you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Vegetables and Liver Health

Q: How does inulin help reverse fatty liver?
A: It can improve liver enzymes and metabolic drivers and, in some cases, contribute to resolution when paired with healthy diet and lifestyle changes. Animal data show reversal with inulin, but human outcomes depend on context and adherence.

Q: Which vegetables are highest in inulin?
A: Chicory root is the richest source, with about 41.6 grams per 100 grams. Jerusalem artichokes provide roughly 18 grams, garlic offers about 12.5 grams, onions contain around 4.7 grams, and asparagus adds a modest 2.5 grams.

Q: What is inulin, exactly?
A: Inulin is a nondigestible prebiotic fiber found in many plant foods. It feeds beneficial microbes and can influence lipid and glucose metabolism.

Q: Why does inulin cause gas or bloating?
A: Inulin causes gas and bloating because it is a fermentable fiber that is not digested in the small intestine and is instead broken down by gut bacteria in the colon.

Q: Is food-based inulin better than supplements?
A: Whole foods provide fiber along with micronutrients and phytochemicals that supplements can’t match. Consider supplements only if you consistently fall short on fiber or under a clinician’s guidance.

One of the world’s most common knee surgeries just failed another rigorous test, and it’s far from the first time. A growing stack of placebo-controlled trials shows that arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, a procedure that trims damaged knee cartilage, delivers no better results than fake surgery.
In trial after trial, patients improve at similar rates whether surgeons actually repair the knee or simply perform a simulated operation. When patients improve identically whether their cartilage was actually trimmed or merely pretended to be trimmed, the most logical conclusion is uncomfortable: the operation itself isn’t doing the healing.
Degenerative meniscus tears, meaning age-related breakdown of the rubbery cartilage that cushions your knee joint, affect millions of adults every year. Symptoms often include knee pain, swelling, stiffness, clicking, locking, and difficulty walking or climbing stairs. Many people receive MRI scans showing torn cartilage and immediately assume surgery is the answer.
Orthopedic surgeons have performed this operation routinely for decades based on the belief that removing damaged tissue relieves pain and restores function. The latest evidence comes from researchers at the University of Helsinki, who set out to answer a simple question: does this surgery actually change the long-term trajectory of your knee health?
Their findings don’t just echo earlier sham-surgery trials — they go further, suggesting the operation may actively leave patients worse off than doing nothing. That forces a much bigger question into the spotlight: if cutting away cartilage fails to solve chronic knee pain, what actually works to preserve joint function and keep your knees healthy as you age?

Fake Knee Surgery Wins Out in Landmark 10-Year Trial

For the study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers tracked adults with age-related knee cartilage tears for 10 years to see whether a common surgery that trims damaged cartilage actually improved knee pain and function over the long term.1
Instead of comparing surgery to exercise or medication, researchers used a sham surgery group. That means some participants went through the same operating room process without the surgeon actually trimming the cartilage. This design separates the true physical effect of surgery from the placebo effect people often feel after any medical procedure.

• Patients who underwent the real surgery did not improve more than the placebo group — After 10 years, researchers found no meaningful difference in pain relief, daily function, or quality of life between patients who had cartilage removed and those who underwent sham surgery. The expensive operation failed to outperform a placebo procedure designed to imitate it.
• Some outcomes actually became worse after surgery — Researchers reported greater progression of osteoarthritis among patients who underwent the real procedure. Osteoarthritis refers to the gradual breakdown of joint cartilage and surrounding tissue that leads to chronic pain, stiffness, grinding sensations, and reduced mobility. Surgery patients also faced a greater likelihood of needing additional knee operations later.
• The operation removes tissue your knee relies on for protection — Your meniscus acts like a shock absorber between the thigh bone and shin bone. It spreads force across the joint every time you walk, squat, climb stairs, or stand from a chair. Removing part of that cushion increases mechanical stress on the cartilage underneath.
Imagine replacing the foam padding under a hardwood floor with thinner material; every footstep transfers more force to the wood below. That’s what happens to the bone-protecting cartilage when the meniscus cushion is trimmed away. Over time, that extra pressure accelerates joint wear. The study findings strongly support that explanation.
• Researchers openly challenged the conventional explanation for knee pain — According to orthopedic specialist Dr. Raine Sihvonen, the longstanding assumption that inner knee pain automatically comes from a torn meniscus “does not withstand critical examination.”2 Researchers argued that many painful knees reflect broader age-related joint degeneration rather than one isolated tear visible on a scan.
Further, structural damage on imaging doesn’t automatically mean surgery fixes the problem. Degenerative meniscus tears become extremely common with age. Many adults have tears without severe pain or disability. That means the scan itself doesn’t prove the tear caused the symptoms.
• The findings exposed a larger problem inside modern medicine — Lead researcher Teppo Järvinen described the procedure as an example of “medical reversal,” meaning a treatment becomes widely accepted before strong evidence proves it works. Later, better-designed studies reveal the treatment offers little benefit or even causes harm. That’s exactly what happened here.
Despite mounting evidence, the surgery remains widely used worldwide. Researchers pointed out that several randomized trials already showed little benefit from partial meniscectomy in both short- and medium-term follow-ups. Yet many orthopedic organizations still endorse the procedure. Clinical habits often survive long after evidence changes.

Earlier Placebo-Controlled Trials Reached the Same Conclusion

The longer researchers study these procedures, the more the same pattern keeps appearing: patients improve at similar rates whether surgeons actually repair the knee or simply perform a simulated operation. That consistency across multiple trials raises serious questions about what truly drives chronic knee pain relief.

• A major 2002 knee study found placebo surgery worked just as well as real arthroscopy — Researchers followed 180 patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent either arthroscopic débridement, arthroscopic lavage, or a placebo procedure where no real surgical repair occurred.3
Débridement involves trimming damaged cartilage and removing loose debris, while lavage simply flushes the joint with fluid. Over two years, pain scores, walking ability, and physical function improved similarly across all three groups. Researchers concluded the actual surgeries performed no better than placebo treatment.
• A second placebo-controlled trial from Finland reinforced the same pattern — Published in 2013, the multicenter double-blind study followed 146 middle-aged adults with degenerative meniscus tears but no osteoarthritis.4 Participants underwent either arthroscopic partial meniscectomy or a carefully simulated sham surgery designed to mimic the real operation.
Pain relief, knee function, and quality-of-life scores remained nearly identical between the surgery group and placebo group at the 12-month follow-up. Researchers found no clinically meaningful advantage from removing damaged meniscus tissue.
• These repeated findings reveal a larger issue with chronic knee pain treatment — Imaging abnormalities like cartilage tears often receive blame for pain even when they’re common features of normal aging. Surgery targets the visible defect on the scan, but it doesn’t address the underlying drivers of joint degeneration such as muscle weakness, poor movement mechanics, excess joint loading, and chronic inflammation.

Strengthen Your Knees Before the Damage Accelerates

Your knee isn’t a machine part you can replace; it’s the visible joint of an invisible system. Muscles above and below it, the alignment of your hips and ankles, the strength of your core, the inflammatory state of your whole body — all of it converges on that joint with every step you take.
Cartilage, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and movement patterns all influence how much stress travels through the joint every day. When the surrounding muscles weaken or your movement becomes unstable, pressure concentrates in smaller areas inside the knee and speeds up wear over time. The research showed that removing damaged cartilage doesn’t correct those underlying forces.
Lasting improvement comes from rebuilding strength, improving balance and mobility, lowering inflammatory stress, and giving your connective tissues the nutrients required to repair and support the joint. Knees don’t heal in isolation; they heal only as well as the cellular machinery powering their repair.

1. Build stronger knee support with simple home exercises — Research published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that exercise, whether done at home or with a physical therapist, helped reduce knee pain in adults with osteoarthritis and meniscal tears.5 Weak muscles force your knee joint to absorb more stress with every step. Focus on rebuilding the muscles that stabilize the joint.
Gentle exercises done consistently often improve pain, balance, and daily movement more effectively than invasive procedures.
If stairs hurt, start with controlled sit-to-stands from a chair. Mini squats, step-ups, straight-leg raises, stationary cycling, and pool walking strengthen your legs without excessive joint pounding. Even five to 10 minutes daily creates momentum. Aim for consistency, not occasional exhaustion. The knee responds to daily repetition far more than to weekend heroics.
Also consider blood flow restriction (BFR) training, or KAATSU. BFR uses a specialized cuff or elastic band to gently limit blood flow to a limb during light exercise. This amplifies the muscle-building effect of low-resistance movements, making it possible to gain strength without heavy lifting. Briefly limiting blood flow during light exercise tricks your muscles into responding as if they’re lifting heavy weights, triggering growth signals without the joint stress.
Treat your progress like a scorecard. Count how many smooth sit-to-stands you complete today, then slowly increase that number over several weeks. Small positive changes retrain movement patterns and rebuild confidence in your knees.
2. Lower the mechanical stress crushing your joint surfaces — Every extra pound of body weight increases pressure inside your knees during walking, standing, and climbing stairs. Fat tissue isn’t passive storage; it actively releases inflammatory chemicals that travel through your bloodstream and degrade joint cartilage from the inside.
If you carry excess weight, reducing even a modest amount changes the force moving through your knees thousands of times each day. Focus on improving metabolic health first because healthier cellular energy production improves movement tolerance, recovery, and inflammation control together.
Center your meals around nutrient-dense whole foods with adequate protein intake to maintain muscle mass. Aim for about 0.8 grams per pound (or 1.76 grams per kilogram) of lean body mass, with one-third coming from collagen-rich sources like slow-cooked meats or bone broth.
Avoid seed oils, which are common in ultraprocessed foods and restaurant foods, as they’re high in linoleic acid (LA) that worsens inflammatory stress and impairs mitochondrial energy production when consumed in excess. Mitochondria are the tiny power plants inside every cell. When they’re damaged by excess LA, your tissues can’t generate the energy needed to repair themselves, including cartilage and the muscles that protect your knees.
3. Fix injuries completely before they reshape how you move — Many chronic knee problems begin after an old injury didn’t fully heal. A minor twist, meniscus strain, or ligament injury changes how you walk, squat, and shift weight. Over time, those compensations overload other parts of the joint.
Pain relief is not the same as healing; it’s just silence. A knee can stop hurting while continuing to deteriorate underneath. Your knee requires restored strength, alignment, stability, and mobility before normal movement patterns return. If one side feels weaker, stiffer, or unstable, your body quietly shifts force elsewhere with every step.
Start rebuilding function with slow, controlled movement instead of jumping back into aggressive exercise too quickly. Practice single-leg balance drills, controlled step-downs, slow bodyweight squats, and gentle mobility work for your hips and ankles. Those areas strongly influence knee alignment and force distribution. Walking backward slowly on a treadmill or flat surface also helps retrain the muscles that stabilize your knee joint.
Pay attention to simple daily clues. Uneven shoe wear, difficulty balancing on one leg, stiffness after sitting, or hesitation going downstairs often signal lingering dysfunction. Correcting those patterns early prevents years of unnecessary joint wear later.
4. Feed your cartilage the raw materials it actually uses — Cartilage depends heavily on collagen and connective tissue proteins for structural support. Your body also requires enough vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy joint tissue turnover.
Bone broth, slow-cooked meats with connective tissue, and collagen supplements provide amino acids that support cartilage structure. Sulforaphane-rich vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts help block enzymes that break down joint tissue. Vitamin D also matters because low levels commonly appear in people with osteoarthritis.
Sun exposure supports vitamin D production while also improving mitochondrial energy production inside your cells. Morning sunlight helps regulate circadian rhythm and supports recovery. If your diet remained high in seed oils for years, limit harsh midday sun exposure for at least six months. LA accumulates in your skin and reacts with ultraviolet light, increasing inflammatory damage. As your tissue composition improves, you can gradually increase midday sun exposure safely.
5. Retrain your movement patterns with low-impact mind-body exercise — Strength matters, but so does the nervous system that coordinates your movement. Even strong muscles can’t protect a joint if the brain-body signals firing them are sluggish or imprecise. Your knee health also depends on coordination just as much as strength. Poor balance and unstable movement patterns increase joint compression and uneven force distribution.
Tai chi and yoga improve body awareness, flexibility, coordination, and muscular control without the repetitive pounding seen in high-impact exercise. Slow controlled movement teaches your nervous system how to stabilize the joint more efficiently.
If conventional workouts feel intimidating, start smaller. Practice standing on one leg while brushing your teeth. Walk slowly in a pool. Use gentle yoga flows that improve hip and ankle mobility along with knee control. Those simple movement patterns reduce strain across the entire chain supporting your knees.

FAQs About Common Knee Surgery That’s No Better Than Placebo

Q: What did the new 10-year knee surgery study actually find?

A: Researchers found that arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, a common surgery that trims damaged knee cartilage, didn’t improve pain, mobility, or quality of life any better than placebo surgery. Patients who underwent the real operation also showed greater osteoarthritis progression and a higher likelihood of needing additional knee surgery later.

Q: Why doesn’t removing torn cartilage solve chronic knee pain?

A: Many meniscus tears are part of normal age-related joint degeneration rather than the true source of pain. Your knee functions like an entire system involving muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and movement patterns. Removing cartilage doesn’t fix muscle weakness, poor joint mechanics, inflammation, or excess pressure inside the knee joint.

Q: What works better than surgery for long-term knee health?

A: Exercise-based approaches improve knee pain and function effectively without the long-term risks tied to surgery. Simple movements like sit-to-stands, mini squats, cycling, pool walking, step-ups, and balance drills strengthen the muscles that stabilize the joint and reduce stress on damaged areas.

Q: How does excess body weight damage my knees?
A: Every extra pound of body weight increases the force moving through your knees during walking, climbing stairs, and standing. Excess body fat also raises inflammatory signaling that speeds up cartilage breakdown. Improving metabolic health and reducing inflammatory foods lowers stress on the joint surfaces thousands of times each day.

Q: What nutrients and lifestyle habits help support cartilage repair?

A: Cartilage relies heavily on collagen-rich proteins and healthy cellular energy production. Collagen-rich foods like bone broth and slow-cooked meats provide amino acids that support connective tissue repair. Vitamin D from regular sunlight exposure and anti-inflammatory whole foods also help maintain healthier joint tissue, while avoiding seed oils reduces inflammatory stress and mitochondrial dysfunction that accelerates joint degeneration.

Test Your Knowledge with Today’s Quiz!
Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

When kidney function starts to fail, which organ often suffers first?

Liver
Lungs
Heart
Kidney stress can affect the cardiovascular system before obvious kidney symptoms appear. Learn more.
Stomach

Human life today is the result of millions of years of evolution, shaped by forces that favored survival and adaptation. You might think that the same process would have extended health and resilience into later life. Yet longevity was not a priority in the evolutionary blueprint, and the result is a body that wears down with age rather than one designed for lasting vitality.

This paradox is the focus of an interview on the Dwarkesh Podcast, featuring Jacob Kimmel, president and co-founder of NewLimit, a biotechnology company developing reprogramming medicines for aging.1 In their discussion, Kimmel shares his insights into how evolution shaped the limits of human lifespan and what modern science can do to change that trajectory.2

The Evolutionary Trade-Offs That Left Humans Aging Fast

Your body’s aging process reflects choices made by evolution, balancing survival against a complex web of constraints. Kimmel identifies three key factors that explain why natural selection didn’t equip you with a longer, healthier lifespan. By viewing evolution as an optimization process with limited resources, he unpacks why your cells and systems decline over time, revealing trade-offs that favored immediate needs over long-term vitality.3

• Evolution only needed you to reach reproduction — Natural selection favored traits that carried humans into their childbearing years and allowed them to raise children, but it applied little pressure beyond that point. As Kimmel explains, in human and primate history, the daily chance of dying (what he called the “baseline hazard rate”) from infection, predators, or accidents was extremely high.

If most lives ended around 40, there was no evolutionary incentive to shape traits that would keep you vigorous at 60. “The number of individuals in the population that are going to make it later in that lifespan, where using some of your evolutionary updates to try and push your lifespan upward, is relatively limited,” Kimmel said.4

• This high hazard rate also influenced traits like intelligence — Longer childhoods made it possible for humans to develop larger, more capable brains, but stretching adolescence too far carried the risk of dying before reproduction. This is reflected in your fluid intelligence, the ability to reason, solve new problems, and think flexibly without relying on prior knowledge or experience,5 which peaks around your 20s or 30s.

Evolution optimized for cognitive prowess when you were most likely to contribute to the group, not later in life. Mathematical discoveries often occur before age 30, suggesting your brain’s peak aligns with the age of maximum population contribution during evolutionary history.

• Evolution may have even favored shorter lifespans — Kimmel explains that, from the perspective of the “selfish gene,” older individuals who are less fit and still consuming resources could reduce a group’s overall survival.

If you live longer but contribute fewer calories or gather fewer resources than younger members, your extended presence actually lowers the group’s fitness. In this sense, evolution tends to favor turnover, giving younger and more productive individuals the chance to propagate genes more effectively. According to Kimmel:

“There is a notion by which a population being laden demographically with many aged individuals, even if they did have fecundity persisting out some period later in life, is actually net negative for the genome’s proliferation and that really a genome should optimize for turnover and population size at max fitness.”6

• Longevity sits within the constraints on evolution’s optimization process — Kimmel describes the genome as a set of parameters and natural selection as an optimizer with limits. Mutation rates need to stay low to prevent catastrophic errors such as cancer, and small population sizes restrict how many genetic variants can be tested.

At the same time, your ancestors were locked in a constant battle with infectious disease, which absorbed much of evolution’s attention. These constraints left little room to fine-tune traits related to longevity, even if longer life might have offered some benefit.

Kimmel stresses that aging is not a single flaw that evolution could have easily corrected, but a multi-causal process shaped by many layers of molecular regulation. The decline in your cells’ function comes from accumulated changes in gene expression and resilience, not from one defect. This complexity explains why evolution didn’t simply “fix” aging and why interventions need to target multiple pathways to extend your healthy years.

Why Humans Didn’t Evolve Their Own Antibiotics

When Kimmel discussed the evolutionary limits on human biology, he pointed to antibiotics as an instructive example. Your body’s ability to fight infections relies on intricate defenses, but you might wonder why evolution never equipped you with built-in antibiotics like those produced by microbes. Instead, your immune system evolved as a flexible alternative to antibiotics, shaped by pathogens.7

• Microbes produce antibiotics through a unique evolutionary advantage — With vast population sizes and extremely high mutation rates, bacteria and fungi engage in chemical arms races, churning out molecules like antibiotics to outcompete rivals. This process allows microbes to rapidly adapt, producing diverse compounds that target specific competitors in their environment.

• Humans, by contrast, could never evolve along this path — Our mutation rates need to stay relatively low in order to protect the stability of our complex genomes. Rapid mutation at microbial levels would lead to catastrophic consequences, most notably uncontrolled cancer. This constraint means that while microbes thrive on variation, mammals depend on genetic stability to survive from one generation to the next.

• Because of these biological limits, humans developed a different defense system — Instead of producing chemical antibiotics internally, you evolved an adaptive immune system capable of learning and remembering threats. This approach provides flexibility without relying on high mutation rates. It also allows your body to respond to a wide variety of pathogens across your lifetime, even as they change and adapt.

• Your DNA still carries the marks of past battles with pathogens — Over millions of years, infectious diseases shaped survival, and the genetic record shows the defenses your ancestors developed against those threats. These remnants serve as evidence of how strongly microbes directed human evolution, even when the pathogens themselves disappeared long ago. Kimmel points to one striking example:

“We have a gene called TRIM5alpha. It actually binds an endogenous retrovirus that is no longer present, but was at one point actually resurrected by a bunch of researchers. It was demonstrated that this is the case. We have this endogenous gene which basically fits around the capsid of the virus like a baseball in a glove and prevents it from infecting.”8

Targeting the Epigenome as a Path to Youthful Function

Evolution has set boundaries around what your body can develop. Kimmel notes that one of the most promising ways to move beyond those boundaries is by targeting the epigenome, the layer of chemical and structural markers that regulates which of your genes are turned on or off.9

• The epigenome explains how identical DNA produces different cell types — For instance, a kidney cell and an eye cell carry the same genetic code, yet they perform distinct tasks because the epigenome programs them differently.

• The main levers of this system are transcription factors — These are proteins that bind to DNA and direct gene activity, turning certain genes on and others off. Kimmel describes them as conductors of an orchestra — they don’t perform the functions themselves but determine which instruments play, when they enter, and how they interact. In the same way, transcription factors set the rhythm of cellular behavior.

• Epigenetic reprogramming restores youthful patterns of gene activity — With age, the epigenome drifts, leading to weaker cell performance. By steering transcription factors in specific ways, the goal is to return aged cells to a state where they function as effectively as they did when they were young, without altering the DNA sequence itself. For example, a liver cell would remain a liver cell but regain the ability to clear toxins efficiently, and an aged T cell would recover its capacity to fight infections.

• Kimmel contrasts this with the Yamanaka factors — Discovered by scientist Shinya Yamanaka, these factors strip away a cell’s specialized identity, turning it into a blank slate that could become any cell type. Kimmel notes that this process, while powerful, carries risks because it disrupts the cell’s role in your tissues.

• The size of that space is one of the biggest scientific challenges — There are thousands of transcription factors, and when you consider the possible combinations, the number of potential interventions rises into the trillions. Testing every possibility in the lab is impossible, which is why computational tools have become essential.

• This is where computational tools come into play — Machine learning models can analyze massive amounts of experimental data and help pinpoint which transcription factor combinations are most promising to test. Instead of working blindly through endless options, researchers can use this technology to chart a focused path.

In this sense, the effort is not just about understanding aging, but about building a new kind of toolkit for medicine — one that can push discovery forward and expand what treatments are possible.

Approaches to Cellular Delivery

Delivering transcription factors into your cells is another central challenge to epigenetic reprogramming. Today, there are two main modalities for doing this, but they rely on technologies originally developed for other fields of medicine, such as gene therapy and vaccines, and both have trade-offs.10

• Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) — These “fat bubbles” that resemble cell membranes are taken up by tissues like the liver, which naturally absorb fat. They are the same technology used in mRNA vaccines, where they carry RNA into cells. In reprogramming, they can deliver RNA instructions for transcription factors.

However, Kimmel points out that LNPs have physical limits in how they travel through the body, making them unlikely to serve as a lasting solution. I’ve also covered their risks before, including in the context of mRNA shots, in “HIV mRNA Vaccines Continue to Fail in Clinical Trials.”

• Viral vectors — Another common method borrows from viruses, which have evolved specifically to enter cells. One example is AAV (adeno-associated virus), which can carry DNA payloads into certain cell types. Kimmel likens AAV to a small delivery truck — it can bring in whole genes but has limited cargo space.

Researchers engineer these viral sequences further to restrict where the genetic payload is active. However, viral vectors always carry some degree of immunogenicity, raising risks of immune reactions and toxicity.

• Future solutions may resemble the systems your own body already uses — The immune system already has cells that patrol tissues, sense problems, and release targeted responses. These engineered immune cells could eventually take on the role of couriers for reprogramming therapies, delivering them with precision and safety that current methods cannot achieve. According to Kimmel:

“Ultimately, we’re probably going to have to solve delivery the way that our own genome solved delivery. We have the same problem that arose during evolution … We have cell types in our body, T cells and B cells, which are effectively engineered by evolution to run around, invaginate whatever tissues they need to.”11

While delivery remains one of the practical hurdles for reprogramming therapies, Kimmel also points to a broader challenge in medicine — the pace of discovery itself. Even if you solve how to move therapies into cells, developing those therapies in the first place is slowed by the cost and limitations of traditional lab work. This is where he introduces the idea of “virtual cells.”

How Virtual Cells Could Transform Drug Discovery

“Eroom’s Law” is a term coined by inverting Moore’s Law, which Kimmel explains is the “doubling of compute density on silicon chips every few years.” That steady progress has fueled decades of rapid advances in technology. In biopharma, however, the opposite trend has held true. Since the 1950s, the number of new medicines discovered per billion dollars invested has steadily declined, and this decline has persisted across multiple technological eras.12

• Computational models help reduce the trial-and-error bottleneck — A major challenge in drug discovery is the dependence on trial and error in living systems. Each experiment is costly, slow, and narrow in scope, leaving progress constrained by the physical bottlenecks of the lab.

Kimmel explains that accurate computational models could shift much of this process into silico, allowing researchers to simulate biology with far greater speed and scale than traditional experiments.

• What virtual cells are — Virtual cells are computer-based simulations of how real cells behave. By capturing how genes are expressed, how proteins interact, and how pathways respond, they create a digital environment where interventions can be tested.

In practice, this means scientists could simulate how transcription factors or other therapies change gene activity and cell function, then filter out unpromising approaches before moving to the lab.

• Virtual cells expand what can be tested — The benefit is not only speed but also the ability to explore ideas that would be impractical in physical labs. Entire classes of hypotheses could be tested computationally, widening the scope of discovery beyond what current resources allow. This doesn’t eliminate the need for lab work, but it means that only the most promising interventions reach that stage, saving time and cost.

• Kimmel frames this shift as essential to breaking free of Eroom’s Law — Without it, drug development will remain constrained by slow, expensive cycles that hinder innovation. With it, medicine could move toward a future where discovery scales more like computing, driven by the ability to model biology in silico.

By modeling entire cells in silico, the trial-and-error cycle of drug discovery could be transformed. For more on how emerging technologies are reshaping health, see “Smart Medicine — Harnessing Augmented Reality and AI to Transform Health.”

Economic Approaches to Future Treatments

Finally, the interview shifts from the science of reprogramming to the economics of how future medicines might be brought to patients. As medical science advances, the way you access and pay for transformative therapies is poised to evolve. Kimmel outlines the challenges and opportunities in funding and delivering therapies that could extend your healthy years.13

• One model already under discussion is pay-for-performance — This is where the cost of a therapy depends on its real-world effectiveness for you. For long-lasting treatments like those targeting aging, insurers face challenges because patients may switch providers before they experience benefits. Linking payment to measurable health improvements ensures you receive therapies that work while addressing payers’ concerns about covering high upfront costs.

• Another shift could involve direct-to-consumer access — In this model, drugs might be made available to patients in ways that resemble consumer products, bypassing some of the traditional channels that rely heavily on insurers and intermediaries. This approach could simplify your access to innovative drugs, particularly for chronic conditions or aging-related therapies.

• The development of these therapies often begins with small biotech firms — “The industry has sort of bifurcated where smaller biotechs like ours take on most of the early discovery,” Kimmel said. Meanwhile, larger firms step in later to manage clinical trials, regulatory approval, and global distribution. This division of labor reflects how risk and expertise are distributed in the sector.

The future of medicine depends not only on scientific breakthroughs but also on how therapies reach you. From the limits set by evolution to the use of epigenetic reprogramming, delivery systems, and virtual models of biology, each part of the discussion points to the same conclusion — your cells already hold the capacity for repair. With the right inputs and carefully designed tools, that potential can be unlocked to restore youthful function and extend not just lifespan but healthspan.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Evolution, Aging, and Cellular Reprogramming

Q: Why didn’t evolution make humans live longer?
A: Evolution shaped your body to survive long enough to reproduce and raise children, not to remain healthy for decades afterward. High risks from infections, predators, and accidents meant most people never lived past 40, so there was little pressure to optimize traits for old age.

Q: What is fluid intelligence, and why does it decline with age?
A: Fluid intelligence is your ability to solve new problems and think flexibly without relying on past experience. It peaks in your 20s or 30s, when evolution most strongly favored cognitive abilities that supported survival and group contribution. As you age, this capacity naturally declines because evolution placed less value on maintaining peak cognition later in life.

Q: Why didn’t humans evolve their own antibiotics?
A: Microbes like bacteria and fungi produce antibiotics because they mutate quickly and exist in huge populations. You can’t adopt that strategy because high mutation rates would destabilize your genome and increase your risk of cancer. Instead, you evolved an adaptive immune system that learns and remembers threats across your lifetime.

Q: What is epigenetic reprogramming?
A: Epigenetic reprogramming targets the epigenome, the chemical and structural markers that control which of your genes are switched on or off. By adjusting these markers, aged cells can be nudged back toward youthful patterns of activity without changing their DNA sequence.

Q: What are virtual cells, and why do they matter?
A: Virtual cells are computer-based simulations of how real cells behave. They let researchers model gene activity, protein interactions, and cellular pathways in silico. This allows millions of interventions to be tested virtually before the best ones move into lab experiments, boosting efficiency.

Your kidneys do far more than filter waste. They shape your blood pressure, your circulation, your fluid balance, and even the rhythm of your heartbeat. When they start to falter, the damage rarely announces itself. There’s no chest pain, no dramatic warning sign, no clear moment when something feels wrong. Instead, kidney function slips downward year after year while you continue to feel mostly fine, which is exactly what makes chronic kidney disease so dangerous.

Here’s what most people don’t realize: when kidneys start failing, the first organ to suffer often isn’t the kidneys. It’s the heart. Long before dialysis ever enters the conversation, injured kidneys begin reshaping the cardiovascular system. Most adults can recite their cholesterol number from memory, yet very few could tell you whether their kidneys are filtering normally or already under stress.

The tests that would reveal the answer are inexpensive, widely available, and often already sitting inside routine bloodwork, but the results rarely get explained in a way that connects them to heart attack, stroke, or heart failure risk. Recent research has uncovered something startling: damaged kidneys actively release particles into the bloodstream that travel to the heart and injure cardiac muscle cells directly.
The kidneys aren’t just failing alongside the heart; they’re actively damaging it. Understanding this connection gives you something powerful: the chance to intervene while the damage is still reversible.

2 Simple Kidney Tests Reveal Hidden Heart Danger

Harvard Health Publishing examined the growing evidence linking chronic kidney disease to cardiovascular disease and explained why doctors now view the kidneys and heart as deeply connected systems rather than separate organs.1 Dr. John Ostrominski from Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital stressed that chronic kidney disease often goes unnoticed even though it affects about 1 in 7 U.S. adults.

Early chronic kidney disease often develops silently because the kidneys compensate for damage over long periods. You might feel normal while kidney function steadily declines. Once symptoms finally appear, they often include swelling in the legs or ankles, fatigue, trouble breathing, exercise intolerance, and changes in urination. By that stage, substantial damage has already occurred. This is exactly why early testing changes outcomes.
You gain a chance to slow progression before the disease starts affecting circulation, fluid balance, and heart function.

• Two screening tests give an early warning long before a medical emergency develops — The first test is estimated glomerular filtration rate, called eGFR, which measures how effectively your kidneys filter waste from your blood. A score of 90 or higher is considered normal, while values below 60 signal impaired kidney function.

The second test is the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, called UACR, which checks whether protein leaks into your urine. Healthy kidneys keep protein inside your bloodstream. Once albumin starts leaking into urine, it signals structural kidney damage.

• Protein leakage in urine strongly predicts future heart problems — Ostrominski explained that elevated UACR levels reveal cardiovascular strain and future heart risk. According to the report, both low eGFR scores and high UACR values are strongly linked with greater risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular heartbeat rhythm. That means a simple urine test gives you an early look at whether your blood vessels and circulation are already under stress.
• High blood pressure and diabetes damage the kidneys through direct physical strain — Elevated blood pressure forces the body to hold onto more sodium and fluid, increasing pressure inside the tiny blood vessels within the kidneys. Over time, this chronic stress damages the filtration system itself.
Diabetes creates a second layer of injury because prolonged exposure to high blood sugar thickens and damages microscopic kidney blood vessels called capillaries. Once those delicate filters stiffen and narrow, waste removal slows and inflammation rises.
• The kidneys and heart create a feedback loop that worsens both diseases together — Healthy kidneys help regulate blood pressure, fluid levels, and mineral balance, all of which directly affect heart function. When kidney function declines, fluid builds up more easily, blood pressure rises further, and the heart works harder to move blood throughout your body.
That extra strain increases the likelihood of heart enlargement, rhythm disturbances, and heart failure. At the same time, weakened heart function reduces blood flow back to the kidneys, which accelerates additional kidney damage.
• Metabolic dysfunction sits at the center of this entire process — Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, often shortened to CKM syndrome, links obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease together because they share the same underlying metabolic drivers.2 Excess body fat, poor blood sugar regulation, chronic inflammation, and impaired energy production damage multiple organ systems simultaneously.

Tiny Kidney Particles Damage the Heart Directly

Research published in Circulation investigated why so many people with chronic kidney disease develop heart failure even when doctors aggressively manage blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol.3 Researchers studied blood samples from 35 patients with moderate to advanced kidney disease and compared them to healthy controls.
Instead of focusing only on conventional risk factors, the team examined microscopic particles called extracellular vesicles, tiny membrane-covered packages released by cells into the bloodstream.
Think of extracellular vesicles as microscopic mail packages sealed in membrane envelopes. Cells normally use them to send routine messages to other cells. But when kidneys are damaged, they start mailing toxic cargo — genetic instructions and stress signals — that travel through the bloodstream and get opened by heart muscle cells, which then begin shutting down.
These extracellular vesicles carried genetic material and stress signals from injured kidney tissue directly into circulation. Once these particles reached heart muscle cells, they triggered cell death and interfered with the heart’s ability to contract normally. Researchers repeatedly described the kidney-derived vesicles as “cardiotoxic,” meaning directly harmful to heart tissue itself. That changes the entire understanding of kidney disease because the kidneys actively send damaging signals throughout the body.

• The study found direct evidence of heart muscle injury — Researchers exposed healthy heart muscle cells to extracellular vesicles taken from patients with kidney disease. Those cells rapidly showed increased apoptosis, which is programmed cell death. The heart cells began shutting themselves down after exposure to these kidney-derived particles.
Healthy control vesicles didn’t create the same damage. That confirmed the harmful effect came specifically from the diseased kidneys rather than from normal circulation.
• Heart contraction strength also weakened significantly — The study examined how well heart muscle cells squeezed and relaxed after exposure to kidney-derived vesicles. Researchers found impaired contractility, meaning the heart cells struggled to pump efficiently.
Calcium handling inside the cells also became disrupted. Calcium acts like an electrical timing signal that tells heart muscle when to contract and relax. Once calcium balance breaks down, the heartbeat loses efficiency and stability. Over time, this creates the conditions for heart failure and rhythm disturbances.
• The harmful particles carried specific microRNAs linked to tissue damage — MicroRNAs are tiny genetic regulators that switch certain cellular programs on or off. They work like dimmer switches on your genes. Each one can turn down specific cellular activities, including the genes that tell heart muscle how to contract properly. When the wrong microRNAs flood into heart cells, they essentially dim the lights on the machinery that keeps your heartbeat strong.
The researchers identified distinct microRNAs inside the extracellular vesicles that directly interfered with genes responsible for healthy heart contraction. When researchers inserted these microRNAs into laboratory-grown human heart cells, the cells showed the same toxic effects seen earlier in the study. This gave scientists a clearer explanation for how kidney disease physically alters heart tissue at the molecular level.
• The kidney itself appeared to be the source of these toxic signals — Researchers traced the microRNAs back to injured kidney tissue rather than the liver, heart, or immune cells. The strongest signals came from specific kidney cells damaged during chronic disease progression.
That finding reinforced the idea that chronic kidney disease acts as an active driver of heart failure instead of simply existing alongside it. The more severe the kidney dysfunction became, the stronger the cardiovascular injury markers appeared.
• Removing these harmful particles improved heart function in early animal research — Researchers used mice with chronic kidney disease and pharmacologically reduced circulating extracellular vesicles. Heart function improved significantly after the vesicles were depleted. Researchers also observed improvement in heart failure progression. This suggests that reducing the biological stress signals released by damaged kidneys directly lowers strain on the heart.
Researchers described these kidney-derived microRNAs as promising biomarkers for earlier disease detection and future therapies. These microscopic signals could eventually help identify cardiovascular damage years before a major cardiac event occurs.
Tracking kidney function, improving metabolic health, lowering inflammation, and reducing long-term stress on circulation become much more meaningful once you understand that silent kidney injury physically reshapes heart tissue over time.

Kidney Disease Changes Your Entire Cardiovascular System

A 2023 review published in Cardiovascular Research by the European Renal and Cardiovascular Medicine Working Group examined the growing cardiovascular burden inside chronic kidney disease across all stages.4 Researchers explained that cardiovascular complications become the leading cause of death in people with advanced kidney disease and regular dialysis treatment.
The review also highlighted a striking reality: many people with progressive kidney disease die from heart complications before their kidneys fail completely. That means protecting your cardiovascular system early becomes just as important as preserving kidney function.

• Cardiovascular danger rises step-by-step as kidney function declines — Researchers cited a meta-analysis involving more than 1 million individuals showing that death risk climbed sharply as kidney filtration rates worsened.5 Compared to a healthy reference filtration rate, mortality risk increased 18% at moderate kidney impairment, 57% at more advanced decline, and more than tripled in severe kidney dysfunction. Protein leakage into urine independently raised cardiovascular death risk too.
• Heart enlargement begins surprisingly early in kidney disease — The review discussed left ventricular hypertrophy, often shortened to LVH, which means the main pumping chamber of the heart becomes enlarged and thickened from chronic strain. Researchers found LVH already appears in earlier kidney disease stages and affects roughly 70% to 80% of patients with kidney failure on dialysis.
An enlarged heart muscle becomes stiffer, less efficient, and more vulnerable to heart failure and rhythm problems over time.
• Fluid overload places continuous stress on the heart and blood vessels — Damaged kidneys struggle to remove excess sodium and water efficiently. As fluid accumulates, blood pressure rises and the heart must pump harder against greater resistance. Researchers emphasized that volume overload alone doubles death risk in dialysis patients, even independent of other cardiovascular risk factors.
• Inflammation emerged as one of the strongest hidden drivers of damage — The review explained that chronic low-grade inflammation becomes almost universal in advanced kidney disease. Oxidative stress, gut microbiome disruption, metabolic acidosis, and retained waste compounds called uremic toxins all fuel inflammatory signaling. Uremic toxins are waste products the kidneys normally remove.
Once these compounds accumulate, they damage blood vessels, impair nitric oxide production, and increase oxidative injury throughout the cardiovascular system. Researchers noted that inflammation predicted cardiovascular death more strongly than LDL cholesterol in some kidney disease populations.
• The nervous system also becomes trapped in a chronic stress state — Researchers found sympathetic nervous system activity rises dramatically in kidney disease patients and becomes extremely elevated during dialysis treatment. Your sympathetic nervous system controls your “fight-or-flight” response.
Once chronically activated, it raises heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and increases blood pressure around the clock. The review linked this excessive sympathetic activation to higher rates of heart enlargement, arrhythmias, and cardiovascular death.
• Anemia further weakens oxygen delivery and strains the heart — Failing kidneys produce less of a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production. As anemia develops, oxygen delivery throughout the body drops. To compensate, the heart works harder and pumps faster, gradually increasing workload and accelerating structural heart changes. Researchers linked anemia directly to left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiovascular hospitalization risk in kidney disease patients.
• Sedentary behavior sharply increased cardiovascular risk — The review found limited physical activity was extremely common in both kidney disease and dialysis populations because of fatigue, illness burden, and reduced exercise tolerance.
Yet researchers consistently observed that higher physical activity levels strongly associated with lower cardiovascular mortality and fewer hospitalizations. One walking-based intervention reduced hospitalization risk by 29% over 36 months in dialysis patients.6 Movement improves circulation, blood pressure regulation, metabolic health, and mitochondrial energy production all at once.

Lower the Stress Load on Your Kidneys and Heart

Your kidneys and heart respond to the environment you create every single day. Years of metabolic dysfunction, high blood pressure, excess blood sugar, inflammatory foods, poor circulation, and chronic stress gradually damage the tiny blood vessels that keep both organs alive.
Once kidney tissue becomes injured, the research showed those damaged kidneys begin sending harmful signals directly into the bloodstream that weaken heart function too. That means the earlier you reduce the stress load on your body, the better your chances of slowing this cycle before it gains momentum.

1. Track your kidney numbers like a personal health score — Many people track weight or cholesterol but ignore the numbers that reveal silent kidney stress. It’s important to keep track of your eGFR and UACR values the same way you do your blood pressure. Those two markers often change years before symptoms appear.
Create a simple habit tracker on your phone or calendar and record your blood pressure and kidney labs whenever you get bloodwork done. Watching those numbers improve gives you direct feedback that your daily habits are reducing strain on your circulation and filtration system instead of damaging them further.
2. Lower blood sugar spikes before they injure tiny blood vessels — Chronic high blood sugar acts like fine sandpaper on the microscopic blood vessels inside your kidneys, gradually scarring the delicate filters they depend on. That same damage weakens circulation throughout your entire cardiovascular system. Your body runs far more efficiently when blood sugar stays stable.
Build meals around high-quality protein, collagen-rich foods, fruit, root vegetables, and other healthy carbohydrates instead of ultraprocessed foods, like seed oils, and sugary snacks.
If your digestion is compromised, with regular bloating or irregular bowel movements, begin with easier-to-digest carb sources like whole fruit and white rice before introducing harder-to-digest starches. Most adults need about 250 grams of carbohydrates per day from whole-food sources. This steady fuel supply turns your mitochondria back on and keeps your metabolism resilient.
3. Remove the inflammatory oils that damage cellular energy production — Seed oils, including soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, and canola oils, are high in the polyunsaturated fat linoleic acid (LA), which places enormous oxidative stress on blood vessels, mitochondria, and kidney tissue when consumed in excess. Restaurant foods, packaged snacks, salad dressings, sauces, and processed convenience meals flood your body with these unstable fats that accumulate in tissues over time.
Replace those oils with grass fed butter, ghee, or tallow. If you eat animal protein, prioritize lower-PUFA ruminant meats instead of conventionally raised chicken or pork. Small daily swaps create a measurable reduction in inflammatory stress over months and years.
4. Use movement to improve circulation and metabolic function every day — Both organs run on the same fuel: steady, healthy blood flow. Every hour you spend sitting, that flow slows — and both kidneys and heart pay the price. Focus less on exhausting workouts and more on daily movement consistency because your body responds best to repetition.
Start with 20 minutes of walking daily and build toward an hour, along with resistance training twice a week. Also work in regular daily activity, like yardwork and frequent standing instead of sitting.
5. Restore your circadian rhythm to reduce chronic stress signals — Poor sleep and artificial light exposure raise stress hormones, worsen blood sugar regulation, and increase blood pressure strain on your kidneys and heart. Morning sunlight exposure helps reset your body clock and improves cellular energy production. I recommend getting outside shortly after sunrise and again near solar noon when possible.
However, if your diet has been high in seed oils, avoid peak sun exposure (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) until you have removed them for at least six months, as excess LA stored in tissues increases susceptibility to sunburn and oxidative stress. At night, lower blue light exposure from phones, tablets, and televisions to support melatonin production inside your mitochondria.

FAQs About Kidney Disease and Your Heart

Q: How do I know if my kidneys are affecting my heart?

A: Most people don’t feel symptoms early on. Hidden kidney stress often shows up first through abnormal eGFR and UACR test results, which reveal declining filtration function and protein leakage into urine. Research showed these changes strongly predict higher risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and irregular heartbeat rhythms long before severe symptoms appear.

Q: What causes chronic kidney disease to damage the heart?

A: Damaged kidneys increase fluid retention, raise blood pressure, disrupt mineral balance, and trigger chronic inflammation. Research also found injured kidneys release microscopic particles into the bloodstream that directly damage heart muscle cells and weaken your heart’s ability to contract efficiently. Over time, this creates a feedback loop where kidney dysfunction and heart strain worsen each other simultaneously.

Q: What are the early warning signs of chronic kidney disease?

A: Early chronic kidney disease often stays silent for years. As damage progresses, common symptoms include swelling in the ankles or legs, fatigue, shortness of breath, exercise intolerance, muscle cramps, fluid retention, and changes in urination patterns. Many people discover kidney dysfunction only after routine blood or urine testing.

Q: What lifestyle changes help protect both the kidneys and the heart?
A: The most effective strategies focus on reducing the root causes driving metabolic and vascular stress. Stable blood sugar, lower blood pressure, regular movement, restorative sleep, and reducing inflammatory processed foods all lower strain on both organs. Daily walking, resistance training, whole-food carbohydrates, adequate protein, and avoiding seed oils help improve circulation, mitochondrial energy production, and long-term cardiovascular resilience.

Q: Why does inflammation matter so much in kidney disease?

A: Inflammation damages blood vessels, stiffens arteries, and increases oxidative stress throughout the cardiovascular system. Researchers found inflammation becomes extremely common as kidney function declines because waste compounds, called uremic toxins, begin accumulating in the bloodstream. Chronic inflammation also increases sympathetic nervous system activity, raises blood pressure, and accelerates heart enlargement and heart failure risk.

Test Your Knowledge with Today’s Quiz!
Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

Which tissue has been found to contain higher concentrations of microplastics than the liver or kidneys?

Brain tissue
Brain tissue has shown a heavier microplastic burden than liver or kidney tissue. Learn more.
Muscle tissue
Gallbladder tissue
Lung tissue

You may be familiar with gut health, but you might not realize how important a single compound called butyrate is for your overall well-being. In the video above, Dawn Boxell, a registered dietitian with Gastric Health, expands on butyrate, a type of short-chain fatty acid produced by certain beneficial bacteria in your gut whenever you eat specific types of fiber.1

When you feed these helpful bacteria, they ferment the fiber and release butyrate, which influences many parts of your body, including your digestive system and brain. Butyrate helps nourish your colon cells, which rely on butyrate as a main energy source.

When these cells get the fuel they need, your gut lining stays strong, lowering the chances of substances such as undigested food, bacteria, and metabolic wastes sneaking through into your bloodstream and causing systemic inflammation.

Butyrate’s protective effects are linked to multiple health benefits, including more stable digestion and better immune response. Despite its benefits, however, butyrate doesn’t usually make the headlines when people talk about digestion or healthy diets. You often hear about proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, but rarely about the byproducts that form when you digest nutrient-rich fiber.

This short-chain fatty acid impacts not just your gut but also your blood sugar balance, weight, mood, and your inflammatory response. In other words, your body depends on butyrate to keep many essential functions running smoothly, and you can boost its production by eating fiber-filled carbohydrates on a regular basis.

You also get butyrate from certain foods like grass fed butter and ghee, but a key way to increase your supply is by adding fiber sources such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans to your meals. When you give your gut bacteria enough fiber to ferment, they create even more butyrate. It’s important to understand, however, that if your gut health is poor, increasing dietary fiber needs to be done gradually to avoid the production of endotoxin, a mitochondrial poison.

Feeding Your Gut Bacteria

You might not think of your gut as an entire ecosystem, but that’s exactly how Boxell describes it. Trillions of bacteria live there, forming what scientists call the gut microbiome. These bacteria include both helpful and not-so-helpful types, and the balance between them makes or breaks your overall health. When the balance tilts in the wrong direction, you get what’s known as dysbiosis.

That means you could have too many harmful bacteria or not enough beneficial bacteria, which leads to reduced butyrate production and a weaker gut barrier. Butyrate-producing bacteria include groups like Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Roseburia species, which thrive on fiber-rich diets. When you skip whole fruits and vegetables and rely on low-fiber options like processed foods, you starve these good bacteria, limiting their ability to ferment the fibers that create butyrate.

Over time, low butyrate production increases your risk for various health problems, from digestive disorders to struggles with body weight. You might also feel more fatigued, experience more frequent digestive discomfort, and face greater challenges with controlling your blood sugar. On the flip side, a varied and fiber-filled diet shifts your gut environment in ways that promote good health.

Further, diversity matters. If you stick to the same few foods, your gut bacteria don’t get the full range of nutrients they need. Think of it like feeding a garden: If you keep watering the same plant and ignore the rest, you won’t have a vibrant, thriving plot. The more variety of produce and high-fiber carbohydrates you include, the more you encourage a broad array of friendly bacteria to do their job well.

Fermented foods also contribute to this ecosystem. Yogurt with live cultures made from grass fed milk, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi all bring beneficial microbes to your gut, enhancing butyrate production. These foods repopulate your digestive tract with helpful bacteria, which, in turn, maintain or boost your butyrate output.

By blending high-fiber foods with fermented choices, you create a synergy that helps you maintain healthy digestion and benefit from the many roles that butyrate plays in your body’s immune and metabolic systems. An important point, however, is to ensure your mitochondria are functioning optimally to support proper cellular energy. Without this key component, your gut environment will be inhospitable to the beneficial bacteria you’re consuming.

Strengthening Gut Health with Butyrate

As mentioned, the cells in your colon rely on butyrate as a primary energy source. These cells make up your gut lining, and a resilient gut lining is key for keeping unwanted substances out of your bloodstream. When you support these cells through high butyrate levels, you help maintain tight junctions in your gut, which stop large particles or toxins from passing into your body. That’s why a shortage of butyrate weakens your intestinal barrier.

This protective function also ties into inflammation. When particles slip through a weakened gut lining, your immune system goes into overdrive, triggering extra inflammation. Over time, that inflammation spreads, affecting not just your digestion but also your metabolism and mood. In fact, butyrate has been shown to calm inflammation in the colon and even help repair damage in inflammatory bowel disease.2

Boxell notes that adequate butyrate levels also help maintain the important mucous layer that sits on top of your gut lining. This mucous layer provides extra protection by ensuring that food you eat is broken down into smaller particles before entering your bloodstream. The process gives your immune system less to worry about, so you’re not constantly battling what it sees as foreign invaders.

If you maintain this protective layer, you’re setting yourself up for fewer digestive troubles and a more stable immune response. You should also remember that your gut is partially permeable for a reason. You need it to absorb nutrients, water, and other key substances, so the goal isn’t to make your gut wall completely sealed.

Rather, you want it to be selective, allowing in the vitamins and minerals you need while blocking harmful germs and toxins. By promoting butyrate production through fiber-rich eating habits — once your gut is healthy — you help your gut do exactly that, all while fueling the cells that keep your digestion on track and your health protected.

Butyrate’s Role in Overall Wellness

Healthy butyrate levels do more than shore up your gut barrier. Research suggests this short-chain fatty acid plays a protective role in obesity and diabetes.3 You might think carbs are your enemy if you’re trying to control your weight, but the truth is more nuanced. When you get enough of the right carbs, your beneficial gut bacteria produce more butyrate. This compound influences hormones that control your hunger, helping you feel full and satisfied.

Butyrate also plays a role in brain health. Butyrate is capable of crossing your blood-brain barrier, and butyrate-producing bacteria like Eubacterium and Eisenbergiella are associated with lower Alzheimer’s risk.4 If that wasn’t enough, butyrate is also associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer. Because butyrate keeps colon cells well-fueled, it contributes to their proper functioning and division.

Studies have shown that this compound helps damaged cells undergo a self-destruct process called apoptosis, which could prevent them from turning cancerous.5 By promoting these normal patterns of cell life and death, butyrate reduces the chance that abnormal cells will grow into dangerous tumors.

Increasing Your Butyrate Levels Safely

Most adults need around 200 to 350 grams of healthy carbohydrates each day. This range helps support cellular energy by giving your body the fuel it needs. You might suspect that the best way to get more butyrate is to reach for fiber-packed foods, and you’d be correct. Boxell emphasizes that you need both enough and the right kinds of fiber to boost butyrate production. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans supply fiber that your gut bacteria ferment.

Still, simply meeting basic fiber goals might not be enough if you don’t vary your fiber sources. Different plants have different types of fiber, such as soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, and resistant starch. One type of resistant starch is found in cooked and cooled potatoes and rice. When these starches reach your colon, they resist digestion in your small intestine and become food for butyrate-producing microbes.

However, it’s important to introduce fiber-rich foods gradually, as many people don’t have a high enough concentration of beneficial bacteria in their gut to digest the fibers in healthy carbs like fruit, vegetables, and grain. Then, when you do eat those types of foods, you feel worse, as you have a buildup of pathogenic bacteria that produce toxic endotoxin, one of several factors that destroys mitochondrial function.

So, if you have gut sensitivities or ongoing digestive discomfort, avoid jumping straight into eating whole grains or non-starchy veggies. Instead, try simpler carbohydrate sources like white rice, fruit juices with pulp, or whole fruits first.

If your gut health is severely compromised, start with dextrose (also known as glucose) water. By sipping small amounts throughout the day, you keep your energy stable while allowing your gut to heal. Dextrose water is a short-term solution that should only be used for one or two weeks.

After those initial steps, transition toward more fibrous carbs. After white rice, whole fruits, and fruit juice with pulp, try root veggies. This preparatory period allows your body to recover mitochondrial function and create a more hospitable environment in your colon.

Once your gut health is healed — meaning your bowel habits, bloating, and overall comfort are under control — you can expand your diet further. Add non-starchy vegetables, starchy options (sweet potato or squash), beans, legumes, and eventually whole grains with minimal processing. The key is variety. This wide assortment of fibrous choices supports the beneficial bacteria in your gut and makes each meal more satisfying.

By prioritizing butyrate production through dietary changes and targeted supplementation, you support better digestion, a stronger gut barrier, and lower inflammation. These small but impactful adjustments to your daily routine can make a profound difference in your overall wellness, helping you maintain metabolic stability, brain health, and long-term vitality.

For thousands of years, bread has been essential to human nutrition — a dietary staple enjoyed daily across countless cultures, likely because flour could be stored year-round, ensuring a reliable food source during times of scarcity.

In fact, our ancestors ate bread in quantities that would surprise many modern eaters. According to household guides from the 1880s, the average adult man was expected to consume a remarkable 16 pounds of bread per week, while women consumed about 8 pounds weekly. That’s over a pound of bread a day!

Grocery list from ‘Warne’s Model housekeeper,’ 1882, where the author mentions this list in addition to produce available at the market.

Today, bread has a very different reputation. Once considered a fundamental food, it’s now often avoided and can cause various health problems — from bloating and brain fog to more serious conditions like celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. But what changed? Is bread itself the problem, or is there more to this story?

As a Note: I am not writing this article to convince you to eat bread. Instead, I write this in hopes to reduce food fear in this (sometimes toxic) modern health space. It is a lot more empowering to better understand the WHY behind certain things, instead of arbitrarily labeling food as BAD or GOOD.

The Ancient Relationship Between Humans and Bread

Our love affair with bread is ancient — dating back thousands of years when early civilizations first ground wild grains and mixed them with water to create rudimentary flatbreads. Bread is deeply embedded in sacred texts, rituals, and traditions, symbolizing sustenance, community, and faith across cultures.

The Egyptians, for example, played a pivotal role in the evolution of bread-making around 5,000 years ago, likely discovering leavened bread through wild yeasts fermenting dough left exposed to the elements. This discovery revolutionized human nutrition and led to sourdough fermentation becoming the dominant bread-making method across cultures.

Unlike modern methods, traditional bread-making wasn’t focused on speed or shelf-life — it prioritized nutrition, digestibility, and flavor through time-tested techniques.

Your Grandparents Didn’t Have Gluten Issues

Today, celiac disease affects approximately 1 in 100 people, with even higher rates of general gluten sensitivity. Yet just a century ago, these conditions were exceedingly rare. Why could your grandparents digest bread with ease while modern populations struggle? The answer lies not in bread itself, but in what we’ve done to it.

Modern Wheat — Not Your Ancestor’s Grain

The wheat of today bears little resemblance to the heritage varieties our ancestors consumed. Over the last century, wheat has been systematically bred for higher yields, disease resistance, and industrial processing compatibility — not nutritional value or digestibility.

While modern wheat is not yet genetically modified in the traditional sense (the first GMO wheat variety for drought resistance was only approved in the U.S. in August 20241), it has been dramatically altered through selective breeding programs that prioritize commercial interests over human health.

These breeding programs have created varieties that produce more grain per acre but contain altered protein structures that may be harder for humans to digest. The result? Higher profits for industrial agriculture but more digestive distress for consumers.

The Glyphosate Factor — Pre-Harvest Desiccation

Perhaps one of the most concerning modern agricultural practices affecting the digestibility of wheat is pre-harvest desiccation — a process largely unknown to consumers but increasingly linked to digestive health problems.

Even though wheat is not typically a GMO crop, glyphosate use on wheat has skyrocketed by 400% in the past two decades.2 Why? Because farmers discovered they could use this herbicide as a drying agent, particularly in regions with short growing seasons or wet harvests.

“The herbicide, glyphosate, is applied to wheat crops before harvest to encourage ripening resulting in higher glyphosate residues in commercial wheat products within North America.”3

This ‘pre-harvest desiccation’ practice involves spraying crops with glyphosate shortly before harvest to force uniform drying and enable earlier harvesting. Originally developed in 1980s Scotland to address unreliable grain drying conditions, the technique has spread globally.4 

The result? Non-GMO wheat commonly receives a “glyphosate bath” before harvest, meaning residues end up in your daily bread (and other baked goods made with wheat).

Research has begun linking glyphosate exposure to the rise in celiac disease and other digestive disorders.5 The mechanism makes logical sense: glyphosate is designed to kill weeds and microorganisms in soil, but our digestive systems contain trillions of beneficial microorganisms essential for health.

“Glyphosate residues on food could cause dysbiosis, given that opportunistic pathogens are more resistant to glyphosate compared to commensal bacteria.”6 In other words, glyphosate exposure through food may preferentially kill beneficial gut bacteria while allowing harmful bacteria to flourish — a recipe for digestive distress and chronic inflammation.

The Problem with ‘Enriched Flour’ — Iron Shards and Synthetic Vitamins

Walk down any bread aisle in America and you’ll see the word “enriched flour” prominently displayed in the ingredient lists on nearly every package. This seemingly positive term masks a concerning reality: most modern flour has been stripped of its natural nutrients during processing, then artificially “enriched” with synthetic versions.

This enrichment process typically includes adding iron shards (yes, actual metal particles) that can contribute to iron overload and increase oxidative stress in susceptible individuals. As Dr. Ray Peat explains:

“Industrially processed grains have most of the nutrients, such as vitamin E, the B vitamins, manganese, magnesium, etc., removed to improve the products’ shelf life and efficiency of processing, and the government required that certain nutrients be added to them as a measure to protect the public’s health, but the supplementation did not reflect the best science even when it was first made law, since food industry lobbyists managed to impose compromises that led to the use of the cheapest chemicals, rather than those that offered the greatest health benefits.

For example, studies of processed animal food had demonstrated that the addition of iron (as the highly reactive form, ferrous sulfate, which happens to be cheap and easy to handle) created disease in animals, by destroying vitamins in the food.”

Since 1941, federal law has required that iron shavings, in the form of ferrous sulfate, be added to bread, flour, pasta, cereals, and most packaged foods. As a result, Western society has seen an overwhelming increase in iron shaving consumption, largely due to the mandatory fortification of grain products.

However, the amount of added iron reported on food labels is often significantly underreported. Many labels list “reduced iron,” a misleading term — it actually refers to iron added in its ferrous form, which is highly reactive and easily absorbed by the body.

Bread, flour, pasta, cereals, and most packaged foods now contain iron shavings that has been artificially added as ferrous sulfate due to federal law since 1941. Since, we have been bombarded with iron in Western society more than ever before, largely due to the mandatory fortification of grain products.

Plus, the amount of added iron reported on food labels is often grossly underreported.7 Many labels list “reduced iron,” which is misleading terminology — it actually means iron is added in the ferrous form, which is very reactive and easily absorbed by the body.

What’s particularly concerning is that food fortified with iron does very little to prevent anemia, the condition it was intended to address. Sweden and Finland implemented iron fortification in their food until 1995, and Denmark until 1987, before banning it due to health concerns and low bioavailability. After stopping iron fortification, iron deficiency anemia remained virtually unchanged in those countries,8 suggesting the practice may offer more risks than benefits.

The flour enrichment process also adds synthetic B vitamins that may not be properly utilized by the body. Consider folic acid — the synthetic form of vitamin B9 added to enriched flour. Unlike folate (the natural form found in foods like leafy greens and liver), synthetic folic acid requires conversion to tetrahydrofolate in the body.

If there are issues with this conversion process, folic acid can accumulate in the bloodstream, interfering with the body’s natural folate balance and contributing to B vitamin dysregulation.

Hidden Seed Oils and Harmful Additives

Open the ingredients list on a standard loaf of bread, and you’ll likely find unexpected additions like soybean oil or vegetable oil. These industrial seed oils, high in inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, have infiltrated modern bread recipes for reasons that have nothing to do with nutrition or tradition. Remember, seed oils are cheap and abundant due to government subsidies!

Even more concerning, many conventional flours and baked goods in the U.S. contain potassium bromate — a possible human carcinogen that’s banned in numerous other countries.9 This additive strengthens dough and allows it to rise higher, but at what cost to human health?

The Lost Art of Fermentation

Perhaps the most significant change in bread production has been the abandonment of traditional fermentation methods in favor of speed and efficiency.

For thousands of years, people relied on sourdough fermentation to make bread digestible. This natural process used wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria to leaven dough slowly, breaking down gluten and phytic acid while infusing the bread with beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus reuteri (the same bacteria passed from mothers to babies during breastfeeding). The fermentation timeline tells the story:

• Ancient times through 1800s — Most bread was made using wild fermentation methods like sourdough or with yeast sourced from breweries. The slow fermentation process developed complex flavors and made bread easier to digest by breaking down difficult proteins.

• Mid-1800s — As brewing became more industrialized, bakers began using yeast from breweries (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), which produced a faster rise than sourdough but slightly reduced the natural fermentation time.

• Early 1900s — The demand for faster, more reliable baking led to commercial yeast cultivation, allowing bakers to produce loaves in hours rather than days.

• Mid-1900s to present — Modern instant yeast and active dry yeast dominate commercial baking, offering quick results but eliminating the microbial diversity and slow fermentation that made traditional bread nutritious and digestible.

With commercial yeast, the process is streamlined and highly controlled for mass production, ensuring quick and consistent results. However, this method may lack the depth of flavor and potential health benefits that many believe come from the slower, more natural fermentation of sourdough.

The Gluten Connection

Gluten is a complex mixture of proteins found in wheat and other grains. It consists of two main proteins: glutenin and gliadin. Together, these proteins form the structure and texture of dough. Glutenin contributes to the elasticity and chewiness of the dough, while gliadin is responsible for the dough’s ability to rise and hold air.

While glutenin and gliadin work in tandem to create the unique texture of bread, it’s gliadin that is often the main culprit in digestive discomfort for sensitive individuals.

In those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), gliadin can be particularly problematic, as it is harder to break down in the digestive system. Normally, proteins like gliadin are broken down by enzymes in the digestive system into smaller pieces called peptides, and then further into amino acids, which are small enough to be absorbed by the body.

However, in people with gluten sensitivity or digestive issues, gliadin is only partially broken down into oligopeptides, which are short chains of amino acids.

These oligopeptides are problematic because they are still relatively large, and because of their specific amino acid sequences and low surface area, they aren’t easily broken down any further by digestive enzymes.10 This incomplete digestion leaves larger gliadin peptides in the digestive system, where they can trigger immune responses or damage the gut.

Specifically, they can interfere with the intestinal lining, blunting the villi and increasing intestinal permeability.11,12 When the gut lining is compromised, it can lead to inflammation and digestive discomfort, contributing to conditions like NCGS.

In other words, in sensitive individuals, the gluten (gliadin) isn’t broken down into small enough components, leaving larger, harmful peptides that the body can’t process or handle properly. This is where sourdough fermentation can come into play!

In traditional sourdough fermentation, the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in the dough play a crucial role in breaking down these gluten proteins. The LAB convert sugars in the wheat flour to lactic acid, which increases the dough’s acidity. This higher acidity helps facilitate the pre-breakdown of gluten, particularly the gliadin protein, improving digestion. This is why sourdough can be easier to digest, as the fermentation breaks down gliadin.13

Notably, specific strains of LAB can hydrolyze wheat proteins, including gliadin, by more than 50% over a 24-hour fermentation period.14 This reduction in gliadin content makes sourdough bread easier to digest, especially for individuals with sensitivities or compromised gut integrity.

“The consumption of low-gliadin bread E82 by NCGS subjects induced positive changes in the gut microbiota composition, increasing the butyrate-producing bacteria and favoring a microbial profile that is suggested to have a key role in the maintenance or improvement of gut permeability.”15

While sourdough isn’t gluten-free, it significantly reduces the amount of gliadin present, making it easier to digest for many people, especially those with gut issues. A study found that sourdough-fermented wheat flour contained less gliadin (0.81% to 1.26%) compared to control flour (3.52% to 3.97%).16 This could explain why sourdough is often better tolerated than modern bread, which skips the crucial fermentation step that would otherwise help break down gluten proteins.

Without this step, quick-rise breads retain their full gluten content, which may be harder to digest and exacerbate symptoms in sensitive individuals. So, the problem may not be gluten itself but rather how it’s processed (or not processed) in modern bread production.

Important Note: While some people with gluten sensitivities may find sourdough bread more tolerable, it’s important to note that sourdough bread still contains gluten and is not safe for those with celiac disease.

Why Traditional Methods Matter

Traditional sourdough fermentation creates several advantages for digestibility:

• It breaks down gluten proteins, particularly gliadin, making them easier to digest

• It reduces phytic acid (an antinutrient that binds minerals), improving mineral absorption

• It creates prebiotic compounds that support gut health

• It introduces beneficial bacteria that may improve gut microbiome diversity

And research confirms these improvements! Fermentation breaks down both gluten and FODMAPs (fermentable carbohydrates that can cause digestive distress), making traditionally prepared bread more tolerable for many people.17,18

So, Is Bread Bad for You?

Bread itself isn’t inherently “bad” — it’s what we’ve done to it through modern agricultural practices, processing methods, and baking techniques that has transformed this ancient staple from nourishment into a potential health concern for many. The solution isn’t necessarily abandoning bread but rather returning to traditional methods and quality ingredients:

• Choose real sourdough made with long fermentation (not the store-bought “sourdough” with artificial sourdough flavoring. If the ingredient list includes ‘yeast,’ that is not true sourdough!)
• Seek out heritage wheat varieties when possible
• Choose organic flour, or know where your flour comes from to avoid pre-harvest desiccation (a glyphosate bath!)
• Avoid enriched flour with synthetic additives
• Read ingredient lists carefully to avoid hidden seed oils and preservatives
• Support small-scale bakers using traditional techniques and high-quality flour

For those who truly cannot tolerate wheat, carefully selected gluten-free options may be appropriate — but even then, ingredient quality matters tremendously. Always make sure to read ingredient lists to avoid hidden gums, preservatives, and seed oils!

Conclusion

Our ancestors thrived on bread for millennia without the epidemic of digestive issues we see today. The difference wasn’t that they were somehow more resilient — it’s that their bread was fundamentally different from what fills most modern store shelves.

The problem isn’t bread itself … it’s what we’ve done to it. One reason why traditional bread-making has been abandoned by large food manufacturers is simple: time. Real sourdough takes patience — a commodity in short supply in our industrial food system.

Authentic sourdough costs more than standard processed bread because it requires this extra time, skill, and quality ingredients. The fermentation process can’t be rushed without sacrificing the very benefits that make it special.

By understanding the history of bread-making and the significant changes that have occurred over the past century, we can make more informed choices about this dietary staple. Whether you choose traditionally fermented sourdough, carefully selected commercial options, or gluten-free alternatives, knowledge is the key ingredient to making bread work for your body rather than against it.

In the end, the best bread may be the one that most closely resembles what your ancestors would recognize — simple, fermented, and made with integrity.

About the Author

Ashley Armstrong is dedicated to building an alternative food system grounded in regenerative farming and traditional food preparation methods, all aimed at promoting both human and environmental health. Her mission is to provide access to food that is not only nutritious but also easily digested and well-tolerated.

Armstrong is the co-founder of Angel Acres Egg Club, which specializes in low-PUFA (polyunsaturated fat) eggs that are shipped to all 50 states. Armstrong also co-founded Nourish Food Club, which ships long fermented traditional sourdough, low-PUFA chicken, low-PUFA pork, beef, cheese, and A2 to all 50 states. While the egg club has memberships open, Nourish Food Club has a temporary waiting list which you can join to be notified when new spots open up!

Right now, as you read this sentence, microscopic shards of plastic are likely lodged inside your brain tissue, your arteries, and the blood circulating to every organ in your body. A decade ago, this claim would have sounded like science fiction. Today, it’s the conclusion of peer-reviewed research.

Researchers reported in Brain Health that human brain tissue contains far higher microplastic concentrations than liver or kidney tissue, and the burden appears to be climbing year over year.1 Even more alarming, people diagnosed with dementia carried the heaviest burden of all, a finding that shouldn’t be ignored because your brain controls every thought, memory, emotion, and movement you experience every day.

Meanwhile, stroke remains the second leading cause of death worldwide, according to researchers writing in the Journal of Xenobiotics.2 A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of your brain becomes blocked, meaning brain cells lose oxygen and begin to die. The warning signs — sudden weakness, facial drooping, slurred speech, dizziness, confusion, and severe headache — are the body’s signal that circulation has failed somewhere upstream.

Left untreated, stroke leads to permanent disability, cognitive decline, or death. And a separate line of research shows that when these particles turn up inside the arteries feeding the brain, the consequences for cardiovascular survival are striking.3 Exposure doesn’t come from one isolated source. Ultraprocessed foods, bottled drinks, food packaging, airborne particles, and contaminated water expose your body to microplastics daily.

Researchers have pulled plastic particles straight out of diseased artery walls and stroke-related blood clots, and animal studies suggest that nanoplastics — the smallest fragments, measured in billionths of a meter — slip past the blood-brain barrier into the brain itself, disrupting circulation and fueling inflammation from within.
Think of it this way: if a microplastic fragment were the size of a grain of sand, a nanoplastic would be smaller than a speck of dust floating in a sunbeam — small enough to slip between the cells that normally guard your brain like a security checkpoint.

Your Brain Now Stores More Plastic Than Researchers Expected

A Brain Health perspective highlighted alarming findings from prior human brain research.4 Brain tissue carried microplastic concentrations seven to 30 times higher than liver or kidney tissue — a staggering disparity, given that the brain is supposedly protected by one of the body’s most selective biological barriers.

The perspective examined how microplastics and nanoplastics accumulate throughout the body, including inside blood, placenta, and artery plaque, and argued that the growing burden now represents a serious brain health concern rather than an isolated environmental issue.

• The burden increased sharply over time and appeared highest in dementia cases — The paper highlighted findings showing human brain microplastic burden rose roughly 50% between 2016 and 2024. Researchers also noted that donors diagnosed with dementia carried the heaviest burden.
Dementia involves progressive memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, and declining ability to function independently. While the paper didn’t claim plastics directly caused dementia, the association raised major concern about long-term neurological injury.
• The smallest particles create the greatest danger — The paper explained that nanoscale plastics, meaning particles measured at extremely tiny sizes, cross biological barriers far more easily than larger fragments. Authors described the issue as “more nano than micro” because the particles of greatest concern are small enough to accumulate inside sensitive tissues.
Animal experiments reviewed in the paper showed polystyrene nanoparticles crossing the blood-brain barrier within two hours after oral exposure, while larger particles failed to cross. The blood-brain barrier is a tightly woven layer of cells lining the blood vessels in your brain; it’s designed to keep toxins, pathogens, and foreign particles out while letting nutrients in.
• Ultraprocessed foods emerged as one of the largest exposure routes — Researchers described industrial food production as a major pathway that continuously exposes people to microplastics because food repeatedly contacts plastic packaging, machinery, and storage materials during manufacturing.
The paper also reviewed evidence linking higher ultraprocessed food intake with depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, stroke, and dementia. Importantly, authors argued that food processing itself predicts brain health risks independently of traditional nutrition scoring systems.
• Several biological damage pathways appeared repeatedly throughout the research — The paper highlighted oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, endocrine disruption, and gut microbiome injury as key mechanisms tied to microplastic exposure. Oxidative stress refers to unstable molecules damaging cells faster than the body repairs them.
Chronic inflammation keeps your immune system stuck in a prolonged defensive state that weakens circulation and tissue repair. Researchers also explained that disruption of gut bacteria alters signaling between the digestive system and the brain, allowing inflammatory compounds to circulate more freely throughout the body.
• Researchers framed this as a “Brain Health emergency” — That wording reflected the convergence of several disturbing trends happening simultaneously: rising tissue burden, increasing exposure through modern food systems, evidence of brain penetration by nanosized particles, and links to serious neurological outcomes.

Plastic Exposure Linked to Blocked Blood Flow and Worsening Stroke Injury

If plastics are accumulating in brain tissue, the next question becomes: what are they doing to the blood vessels that keep that brain alive? For a systematic review published in the Journal of Xenobiotics, researchers analyzed five studies involving 287 patients alongside multiple animal experiments to investigate how micro- and nanoplastics affect blood vessels and brain circulation.5

Unlike the first paper, which focused heavily on accumulation inside tissues, this review focused on what happens after these particles interact with blood flow, artery walls, and clot formation.

• Researchers detected plastics inside actual stroke-related material — Human studies identified microplastics inside blood clots, called thrombi, collected from patients with cardiovascular disease. These clots block circulation and increase the risk of tissue death when oxygen supply stops.
Researchers detected particles such as polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride directly inside these structures. One study found microplastics present in 80% of analyzed thrombi, while higher plastic concentrations correlated with elevated D-dimer levels, a blood marker tied to dangerous clotting activity.
D-dimer is a fragment released when blood clots break down; elevated levels signal that your body is actively forming and dissolving clots, a warning sign of cardiovascular trouble.
• The review highlighted how widespread daily exposure has become — Researchers reported that 87% of tap water samples tested across 34 countries contained microplastics, most commonly polyester fragments smaller than 50 micrometers. Exposure also came from seafood, salt, sugar, vegetables, beverages, and airborne particles. Instead of one isolated source, the paper described a nonstop, multi-pathway exposure pattern occurring daily through food, water, and air.
• Animal experiments revealed circulation problems and worsening brain injury after exposure — In one mouse study reviewed in the paper, immune cells swallowed nanosized plastic particles while moving through the bloodstream. Those overloaded cells then clogged tiny brain capillaries responsible for delivering oxygen and nutrients.
Researchers observed reduced cerebral blood flow shortly afterward. Separate rat experiments showed that oral nanoplastic exposure before induced stroke injury caused more severe inflammation, greater hippocampal neuron death, and worse neurological performance afterward. The hippocampus is the brain region responsible for forming new memories and is among the first areas damaged in Alzheimer’s disease.
• The review framed microplastics as a measurable vascular risk factor tied to long-term exposure — Researchers emphasized that higher microplastic burden consistently aligned with worse vascular outcomes, greater inflammation, and more neurological injury.
At the same time, the paper acknowledged that plastic burden might also reflect cumulative environmental stress and disease severity rather than acting as the sole direct cause of stroke. Even so, researchers repeatedly described exposure as modifiable, meaning your food choices, water sources, and environmental exposures influence how much of this burden accumulates over time.

Researchers Found Jagged Plastic Particles Buried Inside Artery Plaque

For a major human study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers followed 257 patients who underwent a surgical procedure used to remove dangerous plaque buildup from neck arteries supplying blood to the brain.6 The study tracked patients for nearly 34 months to determine whether microplastics and nanoplastics inside plaque correlated with future cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, or death.
Researchers found polyethylene in 58.4% of plaque samples, while 12.1% also contained polyvinyl chloride, or PVC.

• Patients with plastic-containing plaque faced dramatically worse outcomes — Among patients without detectable plastics in plaque, 7.5% experienced a major cardiovascular event during follow-up. In contrast, 20% of patients with contaminated plaque suffered heart attack, stroke, or death.
Even after adjusting for conventional cardiovascular risks such as diabetes, smoking, and high blood pressure, researchers still found a 4.53-fold higher risk among patients whose plaque contained plastics.
• Researchers physically identified jagged plastic fragments buried inside diseased arteries — Electron microscopy showed sharp-edged foreign particles lodged inside plaque macrophages, which are immune cells that normally clear damaged tissue and debris. Instead, these immune cells appeared loaded with microscopic plastic fragments.
Many particles measured under 1 micrometer and were likely nanosized, meaning they were small enough to penetrate deeply into tissue and remain trapped inside artery walls.
• Inflammatory activity increased alongside higher plastic burden — Plaque containing higher polyethylene levels showed stronger inflammatory signaling and greater immune-cell infiltration. Arteries containing plastics were more irritated, inflamed, and biologically unstable than cleaner plaque samples.
• The study showed that the amount of plastic present remained significantly associated with cardiovascular risk — Researchers found that people with higher amounts of microplastics inside their artery plaque faced greater cardiovascular risk. Additional testing also confirmed that the particles came from manufactured petroleum-based plastics rather than normal human tissue or natural biological material.
• Researchers connected the findings to widespread environmental exposure — Polyethylene and PVC commonly appear in food packaging, bottled beverages, water pipes, cosmetics containers, and household plastics.
The paper also discussed contamination through drinking water, airborne particulate matter, and consumer products, while noting that identifying the exact sources contributing to human plaque accumulation remains difficult because these materials are now widely distributed throughout modern environments.

How to Lower Your Daily Plastic Burden Before It Accumulates Further

Your body faces nonstop exposure to microscopic plastic particles through food, water, air, and modern food packaging. The question isn’t whether you’re being exposed — it’s how much, and what you can do to slow the accumulation. That reality is exactly why I wrote my book, “Microplastics Cure,” available for preorder now.
I break down how these invisible particles accumulate inside your body, why they become so difficult to clear once they lodge in tissues and blood vessels, and how everyday habits either increase or lower that burden over time.

I also outline practical, science-based strategies that help reduce ongoing exposure while supporting your body’s natural protective systems. The goal is to give you a clear understanding of what drives this problem and what actions help limit the damage before the burden grows further.

It’s important to focus on reducing the incoming burden while supporting circulation, mitochondrial energy production, and the protective barriers inside your gut and brain. Small repeated changes matter more than one dramatic overhaul because exposure happens repeatedly throughout the day.

1. Replace ultraprocessed foods with simple whole foods — Ultraprocessed foods act like a delivery vehicle for microplastics because industrial packaging, heating, and mechanical processing expose food to repeated plastic contact. The solution? Make your kitchen the first line of defense. Focus meals around minimally processed foods while avoiding ultraprocessed varieties, including seed oils.
Excessive linoleic acid (LA) in seed oils alters cellular membranes and interferes with mitochondrial function. So, if your pantry is full of chips, packaged grain products, frozen meals, and restaurant food cooked in soybean, corn, canola, or sunflower oil, start there. Replace those foods with simple meals cooked in grass fed butter, ghee, or tallow.
Your goal is to lower LA intake below 5 grams a day, and closer to 2 grams if possible. The Pax health platform, which is coming very soon, will include Food Buddy and the Seed Oil Sleuth. This is a special feature designed to help identify hidden sources of LA in your diet as well as estimate the total daily intake.
If you rely heavily on packaged convenience foods, start with one replacement at a time instead of changing everything overnight. Swap packaged snack foods for whole fruit. Replace frozen meals with simple homemade leftovers stored in glass containers. Every reduction lowers repeated exposure.
2. Stop heating food in plastic containers — Heat increases the transfer of plastic particles and chemical additives into food and drinks. That includes microwave containers, plastic takeout packaging, and disposable coffee lids. I recommend switching to glass, stainless steel, or ceramic whenever possible.
If you drink hot beverages in plastic daily, that habit alone becomes an important exposure source. Use insulated stainless-steel bottles instead of plastic-lined cups. Store leftovers in glass containers. Simple environmental changes reduce daily intake without requiring complicated routines.
3. Filter your water and reduce bottled drink use — Microplastic water contamination has become widespread across multiple countries. If you drink bottled water constantly, you repeatedly expose yourself to additional plastic fragments from packaging and storage conditions. A high-quality water filtration system paired with reusable glass or stainless-steel containers lowers that burden substantially.
Turn this into a measurable habit. Track how many bottled beverages you avoid each week. Watching the number rise builds momentum and helps you stay consistent because you see direct progress instead of relying on motivation alone.
4. Support your circulation and vascular health every day — Microplastic particles accumulate inside artery plaque and interfere with blood flow. Your blood vessels become more resilient when circulation improves and inflammation drops. Daily walking, strength training, and regular movement help maintain healthier blood flow and metabolic function.
Also prioritize mitochondrial energy production because damaged mitochondria worsen inflammatory stress. Morning sunlight exposure helps support circadian rhythm function and nitric oxide production, both of which aid vascular health. If your LA intake remains high from seed oils and restaurant foods, this is another reason why reducing those oils becomes important, as they worsen mitochondrial and vascular dysfunction.
5. Protect your gut barrier before inflammatory toxins spread further — If your gut barrier weakens, inflammatory compounds move more easily into circulation. Focus on rebuilding metabolic resilience through food quality, stable blood sugar, and improved cellular energy production. If your digestion is already struggling — bloating, post-meal fatigue, unpredictable bowel habits — loading up on fiber is likely to make things worse before they get better.
The goal of this rebuilding process is to help your gut bacteria produce butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that serves as the primary fuel source for the cells lining your colon. Without enough butyrate, those cells weaken and your gut barrier becomes more permeable. But your bacteria can only make butyrate when they have the right raw materials, and that means reintroducing fiber in a sequence your gut can actually handle.
Start with easy-to-digest foods such as whole fruit and white rice, so your body gets the glucose it needs for cellular energy. Once your digestion settles, add fiber slowly: root vegetables first, then non-starchy vegetables, then starchier plants like squash or sweet potatoes. Later, if you tolerate them well, add beans, legumes, and minimally processed whole grains.

FAQs About Microplastics and Stroke Risk

Q: How are microplastics reaching your brain and blood vessels?

A: Researchers found that microplastics and nanoplastics enter your body through food, water, air, and everyday consumer products. Once inside, the smallest particles move through biological barriers and accumulate in tissues including the brain, artery plaque, blood clots, and organs. Ultraprocessed foods, bottled drinks, plastic packaging, and contaminated water all contribute to this ongoing exposure.

Q: Why are scientists concerned about microplastics inside the brain?

A: Research highlighted in Brain Health found that human brain tissue contained far higher concentrations of microplastics than liver or kidney tissue. The burden also increased significantly between 2016 and 2024, and people diagnosed with dementia carried the heaviest concentrations. Researchers linked this buildup to chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, gut microbiome disruption, and neurological decline.

Q: What did researchers discover about microplastics and stroke risk?

A: Studies reviewed in the Journal of Xenobiotics found plastic particles inside stroke-related blood clots and showed that nanoplastics interfered with blood flow inside the brain. Animal experiments also showed that exposure worsened inflammation, reduced circulation, and increased neurological damage after stroke injury.

Q: Which study found the strongest connection between plastics and cardiovascular danger?

A: A 2024 New England Journal of Medicine study found that patients with microplastics embedded inside carotid artery plaque faced a 4.53-fold higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or death compared to patients without detectable plastics in plaque.7 Researchers also physically identified jagged plastic fragments buried inside inflamed artery walls.

Q: What practical steps help lower my daily microplastic exposure?

A: The most effective strategies focus on reducing incoming exposure. That includes eating fewer ultraprocessed foods, avoiding heating food in plastic containers, filtering drinking water, reducing bottled beverage use, and storing food in glass or stainless steel instead of plastic. Supporting gut health, circulation, and cellular energy production also helps strengthen your body’s protective systems against chronic inflammatory stress.

Test Your Knowledge with Today’s Quiz!
Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

What is “hallux valgus” more commonly known as?

Hammer toes that bend at the middle joint
Heel spurs that cause pain under the foot
Fallen arches that flatten during walking
Bunions that form near the base of the big toe
Hallux valgus is the medical term for bunions. The condition causes the big toe to drift sideways and creates a painful bump near the toe’s base. Learn more.

For years, calorie storage was thought to be a simple equation — consume more than you burn, and the excess is stored as fat. However, emerging research shows that energy balance is far more complex. Your body’s ability to store or burn calories is not just about how much you eat, but also how hormones regulate the process. This system determines whether energy is directed toward fat accumulation or muscle maintenance.

At the center of this regulation are two key hormones — leptin, which helps control hunger and fat storage, and myostatin, which suppresses muscle growth. Researchers from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine have found that vitamin D influences both of these hormones, suggesting it plays a direct role in how your body manages energy and builds muscle.1

Interestingly, researcher Georgi Dinkov, who is a student of the late Ray Peat, a biologist, thyroid expert, and pioneer in prometabolic therapy and human metabolism, has drawn a compelling connection between vitamin D and anabolic androgenic steroids. He suggests that vitamin D influences muscle growth and fat metabolism in ways that closely resemble the effects of steroids, but without the dangerous consequences.2

How Anabolic Androgenic Steroids Work and Why They’re Risky

Before diving into the role of vitamin D, it’s important to understand how anabolic steroids work. These synthetic compounds have been widely used to speed up muscle growth and reduce fat by altering hormone signaling, particularly through testosterone and related androgens.3 In his blog,4 Dinkov explains the primary mechanisms of anabolic steroids, which include:

• Suppressing myostatin — Myostatin is a protein that restricts muscle growth. Anabolic steroids lower myostatin, allowing for uncontrolled muscle growth.

• Increasing protein synthesis — Steroids enhance nitrogen retention, making it easier for muscles to synthesize new protein and grow faster.

• Repartitioning calories toward muscle instead of fat — By altering hormonal balance, steroids push excess energy into muscle-building rather than fat storage.

• Raising metabolic rate — Increased lean muscle mass boosts resting metabolic rate (RMR), leading to greater calorie burn and reduced fat accumulation.

While these effects contribute to rapid muscle growth, they come with severe risks, such as:

• Hormonal disruption with long-term consequences — Anabolic steroids flood the body with synthetic androgens, overriding natural hormone production. Over time, this suppresses testosterone levels, leading to testicular shrinkage, infertility, and dependence on external hormone therapy.5

• Liver and cardiovascular damage — Prolonged steroid use increases the risk of liver toxicity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. The artificial boost in muscle mass comes with elevated cholesterol levels, arterial plaque buildup, and increased risk of heart attacks.6

• Psychological effects and addiction — Steroids alter dopamine and serotonin levels, leading to mood swings, aggression (“roid rage”), anxiety, and depression. Many users develop dependency, requiring continuous cycles of steroids just to maintain their physique.7,8,9

The pursuit of muscle growth and fat loss should not come at the expense of your long-term health — this is where vitamin D comes in.

How Vitamin D Influences Muscle Growth and Fat Storage

You probably know vitamin D as the “sunshine vitamin” that keeps your bones strong, but its role in the body extends far beyond bone health. The featured study, published as a preprint on Research Square in May 2024, highlights how vitamin D serves as a key nutrient signal that helps regulate energy availability and distribution throughout the body.10

• Vitamin D acts as a nutrient sensor — The body detects vitamin D levels as a signal of nutrient availability, influencing how it allocates energy between fat storage, muscle growth, and metabolic function. Vitamin D exerts these effects primarily through activation of the vitamin D receptor (VDR), which has been shown to influence both fat metabolism and muscle regulation.

• Vitamin D influences leptin production and sensitivity — White fat, which serves as your body’s primary storage for excess energy, produces the majority of circulating leptin, a hormone involved in energy balance and metabolism. Studies in VDR knockout mice (which lack functional vitamin D receptors) show that without vitamin D signaling, white fat is nearly absent, leading to persistently low leptin levels.

• Vitamin D is vital for muscle function — Deficiency in vitamin D has long been associated with muscle weakness, and replenishment has been shown to restore strength and improve muscle performance. While prior research has largely focused on vitamin D deficiency, findings suggest that even within normal vitamin D levels, increasing intake provides additional benefits to muscle strength and function.

• Muscle and fat mass are closely linked — Scientists have traditionally studied fat metabolism and muscle regulation separately, but evidence now shows that the two are deeply interconnected.

When muscle mass increases, total body weight and fat mass often increase as well. On the other hand, excessive weight loss, particularly a loss of more than 10% of baseline weight, triggers muscle mass loss in proportion to fat loss. Dinkov expanded on this, stating:

“Based on this information, a logical conclusion is that (paradoxically) the key to weight loss is muscle gain, which will then lead to fat loss over time. In other words, the goal should be body repartitioning — exchanging fat for muscle — not simply blind weight loss, which decimates muscle mass.”11

• Vitamin D regulates energy balance through myostatin and leptin — Muscle-specific loss of vitamin D signaling leads to an increase in myostatin. At the same time, conventional VDR knockout mice exhibit very low serum leptin levels, reinforcing the idea that vitamin D signaling plays a direct role in regulating both muscle mass and fat metabolism.

Learn more about the importance of vitamin D to your physical and mental health in “The Crucial Role of Vitamin D in Physical and Mental Health.”
Can Vitamin D Work Like Anabolic Steroids?

In the featured study, researchers conducted experiments to determine how different levels of vitamin D influence muscle strength, calorie allocation, hormone regulation, energy expenditure, and growth. They divided mice into three groups based on their vitamin D intake — no vitamin D (0 IU/kg), normal vitamin D (2,000 IU/kg), and high vitamin D (10,000 IU/kg). After measuring vitamin D’s direct effects on body composition and metabolism, they observed several key outcomes:12,13

• Vitamin D enhances muscle strength — After supplementation, mice given high-dose vitamin D showed significantly greater grip strength than those receiving normal or no vitamin D. These strength gains were dose-dependent, with high-dose vitamin D producing the greatest improvements.

Just as steroids increase muscle strength by stimulating protein synthesis and muscle function, vitamin D enhanced strength independent of dietary protein intake or exercise levels.

• Vitamin D suppresses myostatin to optimize muscle growth — The study found that raising vitamin D from low to normal significantly reduced myostatin, allowing for greater muscle development. Even though raising vitamin D from normal to high did not further lower myostatin, muscle mass per unit of body weight still increased, suggesting that vitamin D suppresses myostatin activity within muscle tissue itself.

• Vitamin D shifts calorie allocation toward muscle — One of the hallmark effects of anabolic steroids is their ability to redirect excess energy away from fat storage and toward muscle growth.

The study confirmed that high-dose vitamin D produces this same effect, increasing lean muscle mass while decreasing fat mass without altering total body weight. Instead of simply increasing overall weight, calories were actively redirected to support lean tissue development.

• Vitamin D enhances fat metabolism — Mice that received low levels of vitamin D had poor leptin signaling, leading to inefficient fat metabolism and increased fat storage. When vitamin D was increased from low to normal, leptin production improved, and when increased from normal to high, leptin sensitivity increased without affecting leptin levels.

This mimics how anabolic steroids enhance fat metabolism, particularly through their effects on insulin and cortisol.14,15

• Vitamin D boosts metabolic rate naturally — Like anabolic steroids, which increase resting metabolic rate (RMR) due to greater muscle mass, high-dose vitamin D increased energy expenditure even though food intake and activity levels remained the same. This metabolic boost happened without artificial hormone manipulation, showing that vitamin D acts as a natural metabolic enhancer rather than disrupting endocrine function like steroids.

• Vitamin D stimulates skeletal growth like anabolic steroids — One of the anabolic effects of steroids is their impact on bone density and height growth.

The study found that high-dose vitamin D increased height in mice, and a genetic analysis confirmed that individuals with higher vitamin D levels tend to have greater final height. Additionally, high-dose vitamin D increased skeletal growth in zebrafish, supporting the idea that vitamin D functions as a natural growth enhancer across species.

These findings confirm that high-dose vitamin D mimics key effects of anabolic steroids, all without the severe risks associated with steroid use.

Sunlight Is Best for Optimizing Your Vitamin D Levels

While vitamin D supplements are an effective way to maintain adequate levels, natural sunlight remains the ideal method for optimizing vitamin D production. The benefits commonly linked to vitamin D are actually a reflection of healthy sun exposure, with higher vitamin D levels serving as a marker of sufficient sunlight exposure rather than the primary driver of health benefits.

• Sunlight provides benefits beyond vitamin D production — Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation triggers numerous biological processes, including nitric oxide release for improved circulation,16 immune system modulation, and mitochondrial support.17 These effects work synergistically with vitamin D, making direct sun exposure the ideal source.

• Dietary seed oils compromise safe sun exposure — One of the most overlooked risks of UV exposure is its interaction with linoleic acid (LA), the primary polyunsaturated fat (PUF) found in seed oils and processed foods. When UV radiation interacts with LA in the skin, it triggers inflammatory responses and DNA damage, increasing the risk of photoaging and skin cancer.

• Limiting sun exposure is necessary if vegetable oils are still in your diet — People who consume high amounts of vegetable oils should be cautious with sun exposure, as their skin is more prone to oxidative stress and inflammation. A safer approach is to limit direct sun exposure to early morning or late afternoon until seed oils are eliminated from the diet for at least four to six months.

• Skin pigmentation affects vitamin D synthesis — Melanin acts as a natural sunscreen, meaning individuals with darker skin require longer sun exposure to produce the same levels of vitamin D as those with lighter skin. This factor needs to be considered when determining safe and effective sun exposure times.

• Body fat stores and prolongs oxidative risk — Since fat tissue stores fat-soluble compounds, individuals with higher body fat percentages are at greater risk of prolonged exposure to oxidized vegetable oils, even after dietary changes. This means those with higher body fat should be more cautious with sun exposure, as stored LA continues fueling inflammatory responses long after seed oils are removed from the diet.

Safe Sun Exposure Guidelines

A reliable method for determining appropriate sun exposure is the “sunburn test.” Monitor your skin for any redness — staying below the threshold where your skin shows even slight pinkness indicates you’re within safe exposure limits. Avoiding sunburn is important, as it signals UV-induced damage and increases long-term risks.

• Sunburn risk decreases as your body clears stored seed oils — As your body reduces its LA stores, your susceptibility to sunburn and skin cancer declines. However, for the first six months after eliminating seed oils, it’s best to avoid direct sunlight during peak UV hours — two to three hours before and after solar noon.

• Full clearance of stored seed oils takes approximately two years — While the six-month mark allows for safer peak-hour sun exposure, complete clearance of oxidized seed oils from tissue takes closer to two years. Until then, cautious sun exposure remains important.

• Peak sunlight hours vary with the season — During Daylight Saving Time, solar noon occurs at 1 p.m. instead of 12 p.m., meaning peak sunlight hours fall between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Understanding this helps in planning safe exposure times to minimize UV damage.

• Protective strategies for safer sun exposure — If you plan to spend time in the sun before your body has fully cleared stored vegetable oils, consider the following natural sun protection strategies:

◦ Take 12 milligrams (mg) of astaxanthin daily to enhance your skin’s UV resistance and reduce oxidative damage.

◦ Apply topical niacinamide (vitamin B3) cream before sun exposure to protect against UV-induced DNA damage.

◦ Take a baby aspirin (81 mg) 30 to 60 minutes before sun exposure to help prevent LA conversion into harmful oxidized linoleic acid metabolites (OXLAMs).

◦ Use molecular hydrogen supplements to combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation caused by UV exposure.

To fully understand how sunlight influences your overall health and how to safely optimize your exposure, read “The Role of Sun Exposure in Optimizing Your Cellular Health.”

Tips for Vitamin D Supplementation

When regular sun exposure isn’t feasible, vitamin D supplementation becomes necessary to achieve and maintain optimal levels. This is especially important for individuals living in northern climates or those who spend most of their time indoors, as natural sunlight remains the most effective source of vitamin D.

• Vitamin D3 is superior to Vitamin D2 — Your body naturally synthesizes vitamin D3 when exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) rays from sunlight. In contrast, vitamin D2 is derived from plant sources like yeast and mushrooms exposed to UV light. While both forms are available as supplements, research confirms that vitamin D3 is significantly more effective at raising blood vitamin D levels.

For a deeper look at how these vitamin D forms compare and which one your body absorbs best, check out “What’s the Difference Between Vitamin D, D2 and D3?”

• Testing ensures proper supplementation — Since vitamin D needs vary based on sun exposure, body composition, and genetic factors, testing levels regularly is essential to ensure adequate intake. The conventional threshold for deficiency (below 20 ng/mL) is far too low, and research suggests that true sufficiency starts at 40 ng/mL (100 nmol/L), with optimal health benefits appearing between 60 and 80 ng/mL (150 to 200 nmol/L).

• Follow these steps to optimize vitamin D levels — To maintain sufficient levels, supplementation should be adjusted based on individual test results:

◦ Test your vitamin D levels twice a year to track seasonal fluctuations.

◦ Modify sun exposure or supplementation depending on your test results to maintain sufficiency.

◦ Perform follow-up testing after three to four months to assess changes and adjust dosage accordingly.

◦ Continue regular monitoring to ensure vitamin D levels remain within the optimal range (60 to 80 ng/mL).

• Higher doses may be required for full metabolic benefits — While conventional guidelines aim to prevent deficiency, research suggests that higher doses of vitamin D may be required to unlock its full metabolic benefits.

According to Dinkov, the standard 2,000 IU daily recommendation falls short for anything beyond basic sufficiency. For optimal metabolic support, he argues that intake levels should be significantly higher — closer to 10,000 IU per day.18

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Vitamin D and Energy Balance

Q: How does vitamin D support muscle growth?
A: Vitamin D helps reduce myostatin, a protein that limits muscle growth. It also improves strength, enhances protein synthesis and helps your body use calories for muscle instead of fat storage.

Q: Can vitamin D help burn fat?
A: Yes, vitamin D plays a role in fat metabolism by regulating leptin, the hormone that controls appetite and fat storage. It helps your body burn fat more efficiently and supports a healthy metabolism.

Q: Does vitamin D have effects similar to steroids?
A: Vitamin D influences muscle growth and fat loss in ways that resemble anabolic steroids, but naturally. Unlike steroids, vitamin D doesn’t disrupt hormone levels or cause dangerous side effects.

Q: What’s the best way to boost vitamin D naturally?
A: Getting regular sun exposure is the best way to raise vitamin D levels. If that’s not possible, take vitamin D3 supplements.

Q: How much vitamin D should you take daily?
A: Optimal intake depends on your blood levels. Testing your vitamin D levels is the best way to determine your ideal dose. Aim for 60 to 80 ng/mL for optimal health.

1 Which type of coronavirus research is described in the declassified records?

Seasonal flu tracking in hospital patients
Vaccine testing in older adult volunteers
Spike protein engineering and humanized mice testingThe records describe federally funded bat coronavirus work, including spike protein engineering, receptor adaptation experiments, testing in humanized mice, and discussions about furin cleavage sites. Learn more.
Air-quality testing in crowded indoor spaces

2 Why is cancer now being viewed as a metabolic condition?

Tumors grow only because of age
Cancer cells stop using nutrients
Genes no longer affect cancer growth
Tumors rewire how they use energyCancer is not driven only by genetic mutations. Tumors can change how they use nutrients and produce energy, affecting whether they grow or struggle. Learn more.

3 How long does food and waste normally stay in the body?

28 to 29 hoursAverage whole gut transit time is about 28 to 29 hours, but some people move waste much faster while others retain it for several days. Learn more.
4 to 6 hours
7 to 8 days
Less than an hour

4 Most Parkinson’s research once focused on the brain, but what area are researchers looking at now?

The skin
The gutResearchers are now studying the gut because constipation and other body signals may appear years before movement symptoms become obvious. Learn more.
The lungs
The liver

5 Which exercise is least helpful for memory and thinking?

Tai chi with slow balance shifts
Dance with rhythm and sequencing
Pilates with posture and control
Exhausting workouts that focus on strengthMemory and thinking improved most with movement that combines coordination, balance, sequencing, and focus, not exhausting workouts done without mental engagement. Learn more.

6 Which oils are described as a problem for detoxification?

Olive oils that support daily cooking and meals
Seed oils that build up inside body tissuesSeed oils are linked to fatty liver disease, inflammation, and lower detox capacity. Fat buildup in liver cells makes toxin processing less efficient. Learn more.
Coconut oils that raise cellular energy quickly
Fish oils that support normal inflammation control

7 What can happen when bunions are left untreated?

Toe strength improves as the foot adjusts
Shoe width becomes the only lasting issue
Walking becomes less stable and pain can worsenUntreated bunions can lead to chronic pain, reduced mobility, altered posture, weaker push-off strength, and a higher fall risk later in life. Learn more.
The big toe slowly goes out of normal alignment

Test Your Knowledge with
The Master Level Quiz

1 Why did the newly declassified COVID-19 government records raise questions about Anthony Fauci’s testimony?

They describe his role in a 2021 intelligence briefingThe newly declassified government records reportedly place Anthony Fauci in a June 4, 2021 intelligence briefing on COVID-19’s origins, raising questions about whether his later testimony matched the documented timeline. Learn more.
They show he publicly rejected all coronavirus research
They claim he manipulated the final intelligence report
They focus only on his vaccine policy statements

2 What helps the body lower serotonin naturally?

Raising cortisol to keep the body more alert
Cutting sleep short to reduce nighttime hormone shifts
Avoiding protein so fewer calming chemicals are made
Increasing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to support breakdownGamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) helps the body break down serotonin. Healthy GABA levels may also support calmer mood, better sleep, and less muscle tension. Learn more.

3 What is one lesson from the newly released COVID documents?

Original records help clarify timelines and public claimsOriginal COVID-19 records, grant reports, internal communications, and timelines help readers compare private discussions with public statements more clearly. Learn more.
Headlines are usually enough to explain complex events
Public summaries should replace internal communications
Scientific conclusions never change after early reports

4 How may vitamin B3 help with glioblastoma outcomes?

It fully replaces standard treatment
It stops all tumor growth eventually
It may improve short-term disease controlHigh-dose niacin added to standard care improved six-month disease control and helped restore immune cell activity in clinical research. Learn more.
It removes the need for immune activity

5 When was ultraviolet blood irradiation (UVBI) discovered?

1890s
1910s
1950s
1930sUltraviolet blood irradiation (UVBI) was discovered in the 1930s and was later adopted by hospitals in America after reports of strong results in very sick patients. Learn more.

6 How can tinnitus affect thinking over time?

Ringing sounds help train the brain to focus longer
Constant noise can strain memory and attention systemsTinnitus can keep the brain busy monitoring phantom noise. That extra mental effort may leave fewer resources for focus, memory, and faster thinking. Learn more.
Ear pressure decreases reaction speed during daily tasks
Hearing changes protect the brain from mental fatigue

7 What is the fiber paradox?

Fiber always causes the same gut response
Fiber stops digestion when eaten daily
Fiber is needed long term but may worsen symptoms early onFiber supports gut health long term, but when harmful bacteria dominate, high-fiber foods may ferment too aggressively and worsen gas, pressure, and urgency. Learn more.
Fiber has no role in regularity or gut bacteria

8 Which B vitamin shortage is linked to nerve damage?

Thiamine shortageThiamine is one of the B vitamins with a specific role in nerve health. A thiamine shortage can lead to nerve damage, while other B vitamin deficiencies cause different problems. Learn more.
Riboflavin deficiency
Low vitamin B6
Folate shortage

9 Which factor does not affect the scalp’s microbiome?

Scalp pH
Hair density
Materials of hair clipsScalp pH, moisture, sebum, hair structure, climate, products, diet, stress, and hormones can affect scalp microbes. Shoe size and arch height are unrelated to the scalp. Learn more.
Ingredients of your shampoo and conditioner

10 Which eating pattern may support a healthier Parkinson’s-related microbiome?

Low-carb eating with mostly animal foods
Mediterranean-style eating with flavonoid-rich foodsMediterranean-style eating, fruits, vegetables, berries, apples, and tea have been linked to healthier gut profiles and better symptom management. Learn more.
Gluten-free meals with low plant variety
High-protein meals with few colorful plants

11 How much of a colon cell’s energy can come from butyrate?

65%
80%Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) that fuels colon cells. Colon cells may rely on butyrate for up to 80% of their energy needs. Learn more.
47%
24%

12 Is adrenal fatigue recognized as a real medical diagnosis?

No, mainstream medicine does not recognize adrenal fatigue as a legitimate diagnosisAdrenal fatigue is not recognized as a legitimate diagnosis. The symptoms can be real, but evidence does not show that adrenal glands “burn out” from stress. Learn more.
Yes, it means the adrenal glands have permanently stopped making hormones
Yes, it is diagnosed when stress burns out the adrenal glands completely
No, because symptoms like tiredness and brain fog are never considered real

13 Which group experienced the biggest brain benefits from exercise?

Adults who avoided movement
People already at peak fitness
Those doing only intense workouts
Children, adolescents, and people with ADHDChildren, adolescents, and people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed strong gains in memory, focus, and executive function. Learn more.

14 Which amino acid is the main one found in collagen?

Leucine
Tryptophan
GlycineGlycine is the main amino acid in collagen. Collagen-rich cuts like shanks help balance muscle meat intake and provide nutrients that support skin, joints, bones, and gut health. Learn more.
Histidine

15 Which sugar substitute is suggested instead of erythritol?

Aspartame in sugar-free drinks
Natural stevia from the plantErythritol and xylitol are described as sugar alcohols to avoid. Natural stevia from the plant is listed as one alternative for sweet cravings. Learn more.
Sucralose in low-calorie snacks
Xylitol in keto-friendly desserts

16 Which of these organs acts as the body’s primary filtration system?

The skin
The colon
The liverThe liver filters blood, processes nutrients, and helps package waste for removal. When liver cells become overloaded with fat, detox work can slow down. Learn more.
The bladder

17 How much sugar does the average American consume today?

34 teaspoons a dayThe average American now consumes about 34 teaspoons of sugar daily, adding up to over 100 pounds a year. High intake is linked to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Learn more.
10 teaspoons a day
5 teaspoons a day
Less than 2 teaspoons a day

18 How is a sunspot different from a freckle?

Sunspots fade in winter, while freckles usually stay year-round
Sunspots are larger, darker, and often stay visible year-roundFreckles are small, light brown spots that often darken in the sun and fade in winter. Sunspots are usually larger, darker, and more likely to stay year-round. Learn more.
Sunspots are always lighter and smaller than regular freckles
Sunspots appear only in childhood and fade with less sunlight

19 What sets the stage for the damaging effects of bunions?

Low sunlight exposure during childhood
Footwear that changes how force movesAlthough the footwear sets the stage, the gait does the damage. Repeated walking patterns can reshape the big toe joint over time. Learn more.
Weak ankles caused by sports injuries
Surgery that corrects the joint too early

20 Which option is not one of the biochemical types linked to violent behavior?

High blood glucose
The biochemical patterns linked to violent behavior include severe zinc deficiency, pyrrole disorder, low blood spermine, and methylation defects. High blood glucose is not included in the said patterns. Learn more.
Severe zinc deficiency
Pyrrole disorder
Methylation defects

21 Which statement is not true about atherosclerotic plaque?

It may form where a blood clot was not fully cleared
It can grow when new clots form at the same weak point
It is described as a buildup that develops over time
It always disappears completely after the first clot breaks downAtherosclerotic plaque can develop when a clot on an artery wall is not fully eliminated. Repeated clotting at the same spot may cause the buildup to grow over time. Learn more.

If you’ve watched a parent’s foot slowly twist over the decades — the bump growing, the shoes getting wider, the limp setting in — you already know bunions are not just a cosmetic problem. They affect roughly 1 in 3 adults, and they get worse with every passing year unless something changes. Most people know them as the painful bump that forms at the base of the big toe, but hallux valgus, the medical term for bunions, is far more than a cosmetic issue.

As the big toe drifts sideways, balance worsens, push-off strength declines, and walking becomes less stable. Left untreated, bunions contribute to chronic pain, reduced mobility, altered posture, and a much higher fall risk later in life. For decades, podiatric medicine has pointed to narrow shoes and genetics as the primary culprits, while treatments have leaned heavily on orthotics, toe spacers, or surgery.

The deformity isn’t built by your shoes — it’s built by the steps you take inside them every day. Footwear sets the stage; your gait does the damage. The way you move, repeated tens of thousands of times each week, reshapes the joint over years.

If a bunion is the product of a movement pattern, then surgery without addressing that pattern leaves the underlying cause intact. But the same logic cuts the other direction, too. The mechanics that created the bunion can be unlearned, and the muscles that should have been protecting the toe all along can be reawakened. Once you understand how force travels through your foot during walking, the entire problem starts to look very different, and far more reversible than most people are told.

Your Foot Already Knows How to Walk Correctly

Most people lose healthy feet because modern gait patterns changed the way force moves through the body. This includes heel-strike walking, meaning your heel crashes into the ground first during each step. That impact then travels upward through your ankle, knee, hip, and spine instead of being absorbed smoothly by muscles and tendons. The average person repeats this movement thousands of times every day without realizing that each step reinforces the same damaging pattern.

• Bunions develop from repeated mechanical stress — Conventional podiatry often treats bunions as genetic or shoe-related problems, but movement itself is often the issue. The argument is easy to understand once you picture your foot as a lever. During heel-strike walking, force rolls along the outer edge of your foot before collapsing inward toward your big toe.
That repeated inward collapse pushes your toe sideways year after year. Instead of the big toe acting like a stable anchor during push-off — the moment in each step when your big toe presses into the ground and propels you forward — it becomes twisted and unstable. The more unstable the toe becomes, the less your foot uses it properly during walking.

• What happens when your big toe stops participating in movement — The Japanese footprint study found that people with more advanced bunions left weaker impressions from the big toe during push-off.1 In short, their feet had stopped using the big toe correctly. That matters because the big toe acts like the steering wheel and power pedal of your walking pattern.
Once it stops engaging the ground, balance declines, foot stability worsens, and the muscles that protect the toe begin to weaken from disuse.

• Several muscles begin to shut down during dysfunctional walking patterns — This includes the abductor hallucis, which is the small muscle responsible for pulling the big toe back toward its normal position; think of it as the toe’s outward-pulling guy-wire. Another important muscle, the flexor hallucis longus, helps grip the ground and stabilize push-off. This muscle lets your big toe grip the ground like a thumb.
During shuffling or heel-strike walking, those muscles remain mostly dormant. Put your arm in a sling for six months and the muscles wither; every gym-goer knows this. Now consider that the average cushioned shoe is a sling for your foot, worn 12 hours a day for decades. The wonder isn’t that bunions form. The wonder is that anyone walks well into old age.

• Why aging adults often lose confidence while walking — Gait changes begin decades before serious mobility problems appear. In the 50s and 60s, stride length shortens, feet rotate outward, and push-off weakens. By the 70s and 80s, many adults develop a shuffle pattern with minimal foot clearance and poor balance control.
Thick cushioned shoes worsen the problem because they block sensory information from the ground. Your nervous system relies on pressure sensors in your feet to judge position and stability. Once those signals weaken, your brain responds with cautious movement and shorter steps.

• Forefoot gait retraining restores a movement pattern your body already recognizes — Instead of landing hard on the heel, contact the ground first with the outside ball of your foot, meaning the area near your pinky toe.
From there, your foot rolls inward naturally toward the big toe before push-off. This movement spreads force across muscles and tendons instead of slamming it through bone and joints. Your heel still touches the ground, but lightly and later in the step cycle. Barefoot populations and habitually barefoot runners around the world already move this way naturally.

Your Body Needs Time to Rebuild Healthy Walking Mechanics

Expect to walk slower for the first month or two — often a full minute or two per mile off your old pace. This isn’t backsliding; it’s your nervous system handing the steering wheel from autopilot back to you. That slowdown happens because your body suddenly recruits muscles that remained inactive for years. Your calf muscles absorb more force eccentrically, meaning they lengthen under tension while controlling impact.

At the same time, your brain shifts from automatic walking habits to conscious motor control, which requires much more attention and energy. The slowdown isn’t failure; it’s proof that your body finally starts using the correct muscles and movement sequence again.

• The body responds quickly once those dormant muscles begin working again — Early training often causes soreness along the arch and inner ankle because muscles such as the tibialis posterior and flexor hallucis longus suddenly reactivate after years of underuse. This soreness is useful feedback rather than injury. You finally recruit the muscles designed to stabilize your foot.
Sand walking becomes especially important because the unstable surface forces your toes to grip and your arch muscles to stabilize each step. Every footprint also acts as a scorecard. Deep forefoot impressions with light heel contact signal proper mechanics, while heavy heel marks reveal that the old pattern still dominates.

• The protocol relies on combining active correction during the day with passive correction at night — “The Ratchet Effect” combines forefoot gait retraining with nighttime bunion splints. The splint gently holds your big toe in a corrected position overnight, which gradually stretches tight tissues on the outside of your toe and shortens overstretched tissues on the inside.
Then, during the day, forefoot walking activates the muscles that pull your toe back toward alignment. The two systems reinforce each other. Nighttime positioning reduces structural resistance, while daytime movement strengthens the muscles responsible for maintaining the correction. This passive-active combination creates a stronger remodeling signal than either strategy alone.

• Silent footsteps become one of the simplest forms of biofeedback — A heel strike creates a loud thud because rigid bone impacts the ground without muscular control. Forefoot walking sounds quieter because your calf and Achilles tendon absorb force gradually.
That sound difference gives you instant feedback throughout the day without special equipment. Use it to turn ordinary daily movement into practice. Walking to the kitchen, walking through your office, or walking across your driveway all become opportunities to reinforce healthier mechanics.

• Minimal footwear plays a major role because it restores sensory awareness and natural movement — Barefoot sock shoes and minimal footwear allow your toes to spread, the arch to function, and your nervous system to feel the ground again. Conventional cushioned shoes act like casts for the feet. Minimal shoes force your foot muscles to participate actively during movement instead of relying on external support.
Over time, that repeated activation strengthens the structures that help stabilize the big toe and support healthier alignment.

Your Feet Adapt to What You Practice Every Day

If your bunion keeps worsening, the real problem is the movement pattern you repeat thousands of times daily. Your bones, tendons, and muscles constantly remodel according to the forces you place on them. That means every step either reinforces the deformity or helps reverse it.

Focus first on changing the mechanical stress that created the bunion in the first place. Once your foot begins receiving the correct signal over and over, your muscles wake back up, your balance improves, and your push-off strength starts to return.

1. Retrain your walking pattern instead of focusing only on the bunion itself — Most people obsess over the bump at the side of the toe while ignoring the movement that drives it. Start by changing how your foot contacts the ground. Land lightly on the outside ball of your foot near the area below your pinky toe — before rolling inward toward the big toe. Your heel still touches, but last and softly.
At first, this feels strange because your body spent years rehearsing the opposite pattern. Slow down. Shorter walks with better mechanics beat longer walks with destructive mechanics. If you hear loud footsteps, you reverted to heel striking. Quiet steps tell you your muscles absorb force correctly instead of slamming it through your joints.

2. Switch to barefoot sock shoes so your foot starts functioning again — Conventional cushioned shoes block sensory input, weaken your arch muscles, and encourage harder heel strikes. Barefoot sock shoes restore ground feedback and allow your toes to spread naturally during walking.
If you currently wear stiff shoes with narrow toe boxes, transition gradually. Start indoors for short periods. Then add brief outdoor walks. Your feet need time to rebuild strength. Once your foot begins moving naturally again, your arch muscles, stabilizers, and toes all start participating during each step instead of staying dormant inside thick cushioning.

3. Use sand walking as daily corrective training — Sand creates resistance that forces your foot muscles to work harder while reducing impact stress. Beach walking is one of the best ways to retrain gait because every footprint gives instant feedback about your mechanics.
Look behind you while you walk. A healthy pattern leaves deeper impressions beneath the forefoot with lighter heel contact. If your heel digs deeply into the sand first, slow down and reset your landing pattern. Over time, your big toe imprint becomes stronger as the muscles responsible for toe push-off regain strength. That visible progress keeps motivation high because you literally see improvement step by step.

4. Strengthen the muscles that pull your big toe back into alignment — A bunion worsens when the muscles that stabilize the big toe stop doing their job. Rebuild those muscles daily through active toe engagement instead of passive stretching alone. Practice pressing your big toe downward into the floor during walking. Toe gripping exercises also help wake up the flexor hallucis longus and abductor hallucis muscles, which support toe alignment.
Try towel scrunches — place a small towel flat on the floor and use your toes to bunch it toward you, two sets of 10 per foot daily. Or pick up marbles or pebbles with your toes. If your toe barely moves at first, it means the muscle remained inactive for years. Small improvements repeated every day create large structural changes over time.

5. Reduce the factors that slow tissue repair and structural adaptation — Your bones, tendons, and muscles need energy to remodel. Excess linoleic acid (LA) from seed oils contributes to chronic inflammation and poor mitochondrial function that slow the repair process. Prioritize a low-LA diet built around whole foods, ruminant meats, collagen-rich protein, and healthy carbohydrates that support cellular energy production.
Sun exposure also matters because sunlight supports mitochondrial energy production. Morning outdoor walks combine gait retraining, balance practice, and circadian rhythm support into one habit. You took the steps that built this bunion one at a time, over decades. You’ll take it apart the same way — patiently, one footfall after another. The body that broke down is also the body that knows how to rebuild.

FAQs About Reversing the Cause of Bunions

Q: What’s the main cause of bunions?
A: Bunions often develop from repeated dysfunctional walking mechanics rather than genetics alone. Heel-strike walking shifts force across your foot in a way that repeatedly pushes your big toe sideways over years. Weak foot muscles, poor toe engagement, and cushioned shoes that block natural movement all contribute to the deformity.

Q: Why do modern cushioned shoes make bunions worse?
A: Conventional shoes with thick cushioning and narrow toe boxes weaken the muscles inside your feet and reduce sensory feedback from the ground. That changes the way your body absorbs force during walking. Over time, your arch weakens, your toes stop spreading naturally, and your gait becomes more unstable. Barefoot sock shoes and minimal footwear help restore natural movement and muscle activation.

Q: Why does forefoot walking help improve foot mechanics?
A: Forefoot gait retraining changes where force enters your foot. Instead of crashing into the heel first, you land lightly near the outside ball of your foot before rolling inward toward the big toe. That movement spreads force through muscles and tendons instead of slamming it through joints and bone. It also reactivates muscles that help stabilize the big toe and support healthier alignment.

Q: Is it normal to feel slower or sore during gait retraining?
A: Yes. Many people temporarily slow down during the first four to eight weeks because the body recruits muscles that remained inactive for years. Mild soreness in the arch, calf, and inner ankle reflects those muscles waking back up and adapting to new movement patterns. Quiet footsteps and stronger forefoot pressure become signs that your mechanics are improving.

Q: What daily habits help reverse the root cause of bunions?
A: Helpful strategies include practicing forefoot walking, using barefoot sock shoes, walking on sand for feedback, and strengthening the muscles that control your big toe. Night splints combined with daytime gait correction also help because they create a “ratchet effect” that gradually improves toe positioning over time.

Test Your Knowledge with Today’s Quiz!
Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

Why does hydration matter when the body is detoxing?

It stops sweating so the body keeps more minerals
It helps blood move nutrients and waste efficiently
Even mild dehydration can slow circulation and waste removal. Steady hydration helps blood carry nutrients and move waste out, especially when sweating increases. Learn more.
It forces the liver to remove toxins much faster
It increases sleep quality during detox work

Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published August 13, 2017.

Can you use specific nutrients to improve your mental health? Yes, you can. William Walsh, Ph.D., president of the nonprofit Walsh Research Institute in Naperville, Illinois, and author of “Nutrient Power: Heal Your Biochemistry and Heal Your Brain,” specializes in nutrient-based psychiatry and nutritional medicine.

He and I are both fellows of the American College of Nutrition. He’s designed nutritional programs for Olympic athletes, NBA players and major league baseball players. More importantly, he’s spent a great deal of his career seeking to improve mental health through nutrition.

“I started off in the hard science. I was an experimentalist,” Walsh says. “I worked, in the beginning, in the nuclear field … with places like Los Alamos, the Institute for Atomic Research and University of Michigan Research Institute. I wound up at Argonne National Laboratory. While working as a scientist there, I started a volunteer project at the local prison, Stateville Penitentiary.

I eventually got really interested in why people were violent … [W]hen we started the ex-offender program, I got to meet the families that had produced a criminal. I found some wonderful families, caring and capable families, that have other children who turned out just fine …

I began to realize we didn’t understand why people had bad behavior. We then asked the question, ‘Could it be something related to their brain chemistry or the body chemistry?’ … I started doing lab studies of their blood, their urine and hair. I found out that they were very, very different from the rest of the population. That’s how I got started.”

Biochemistry and the Criminal Brain

Walsh received valuable direction after meeting Dr. Carl Pfeiffer, who was doing work on heavy metals and schizophrenia. As it turns out, levels of metals, including copper, zinc, and manganese, were all abnormal in criminals compared to the general population.

Walsh discovered four biochemical types of violent people. One of these was the sociopaths, all of whom had severe zinc deficiency, pyrrole disorder, low blood spermine, and undermethylation. In all, it’s an unusual combination of bad biochemistry. A collaborative investigation with Pfeiffer resulted in nutrient therapies for each of the behavior types.

Pyrrole disorder is a stress condition commonly found in brain disorders. A urine test developed by niacin expert Abram Hoffer and Pfeiffer is the gold standard test for this genetic condition, which involves altered biochemistry in your bone marrow and spleen.

People who have pyrrole disorder may produce five to 10 times more pyrrole than normal — a byproduct of natural reactions, like the formation of hemoglobin. While harmless in and of itself, pyrrole bind to and draw out anything that is an aldehyde, such as B6. It also sharply depletes zinc.

As a result, people with pyrrole disorder have exceptionally low levels of B6, and zinc which can have serious effects on brain function, affecting their memory, and ability to read, for example. B6 deficiency is quite common among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well.
The Earlier the Treatment the Better the Results

“Eventually, [Pfeiffer] and I jointly evaluated 500 patients, mostly violent adults and violent children. We got our best results with the kids, young people with the same kind of chemistry, who were mostly very violent,” Walsh says.

“I have to say we didn’t really succeed in finding a way to help the adult criminals. They would get better for six to eight months, and then I’d find out they were back in prison. That had a lot to do with the fact that they were abusing alcohol and illegal drugs … At about 1990, we decided to focus on children …

It’s been very successful. If we can get a child before their lives are ruined, before they pass puberty perhaps, our success rate [is] very high … The doctors report a striking improvement in behavior.

Most of these kids, of course, [are] on drugs, everything from Ritalin to powerful antipsychotic medications. Usually when we’re finished and [have] balanced their chemistry, they can wean off the medication. They usually are fine without it …”

Nutrients Involved in Synthesis or Functioning of Neurotransmitters Dictate Mental Function

Later on, Walsh expanded to also include children with autism and ADHD. Fond of numbers, Walsh began amassing enormous databases. At present, he has one of the world’s largest chemistry database for autism, depression, and behavior disorders.

“When you look at these millions of chemical analyses of blood, urine and tissues, it’s obvious that there are very great differences,” he says. “I found that for mental disorders, about six or seven chemical imbalances dominate mental function. There are hundreds and hundreds of important nutrients in the body, but in the brain, there are about six or seven that [seem] to dominate everything. Eventually, I found out why …

[T]hese are the nutrient factors that are either involved in synthesis of a neurotransmitter or the functioning of a neurotransmitter. They include methylation — undermethylation or overmethylation. In our database, 70% of all humans in the United States have normal, typical methylation; 22% are undermethylated … 8% are overmethylated.

About 70% of all people who have a mental disorder have one of these methylation disorders. The symptoms are completely different, and the treatment they need is completely different. We also found that most people [who have mental disorders] are depleted or deficient in zinc. That’s the most common [deficiency] we see … Virtually everyone with a mental disorder seems to need zinc and improve on it.”

Copper Overload Linked to Autism, Schizophrenia, and Postpartum Depression

Copper is another important trace metal, as it plays a distinct role in the synthesis of norepinephrine, a major neurotransmitter. Divalent copper (Cu2+) is a dramatic factor in the ratio of dopamine and norepinephrine.

Animal studies have shown that when animals are starved of copper until they only have 25% of the normal amount of copper in their blood, the ratio between norepinephrine and dopamine is changed by more than a factor of three. Most of us have the ability to homeostatically control copper. However, some do not have that ability.

“It all has to do with an enzyme called metallothionein that is genetically expressed. Some people don’t have that system working,” Walsh explains. “These persons have copper overload, which we find virtually in every autistic patient, most patients with schizophrenia and almost everyone with postpartum depression.

That’s a recipe for very high norepinephrine — which means anxiety and depression — and low dopamine (a feel-good neurotransmitter), which is a hallmark of ADHD … a nasty combination.

We find the sociopaths innately have low copper levels. People who have undermethylation tend to have low normal copper levels … The good news for mental disorders is that there are more than 100 really important biochemicals in the body, but only a few dominate mental disorders.

If we had to do lab testing for 100 of them, it would be really difficult. If we had to adjust the levels of these and normalize 100 different factors, it would make life very difficult. But we found that by just focusing on maybe seven or eight nutrient factors, we could help 95% of the patients we see with nutrient therapy.”

How to Measure Your Zinc and Copper Status

Zinc experts typically agree that plasma zinc provides the most accurate measurement. The taste test has some minor value but is among the least reliable. To accurately measure copper, serum copper is the way to go, and most labs throughout the world provide good copper assays.

Walsh recommends doing a ceruloplasmin test at the same time, because then you can determine how much free radical copper you have, which gives you a good indication of your level of oxidative stress. A high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) test would also be useful as a marker of inflammation.

“By the way, oxidative stress runs through every single mental disorder we see, without exception,” Walsh says. “Every one of them seems to have extraordinary oxidative stress — schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, a violent child or an autistic child.”

Unfortunately, our modern lifestyle strongly promotes oxidative stress, with processed foods, processed vegetable oils, excessive net carbs, and excessive protein being some of the most potent factors. This kind of diet causes a reduction in ketones and a radical increase in reactive oxygen species and secondary free radicals.

Exposure to nonnative electromagnetic fields, glyphosate, and other pesticides, fluoride-contaminated water and other toxic exposures only add to the problem. Typically, copper and ceruloplasmin levels tend to go hand in hand, being either high or low together.

The ideal level for copper, with respect to mental health, is somewhere between 75 and 100 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL) in serum. The ideal amount of ceruloplasmin has to do with whatever your level of copper is.

Ideally, the percentage of copper in your ceruloplasmin should be around 85% to 90%. “It’s really great to do both simultaneously, because then you have a really good picture of not only the copper situation, but also the level of oxidative stress,” Walsh says.

The Importance of Methylation in Mental Health

Walsh was among the first people to alert the world to the importance of methylation in mental health, especially autism. The No. 1 causes of undermethylation are single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or mutations in the enzymes for the one-carbon cycle (the methylation cycle).

“The No. 1 factor is the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), which is one of the enzymes. That’s the rate-limiting step for that whole cycle, for most people,” Walsh explains. “Genetic testing services such as 23andMe can provide this kind of information.

However, most human beings have enormous numbers of SNPs. They’ve already found 10 million snips (or mutations) in the human genome. Every human being has thousands of these SNPs. A really high percentage of people have even the more serious MTHFR SNPs — the C677T, the A1298C that people are always talking about.

The thing that is often mistaken by nutritional scientists is that if a person has the homozygous, the double copies of the C677T, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re undermethylated. It certainly doesn’t mean that they will benefit if you give them methylfolate. That’s one of the problems that we’re finding.

The reason is epigenetics. You have to consider the epigenetics and the methylation at the same time. There are three nutrient factors that affect epigenetics more than anything else: folates, methionine and S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe). These have a really powerful impact on epigenetics.”

How Folates Affect Epigenetics

Folates are serotonin reuptake promoters. However, even if an individual is undermethylated and has a problem related to low serotonin activity, such as depression or anxiety, folates should not be given, Walsh warns. The reason? If you give folate, their methylation will improve and the patient will actually get worse.

The reason for this worsening is because, epigenetically, folates act as deacetylase inhibitors and sharply lower serotonin activity. Most autistic individuals will not have a serotonin problem and will thrive on methyl folate. However, an estimated 10% of autistic children and adults do have a serotonin issue and will severely regress if given methyl folate.

“We’ve had thousands of patients who were undermethylated depressives. I’ve seen more than 3,000 cases of clinical depression. I’ve got this huge database. The largest phenotype … is undermethylation.

But if you gave them any form of folate, they would get worse. Their methylation would improve, they would get worse, because it has a dramatic impact on serotonin reuptake. In contrast, methionine and SAMe are natural serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

They do essentially the same thing that Prozac and Paxil do. Folates have the opposite effect. Folates are wonderful if you want to knock dopamine level down in schizophrenics or people who have high anxiety — overmethylated people. It’s counterintuitive because folates are excellent methylating agents.”

To reiterate, some undermethylated people are intolerant to folates, and some overmethylated people thrive on folates even though folates improve methylation. As you can see, there are epigenetic complexities involved here, making self-diagnosis and self-treatment highly inadvisable.

It could be quite risky to take these bits and pieces of information and try to apply them on your own. There are simply too many variables. So, the bottom line here is to make sure you’re being treated by a knowledgeable professional.

Heavy Metals and the Autistic Brain

Walsh has tested 6,500 autistic patients. As a group, they have much higher toxic metal levels than their siblings or the general population. Walsh believes their toxic burden is likely due to an inborn predisposition that makes them more likely to accumulate toxins and/or vulnerable to the effects of toxins.

“Thousands of these parents, maybe more than half, told a very sad story of how they had a child who was developing normally, was beginning to speak and was singing and charming their grandparents. Then maybe the child got sick.

They took him to a pediatrician and the pediatrician — I’ve heard this story hundreds of times — said, ‘Oh, you’re behind on your shots. You’re behind on your vaccinations.’ They took a sick child and gave them multiple vaccinations, at that time, with thimerosal and mercury.

Hundreds of these families said that within a day or two, their child changed forever. Lost all speech, the personality changed, they became sick. They became intolerant to served foods. They were just very troubled little human beings.

When they went to specialists, eventually they wound up with the diagnosis of autism and were told that it was incurable and that there was no hope really for recovery. We’ve seen a lot of human misery just talking with these families. It’s just a shocking and terrible thing.”

Walsh suspects autistic children have an insufficiency of natural antioxidants such as glutathione and metallothionein, rendering them more vulnerable to the effects of environmental exposures, including vaccines and poor diet. It’s worth noting that 1 in 3 children diagnosed with autism does not have true autism caused by epigenetic variations.

Many of these children have a good chance of recovery, whereas classic Kanner autism is a permanent, life-long epigenetic condition (named after Leo Kanner, who discovered autism in the 1940s1), although some measure of improvement can be made even in these cases.

On Thimerosal

Walsh has also investigated the thimerosal issue, looking for evidence of mercury toxicity in the brains of autistic children. In fact, he was the first person to actually measure mercury in autistic brains.

He was able to receive brain tissue samples from Johns Hopkins, and using the Argonne facility called the Advanced Photon Source, he did over 1 million chemical analyses on brain tissue from autistic and non-autistic children. Every autistic child analyzed had received thimerosal-containing vaccinations.

However, no mercury could be found in the brain tissue. One explanation for this is that the tests were done years after the vaccinations. The half-life of mercury in the human body is 42 days. The half-life of ethyl or methyl mercury in the brain is 70 days.

“I think what it amounts to is that mercury is a terrible poison. It’s a terrible insult,” he says. “I think these vulnerable kids should never be exposed to it. However, it doesn’t stay in the body and it doesn’t do continuing damage. I think after a year or so, it has left the body, even though there are tens of thousands of families who are trying therapies that will take the mercury out of their child’s brain when it’s no longer there.”

Metallothionein Promotion Nutrient Therapy for Autism

The fact that autistic children tend to have extraordinary copper and zinc imbalances means their metallothionein protein is not functioning. Metallothionein is required for homeostatic control of copper and zinc. Walsh has developed a metallothionein promotion nutrient therapy: a formulation of 22 nutrients known to enhance genetic expression and function of metallothionein. This protocol has been used on more than 2,000 autistic patients, with measurable improvements in outcome.

“The most important antioxidants in the brain are somewhat different than the rest of the body. I call them the three musketeers. It’s glutathione, metallothionein and selenium. It’s specific to the brain,” he explains.

Technically, selenium is not an antioxidant per se, but it does increase glutathione levels and enhances the function of metallothionein and, in the brain, glutathione and metallothionein work together. Glutathione is your first line of defense. The problem is, autistic children typically have a poor diet (it’s hard to get them to eat anything) and with the oxidative overload, they quickly run out of glutathione. When you run low on glutathione in your brain, your metallothionein level increases.

“Metallothionein doesn’t work unless you have oxidized glutathione. It’s a hand in glove situation. It’s the backup system for glutathione in the brain, and we know that without selenium, that whole system doesn’t work well,” Walsh explains.

I take selenium every day. It’s a trace mineral, so you don’t need much, up to about 200 mcg per day, and you definitely need to be mindful not to overdose. As noted by Walsh, of all the trace metals, selenium has the narrowest division between deficiency and overload, so you need to be careful when supplementing.

Zinc also needs to be normalized, as it is the No. 1 factor for enabling metallothionein to function and support glutathione. According to Walsh, for mental and physical health, you need a plasma zinc level between 90 and 130 mcg/dL. Many mental patients have a genetic weakness in zinc normalization; they’re born with zinc deficiency, and need far higher amounts than typical to maintain a healthy zinc level.
Changing the Face of Psychiatry

Walsh is convinced the use of psychiatric medication will eventually fade away as we learn more about normalizing brain function through nutritional interventions. “These powerful drugs … they do not normalize the brain. They cause an abnormal condition,” he warns. “They might correct depression or anxiety, but you wind up with something that’s not normal.”

The Walsh Research Institute is a public charity with no financial interests, and they are slowly but surely helping to change mainstream psychiatry. Walsh has given talks at the highest levels, including the Surgeon General’s office, the U.S. Senate and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He’s also spoken at American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual meetings several times.

“The last time I went there, they finally listened to me … I was there about two and a half years ago. I gave an invited talk on depression. I basically explained to them they’re doing depression wrong.

They actually listened to me. I showed them our huge chemistry database and explained that depression is a name given to at least five completely different disorders, each involving different symptoms and each involving different neurotransmitters that are malfunctioning.

Then I described each one of these biotypes and actually showed them that if they would simply do some inexpensive blood and urine testing, they could identify which people would be good candidates for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or which ones would do better on benzodiazepine, but even more importantly, how they can correct it with nutrients.”

There were 17,000 psychiatrists at this meeting from all over the world, and Walsh was 1 of 4 speakers at a well-attended session. Afterward, there was tremendous demand for more information, which gives hope. Walsh also offers a training program for doctors. In the U.S., 45 psychiatrists went through the program last year. In all, 500 physicians and psychiatrists in 32 countries have taken his program so far.

Why SSRIs Induce Violence

One major problem with SSRI antidepressants is the risk of self-harm and aggression as a side effect. Overmethylated, low-folate depressors are intolerant to SSRIs, and evidence suggests this genetic intolerance may have been a factor in many school shootings. Walsh, who has studied this phenomenon, notes 42 of the 50 major school shootings in the U.S. since 1990 were done by teens or young adults taking an SSRI.

“I discussed this … before the APA … I tried to explain to them that they … can do a blood test; they can find out which children or which adults are more likely to become violent if they get an SSRI. I’ve written about this several times; published it in magazines …

If you buy Prozac or Paxil, the insert inside warns that some people … are prone to suicidal or homicidal behavior. We now know which ones they are!”

More Information

To learn more, visit www.WalshInstitute.org. There you can also purchase Walsh’s book, “Nutrient Power: Heal Your Biochemistry and Heal Your Brain.” Questions and information requests can be sent to Dana@WalshInstitute.org, or you can call (630) 506-5066.

“Our website has a resources section that recommends quality labs, compounding pharmacies and a list of doctors who we’ve trained, who are now able to do this kind of therapy,” Walsh says.

Modern living has completely changed the way we eat, move, and rest — and the consequences aren’t looking good. Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and obesity have skyrocketed, even though medical knowledge and health information are more accessible than ever. So, what happened?

Below, we’ll explore how the replacement of natural fats with vegetable oils, the surge in refined sugar and ultraprocessed foods, rampant environmental toxins, the rise of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), sedentary lifestyles and chronic sleep deprivation all came together to undermine our well-being.

Why Did Natural Fats Get Replaced by Vegetable Oils?

For thousands of years, humans cooked with stable animal fats like butter, lard, and tallow.1 That changed dramatically in the 1900s when industrially processed vegetable oils (also called seed oils) took center stage, partly due to aggressive marketing campaigns that demonized animal fats.

• Skyrocketing omega-6 intake — By 2023 to 2024, global vegetable oil consumption exceeded 200 million metric tons, more than an eightfold increase since 1961.2,3 In the U.S., soybean oil is the top choice, accounting for over 12 million metric tons of edible oil consumption annually.4

• Distorted fat ratios — Historically, humans ate roughly equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fats (1:1). Modern diets shifted this ratio to 20:1, with linoleic acid (the main omega-6 in seed oils) now making up 25% of total daily calories in Western diets.5,6

• Chronic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction — Excess linoleic acid oxidizes easily, damaging cells and impairing mitochondrial function. This triggers chronic inflammation, a key driver of metabolic disorders like obesity, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes.7

• Stored in body fat — LA’s half-life in human tissue is around 600 to 680 days, meaning it can take years to lower your body’s linoleic acid levels even if you cut out seed oils today.8

For more insights on the risks of excess linoleic acid, check out “Linoleic Acid — The Most Destructive Ingredient in Your Diet.” To learn more about how agricultural shifts impact diet and health, read “What Are the Side Effects of Glyphosate?”

How Did Refined Sugars and Ultraprocessed Foods Hijack the Modern Diet?

Back in the day, sweet cravings were satisfied by whole, minimally processed foods like fruits and honey.9 Industrialization changed that, turning sugar into an everyday staple — and ultraprocessed foods into a multibillion-dollar industry.

• Surge in sugar consumption — In 1822, Americans consumed in five days the same amount of sugar found in a single 12-ounce soda today. Now, the average American ingests 34 teaspoons of sugar daily (over 100 pounds per year).10

• High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) domination — HFCS replaced sucrose (table sugar) in many products and now accounts for about 8% of daily calories in the U.S. diet, despite not being available for home use.11,12

• White flour vs. whole grains — Traditional grains were minimally processed and fermented or soaked to improve nutrient availability. Modern white flour, often treated with pesticides and fortified with synthetic iron, digests quickly, causing blood sugar spikes.

• Ultraprocessed foods and cravings — Nearly 60% of total U.S. calories come from ultraprocessed items formulated to be “hyper-palatable,” overriding natural fullness signals and promoting overconsumption.13

To understand why glucose is essential for your cells but can be harmful when consumed in excess, read “Glucose — The Ideal Fuel for Your Cells.”

What Environmental Toxins Are We Exposed to Today?

While our ancestors had minimal exposure to toxins, modern industry has unleashed tens of thousands of synthetic chemicals. These contaminants — from pesticides and plastics to pharmaceuticals — are nearly impossible to avoid.

• Pesticides — Over 1 billion pounds are sprayed yearly in the U.S.,14 a 50-fold increase since the 1950s.15 Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide, is detectable in 80% of human urine samples.16

• Microplastics — Found in human blood, lungs, liver, placenta, heart, brain, and even testicular tissue.17 On average, people ingest a credit card’s worth of plastic each week.18

• Hormone disruptors — Chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates interfere with estrogen and testosterone, contributing to declining sperm counts, earlier puberty and increased risk of hormone-related cancers.19

• Pharmaceuticals in water — Medications pass through wastewater treatment and end up in drinking water supplies. In some major U.S. cities, trace levels of antibiotics, mood stabilizers, and hormones were found in tap water.20

For a deeper dive into toxic exposures and how to minimize them, see “Cellular Health Revolution — Unveiling Hidden Threats and Empowering Solutions.”

Are EMFs a Hidden Threat to Our Health?
Wireless technology has brought us 5G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth — along with exponentially higher exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). While natural EMFs from the Earth are generally safe, artificial EMFs may pose risks.

• How EMFs affect the body — EMFs can activate voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), leading to the formation of peroxynitrite, a reactive free radical that damages cells, mitochondria, and DNA.21

• Neurological concerns — High densities of VGCCs in the brain mean the nervous system is especially vulnerable.22 Chronic EMF exposure may weaken the blood-brain barrier, allowing toxins to penetrate and spur neuroinflammation.23

• Sleep disruption — EMFs reduce melatonin production, leading to poor sleep quality and circadian rhythm imbalances.24,25

Research is still emerging, but if you’re experiencing unexplained headaches, fatigue, or sleep issues, consider reducing EMF exposure by switching off Wi-Fi at night and using wired connections whenever possible.

Is Modern Living Making Us Move Less?

Physical activity used to be part of everyday life — from manual labor to walking as a primary means of transportation. Fast-forward to today’s desk jobs, streaming services and food delivery apps, and you have a recipe for severe inactivity.

• Alarming stats — Only 24.2% of U.S. adults met both aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines in 2020.26 Among high schoolers, just 23.9% reported 60 minutes of daily activity.27

• Rising screen time — Millennials often sit for over 60 hours weekly, splitting time between work, commuting, and recreational screen use.28

• Cutting PE in schools — A mere 4% of elementary schools and 2% of high schools provide daily physical education year-round, and 22% have axed PE altogether.29

• Health implications — Physical inactivity is linked to obesity, heart disease, insulin resistance, and more. An estimated 5 million deaths globally each year are attributed to insufficient physical activity.30

If you want a simple place to start, doing short bursts of movement (like walking, bodyweight exercises or stretching) throughout the day reduces health risks linked to sitting.

Why Are We Sleeping Less Than Ever Before?

In 1910, the average American slept about nine hours each night.31 With the introduction of electric light, late-night TV, shift work and smartphones, many people now view sleep as optional.

• Sleep stats — Teens are especially affected; up to 84% of U.S. high school students fail to get eight hours of sleep, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2021 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey.32

• Blue light exposure — Devices like phones and tablets emit blue light that disrupts melatonin production. This affects sleep quality and overall circadian rhythm.33,34

• Overwork and stress — Cultural norms around “hustle” and productivity encourage burning the midnight oil.35 Coffee becomes a crutch, further disrupting natural sleep cycles.36

• Health consequences — Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to increased obesity, insulin resistance, mood disorders, weaker immune function, and even shortened lifespan.37,38,39

For tips on healthy sleep habits and circadian alignment, check out “Top 33 Tips to Optimize Your Sleep Routine.”

5 Ways to Reclaim the Quality of Health That Used To Be Normal

Our ancestors stayed healthy by default — unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods, consistent movement, minimal toxin exposure, and rhythms aligned with daylight and darkness. Modern conveniences have made life easier in some ways but have undermined our physiology in others.

1. Eat like your ancestors — Opt for whole foods, minimize seed oils and cut added sugar to restore a healthier omega-6 to omega-3 balance and stabilize blood sugar.

2. Move more, sit less — Incorporate short movement breaks, resistance training and outdoor activities to support cardiovascular and metabolic health.

3. Reduce toxins — Buy organic when possible, filter your water, avoid plastics and seek out toxin-free household products.

4. Limit EMF exposure — Turn off unnecessary wireless devices at night, use wired internet and keep phones away from your body.

5. Prioritize sleep — Stick to a regular bedtime, reduce screen time before bed and create a dark, cool sleeping environment.

The goal isn’t to abandon modern life but to leverage its benefits while keeping our bodies in sync with fundamental biological needs. By making small, consistent changes, you can nurture metabolic health, cellular energy and overall vitality.

Top FAQs About Modern Living and Declining Health

Q: Why did vegetable oils replace natural fats?
A: Seed oils gained popularity in the 20th century due to industrial mass production and marketing campaigns against animal fats. As a result, they’re cheaper to produce and easier to incorporate into processed foods, which led to a spike in omega-6 consumption and related health issues.

Q: How much sugar do we really eat nowadays?
A: The average American consumes about 34 teaspoons of sugar a day — over 100 pounds a year — far more than the minimal amounts typical in the 1800s. This skyrocketing intake plays a significant role in obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Q: Which toxins are most concerning in modern life?
A: Key offenders include pesticides like glyphosate, plastics (e.g., BPA, phthalates) and pharmaceutical residues in water. Many have hormone-disrupting effects and contribute to chronic diseases, from cancer to infertility.

Q: What can I do about EMF exposure?
A: Limiting or reducing exposure is best. Turn off Wi-Fi at night, use wired connections, keep phones away from your body and consider shielding devices if you’re especially sensitive. Research is ongoing, but many experts recommend a precautionary approach.

Q: Why is sleep so important, and how do I improve mine?
A: Sleep is essential for everything from hormone regulation to cognitive function. To improve sleep, maintain consistent bedtimes, reduce evening screen time (especially blue light) and optimize your sleep environment (cool, dark, and quiet).

Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered about those little marks on your skin? Maybe they’re freckles from your childhood, sunspots from sunny vacations or moles you’ve had forever. These spots are more than just part of your look — they’re clues to your health.

The good news? You can take charge of your wellness starting today. In this guide, you’ll learn what freckles, sunspots and moles really are, how to tell them apart and what to do if they signal trouble. Get ready to feel confident about your skin and empowered to keep it healthy.

What Do Your Skin Spots Look Like?

Your skin is like a scrapbook, full of stories from sunny days and family traits. To understand those stories, you need to know what each spot looks like. Let’s break it down so you can spot freckles, sunspots and moles with ease.

• Freckles — tiny paint splatters — Picture freckles as tiny paint splatters on your skin. They’re small, flat and usually light brown or tan. You’ll often see them in clusters on your face, arms or shoulders. These spots love the sun — they get darker in summer and fade in winter, especially if your skin is fair. Freckles are common and usually no big deal.1

It’s interesting to note that newborns are rarely born with freckles; they typically start appearing in early childhood after sun exposure. The tendency to develop freckles is strongly linked to the presence of a gene that affects the type of melanin produced by your body.2

• Sunspots — sun’s lasting marks — Sunspots are flat, brownish and can be as small as a pencil eraser or as big as a small coin. Look for them on sun-exposed areas like your hands, face or chest. Unlike freckles, they don’t fade with the seasons — they stick around all year.3

• Moles — little skin islands — Think of moles as little islands on your skin. They can be flat or raised, tan to dark brown, and sometimes even have hair growing from them. Moles can pop up anywhere — not just where the sun hits — and they’re usually permanent. Most are harmless, but it’s smart to keep an eye on them.

The number of moles a person has can vary greatly, with some individuals having only a few while others have many. Most moles develop during childhood and adolescence, but it’s also common to develop new moles in adulthood, particularly during periods of hormonal change like pregnancy.

The Root Causes — Why Do These Spots Appear?

Why does your skin decide to sprinkle itself with spots? It’s a mix of your genes and how much sun you’ve soaked up. Here are several reasons why freckles, sunspots, and moles show up.

• Freckles — a combination of genetics and sun — Freckles are like your skin dancing with the sun, guided by your family traits. If you’ve got fair skin and freckles run in your family, sunlight tells your skin to sprinkle extra color in tiny dots. It’s a natural occurrence — not a sign something’s wrong.

• Sunspots — oxidative damage from linoleic acid (LA) and iron — Unlike freckles, sunspots aren’t just about melanin buildup. They also contain lipofuscin, a brown pigment made from oxidized LA bound to excess iron. High levels of LA from vegetable oils, combined with elevated iron, create oxidative damage that builds up in sun-exposed skin over time. That’s why these spots become more visible with age.

• Moles — clusters of character — Moles are like little bursts of personality, shaped by your DNA and sometimes the sun. Some appear when you’re born, while others grow later as you age or catch some rays. They happen when pigment cells clump together instead of spreading out evenly.

Sunspots Are Signs of Oxidative Stress

Sunspots are more than just the result of sun exposure — they’re a visible sign of oxidative damage happening under the surface. What many people don’t realize is that sunspots, which are sometimes called liver spots, are largely made up of a substance called lipofuscin.

• Lipofuscin is often described as a type of “age pigment” — More accurately, it’s the accumulation of cellular waste formed when LA, a polyunsaturated fat found in vegetable oils, gets oxidized by excess iron in your body. In other words, lipofuscin is a byproduct of oxidative damage — and the brown spots you see are your skin’s way of showing it.

• High levels of iron act as a catalyst for this process — This is especially true when combined with a high intake of LA. The result? An overload of oxidative byproducts that collect in your skin, especially in sun-exposed areas. Over time, this creates the brown pigmentation we recognize as sunspots or liver spots.

• This process doesn’t just affect your appearance — It could also signal an increased risk of skin aging and even cancer. That’s why I recommend checking your iron levels with a simple blood test called a serum ferritin test.

Ideally, your ferritin should fall between 35 and 45 ng/mL. If it’s higher, regular blood donation — two to four times per year — is an effective, natural way to remove excess iron and reduce oxidative stress. You can also remove smaller amounts monthly if needed.

• Another helpful screening tool is a gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) test — This serves as a proxy for free iron levels and oxidative stress. Elevated GGT indicates an increased risk for cardiometabolic disease and even sudden cardiac death.

So, while sunspots seem like simple cosmetic issues, they’re actually telling you a deeper story about your internal health. Treat them as a signal to evaluate your diet and iron load.

When Should You Worry?

Most skin spots are just part of your unique look, but some hint at bigger issues. Knowing what to watch for is important to help you catch problems early. Here’s how to tell if your spots need extra attention.

• Freckles are usually safe — Freckles are usually harmless, but if one starts growing, changing color or looking unusual, take notice. It’s rare, but a changing freckle could mean something serious like skin cancer. Don’t panic — just get it checked out.

• Sunspots are caution signs — Sunspots look harmless, but they’re more than just souvenirs from sunny days. This buildup of cellular waste is a visible sign of deeper oxidative stress and damage to your skin. If they get bigger, darker or have uneven edges, they might signal skin cancer. Don’t brush off those changes — get them checked out by a dermatologist.

• Moles — Check the ABCDEs — Moles are often just beauty marks, but some hide risks like melanoma. Use this simple ABCDE checklist to stay on top of them.4 If a mole shows any of these signs, see a doctor right away. Early action is your best defense:

◦ Asymmetry — One side doesn’t match the other.
◦ Border — Edges are jagged or blurry.
◦ Color — Mixed colors or odd shades.
◦ Diameter — Bigger than a pencil eraser (about 6 millimeters).
◦ Evolving — It’s changing in size, shape or feel.

How to Monitor and Protect Your Skin

You’ve got the know-how — now it’s time to take control. Keeping your skin healthy is easier than you think with a few simple habits. Here’s how to stay on top of your spots and shield your skin.

• Do a monthly skin check — Grab a mirror and set a monthly date to look over your skin. Check your front, back and sides — use a hand mirror for spots like your scalp or back. Look for new spots and note any changes.

• Embrace the sun safely — Regular sun exposure is key for optimal health. However, it’s best to avoid direct sunlight during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) until you’ve cut back on LA-rich vegetable oils for at least six months. When LA accumulated in your skin interacts with the sun’s UV rays, it triggers inflammation and DNA damage.

• Know when to call a pro — If a spot starts growing, itching or changing colors, don’t wait. Make an appointment with a dermatologist. Spotting issues early keeps your skin in top shape.

Your skin’s story is yours to write. You now know how to spot freckles, sunspots and moles, why they pop up and when to get them checked. With a quick monthly scan and some sun-smart moves, you’re already building a foundation for healthier skin. Add in some skin-boosting tools, like healthy foods, methylene blue and niacinamide, and you’re on your way to a healthier you.

FAQs — Your Top Skin Spot Questions Answered

Q: What’s the difference between a freckle and a sunspot?
A: Freckles are small, light brown spots that darken in the sun and fade in winter. Sunspots are larger, darker and stay year-round. They often contain lipofuscin, a compound formed by the oxidation of LA and iron, which signals deeper oxidative damage in your skin.

Q: Can moles turn into cancer?
A: Yes, some moles can become melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Watch for asymmetry, unusual borders, odd colors, size over 6 millimeters or changes. Make it a habit to regularly examine your moles for any of these warning signs.

Q: How can I protect my skin from the sun?
A: Embrace the sun safely by avoiding peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) until you’ve cut back on vegetable oils, which contain LA, for six months. This helps reduce inflammation and DNA damage from UV rays, caused by LA accumulated in your skin.
Also, consider checking your serum ferritin levels to ensure your iron is in the optimal range (35 to 45 ng/mL). Reducing both LA and excess iron helps minimize oxidative stress and prevent sunspots and premature aging.

Q: When should I see a doctor about a skin spot?
A: If a spot grows, itches, bleeds or looks different from others, see a dermatologist. Quick action catches problems early. Don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment if you have any concerns about a skin spot.

Q: Are certain people more prone to developing these skin spots?
A: Yes, individuals with fair skin and a family history of freckles are more likely to develop them. Sunspots, on the other hand, are more common in those with high iron levels, elevated LA intake and cumulative sun exposure. The number of moles a person has is often genetically determined.

You’ve likely heard that sugar substitutes like erythritol are “healthy” sweetening alternatives, but research clearly shows otherwise. Emerging evidence shows that these ingredients compromise your cerebral vascular system, increasing your vulnerability to blood clots, stroke, and neurological damage.

Unfortunately, erythritol isn’t the only sugar alcohol implicated in serious health risks. Another similar sugar substitute, xylitol, has also been linked to increased cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes.

Erythritol Damages Your Brain’s Blood Vessels Directly

In a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers investigated what happens to your cardiovascular health when exposed to erythritol. Specifically, they used human brain microvascular endothelial cells, which line and protect your smallest brain blood vessels, to see if erythritol affected their ability to maintain a healthy blood-brain barrier.1

To perform the tests, the team exposed cultured endothelial cells to various concentrations of erythritol to mimic conditions similar to consuming erythritol-containing products. They found clear and consistent evidence of damage to these critical cells, even at low concentrations that match typical human consumption.

• Erythritol affects your brain blood vessels right away — After just a few hours of exposure, erythritol significantly weakened the cells’ protective functions and increased markers of oxidative stress, meaning the cells started becoming damaged.

• There was a substantial rise in reactive oxygen species (ROS) — These refer to unstable molecules that aggressively interact with and damage healthy cells and tissues. Normally, your body carefully manages ROS to prevent harm, but erythritol exposure has significantly disrupted this balance. Higher ROS levels directly translated to increased cell injury and inflammation, ultimately affecting your blood-brain barrier:2

“Uncontrolled increase in oxidative stress in cerebral endothelial cells can lead to disruption in the blood-brain barrier integrity, resulting in increased vascular permeability promoting tissue damage and death.”

• Erythritol affects endothelial cells’ nitric oxide (NO) balance — NO helps maintain vascular health by relaxing blood vessels and supporting proper blood flow. Yet, after erythritol treatment, the endothelial cells showed reduced production, coupled with increased markers indicating endothelial dysfunction — a condition that often precedes serious cardiovascular issues like strokes.

• Vascular blood flow is affected — According to the researchers, your endothelial cells release tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) to maintain vascular flow, and erythritol affects this important function:3

“In the present study, erythritol impaired t-PA release in response to thrombin, indicative of reduced endothelial fibrinolytic capacity. Moreover, impaired capacity of brain microvascular endothelial cells to release t-PA is also associated with weakened blood-brain barrier integrity. Thus, erythritol-induced impairment in t-PA release may extend beyond compromised thrombolytic potential and contribute to greater cerebrovascular dysfunction.”

Erythritol Makes Your Blood Sticky

In an analysis published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, researchers linked erythritol consumption to increased stickiness of your blood, drastically elevating your risk of forming harmful clots. Digging deeper into the methodology, the team aimed to measure how erythritol affects platelet function — the process responsible for your blood’s ability to clot — compared to regular sugar (glucose).4

Healthy participants were asked to drink a beverage containing either erythritol or glucose in separate sessions, allowing researchers to observe real-time effects on blood clotting. Immediately following consumption, their platelet activity was tracked through blood tests and specialized laboratory measurements.

• Platelet reactivity surged significantly within minutes — Erythritol made the platelets rapidly prone to clumping together. This accelerates clotting, setting the stage for serious health events such as strokes or heart attacks, especially in individuals already facing cardiovascular risks. In fact, the researchers noted that erythritol caused a ” >1000-fold increase in erythritol plasma concentration.”5

In laboratory tests designed to mimic clot formation in your blood vessels, clots not only formed faster but were also structurally more robust, increasing the likelihood of dangerous blockages occurring in crucial arteries supplying your heart or brain.

• Erythritol vs. glucose — Glucose did not trigger similar platelet activation or clotting changes. The stark contrast highlights that erythritol uniquely and acutely endangers your vascular health, whereas glucose remains safer to use in this context.

• Thrombin generation was accelerated — This enzyme essentially acts as a catalyst, rapidly converting fibrinogen — a soluble protein circulating in your blood — into fibrin, the insoluble threads that physically form the clot.

Increased thrombin generation means more rapid and intense clot formation, creating the dangerous possibility of vessel blockage and impaired blood flow to critical organs.

• Erythritol amplified the release of dense granules — These are tiny packets of substances that help platelets stick together and form stable clots. When erythritol exposure triggers platelets, these granules quickly discharge their contents, dramatically boosting platelet aggregation and clot robustness. This intensifies the clot formation process even further, magnifying the threat to your cardiovascular system and raising your risk of stroke or heart attack.

Another Alcohol Sugar Is Linked to Heart Problems

A study published in the European Heart Journal explored the cardiovascular risks associated with consuming xylitol, another popular sugar substitute that is categorized as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS).6 Researchers tested how regular consumption of xylitol affects blood clotting and cardiovascular health, specifically by assessing the sweetener’s impact on platelet activity and risk of forming blood clots.7

By comparing participants who regularly consumed xylitol-containing foods with those who did not, the researchers identified significant increases in cardiovascular risks among the xylitol users. Specifically, individuals consuming xylitol regularly showed markedly elevated platelet reactivity, meaning their blood became noticeably stickier similar to erythritol.

• There was a measurable rise in cardiovascular incidents — This includes heart attacks and strokes, among individuals with high xylitol consumption. According to the data, these health events correlated strongly with elevated levels of xylitol detected in participants’ blood. In other words, the more xylitol present in your bloodstream, the higher your chances of experiencing an adverse cardiovascular event.

• Even moderate, frequent consumption of xylitol significantly heightened platelet activity — Tests conducted on blood samples demonstrated that xylitol directly triggered an increase in platelet aggregation, ultimately forming clots. Moreover, the researchers emphasized that it happened to all participants:8

“[C]onsumption of a xylitol-sweetened drink markedly raised plasma levels and enhanced multiple functional measures of platelet responsiveness in all subjects.”

• The effects of xylitol linger — The study highlighted a troubling time-related finding — platelet activation occurred quickly after xylitol consumption and persisted for several hours. Participants who consumed even modest amounts of xylitol-containing foods experienced a rapid increase in platelet aggregation within minutes.

• Groups who are vulnerable to xylitol’s harmful effects — The researchers observed that individuals already predisposed to cardiovascular disease — such as those with insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, or hypertension — experienced the most pronounced increase in clotting risk after consuming xylitol. Simply put, if you’re already managing a heart-related condition, consuming xylitol will significantly raise your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

• Platelet activity also surges — When comparing xylitol’s effects on platelets with other sugar alcohols, the researchers found similar but distinct patterns. Like erythritol, xylitol increased clotting risks and even increased platelet activity to concerning levels:9

“[W]e found xylitol, like erythritol, is readily absorbed following oral ingestion by humans, with plasma levels increasing over 1000-fold in the post-prandial setting.”

• Xylitol causes changes in platelet calcium signaling pathways — Under normal conditions, calcium within platelets is tightly controlled. However, exposure to xylitol disrupted these delicate calcium balances, causing platelets to release chemicals rapidly that stimulate clumping and clot formation. This mechanism closely mirrors what researchers observed with erythritol, underscoring a shared risk profile among sugar alcohols.

Overall, these detailed findings offer strong evidence that xylitol — despite its innocent marketing as a healthier sugar alternative — poses genuine and significant cardiovascular dangers.

Avoid Artificial Sweeteners and Consume Real Carbohydrates

If you’re concerned about protecting yourself from blood clots, strokes, or heart disease, the first step is to address your diet by eliminating harmful sugar substitutes like erythritol and xylitol. As noted by the published research, these sweeteners make your blood dangerously sticky and damage the blood vessels that safeguard your brain and heart. To help you get started, here are my recommendations:

1. Cut artificial sweeteners completely — Stop consuming erythritol, xylitol, and other products that contain sugar alcohols right away. Even if they’re labeled “natural,” these sweeteners increase clotting risks and cause harmful inflammation in your blood vessels. Check labels carefully, especially in products marketed as “sugar-free,” and avoid items that contain these ingredients. In the same way, avoid products that use artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose.

2. Consider these other sugar substitutes — If you get cravings for sweet food, consider making them at home using healthy alternatives. I recommend natural stevia (the plant itself), as well as Luo Han Guo. Pure dextrose, if it’s derived from clean cane sugar, is a third alternative I recommend.

3. Choose natural carbohydrates instead — Your body thrives on real carbohydrates for energy. Fruit juices with pulp or whole fruits like oranges, apples, and berries are great choices. Root vegetables such as sweet potatoes also offer safe sources of carbohydrates that support your metabolic health without harmful additives.

Aim for 200 to 250 grams of healthy carbohydrates daily to maintain stable insulin levels and improve overall metabolic health. White rice and ripe bananas are also good dietary sources of carbohydrates.

4. Focus on healing your gut microbiome — Gut health is deeply connected to your overall health, including your cardiovascular system. And, as noted in previous articles, artificial sweeteners greatly affect your gut microbiome diversity.

A healthy gut helps maintain balanced inflammation and reduces your overall risk of clotting and cardiovascular problems. That said, I recommend you eat fermented foods regularly such as homemade yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi to reseed your gut with healthy bacteria.

5. Lower your exposure to omega-6 fatty acids — If you’ve been eating foods high in alcohol sugars, you’re likely eating other foods that contain linoleic acid (LA), which I believe is one of the most pernicious toxins in the Western food supply.

High intake of LA from vegetable oils (like sunflower, soybean, and canola oils) severely damages your blood vessels and increases inflammation and clotting risk. Choose traditional, safer fats like raw butter from grass fed cows, tallow, or ghee to cook your food at home.

In addition, LA exists in the many foods you eat — even meat. I recommend you maintain your LA intake below 5 grams per day to protect your health. If you can keep it below 2 grams per day, that’s even better. To help you track how much LA you’re eating, I recommend signing up for the Pax health platform. It will feature the Seed Oil Sleuth tool, which calculates your LA intake down to a tenth of a gram.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Alcohol Sugars

Q: What happens to my brain when I consume erythritol?
A: Erythritol damages the tiny blood vessels in your brain by weakening the blood-brain barrier. This allows harmful substances to leak into your brain tissue, triggering inflammation and increasing your risk of stroke and neurological damage. It also disrupts nitric oxide (NO) production, which is key for proper blood flow.

Q: How fast does erythritol affect my blood?
A: The effects are immediate. Within minutes of drinking something with erythritol, your blood becomes more sticky. This means your platelets — the cells that form clots — become highly reactive, making it easier for dangerous clots to form. These changes persist for hours, elevating your stroke and heart attack risk.

Q: Is glucose safer than erythritol or xylitol?
A: Yes. In the clinical studies, glucose did not trigger the same clotting or vascular damage that erythritol and xylitol did. In fact, researchers found that erythritol caused over a thousandfold spike in plasma levels after just one drink, something that did not happen with glucose. If you’re going to use glucose, make sure it comes from pure cane sugar.

Q: Does xylitol cause the same issues as erythritol?
A: Yes. Xylitol increases platelet activity just like erythritol and raises the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes. Research showed that even moderate use made blood stickier and that the clotting effects lingered for hours. People with insulin resistance, obesity, or high blood pressure are at even greater risk.

Q: What can I do to protect myself?
A: Cut sugar alcohol from your diet, especially products that have erythritol and xylitol. Instead, use real carbohydrates like whole fruits and root vegetables. Avoid vegetable oils as well, which worsen vascular inflammation, and aim for 200 to 250 grams of quality carbs daily.

Your abs do more than hold in your stomach. Every time your core contracts, whether you’re standing up from a chair, climbing stairs or steadying yourself on uneven ground, those muscles send mechanical waves traveling upward through your body and into your skull. Emerging research reveals that this physical connection between your abdomen and your brain shapes how well you think, remember and focus.

That has real implications for brain health. Cognitive decline continues to rise across all age groups, with memory lapses, poor focus, mental fatigue, and slower decision-making becoming common complaints even in younger adults. Executive function, meaning your ability to organize, focus, plan and regulate impulses, affects nearly every part of your daily life, yet the usual fixes like supplements, stimulants and productivity hacks tend to ignore the physical foundation underneath cognition.

What if mental sharpness is built from the core up, not the head down? Recent evidence points in exactly that direction, and the implications stretch far beyond fitness culture. Extreme intensity, exhausting workouts and rigid training programs aren’t required. Gentler movement often outperforms aggressive training when it comes to memory, focus and executive function.

Children, adolescents and individuals with attention challenges showed some of the strongest gains of all. This reframes movement itself. Exercise doesn’t simply increase blood flow or burn calories. Your body movement physically interacts with brain tissue, fluid circulation and nervous system signaling. The first study below reveals exactly how your abdomen and brain communicate mechanically every time you move.

Your Core Muscles Physically Push Brain Fluid

A study published in Nature Neuroscience used high-speed imaging to watch how the brain moved inside the skull during movement and rest.1 Researchers studied 24 mice and monitored their brain tissue, skull position, abdominal muscle activity and locomotion all at once. Instead of focusing only on blood flow or electrical brain signals, the researchers wanted to understand the actual physical forces acting on the brain during movement.

• The abdomen turned out to be the driving force — Scientists discovered that contractions in the abdominal muscles closely matched movement of the brain itself. Brain motion started slightly before locomotion began, which showed the movement didn’t come from footsteps or head motion alone. The abdominal muscles tightened first, pressure changed inside the body and the brain shifted almost immediately afterward.
During locomotion, the brain shifted mainly forward and sideways inside the skull. Researchers described this as “rostro-lateral” movement, meaning toward the front and side of the head. The skull itself stayed almost completely stable while the brain tissue moved relative to it. While the mechanism still needs to be fully confirmed in humans, the anatomy in mice is similar enough that researchers expect the same physical relationships to hold.
• Pressure changes inside the body affect your brain directly — Researchers found that movement sharply increased pressure inside the skull. Earlier studies cited in the paper showed intracranial pressure in mice rose from roughly 5 mm Hg at rest to more than 20 mm Hg during movement. That pressure shift matters because it physically changes how fluid moves through the brain.
• Your body contains a hydraulic-like connection to the brain — The researchers identified a network of veins linking the abdomen, spinal canal and brain. This system acts almost like a pressure-transfer tube. When abdominal muscles tighten, blood and pressure move upward through the spinal region and influence the brain mechanically.
Picture squeezing a water balloon from the bottom; the pressure travels upward and outward. Researchers found the abdomen-to-brain system works the same way. Tightening the abdomen increased pressure in the spinal canal and shifted cerebrospinal fluid upward.
Cerebrospinal fluid, often called CSF, surrounds and cushions your brain and spinal cord. It acts as your brain’s circulation and waste-removal system; when CSF stagnates, metabolic byproducts accumulate in tissue, which contributes to brain fog, fatigue, and longer-term cognitive decline.
• Movement appears to help push waste-related fluid out of the brain while awake — Researchers used computer simulations to study how this motion changed fluid flow. The models showed that movement pushed fluid out of brain tissue and into surrounding spaces around the brain. This differs from sleep-related flow, where fluid moves deeper into brain tissue for cleanup and repair.

Movement Keeps Your Brain Mechanically Active

Long periods of sitting reduce abdominal activation, reduce full-body movement and reduce pressure shifts that stimulate circulation around the brain. Your body evolved around movement. Constant stillness changes the mechanical environment surrounding brain tissue.

The abdominal muscles involved in this study included the external oblique, internal oblique and transverse abdominal muscles. These muscles tighten before movement starts to stabilize the torso. Researchers showed that this stabilization process also sends mechanical force upward toward the brain.

• The findings connect movement to real-world brain performance — Every walk, squat, twist and posture adjustment activates abdominal muscles in some way. That means ordinary movement throughout the day continuously influences brain pressure, circulation and fluid movement. Even light movement creates physical stimulation inside the nervous system.
• Researchers found that respiration alone was not the main driver during wakefulness — Earlier theories focused heavily on breathing and heartbeat as the main causes of brain movement. This study found abdominal activation and locomotion had a much stronger relationship to brain motion in awake animals. Heartbeat-related pulsations were extremely small compared to the shifts caused by movement.
• Mechanical stimulation inside the brain affects more than fluid movement — The paper also discussed mechanosensitive channels, which are specialized structures in nerve cells and support cells that respond to physical force. This means movement itself influences signaling inside the brain through direct mechanical stimulation, not just chemistry or blood flow.
• The findings create a different way to think about exercise — Many people view movement only as calorie burning or cardiovascular training. This research shows your body movement physically interacts with your brain every second you move. Your abdomen, spine, blood vessels and nervous system work together as one connected mechanical system.

Short Workouts Build Faster Thinking

While the first study reveals how movement reaches your brain, a second reveals what that does across hundreds of thousands of real people. For the analysis, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers evaluated 133 systematic reviews covering 2,724 randomized controlled trials and 258,279 participants to determine how exercise affects cognition, memory and executive function across all age groups and health conditions.2
Instead of focusing on one exercise style or one disease, the review examined nearly every major category of movement, including aerobic exercise, resistance training, yoga, tai chi, dance and exergaming.

• The cognitive benefits appeared across nearly every population studied — Researchers found consistent improvements in general cognition, memory and executive function in children, adults, older adults and individuals with chronic diseases or neurological conditions.
Overall thinking ability showed noticeable improvement, while memory and mental skills like focus, planning, and decision-making also improved consistently after exercise. Researchers also found improvements in specific cognitive tests widely used to measure memory, attention and thinking speed.
• Children and adolescents experienced some of the strongest memory gains — Younger participants showed a far larger memory improvement than most adult groups. Researchers believe movement stimulates developing brain networks aggressively during childhood and adolescence.
That matters for attention span, academic performance and learning speed. If your child struggles with focus or mental fatigue, consistent movement creates measurable changes in brain performance rather than simply “burning off energy.”
• Individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed especially strong executive function improvements — Participants with ADHD produced an executive function improvement that was far higher than most other populations studied.
Researchers discussed how exercise improved task engagement, attention control and impulse regulation. The paper also highlighted working memory tasks such as digit span testing, which measures how well the brain temporarily stores and manipulates information.
• Shorter exercise programs often worked better than longer ones — Interventions lasting one to three months produced stronger cognitive improvements than programs lasting more than six months. Researchers discussed several explanations for this pattern:

◦ Better adherence
◦ Lower dropout rates
◦ More novelty
◦ Greater mental engagement
◦ Less psychological burnout

Shorter exercise programs often produced stronger real-world cognitive improvements, not because brief workouts are inherently superior, but because participants were more likely to stay consistent and avoid burnout. The findings suggest that sustainable movement habits matter more than extreme workout duration.
• The findings challenge the idea that harder exercise always produces better brain results — Low- and moderate-intensity exercise repeatedly performed well across cognitive categories. Tai chi, yoga and exergaming stood out because they combined movement with coordination, focus, and memorization. Exergaming refers to video games that require physical movement and fast reactions rather than sitting still with a controller.

Movement Challenges Your Brain in Real Time

Researchers repeatedly emphasized that exercises requiring coordination, sequencing and attention appeared especially effective. Tai chi requires memorizing movement patterns. Yoga demands body awareness and breath control. Exergaming forces quick decisions and visual processing. Your brain stays active during the workout instead of drifting mentally.

• The review found cognitive gains regardless of workout frequency or duration — Improvements didn’t depend heavily on exercising every day or performing extremely long sessions. Benefits appeared even with lower weekly exercise volumes. That removes some of the biggest mental barriers people face:

◦ “I don’t have enough time.”
◦ “I missed a few days.”
◦ “My workouts are too short.”

• Exercise physically reshapes brain function through several biological pathways — Researchers explained that movement increases neuroplasticity, which means your brain becomes more adaptable and efficient at forming new connections.
Exercise also increases cerebral blood flow, meaning more oxygen and nutrients reach active brain tissue. At the same time, movement improves neurotransmitter activity, the chemical signaling system your brain uses for focus, motivation and memory formation.
• Inflammation reduction played a major role in the findings — Chronic inflammation interferes with memory formation, mental clarity and energy production inside cells. The paper explained that exercise lowers systemic inflammation while improving communication between brain cells. This creates an environment where learning, memory storage and mental flexibility improve more efficiently.
• Researchers also discussed changes in brain structure itself — Neuroimaging studies referenced in the paper showed short-term exercise interventions changed gray matter volume, connectivity patterns and activation in regions involved in cognitive processing. Gray matter contains many of the brain’s nerve cell bodies and plays a major role in learning, decision-making and emotional regulation.
• The study reinforces that movement acts like brain training, not just physical training — Every session gives your nervous system a new challenge to solve:

◦ Balance
◦ Timing
◦ Spatial awareness
◦ Coordination
◦ Reaction speed

You don’t need extreme athletic performance to strengthen brain function. Consistent movement, mental engagement and short-term progression produced measurable improvements across huge populations. That creates a much lower barrier for someone starting from a place of fatigue, inactivity or cognitive burnout.

How to Build a Brain-Friendly Movement Routine

Your brain responds to movement all day long, not just during workouts. Core activation, circulation, coordination, and consistent physical activity all influence how well your brain processes information, clears waste and maintains focus. Many people attack brain fog and mental fatigue from the wrong direction.

They look for stimulants, supplements or productivity tricks while ignoring the physical inactivity, poor posture and metabolic stress that weaken brain function at its foundation. This isn’t about punishment-style exercise. It’s about restoring regular movement patterns that support brain circulation, abdominal activation and cellular energy production.

1. Train your core through full-body movement instead of isolated “ab workouts” — Your abdomen acts like a pressure-regulation system for your brain. Walking uphill, carrying groceries, split squats, sled pushes, crawling patterns and rotational movements all activate the deep abdominal muscles that support healthy brain mechanics. Endless crunches and situps don’t train your body the same way real movement does.
Pilates stands out because it strengthens deep stabilizing muscles while improving posture and breathing mechanics at the same time. Yoga adds controlled movement, flexibility and balance challenges that force your brain and body to coordinate together. Tai chi slows movement down enough that you become more aware of posture, weight shifting and body positioning.
Bodyweight training and calisthenics also work extremely well because they force your core to stabilize your body naturally during movement. Pushups, planks, side planks, bear crawls, mountain climbers, hanging knee raises, bird dogs, glute bridges and slow bodyweight squats all challenge the abdominal wall while training coordination and posture at the same time.
Even simple movements like getting up from the floor without using your hands activate stabilizing muscles that support spinal and brain mechanics. If you sit most of the day, start with simple movement: slow squats, stair climbing, standing during phone calls and short walks after meals. Your body responds best to consistency first.

2. Use manageable exercise programs that you can sustain consistently — The research found exercise programs lasting one to three months produced stronger cognitive improvements than programs lasting longer than six months. Shorter intervention periods often produced better results because people stayed more engaged, consistent and mentally invested in the routine.
Your brain responds strongly to repeated movement challenges that feel achievable instead of overwhelming. If your schedule already feels overloaded, stop thinking in terms of perfect hour-long workouts or complicated fitness plans that become exhausting after a few weeks.
A 10-minute brisk walk after lunch, 15 minutes of beginner Pilates or a short yoga flow before dinner still stimulates circulation, coordination, and cognitive function. A short calisthenics circuit using pushups, bodyweight squats, bear crawls, planks, mountain climbers and glute bridges challenges your core and nervous system without requiring gym equipment.
Even movement-based video games improved cognitive performance in the research because they forced quick reactions, visual processing, and physical coordination at the same time. Shorter sessions reduce mental resistance. The easier a routine feels to repeat, the more likely you are to maintain enough consistent movement to keep stimulating brain adaptation over time.

3. Add coordination and balance work to wake up your brain — Your brain benefits most when movement forces attention, sequencing and coordination. Simple repetitive exercise still helps, but mentally engaging movement stimulates more brain regions simultaneously. Dance workouts, martial arts drills, balance exercises, agility ladder work, animal-style crawling movements and yoga transitions force your nervous system to adapt continuously.
Even changing your walking route or learning a new bodyweight movement pattern gives your brain a stronger stimulus. If you’re older or mentally burned out, this style of movement builds confidence quickly because progress becomes noticeable in everyday life. You react faster. You feel steadier. You remember tasks more easily.

4. Support brain energy production with proper food and sunlight — Movement gives your brain the mechanical stimulation it needs, but that stimulation only pays off if your cells can produce enough energy to act on it — and the fats you eat directly shape how well your mitochondria work. Your brain requires carbohydrates, protein, minerals, and light exposure to maintain efficient energy production. Low-carb dieting, for instance, raises stress hormones and reduces metabolic resilience over time.
Focus on consuming healthy carbohydrates from whole fruit, root vegetables, and well-tolerated starches along with steady protein intake. Aim for about 0.8 grams per pound (or 1.76 grams per kilogram) of lean body mass, with one-third coming from collagen-rich sources like slow-cooked meats or bone broth. Avoid seed oils and ultraprocessed foods, which contain high levels of linoleic acid (LA) that interferes with mitochondrial energy production.
Daily sunlight exposure matters too. Morning light helps regulate circadian rhythms while midday sunlight supports nitric oxide production, mitochondrial function and cellular energy production. Avoid intense sun exposure from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until you’ve reduced seed oil intake for at least six months, since high LA levels increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun.

5. Break the cycle of prolonged sitting throughout the day — Your brain wasn’t built for stillness. Eight to 10 hours of sitting changes circulation, posture, abdominal activation and nervous system signaling. Even a daily workout doesn’t fully offset long stretches of inactivity. Treat movement as a running tally throughout the day, not a single workout to check off.
Spend more time standing, stretching, kneeling, walking and changing positions throughout the day. Floor sitting, mobility work and posture resets force your core muscles to stay engaged more often than remaining in a chair all day.
Those small movement changes accumulate quickly. Once your energy production improves, movement starts feeling rewarding instead of draining.

FAQs About Core Strength and Your Brain

Q: How does my core affect my brain?
A: Your core muscles do far more than stabilize your torso. Research showed that every time your abdominal muscles contract during movement, they create pressure changes that physically influence brain tissue and fluid circulation. These pressure shifts help move cerebrospinal fluid around your brain and stimulate brain activity through mechanical signaling. Simple movements like walking, climbing stairs and changing posture continuously activate this brain-body connection.

Q: What types of exercise improved memory and thinking the most?
A: The strongest cognitive improvements came from exercises that forced the brain to stay mentally engaged during movement. Tai chi, yoga, Pilates, dance, exergaming and calisthenics stand out because they combined coordination, balance, sequencing and focus. Pushups, planks, crawling drills, bodyweight squats and rotational movements also challenge the core while improving posture and nervous system coordination at the same time.

Q: Do I need intense workouts to improve brain function?
A: No. The research repeatedly showed that low- and moderate-intensity exercise improved cognition, memory and executive function across nearly every population studied. Shorter exercise programs often worked better than long, exhausting routines because people stayed more consistent and mentally engaged. Even short daily movement sessions produced measurable improvements in focus, reaction speed and mental clarity.

Q: Why does sitting too much affect mental sharpness?
A: Long periods of sitting reduce abdominal activation, circulation changes and full-body movement that normally stimulate the brain mechanically. Researchers found that inactivity changes the physical environment surrounding brain tissue. Over time, constant stillness reduces the movement-related stimulation that supports focus, memory and cognitive flexibility. Regular posture changes, walking and core activation throughout the day help counteract those effects.

Q: Which groups experienced the biggest brain benefits from exercise?
A: Children, adolescents and individuals with ADHD showed some of the strongest improvements in memory, focus and executive function. Researchers found that movement strongly stimulated developing and attention-related brain networks.
However, benefits appeared across nearly every age group and health condition studied, including older adults and individuals with chronic diseases. The findings showed that consistent movement improved brain performance even without elite athletic training.

Test Your Knowledge with Today’s Quiz!
Take today’s quiz to see how much you’ve learned from yesterday’s Mercola.com article.

Among the listed neurological conditions, which is the fastest rising?

Migraine
Epilepsy
Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is described as the fastest-growing neurological disorder, often developing silently for years before diagnosis. Learn more.
Tension headache

I am going to let you in on a little secret … the best cut of meat are the SHANKS. In fact, I am going to make a bold statement and say that SHANKS >STEAKS (when prepared properly). Not only are they less expensive than steaks, but you also get a more balanced amino acid intake.

You’ve probably heard about all the amazing health benefits of bone broth — improved gut health, better metabolism, enhanced skin and hair, stronger joints, and bones … the list goes on!

These benefits are due to the collagen found in broth, which is the tough connective tissue around joints and bones. When cooked down, it transforms into gelatin, making these beneficial nutrients easier for your body to absorb and utilize.

But did you know that shanks are also rich in those same collagen amino acids? Shanks are my favorite cut of meat. Not just because they taste great when properly prepared … but also because shanks have one of the highest gelatin-to-muscle meat ratios.

The most abundant amino acid in collagen, glycine, is considered ‘conditionally essential’ since our bodies can make it, but not at the levels we need to thrive.1 Plus, as we age our natural collagen production starts to decline and our need for collagen rises.2

As the most abundant protein in your body, collagen accounts for approximately 30% of your protein mass. It’s mostly found in connective tissues like skin, joints, bones, and teeth, and it provides structure, strength, and stability.

Regular consumption of collagen rich sources comes with a number of health benefits including improved skin, joint, gut, and bone health.3,4,5,6

There are also metabolic and energy production benefits with incorporating more collagen amino acids, as well! Glycine is extremely ‘pro-metabolic’ and helps support improving metabolic health by helping us reduce electron build ups — glycine helps you pull unburned fuel out of your cells, reducing reductive stress, improving the redox state of cells throughout the body.

I prefer to take a “food-first” approach to boost my collagen intake (instead of immediately resorting to supplements) — since you can access the most bioavailable form, along with supporting micronutrients (like B vitamins and zinc). Certain foods offer high amounts of this protein, and increasing your intake may be a better strategy than immediately resorting to supplements.

And collagen-rich cuts of meat such as shank provide a COLLAGEN BOOST to your diet. So whether you’re cooking beef shanks, lamb shanks, or pork shanks (aka pork hocks), you’re getting a rich, collagen-packed meal!

Check out my go-to braising method for all three types of shanks — beef, pork, and lamb — in this recipe video (or click the photo below). I also discuss a little more why I love shanks in the video!

> > > > > Click Here

You might have heard that fiber is good for your gut, and there is a straightforward reason for that advice: certain substances called short-chain fatty acids, or SCFAs. One SCFA in particular, butyrate, often appears in discussions about normal colon function and everyday energy metabolism in the cells that line your colon.
This article provides an overview of butyrate’s role in a balanced gut environment. It also describes how butyrate is made, ways to support its production, and practical points for anyone who wants to improve their digestive function.

What Is Butyrate?

Butyrate, also known as butyric acid, forms in your colon (the lower part of your intestinal tract) when certain bacteria ferment dietary fiber. This process yields several SCFAs, including acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which feed your gut microbes and play roles in everyday colon function. Researchers often place special emphasis on butyrate because it serves as a notable energy source for cells in your large intestine.1

• How butyrate is produced in the gut — When you eat fiber-rich foods, say an apple or a serving of legumes, the bulk of the fiber in these foods passes intact through the upper part of your digestive tract. Once it reaches your colon, certain microbes — such as Roseburia or Faecalibacterium — begin to ferment that fiber, thereby generating SCFAs.2

• Butyrate as a vital energy source for colon cells — Colon cells, known as colonocytes, rely on SCFAs for their day-to-day energy needs. Butyrate is a key fuel for these cells. Colonocytes convert the butyrate into an energy carrier called acetyl-CoA, which then enters the Krebs cycle in the mitochondria, resulting in the production of ATP — the energy currency that cells use for just about everything.

• The majority of colonocyte energy comes from butyrate — Research suggests that colonocytes derive anywhere from 70% to 80% of their energy needs from butyrate alone. When colonocytes have a consistent, reliable source of fuel, they’re better able to keep your gut functioning in a normal, efficient manner.

• Butyrate supports vital gut functions — Though there is variation across different populations and dietary patterns, researchers have noted that colonocytes often draw heavily from butyrate to support routine activities, such as fluid exchange with the bloodstream and the upkeep of the gut lining.

To learn more about the broader benefits of butyrate and its impact on overall health, read “Understanding Butyrate — The Key to Optimal Health and Well-Being.”

How Butyrate Supports Your Healthy Gut Barrier

Your intestines, especially the large intestine, have a barrier that helps regulate what passes from the digestive tract into the bloodstream. SCFAs influence molecules known as tight-junction proteins, which act as gatekeepers between cells in your intestinal lining.

• Butyrate strengthens intestinal tight-junction proteins — These proteins include zonula occludens (ZO-1), occludin, and claudins, all of which appear in discussions about typical gut barrier function. According to studies, butyrate promotes the normal expression of those proteins, reinforcing intestinal integrity.3

• Butyrate supports mucus production — Scientists have also looked at butyrate’s effect on the mucus layer that coats your colon. Colon cells that function in a normal way contribute to the production of mucus along the interior gut wall. This mucus eases the passage of waste and supports a balanced microbial environment.

• Oxygen reduction and anaerobic bacteria balance — As colonocytes metabolize butyrate, they also consume oxygen in the process, and this is a very good thing.

This process lowers the local oxygen levels in your colon, which in turn allows anaerobic bacteria — beneficial microbes that thrive in low-oxygen environments — to flourish. Some of these bacteria help produce even more SCFAs, creating a beneficial feedback loop that supports and balances your gut microbiome.

Learn more about butyrate’s role in your gut health and metabolism in “Butyrate — The Metabolic Powerhouse Fueling the Gut and Beyond.”

How Do Diet and Lifestyle Influence Butyrate Production?

Dietary fiber stands out as the most obvious step if you want to encourage SCFA production in your gut. By eating foods such as organic whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and other plant-based staples, you provide the fermentable substrates your gut microbes need.4

• Include a wide variety of fiber sources — Ideally, you want to include a wide variety of fiber sources, both soluble and insoluble, as different types of fiber are fermented to varying degrees. Over time, this variety ensures a broader range of benefits for your gut environment.

• Increase fiber intake gradually to prevent bloating — If you’re not used to a high-fiber diet, ramping up too quickly can lead to bloating or gas. A slow increase allows your gut environment to adapt gradually, helping you stay comfortable while you boost butyrate production. Hydration is also important. Without adequate fluids, a high-fiber diet results in constipation.

• Avoid diets high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) — Keep in mind that diets high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), especially those rich in linoleic acid, such as soybean and corn oil, have been shown to shift the microbial balance in ways that undermine SCFA production. So, you’ll want to avoid these fats as much as possible to promote a healthy gut environment.5

• Exercise supports microbial diversity — Aside from diet, physical exercise is also associated with a more diverse microbiome and has a positive impact on gut transit time (how quickly food moves through your digestive system).6

• Sleep and stress impact gut health — Sleep is another lifestyle factor that has an impact on gut health. Sleep deprivation and high stress disrupt your gut microbiome. Prioritizing adequate rest, aiming for seven to eight hours per night, and finding effective stress management techniques (like mindfulness, exercise, or hobbies) help maintain a stable internal environment that supports the growth of beneficial SCFA-producing bacteria.7

• Antibiotics affect microbial balance — Antibiotics also deserve attention since they kill off both harmful and beneficial bacteria.8 If you receive an antibiotic prescription, be sure to add some probiotic- or prebiotic-rich foods to help reseed your gut with healthy microbes. Foods such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi or sauerkraut contain microorganisms or compounds that support microbial diversity.

By making these mindful choices in your diet and lifestyle, you create a gut environment that supports butyrate production and enhances overall health.

Common Misconceptions About Butyrate

Butyrate is often misunderstood, with many misconceptions surrounding its role in gut health and how it is produced. Some of the most common myths about it include:

• Fiber supplements are not a substitute for whole foods — One common misconception about butyrate is that fiber supplements alone are sufficient. However, common sense will tell you that a single-type fiber supplement cannot mimic or replace the variety and richness of the fiber found in whole foods. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains also supply a variety of micronutrients and phytochemicals not found in dedicated fiber supplements.

• Not all fats harm gut health — Another myth claims that high-fat diets always disrupt gut health, but the picture is more nuanced. Not all fats are created equal. While certain processed fats, such as trans fats and large amounts of linoleic acid from vegetable oils, disturb your microbial balance, healthier fat sources — like grass fed butter, ghee, tallow and coconut oil — still belong in a gut-friendly diet. The key is moderation and balance.

• Protein does not automatically harm the gut — Some people claim a high-protein diet will automatically disrupt your gut health. It can, if your diet is extremely high in processed meats and lacking in fiber. But a balanced approach — pairing quality protein sources with plenty of vegetables and whole grains — supports a healthy microbial environment.

• Probiotics do not directly introduce butyrate — Another frequent misconception is that probiotics directly introduce butyrate into your gut. In truth, butyrate production is dependent on specific fiber-fermenting microbes. Some probiotic bacteria do not ferment fiber in a way that yields butyrate. That said, certain probiotic strains help create an environment in which beneficial, fiber-fermenting bacteria flourish.9,10

Clearing up these misconceptions allows you to make informed dietary and lifestyle choices that truly support butyrate production and overall gut health.

5 Practical Strategies for Increasing Butyrate Production

Some people see fiber as a chore, but there are many flavorful and delicious ways to raise your fiber intake.

1. Enjoy naturally fiber-rich foods — Fruits like berries or pears are fiber-rich and naturally sweet, and roasted vegetables with spices bring variety to your plate.

2. Avoid certain fibers if gut health is severely compromised — If your gut health is severely compromised, you might need to avoid certain types of fiber temporarily. Before you load up on fiber, your gut needs to be primed and ready.

3. Eliminate key gut disruptors — The first step is to eliminate key culprits damaging your gut, such as linoleic acid, excess estrogen, and EMFs, and to focus on restoration of your cellular energy production.

4. Start with low-fiber carbs to support healing — During the initial healing phase, you’ll need to consume carbs to fuel your cellular energy production, but you’ll want to choose carbs that are very low or even completely lacking in fiber at first so that your gut can heal and your microbial population can come into a better balance.

5. Gradually reintroduce fiber — As your gut begins to heal, you can slowly begin to add more fiber to feed your SCFA-producing bacteria.

For more on how to incorporate fiber into your diet and its role in gut health, as well as your genes and cancer risk, read “Study Links Fiber Consumption to Epigenetic Changes with Anticancer Effects.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Butyrate

Q: Can I just supplement with butyrate directly?
A: While butyrate supplements do exist, most people find it more cost-effective and sustainable to encourage their own gut bacteria to produce it by eating a fiber-rich diet. Always talk with a qualified health care professional if you’re considering supplements.

Q: Does cooking affect the fiber that produces butyrate?
A: Cooking can change certain aspects of fiber (such as its structure or solubility), but it typically won’t destroy it entirely. Light cooking can sometimes make vegetables easier to digest, so they might actually ferment more efficiently in some cases.

Q: Are there any signs I might be low in butyrate?
A: There’s no simple way to measure “personal butyrate levels” at home. However, if you frequently experience digestive discomfort or have a diet low in fiber, you’re probably not producing as much butyrate as you could. Focus on gradually increasing your fiber intake and talk to a professional if you have ongoing concerns.

Q: Is all fiber good for producing butyrate?
A: Different fibers can produce different amounts and ratios of SCFAs. However, a varied intake of fiber sources is generally recommended to support overall gut health and a balanced microbiome.

Parkinson’s disease is the fastest-growing neurological disorder in the world.1 Characterized by tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement, balance problems, and a long list of non-motor symptoms, it affects millions of people and often develops silently for years before a diagnosis is made.

By the time the condition becomes obvious enough to diagnose, researchers estimate that more than half of the brain’s dopamine-producing neurons have already been lost. That sobering reality has fueled an urgent search for warning signs that appear much earlier, ideally while there’s still something to protect.

For decades, that search focused almost entirely on the brain. But a growing body of evidence points somewhere unexpected: your gut. Long before the hallmark movement symptoms emerge, many people experience constipation, sleep disturbances, a fading sense of smell, mood changes, and other disruptions to the body’s automatic functions.

These early clues raise the possibility that the disease process begins far from the brain — or that the brain’s earliest changes ripple outward to the gut — and years before anyone notices a tremor. That raises a provocative question. If the gut begins to change long before Parkinson’s becomes clinically obvious, how deeply is it involved in the disease itself, and could those changes reveal who is at risk while there’s still time to act?

Your Gut Shows Warning Signs of Parkinson’s Years Before Symptoms Appear

A study published in Nature Medicine investigated whether changes in gut bacteria could identify people moving toward Parkinson’s disease before obvious symptoms appeared.2 Researchers analyzed stool samples and clinical data from 271 people with Parkinson’s disease, 43 people carrying high-risk GBA1 gene variants — the most common genetic risk factor for Parkinson’s — who had not developed Parkinson’s disease, and 150 healthy controls.
Their goal was to determine whether the gut contains clues that reveal who is progressing toward disease years before a diagnosis becomes possible.

• About one-quarter of the gut microbiome shifted toward a Parkinson’s-like state — Researchers discovered that roughly 25% of the gut microbiome in symptom-free GBA1 carriers existed in an intermediate state between healthy individuals and people with Parkinson’s disease.
The closer a person’s microbiome resembled the Parkinson’s pattern, the more early warning signs they tended to show. Rather than appearing suddenly, the microbiome seemed to move through stages, suggesting that Parkinson’s-related changes accumulate gradually over time.
• People with the strongest microbiome changes showed the most early symptoms — High-risk individuals whose gut bacteria most closely resembled those seen in Parkinson’s disease reported more subtle movement problems and non-motor symptoms associated with the earliest stages of disease.
These included autonomic dysfunction, which affects automatic body functions such as digestion, blood pressure regulation, and bladder control, along with other signs that often appear years before diagnosis. This finding is especially important because Parkinson’s disease is typically diagnosed only after extensive neurological damage has already occurred.
• Beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria declined as disease risk increased — Researchers observed reductions in important bacteria from the Roseburia and Faecalibacterium groups. These microbes produce butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) that serves as a primary fuel source for cells lining the colon and helps maintain the intestinal barrier.
When these bacteria decline, the gut loses some of its ability to regulate inflammation and maintain a healthy connection between the digestive system and the brain.
• Inflammation-associated and oral bacteria became more abundant — Several bacterial species increased as the microbiome shifted toward the Parkinson’s pattern, including Streptococcus mutans, Bifidobacterium dentium, and Lactobacillus paragasseri.
Researchers also found higher levels of Ruminococcus gnavus, a species frequently associated with inflammatory conditions. Some of these microbes normally reside in the mouth rather than the gut, suggesting that the microbial ecosystem becomes increasingly disrupted as disease progresses.
• The microbiome closely reflected disease severity and progression — Participants with the greatest microbiome disruption experienced worse constipation, more autonomic dysfunction, more depression, poorer cognitive function, and lower overall dietary quality scores than those whose microbiomes remained closer to normal. Researchers also determined that these microbial changes tracked with disease duration rather than Parkinson’s medications.
In other words, the microbiome appeared to evolve alongside the disease process itself. Individuals whose gut bacteria remained closest to the healthy pattern consistently showed better cognition, fewer digestive complaints, and a healthier overall clinical profile.

People with More Gut Problems Showed Stronger Signs of Immune Dysfunction

A study published in npj Parkinson’s Disease examined immune cells, blood metabolites, and fecal metabolites in people with Parkinson’s disease to better understand how gut dysfunction influences disease progression.3 The researchers discovered two distinct groups.

One group had relatively few constipation-related symptoms, while the other showed significantly more gastrointestinal dysfunction. Although both groups had Parkinson’s disease, their immune systems and gut-related biological markers looked very different, suggesting that not all Parkinson’s disease follows the same path.

• People with worse gut symptoms showed a stronger inflammatory signature — Participants with more gastrointestinal dysfunction had substantially higher levels of a type of immune cell associated with chronic inflammation. When levels remain elevated for long periods, inflammation becomes harder to control.
Researchers found that these inflammation-promoting immune cells were especially abundant in participants with more constipation and digestive dysfunction, suggesting that gut inflammation and immune activation are closely connected in Parkinson’s disease.
• Important protective gut compounds were lower in participants with constipation — Researchers found significantly lower levels of propionate in stool samples from participants with greater gastrointestinal dysfunction. Propionate is an SCFA produced when beneficial gut bacteria ferment carbohydrates.
It helps maintain immune balance, supports intestinal health, and promotes tolerance rather than excessive inflammation. Lower propionate levels have also been observed in inflammatory bowel disease and chronic constipation, strengthening the link between microbial disruption and digestive dysfunction.
• The microbiome appeared to shift away from healthy carbohydrate fermentation — At the same time propionate levels fell, researchers observed higher levels of formate in stool samples. This finding suggests that microbial metabolism had shifted away from fermenting carbohydrates and toward fermenting proteins.
That change is commonly seen in chronically constipated and dysbiotic guts. Dysbiosis simply means the balance of microorganisms in the digestive tract has become disrupted. Over time, this altered microbial activity creates a less favorable environment for both gut and immune health.
• Several immune cells appeared to migrate toward inflamed gut tissue — Participants with more digestive dysfunction had lower levels of specific gut-homing immune cells circulating in their blood. Researchers believe this reduction could indicate that these cells had moved into inflamed intestinal tissue instead.
They also found evidence of altered MAIT cells and T cells, specialized immune cells that help monitor the intestinal environment and respond to microbial activity. Together, these findings suggest that immune activity in the gut becomes increasingly abnormal as gastrointestinal symptoms worsen.
• A metabolic marker linked inflammation to immune dysfunction — One of the most intriguing findings involved succinate, a molecule produced during cellular energy metabolism. Researchers found that some participants had markedly elevated blood levels of succinate, and these individuals also displayed stronger pro-inflammatory immune responses.
Succinate tends to accumulate during chronic inflammatory stress and can reinforce inflammatory signaling in a self-perpetuating cycle. The study identified what researchers described as a metabolic-immune connection, suggesting that disruptions in energy metabolism, gut health, and immune function are all intertwined in Parkinson’s disease.

Researchers concluded that differences in immune activity, gut symptoms, and microbial metabolism may help explain why some people develop a more gut-centered form of Parkinson’s disease while others follow a different trajectory. The study provides evidence that gastrointestinal dysfunction is not simply a side effect of Parkinson’s disease. Instead, it appears deeply woven into the biological processes that shape how the disease develops and progresses.

The Parkinson’s Microbiome Lost Its Ability to Produce Protective Nutrients and Metabolites

A separate study published in npj Parkinson’s Disease combined data from 94 Parkinson’s patients and 73 controls in Japan with five additional datasets from the U.S., Germany, China, and Taiwan, creating one of the largest international analyses of the Parkinson’s microbiome to date.4 Despite major differences in diet, geography, and microbial composition between countries, the researchers found remarkably consistent patterns.
The most important changes were not simply which bacteria were present or absent, but what the microbiome had lost the ability to produce.

• The strongest microbial deficit involved two important B vitamins — Across all six datasets, genes involved in the production of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and biotin (vitamin B7) were among the most consistently reduced biological pathways in Parkinson’s disease. Riboflavin helps support mitochondrial function, energy production, antioxidant defenses, and healthy nervous system activity.
Biotin helps regulate inflammation and supports numerous metabolic processes throughout the body. The researchers found that reductions in these vitamin-producing pathways remained significant even after accounting for factors such as age, body weight, sex, and constipation.
• The microbiome became less capable of turning food into beneficial compounds — Researchers found widespread reductions in carbohydrate-active enzymes, often called CAZymes, which are specialized microbial tools that break down dietary fibers and other complex carbohydrates.
Five of six major CAZyme categories were significantly lower in Parkinson’s disease. In simple terms, the gut microbiome appeared less efficient at converting food into substances that support intestinal health. This finding suggests that Parkinson’s disease is associated not only with different bacteria but also with a loss of important microbial functions.
• Levels of several protective gut metabolites dropped sharply — When researchers directly measured stool samples, they found significant reductions in acetate, propionate, and butyrate, three SCFAs produced by beneficial gut bacteria. These compounds help nourish cells lining the intestine, regulate immune activity, and support communication between the gut and brain.
The study also found lower levels of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, a group of compounds known as polyamines. Polyamines help maintain intestinal barrier integrity, support cellular repair, and regulate inflammation. Together, these findings suggest that the Parkinson’s microbiome produces fewer of the compounds needed to keep the gut healthy and resilient.
• The loss of vitamins was closely linked to the loss of protective metabolites — Reductions in riboflavin- and biotin-producing genes closely tracked with reductions in SCFAs and polyamines. Researchers found positive correlations between these pathways across multiple analyses, suggesting that these changes are biologically connected rather than independent events.
Previous research cited by the authors showed that riboflavin helps support butyrate production and that low riboflavin status can reduce levels of beneficial microbial metabolites. The findings point to a cascading effect in which microbial dysfunction leads to nutrient deficits, which then reduce production of compounds that protect the intestinal environment.
• Researchers proposed a pathway linking gut dysfunction to Parkinson’s disease progression — Based on their findings and prior research, the researchers proposed that lower levels of SCFAs and polyamines weaken the protective mucus layer lining the intestine. A thinner mucus layer increases intestinal permeability, sometimes referred to as a “leaky gut,” allowing toxins and other harmful substances easier access to intestinal tissues.
The researchers suggest that this environment promotes abnormal accumulation of alpha-synuclein, the protein that forms the characteristic clumps found in Parkinson’s disease, while also increasing neuroinflammation. Their model places gut dysfunction near the beginning of the disease process and identifies microbial production of vitamin B2, vitamin B7, SCFAs, and polyamines as important factors in maintaining both gut and brain health.
• Researchers and clinicians are already translating these gut findings into practical strategies — In an article discussing the latest Parkinson’s research, Professor K. Ray Chaudhuri of University College London noted that people with Parkinson’s disease tend to have fewer beneficial bacteria such as Faecalibacterium, Prevotella, and Roseburia, while unhealthy dietary patterns are associated with microbiome changes linked to the disease.5
He also highlighted evidence connecting Mediterranean-style diets, flavonoid-rich foods, and probiotics with improved gut health and better symptom management. These observations reinforce a central theme emerging from the research: supporting the microbiome is not just about digestion; it is increasingly viewed as an important part of protecting brain health and slowing the processes associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Support Your Gut to Protect Your Brain

The research shows that people with the healthiest gut microbiomes consistently showed fewer Parkinson’s-related warning signs. While no single food or habit determines your future, your daily choices shape the bacterial ecosystem inside your digestive tract. To protect your brain health for the long term, start by improving the environment that beneficial gut bacteria need to thrive.

1. Feed beneficial bacteria with well-tolerated whole-food carbohydrates — Your gut bacteria depend on carbohydrates that reach the colon. If your digestion is healthy, focus on whole fruits, root vegetables, and other minimally processed carbohydrate sources. Aim for around 250 grams of healthy carbohydrates each day so your cells have enough fuel to produce energy efficiently.
If you have a damaged gut and struggle with fiber, start slowly with easier-to-digest foods like fruit and white rice, and gradually expand variety. As your gut heals, beneficial bacteria produce butyrate that strengthens your intestinal barrier, helps regulate inflammation, and supports communication between your gut and brain. The goal is to create an environment where these beneficial bacteria can thrive and help restore a healthier microbiome.
2. Increase the diversity of plant foods you eat — The studies found links between healthier dietary patterns and healthier microbiome profiles. Instead of eating the same few foods every week, challenge yourself to add more variety. Different plants feed different bacterial species.
Berries, citrus fruits, herbs, cooked vegetables, and seasonal produce all contribute unique compounds that help support a more resilient microbial ecosystem. You can also add fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi, which supply live bacteria and the compounds they produce — a gentle way to reintroduce microbial diversity alongside the fiber that feeds it.
3. Eliminate foods that disrupt gut health — One of the fastest ways to improve your microbiome is to stop feeding the bacteria you don’t want. Remove seed oils high in linoleic acid (LA), ultraprocessed foods, packaged snacks, fast food, and heavily processed convenience meals. These foods are low in the fibers beneficial bacteria depend on, contribute to inflammation, and undermine cellular energy production.
I also recommend avoiding nuts and seeds because of their high LA content. Replace industrial fats with tallow, ghee, or grass fed butter.
4. Support cellular energy production every day — Brain health depends on cellular energy. Prioritize regular movement, daily sunlight exposure, and adequate protein intake. Aim for about 0.8 grams of protein per pound (or 1.76 grams per kilogram) of lean body mass, with roughly one-third coming from collagen-rich sources.
Morning sunlight helps regulate circadian rhythms, supports mitochondrial function, and promotes the biological processes that keep both your gut and brain functioning properly.
5. Track early warning signs instead of waiting for major symptoms — Constipation, reduced sense of smell, mood changes, sleep disturbances, and changes in autonomic function often appear years before Parkinson’s disease receives a diagnosis. Treat these changes as valuable feedback rather than inconveniences. Think of them as dashboard lights.
The earlier you notice them, the more opportunity you have to improve the factors that influence gut health, metabolic health, and long-term brain function.

FAQs About Gut Health and Parkinson’s Disease

Q: How is gut health connected to Parkinson’s disease?
A: Research suggests that changes in the gut microbiome occur years before the hallmark movement symptoms of Parkinson’s disease appear. People whose gut bacteria most closely resembled the Parkinson’s pattern showed more early warning signs, including constipation, mood changes, autonomic dysfunction, and subtle movement difficulties. Scientists increasingly believe that gut dysfunction is involved in the disease process itself rather than simply being a side effect.

Q: Which gut bacteria are reduced in Parkinson’s disease?
A: Several beneficial bacteria consistently decline in Parkinson’s disease, including Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, and Prevotella. These microbes help produce SCFAs such as butyrate, which support the intestinal barrier, regulate inflammation, and promote healthy communication between your gut and brain. Lower levels of these bacteria are associated with worse symptoms and greater microbiome disruption.

Q: What nutrients and compounds does the Parkinson’s microbiome produce less of?
A: Studies found that the Parkinson’s microbiome produces lower amounts of riboflavin (vitamin B2), biotin (vitamin B7), SCFAs, and polyamines. These compounds support energy production, intestinal barrier function, immune regulation, and cellular repair. Researchers believe that losing these protective substances contributes to inflammation, intestinal permeability, and disease progression.

Q: What dietary pattern is associated with a healthier Parkinson’s-related microbiome?
A: Research highlighted healthier microbiome profiles among people who consumed more fruits, vegetables, and other minimally processed foods. Mediterranean-style eating patterns and flavonoid-rich foods such as berries, apples, and tea have also been associated with better gut health and improved symptom management. In contrast, diets high in ultraprocessed foods were linked to microbiome changes associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Q: What are some of the earliest warning signs of Parkinson’s disease?
A: Constipation is one of the most common early warning signs and often appears years before diagnosis. Other early symptoms include reduced sense of smell, sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, and problems involving your body’s automatic functions, such as blood pressure regulation and bladder control. These symptoms frequently emerge long before tremors or movement problems become noticeable.

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The adrenal glands, which sit above your kidneys, are responsible for producing stress hormones that help regulate metabolism, blood pressure, and your body’s stress response. But when these hormones become imbalanced, your energy tanks. You feel wired and tired at the same time, experiencing symptoms like fatigue, body aches, and nervousness.

Some would refer to this as “adrenal fatigue” — however, there are experts who say there’s no evidence backing up the existence of this condition. Let’s take a closer look to find out what truly causes adrenal fatigue — and how to ward off its symptoms.

What Is Adrenal Fatigue?

The adrenal glands are two triangular-shaped endocrine glands found on top of your kidneys. They are responsible for producing more than 50 hormones, including cortisol, adrenaline, and aldosterone. These adrenal hormones primarily regulate your physical and mental stress responses. They influence your metabolism, mood, immune function, and blood pressure. An article by LifeWorks Wellness Center explains:

“The adrenal glands help the body deal with any kind of stress — from emotional stress, to financial problems, to physical threats and relationship problems. They also play a major role in the body’s response to danger — the ‘fight or flight’ response which mobilizes the body’s resources to react to threat.”1

• Adrenal fatigue is said to occur when there’s too much stress — Excessive chronic stress “overstimulates” the adrenal glands, causing them to slow down. This could refer to physical, mental, or emotional stress. When the adrenal glands can no longer mount an adequate response, it’s referred to as adrenal fatigue.2

• What are the reported symptoms of adrenal fatigue? Tiredness or exhaustion is the primary symptom associated with this condition. Other symptoms vary, such as food cravings, difficulty recovering from sickness, foggy thinking, and having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning.3

• However, adrenal fatigue is not recognized as a legitimate medical condition — While the symptoms are all real, there is no solid scientific evidence to back up this theory.4 Dr. Raj Dasgupta, chief medical advisor for Garage Gym Reviews, explains:

“Adrenal fatigue is a term inappropriately used to explain feeling constantly tired, stressed, or burnt out. Adrenal fatigue is not a real medical diagnosis and multiple studies have shown that adrenal fatigue is not a medical condition. The adrenal glands don’t ‘wear out’ the way this theory suggests, and there is no scientific evidence to back it up.”5

A 2016 systematic review published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders that looked at 58 studies also found no evidence that adrenal impairment causes fatigue, dubbing this condition “a myth.”6

• There may be a different underlying cause for your symptoms — According to The Hearty Soul, “These symptoms could be caused by many other conditions. Instead of adrenal fatigue, other issues such as thyroid imbalances or iron deficiency could be the underlying cause of these symptoms. Lacking necessary nutrients in your diet may also contribute to persistent tiredness and related health concerns.”7

Don’t Confuse Adrenal Insufficiency with Adrenal Fatigue

One common assumption with adrenal fatigue is that it has something to do with having low cortisol (dubbed as “the stress hormone”). However, this is not an accurate term or concept.

• Cortisol testing does not accurately determine adrenal function — Cortisol is frequently checked through blood tests, but what’s being measured is your total cortisol, which includes both free and bound cortisol. Since most cortisol in your body is bound to proteins and inactive, “high cortisol” levels in blood tests may not be informative. Hence, while blood tests are able to assess many bodily systems, they do not provide a clear picture of adrenal function.

• Adrenal insufficiency is not the same as adrenal fatigue — Adrenal insufficiency is what’s called Addison’s disease. Unlike adrenal fatigue, this is a recognized medical condition that occurs when your body doesn’t make enough cortisol. Learn more about it in this article, “Comprehensive Treatment Options for Addison’s Disease.”

• Addison’s disease is rare but life-threatening — It requires proper treatment and management through hormone replacement therapy, and if not addressed can lead to shock, seizures, and even death. According to Georgi Dinkov, an expert on bioenergetic medicine, “If you have adrenal failure, unless you take cortisol shots you will die from hypoglycemia or Addison’s disease. So, it’s lethal.”

• Unlike adrenal fatigue, there’s a test that can accurately determine Addison’s disease — An adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) test is used to check for problems with your adrenal glands. This test only recognizes extreme underproduction or overproduction of hormone levels, and does not work to check if your adrenal glands are overwhelmed by stress.

‘Adrenal Fatigue’ Could Actually Be a Dysfunction in Your HPA Axis

The fact is that chronic stress alone cannot cause your adrenal glands to stop working. Rather, when adrenal function changes, what’s really going on has to do with the signaling or communication mechanism between your brain and your adrenal glands in response to this chronic stress — not with adrenal gland function alone.

• This signaling system is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis — This is your body’s primary stress response system, and is composed of the adrenal glands and the hypothalamus and pituitary glands in your brain. It works by facilitating the release of hormones into your glands to regulate stress responses. One study notes:8

“The HPA axis, the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and the immune system are not systems working apart from each other: they interact extensively in harmonizing the hormonal and inflammatory stress response.”

• Chronic stress keeps your HPA axis stuck in overdrive — The HPA axis is essential for regulating cortisol levels, and when you are stressed, your HPA axis is chronically activated, leading to elevated cortisol levels. When this happens consistently, even low-level but chronic stress will trigger fatigue, anxiety, inflammation, and binge-eating — symptoms commonly attributed to adrenal fatigue. According to an article in Harvard Health:

“Persistent epinephrine [adrenaline] surges can damage blood vessels and arteries, increasing blood pressure and raising risk of heart attacks or strokes. Elevated cortisol levels create physiological changes that help to replenish the body’s energy stores that are depleted during the stress response. But they inadvertently contribute to the buildup of fat tissue and to weight gain.

For example, cortisol increases appetite, so that people will want to eat more to obtain extra energy. It also increases storage of unused nutrients as fat.”9

• HPA dysfunction can be determined by a DUTCH test — Also known as the Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones, this is a comprehensive test conducted multiple times over a 24-hour period. It involves identifying your levels of free cortisol (the biologically active hormone), cortisone, and their metabolites to help determine HPA dysfunction.

Other Causes Associated with ‘Adrenal Fatigue’ Symptoms

If your energy levels are chronically deflated, and if you struggle with any of the symptoms mentioned above, it’s ideal to evaluate your lifestyle to see if there could be any other factors causing your symptoms.

• Fatigue usually arises from poor habits and mental struggles — The Hearty Soul notes that poor sleep, inadequate nutrition, and lack of exercise are common contributors to fatigue. Dealing with mental challenges like depression and anxiety also makes you feel sluggish and tired all the time.

• Some medical conditions could be responsible, too — Having underlying medical conditions like diabetes, anemia, or chronic infections could also lead to fatigue. Another common trigger is thyroid disorders.

• If your adrenals are overtaxed, your thyroid function will suffer — Dr. Jinaan Jawad, a specialist in chiropractic and functional medicine, describes your adrenals as the “battery backup” for your thyroid. These two systems are connected, and dysfunction in one often affects the other. For example, if you have low thyroid function and your adrenals aren’t producing enough cortisol, it could worsen your symptoms.

And since both are involved in metabolism, dysfunction in either your thyroid or adrenals also produces very similar symptoms, such as fatigue, memory impairment, and low mood.

Does Caffeine Trigger Adrenal Fatigue?

One common root cause that’s being associated with adrenal fatigue is caffeine intake, which is why many who believe they suffer from adrenal fatigue become cautious about drinking coffee to avoid “overstressing” their adrenal glands. However, the mechanism by which caffeine affects the adrenals is different than what you think.

• Caffeine alone doesn’t cause adrenal fatigue in the way most people assume — It’s not that your adrenals suddenly give up after too many espressos — it’s that excessive caffeine combined with stress, poor sleep, and other lifestyle pressures pushes your body into a state that feels like adrenal burnout.

• Caffeine works by blocking important receptors in your brain — These include adenosine and benzodiazepine,10 which are involved with hormone and mood regulation. Adenosine, for example, is a chemical that tells your body it’s time to slow down.

When caffeine blocks adenosine, you stay alert longer — but that alertness is artificial. The brain misinterprets this as a stress signal and triggers your adrenal glands to pump out stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. That’s why after a strong coffee, you feel wired — not just awake. You’ve turned on your internal stress switch.

• The more often this happens, the more your system stays in survival mode — Cortisol and adrenaline stay elevated longer than they’re supposed to, and your body never gets to recover. Over time, this creates the feeling associated with adrenal fatigue — tired but wired, moody, depleted, and relying on stimulants just to feel functional.

• Caffeine is just one of the adrenal stimulators — Jawad names coffee and other caffeine-containing beverages like soda and energy drinks as common stimulators, but they aren’t the only ones. Nicotine, refined sugars, seed oils, and any foods you have an allergy to or are sensitive to may have similar effects.11

5 Natural Herbs to Support Your Adrenal Health

If chronic stress is taxing your body, I recommend incorporating adaptogenic herbs into your lifestyle to help your body become more resilient to stress. These herbs work via hormone regulation and immune function support:

1. Ashwagandha — It helps your body adapt to stress by balancing your immune system, metabolism, and hormonal systems. The root contains the highest concentration of active ingredients that modulate hormones, including thyroid hormone, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

2. Rhodiola — This herb has been shown to be particularly beneficial for your nervous system. It has antidepressant and antianxiety benefits, and may help reduce symptoms of burnout associated with work stress. Its energy and vitality-boosting effects can have clear benefits for those struggling with chronic fatigue. As an added boon, it tends to be fast-acting.

3. Asian (Panax) ginseng — Like ashwagandha, Asian ginseng impacts thyroid hormones. More specifically, it contains properties that block production of excessive amounts of rT3. A study looking at the impact of ginseng injections found it produced healthy increases of T3 and T4 and a reduction in rT3.12

4. Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) — Its active components are called eleutherosides, which are thought to stimulate your immune system. Like Asian ginseng, Siberian ginseng is an adaptogen that’s traditionally been used to increase energy, stimulate the immune system, and increase longevity.

It also has mild antidepressive effects and is useful for insomnia, behavioral and memory problems, and has been shown to improve exercise endurance by improving oxygen utilization in your body.

5. Tulsi — Highly revered in India for over 5,000 years, tulsi, also known as holy basil, has been valued for its many health-promoting properties. This herb is said to purify the mind, body, and spirit, and has been cherished for its protective and uplifting nature. Learn more about its benefits in “Modern Studies Support the Benefits of This Ancient Herb.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Adrenal Fatigue

Q: Is adrenal fatigue a real medical condition?
A: No. Adrenal fatigue is not recognized by mainstream medicine as a legitimate diagnosis. While the symptoms are real — like chronic tiredness, poor stress tolerance, and brain fog — there’s no scientific evidence showing that the adrenal glands actually “burn out” from stress. Instead, the issue often lies in how your brain and adrenal glands communicate under long-term pressure.

Q: What causes the symptoms commonly linked to adrenal fatigue?
A: These symptoms are usually the result of chronic stress disrupting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, not the adrenal glands themselves failing. Other root causes may include thyroid dysfunction, iron deficiency, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, or underlying health conditions that drain your energy over time.

Q: How does caffeine affect your adrenal health?
A: Caffeine doesn’t destroy your adrenal glands, but it can push your stress system into overdrive — especially if you’re already burned out. It blocks adenosine, a chemical that signals your brain to rest, triggering more cortisol and adrenaline. Overuse keeps your body in a wired, high-alert state that mimics adrenal fatigue symptoms.

Q: What’s the difference between adrenal fatigue and adrenal insufficiency?
A: Adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease) is a serious, medically recognized condition where your adrenal glands don’t produce enough cortisol. It can be diagnosed with lab testing and requires hormone therapy. Adrenal fatigue, by contrast, is a term used to describe stress-related symptoms but lacks scientific backing and diagnostic criteria.

Q: What are practical ways to restore energy and support adrenal health?
A: Start by improving sleep, managing stress, eating nutrient-rich whole foods, and moderating caffeine. Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, and tulsi will help support hormone balance and stress resilience. Testing for thyroid, iron, and cortisol patterns with tools like the DUTCH test will offer deeper insight into what’s really draining your energy.

Did you know there’s a dense ecosystem made up of many different microbes thriving on top of your head? These organisms coexist and constantly interact with each other, creating a defense system against toxins that damage your scalp and hair.

However, when there’s an imbalance in this microbial community, inflammation, hair loss, and other disorders occur. In fact, some of the most frustrating scalp and hair conditions, like dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and even some forms of alopecia, are now being linked to this single, often-ignored problem. This is why it is important to restore balance in your scalp.

What Is the Scalp Microbiome?

Even though it’s usually neglected or given less attention compared to other areas of your body, the scalp plays a pivotal role in your health, as it determines the state of your hair.1 When the scalp is healthy, there’s little chance for diseases and irritation to occur.

• The state of your scalp depends on one important factor — Like your gut and skin, your scalp has a unique microbiome, which is a complex ecosystem of microbes that work to protect and support your scalp.2 This microbiome is composed of a diverse range of bacteria, yeast, fungi, and viruses that work together as a mini-ecosystem on your head to support hair growth, protect skin barrier integrity, and manage inflammatory response.

• The microbiome on your scalp is less diverse compared to other areas of your body — It is dominated by two bacterial species, namely Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis. But although other skin surfaces contain a bigger mix of organisms, this doesn’t make your scalp microbiome less efficient.3

• Your scalp microbiome creates a protective environment for your hair — The good and bad bacteria on your scalp defend against pathogenic organisms around your environment. According to an article in News-Medical.net:

“Commensal microorganisms like Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes secrete antimicrobial substances and interact with host immune pathways to suppress the growth of harmful species.”4

• When there’s an imbalance in your scalp microbiome (dysbiosis), scalp problems arise — The longer you ignore it, the more it damages your skin barrier, your hair follicles, and even your immune system’s ability to manage inflammation in the scalp. This is when symptoms like flaking, itching, and unexplained hair changes or hair loss arise.

Dysbiosis in your scalp microbiome also compromises the deeper layers of the scalp, including the follicular openings. To put it simply, your hair grows through little tunnels in your skin called follicles. But when the surrounding tissue becomes inflamed or infected, hair growth is weakened. Over time, this leads to reduced follicle activity and eventual hair thinning.

What Are the Factors That Ruin the Balance of Your Scalp Microbiome?

Researchers have long investigated the role of a healthy scalp microbiome and how it supports normal skin function. They’ve also looked at the factors that disrupt this microbial community, and according to their findings, certain factors, such as shifts in pH, excessive production of sebum (your scalp’s natural oil), moisture, and even climate exposure play a role in dysbiosis.5

• Excessive sebum production is a primary trigger — Unlike other areas of skin, the scalp has a dense concentration of oil-producing glands. These glands, called sebaceous glands, make it a magnet for oil-loving microbes, particularly a group of fungi known as Malassezia. Although Malassezia is a normal part of your scalp microbiome, too much of it leads to conditions like seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff.

• Your genes also play a major role in shaping your scalp’s microbial landscape — Aside from sebum production, your hair density and follicle structure create conditions that are either favorable or unfavorable for your scalp microbes. To give you a clearer idea, hair density affects how much moisture and heat are retained at the scalp surface.

When you have thicker hair, it creates a more humid environment that supports a wider range of microbes. Meanwhile, conditions like dandruff or psoriasis disrupt the skin barrier, allowing harmful microbes to overgrow and trigger chronic irritation.

• Check your hair care routine as well — Washing your hair too much or too little could affect your scalp’s microbial populations. Overwashing removes too much sebum and beneficial microbes, while infrequent showers trigger the growth of harmful bacteria.

• Your choice of shampoos and conditioners is also an essential factor — Using hair products that are “too strong” or heavily loaded with chemicals can be harsh on your scalp; not only will it eliminate good bacteria, but it will also strip off the skin’s protective layer and shift your scalp’s natural pH.

“The use of antimicrobial or antifungal products, while helpful in treating infections, can reduce microbial diversity and compromise the protective functions of commensal organisms. Natural products may help maintain a more balanced microbiome,” News-Medical.net notes.6

• Lifestyle factors also influence your scalp microbiome — These include your diet, stress levels, and hormonal fluctuations, for example. Frequent consumption of unhealthy fats and refined sugars feeds pro-inflammatory microbes, while probiotics help beneficial species to proliferate.

Stress weakens your immune system and causes alterations in your microbial communities. Meanwhile, hormonal shifts, such as during puberty or menopause, affect your sebum composition.7

The Link Between Dandruff and Scalp Dysbiosis

Research published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology explored the differences in scalp microbiomes between individuals with healthy scalps and those with dandruff. The study examined why some people experience chronic flaking and itching while others don’t.8

This analysis gave researchers a clearer view into how a disrupted scalp ecosystem leads to visible symptoms and, more importantly, what a healthy microbial community actually looks like.

• Healthy scalps have more microbial diversity and protective bacteria — The research team compared the bacterial and fungal compositions from scalp swabs of individuals who had visible dandruff with those who showed no symptoms at all. What they found was striking: healthy individuals had a more balanced and diverse range of microbial species, including a higher presence of protective bacteria that act as regulators.

• Dandruff-prone scalps had higher concentrations of irritating fungi — On the other hand, the scalps affected by dandruff showed a significant overrepresentation of Malassezia restricta and Malassezia globosa, which aggravate skin irritation and cause the scalp to shed more skin cells than normal.

• Lack of microbial diversity was a central issue — Instead of blaming oiliness alone, lack of diversity was a bigger issue — They found that bacterial species Staphylococcus epidermidis and Cutibacterium acnes were found in higher levels in healthy scalps, and researchers believe they help prevent fungal overgrowth by competing for space and nutrients.

• Restoring beneficial bacteria is more effective long-term — The rate of improvement wasn’t measured in this observational study, but the contrast between groups made one thing clear — restoring missing beneficial microbes is a more sustainable long-term solution than simply using antifungal shampoos. That’s because shampoos often kill everything — good and bad.

• Eliminating good microbes leads to symptom relapse and dependence on harsh treatments — Without the helpful bacteria to hold fungal populations in check, people experience frequent relapses of dandruff symptoms as soon as they stop using medicated products. This makes the idea of probiotic or microbiome-enhancing scalp treatments much more appealing and effective over time.

• Scalp lipids in dandruff-prone individuals were more prone to harmful oxidation — Another important discovery was the imbalance in the types of fats (lipids) being produced on the scalp. In dandruff-prone individuals, these fats were more readily oxidized and are more prone to becoming inflammatory.

This oxidation process releases byproducts that trigger your immune system, causing redness, itching, and the urge to scratch. In healthy scalps, the presence of microbial diversity appeared to slow this oxidation, creating a calmer environment with less inflammation.

• Microbial imbalance develops gradually, highlighting the need to implement preventive measures — Because these imbalances develop gradually, you might not notice anything until the problem is well-established. By the time flakes appear, your microbiome may already be significantly disrupted.

This stresses the need to prevent the imbalance by focusing on early habits, such as choosing microbiome-safe hair products and avoiding daily overwashing that strips the scalp of beneficial oil and bacteria.

• Improving microbial diversity is more effective than relying on antifungals — The data strongly supports the idea that those with persistent or recurring dandruff symptoms would likely benefit from strategies that improve microbial diversity, rather than relying solely on antifungal suppression.

In practical terms, that means switching to scalp care products that are less aggressive and more nourishing to good microbes — and possibly adding topical probiotics in the near future as these become more available.

How to Restore a Balanced Scalp Microbiome

If you’re dealing with persistent itching, flaking, or scalp irritation, the real problem isn’t just surface-level dryness or oiliness. The deeper issue is dysbiosis. To stop this cycle, you need to stop fighting the symptoms and start restoring your scalp’s natural defenses. Here are steps I recommend to bring your scalp health back on track:

1. Switch to microbiome-friendly hair products — Most commercial shampoos are designed to strip oil and microbes from your scalp. While these might give you a “clean feeling,” they actually eliminate the beneficial bacteria that help keep fungi like Malassezia in check.

Look for natural hair products labeled “microbiome-safe” or “pH-balanced” (ideally between 4.5 and 5.5). These formulas are gentle enough to preserve good microbes while cleansing away buildup. If you’re not sure where to start, choose fragrance-free or low-sulfate options as a base.

2. Evaluate your shower habits — If you’re washing your hair every day, you’re likely overdoing it. Daily washing strips away your natural oils, which feed beneficial bacteria and help regulate the scalp environment. For most people, two to three times a week is enough. If you have oily hair, try adjusting gradually.

3. Nourish your scalp with prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics — Just like your gut, your scalp thrives when it’s populated by the right microbes. According to News-Medical.net, “Recent studies suggest that probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics may modulate the scalp microbiome to support the management of conditions like dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, or hair loss.”9

4. Avoid overwashing and hot water — Hot water damages your scalp’s protective barrier and accelerates oil loss. It also increases inflammation in sensitive skin. Use lukewarm water instead, and always rinse thoroughly to prevent buildup. If you’re someone with a sensitive scalp or recurring dandruff, these small temperature changes make a big difference over time.

5. Feed your microbes from the inside out — What you eat affects what grows on your scalp. Diets high in processed sugar, refined carbs, or alcohol promote the growth of inflammatory microbes, while nutrient-dense whole foods support the good guys.

If you’re looking to boost scalp resilience, start adding foods rich in prebiotic fiber like onions, garlic, asparagus, and probiotic-rich fermented foods like sauerkraut or kefir. As for postbiotics, they are produced when your body digests prebiotics and probiotics — notable examples are short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, propionate, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).

If you’ve been stuck in a loop of scalp flare-ups and temporary relief, this is your way out. Focus on building up the good microbes, not just killing off the bad. Give your scalp what it needs to stay in balance, and your hair — and confidence — will follow.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Scalp Microbiome

Q: What is the scalp microbiome and why does it matter?
A: The scalp microbiome is a community of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes living on your scalp. It protects your hair follicles, regulates inflammation, and supports healthy hair growth. When it’s imbalanced, it can trigger conditions like dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and even hair thinning.

Q: How do I know if my scalp microbiome is imbalanced?
A: Common signs of dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) include flaking, itching, redness, increased oiliness or dryness, and unexplained hair changes or shedding. These symptoms mean the scalp’s protective microbes are out of balance, allowing harmful organisms to overgrow.

Q: What causes scalp dysbiosis?
A: Frequent overwashing, harsh shampoos, environmental stressors, high sebum production, and even your genetics can disrupt your scalp’s microbial balance. Poor diet and high stress levels also reduce the good bacteria that help maintain a healthy scalp.

Q: Is dandruff really caused by a microbial imbalance?
A: Yes. Research shows that dandruff-prone scalps have lower microbial diversity and higher levels of irritating fungi like Malassezia restricta and Malassezia globosa. Healthy scalps, by contrast, have more protective bacteria that keep these fungi in check.

Q: How can I restore balance to my scalp microbiome?
A: Use microbiome-friendly hair products, wash your hair less frequently, avoid hot water, and look for topical probiotics and postbiotics. You should also eat foods rich in fiber and fermented ingredients to support microbial health from the inside out.

Your body runs on B vitamins the way a car runs on fuel — without them, everything slows down, sputters, and eventually stalls. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins that linger in your tissues, B vitamins wash out quickly, which means you need to replace them daily to keep your cells working. They’re the quiet helpers behind energy production, nerve function, and even mood balance, and when you don’t get enough, the warning signs show up fast: fatigue, brain fog, irritability, and tingling in your hands or feet.

These nutrients are packed into everyday foods like grass fed beef, liver, mushrooms, spinach, and pastured eggs, yet even with a varied diet, modern habits often work against you. Alcohol drains thiamine, food processing strips away riboflavin and folate, and overcooking destroys delicate compounds your body depends on. Supplements help fill the gaps, but taking too much of one vitamin while ignoring the others creates its own problems.

Because these nutrients touch nearly every system in your body, from blood production to brain health, the consequences of deficiency are severe. That’s why scientists have spent decades studying how shortages lead to diseases and how balance — not excess — protects long-term health. With that foundation in mind, let’s look at what research uncovered about how B vitamins keep your energy systems running at full capacity.

Energy, Brain Health, and the Overlooked Power of B Vitamins

A paper published in The Permanente Journal examined all eight members of the B complex — thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folate (B9), and cobalamin (B12).1 These vitamins were shown to be essential for both breaking food down into usable energy and building key compounds inside cells. Because they’re water-soluble and not stored in your body, they should be replenished every day.

• Deficiencies were linked to specific and severe outcomes — Low levels of these vitamins trigger widespread dysfunction. Thiamine deficiency was tied to nerve and brain disorders such as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, characterized by confusion, poor coordination, and permanent memory loss.

Riboflavin deficiency caused skin problems, mouth sores, fatigue, and anemia. Niacin deficiency led to pellagra, known for the “three Ds” — dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia. Even moderate deficiencies slowed energy metabolism, leaving people with weakness, low concentration, and depression.

• Thiamine protects your nerves and muscles — Your body turns thiamine into an active form that’s needed to turn food into energy and to make a brain chemical that controls memory and muscle movement. Without it, you risk brain fog, memory loss, and muscle weakness. Heavy drinking makes this worse because alcohol blocks thiamine from being absorbed and used.

• Riboflavin helps other vitamins do their jobs — Riboflavin acts like a switch that activates other B vitamins, including niacin, folate, and B6. Without enough riboflavin, those vitamins lose their power too. It also defends your cells from damage during energy production. The review showed that adding riboflavin back into the diet reversed problems like fatigue and skin issues caused by deficiency.

• Niacin keeps your DNA and cholesterol in balance — Niacin comes from food or the amino acid tryptophan and helps make compounds that repair DNA and regulate fats in your blood. Without enough, people develop pellagra, marked by diarrhea, dementia, and skin rashes. But too much (over 3 grams a day) harms your liver and causes burning flushes. The safer form, nicotinamide, was shown to treat pellagra without those side effects.

• B6 supports your mood and blood health — In its active form, B6 helps make brain chemicals that regulate mood. Low B6 is tied to anemia, seizures in infants, and depression in adults. The paper also warned that common medications like anticonvulsants and the Parkinson’s disease drug levodopa block B6 activity, making deficiencies more likely if you take them.

Lack of B Vitamins Shuts Down Your Energy Supply

Missing B vitamins means your cells can’t properly run the citric acid cycle and electron transport chain — your body’s main ways of turning food into energy.2 Neurons, which are the hungriest cells in your body, are the first to fail. That explains why deficiencies often start with neurological problems like brain fog, nerve pain, or confusion.

• Replacing them early prevents lasting harm — The researchers stressed that symptoms such as fatigue, low mood, or nerve tingling can be reversed if you restore B vitamins quickly. In serious thiamine deficiency, they even recommended IV treatment before eating carbs to prevent brain damage. Riboflavin and niacin shortages were also shown to be correctable with diet or supplements.

• The takeaway is steady intake, not mega-doses — Most B vitamins are safe, but your body flushes out the extras. The problem isn’t usually taking too much in one day — it’s not getting enough every day. The focus should be on consistent daily intake from whole foods and modest, balanced supplements if necessary.

The Overlooked Risks of B Vitamin Imbalances

According to Tufts University, vitamin B deficiencies raise cancer concerns, while excess intake creates new risks.3 People who chronically consume too little folate face a significantly higher risk of colon cancer, with possible links to pancreatic and post-menopausal breast cancers as well. Joel Mason, senior scientist at Tufts, explained that folate acts like “a fertilizer for cell growth,” meaning that while normal levels protect your DNA, too much folic acid could accelerate the growth of precancerous cells into tumors.

The terms folate and folic acid are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same. Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate, or vitamin B9. While folate is found naturally in foods like leafy greens, folic acid is found in supplement form as well as in fortified foods, such as cereal and bread. Keep in mind that it’s extremely rare to get too much folate from foods, but it is possible to get too much folic acid from supplements and fortified foods.

• Certain groups were identified as more vulnerable — Older adults experience reduced absorption of vitamin B12 as part of the aging process, leaving them more prone to anemia, fatigue, and neurological decline. Vegans face steady risk because vitamin B12 is not found in plant foods, making supplementation or fortified options essential.

People who had undergone gastric bypass surgery were also flagged, as changes in their digestive system often caused deficiencies — especially of thiamine, leading to weakness, confusion, eye problems, or permanent nerve damage if untreated.

• Common medications interfered with absorption — Drugs that many people rely on daily, such as the diabetes medication metformin and acid-blockers like omeprazole, directly inhibited the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12. Over time, this meant higher chances of developing nerve issues, fatigue, and even irreversible neurological damage. Mason emphasized that long-term use of these drugs could quietly increase deficiency risk, even when diets seemed adequate.

• Toxicity from supplementation was highlighted with real-world cases — The article described how women in the 1980s who used very high doses of vitamin B6 (up to 200 milligrams (mg) daily) for perimenstrual pain developed permanent nerve damage, compared with the safe daily allowance of about 2 mg.

Similarly, high doses of niacin, sometimes prescribed for cholesterol, triggered severe flushing, rashes, and itching. These examples reinforced the warning that “more is not necessarily better in all instances.”

• The overall message pointed to moderation and steady intake — Adequate amounts of B vitamins are important for energy, mood, nerve health, and disease prevention, but pushing intake too far in either direction — too little or too much — creates harm. The guidance was simple: a well-rounded diet or a modest supplement is often enough to meet daily needs, while megadoses or overlapping supplements introduce unnecessary risks.

Everyday Habits That Drain Your B Vitamin Levels

A report from Victoria State Government’s Better Health Channel emphasized how fragile B vitamins really are.4 These nutrients are easily destroyed by alcohol, overcooking, and food processing. White flour and other refined foods lose the nutrient-rich outer layers where B vitamins naturally occur. In other words, the way your food is processed or prepared often strips away what your body desperately needs.

• Your body can’t store most of these vitamins for long — Unlike fat-soluble vitamins that linger in your liver and fat tissues, the B group (with the exception of B12 and folate) should be eaten consistently. The report warned that “a person who has a poor diet for a few months may end up with B-group vitamins deficiency.” That often translates into feeling run down, irritable, and weak in a surprisingly short window of time if your diet is lacking.

• Deficiency symptoms are serious and differ by vitamin — Thiamine shortage triggered beriberi, a disease that damages nerves, muscles, and the heart. Riboflavin deficiency showed up as cracked lips, sore throats, and skin disorders. Pyridoxine deficiency was linked to anemia, mood disturbances, and seizures in infants. Each vitamin deficiency expressed itself differently, but all carried a heavy toll on energy, mood, and physical function.

• Interactions between vitamins made balance key — The Better Health Channel highlighted how folate and B12 depend on each other to work properly. Overloading on one while neglecting the other causes cascading problems, including anemia and nerve injury. This means your strategy should not be to megadose a single B vitamin but to ensure consistent, balanced intake across the whole B family.

Simple Steps to Keep Your B Vitamins in Balance

If you want to protect your energy, brain function, and overall health, you need to think about how you’re replenishing B vitamins every single day. These nutrients don’t stay stored in your body, and if you’re not paying attention, a deficiency creeps up faster than you realize.

Fortunately, supporting your B vitamin status doesn’t require complicated strategies. With a few practical adjustments, you can make sure your cells have what they need to produce energy and keep your nervous system strong. Here are five straightforward steps to take:

1. Rely on whole foods first — I always recommend that you get your B vitamins from real food as much as possible. Grass fed beef, liver, pastured eggs, mushrooms, leafy greens, and asparagus give you a broad spectrum of B vitamins in their most usable forms. If you’re a plant-based eater, you need to pay special attention to vitamin B12 because it’s only found in animal foods — fortified foods or a balanced supplement help fill that gap.

2. Use a balanced B-complex supplement when needed — If your diet isn’t giving you enough variety, a high-quality B-complex is an easy safeguard. I recommend 50 mg of niacinamide (a safe form of vitamin B3) three to four times a day, spaced evenly, to keep your NAD⁺ levels steady. This supports energy production and protects your cells from stress.

3. Space your intake throughout the day — Because B vitamins are water-soluble and flush out of your body quickly, it makes sense to take them in small amounts at different times instead of one large dose. Think of it like sipping water instead of chugging a gallon all at once — it keeps your system balanced and consistently fueled.

4. Watch your cooking and alcohol habits — Long cooking times, boiling food, and excess alcohol use all destroy B vitamins before they even reach your bloodstream. If you’re serious about preserving these nutrients, cook vegetables lightly, avoid overcooking meats, and cut back on or eliminate alcohol. Even moderate drinking blocks thiamine and B12 absorption, which directly robs you of energy and brain health.

5. Keep your intake balanced — One of the biggest mistakes many people make is megadosing on a single B vitamin while ignoring the rest. For example, too much folic acid masks a B12 deficiency, which silently damages your nerves. Aim for variety: leafy greens for folate, grass fed beef for B12, bananas and potatoes for B6, mushrooms for B3, and pastured eggs for riboflavin. Balance is the key to getting the benefits without the risks.

FAQs About B Vitamins

Q: Why do I need B vitamins every day?
A: B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning your body doesn’t store most of them for long. You have to replenish them daily to keep your cells making energy, protecting your nerves, and supporting mood and brain health. Without them, symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and irritability show up quickly.

Q: What are the biggest risks if I’m deficient in B vitamins?
A: Deficiency leads to different problems depending on which vitamin is low. Thiamine deficiency causes nerve and brain damage, riboflavin shortage brings skin and mouth problems, and low niacin results in pellagra with diarrhea, dementia, and skin rashes. B6 and B12 deficiencies affect mood, blood health, and memory. In severe cases, these deficiencies cause permanent damage.

Q: Can I take too many B vitamins?
A: Yes. While your body flushes out small excess amounts, megadoses cause harm. High B6 intake has caused permanent nerve damage, and large amounts of niacin have triggered liver problems and painful flushing. Too much folic acid also masks a B12 deficiency, allowing silent nerve injury. Balance — not excess — is the safest approach.

Q: Who is most at risk for B vitamin deficiencies?
A: Older adults often absorb less B12 as they age, vegans lack natural B12 sources in their diet, and gastric bypass patients are prone to thiamine and other deficiencies. People taking common drugs like metformin or omeprazole also absorb less B12, raising the risk of fatigue, anemia, and nerve damage over time.

Q: What’s the best way to keep my B vitamin levels healthy?
A: Start with food: grass fed beef, liver, mushrooms, leafy greens, eggs, and asparagus are rich sources. If you’re vegan, add fortified foods or a supplement for B12. Take a balanced B-complex if your diet is lacking, and spread doses throughout the day. Avoid overcooking food and limit alcohol, which both destroy B vitamins. The goal is steady, balanced intake from whole foods and modest supplements if necessary.

Two people eat the same breakfast. In one, it’s fully processed and out within 14 hours. In the other, it sits inside the colon for over five days, fermenting, irritating the gut lining, and reshaping their metabolism. New research shows this difference may matter more than what they actually ate.

The speed at which food and waste travel through your digestive tract turns out to be one of the most overlooked drivers of your overall health. This single factor influences which bacteria thrive inside you, what byproducts they create, and how those byproducts affect everything from your colon lining to your blood sugar.

When waste lingers too long, your gut becomes a different ecosystem, one where the bacteria change what they eat, the helpful compounds they produce dwindle, and irritating byproducts accumulate against your colon wall. These changes ripple outward, affecting energy, metabolism, and even how your body stores fat. What makes this especially important is how much transit time varies from person to person, and how strongly your daily habits shape it.

Two people eating nearly identical diets can end up with very different gut environments simply because their digestive systems operate at different speeds. That growing recognition is why researchers now consider gut transit time a missing piece in understanding the microbiome, and the studies ahead reveal exactly how this hidden factor reshapes your health from the inside out.

Your Gut Bacteria Shift When Waste Sits Too Long

A review published in the journal Gut examined how whole gut transit time changes the makeup and behavior of the gut microbiome.1 Researchers analyzed evidence from population-wide studies and smaller clinical trials that measured how quickly food and waste moved through the digestive tract. The paper focused on the two-way relationship between gut bacteria and gut movement, showing that stool transit doesn’t just reflect gut health, it actively shapes it.

Researchers reported that the average whole gut transit time was about 28 hours, but the range between individuals was massive. Some people moved food through their digestive tract rapidly, while others retained waste much longer. The colon accounted for most of that delay. In some people, stool remained in parts of the colon for more than 80 to 130 hours.

• Slower transit changed what bacteria fed on inside the colon — Your gut bacteria have preferences. Given the choice, they ferment leftover carbohydrates first — the fibers and resistant starches that escape digestion higher up. But once those run out, hungry bacteria turn to their backup fuel: protein.
And not just protein from your food. They’ll also start breaking down the protective mucus layer of your gut lining itself. That shift matters because carbohydrate fermentation produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), while protein fermentation produces substances linked to gut irritation and poorer colon conditions.
• SCFAs dropped as stool stayed in the body longer — The paper explained that beneficial compounds such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate declined during slower transit. These compounds serve as fuel for colon cells and help maintain the environment that healthy gut bacteria require. When those compounds fall, the colon becomes less acidic and more favorable to bacteria associated with protein breakdown and constipation.
• Protein fermentation created a very different gut environment — Researchers linked prolonged transit with higher levels of branched-chain fatty acids, ammonia, phenols, and hydrogen sulfide. The gut shifted from a cleaner-burning fuel system toward one that produced more irritating waste products. Some of these compounds damaged gut barrier function in laboratory studies discussed in the paper.
• Daily habits directly influenced transit speed — The researchers highlighted several lifestyle factors tied to slower bowel movement patterns. High-fat dietary patterns repeatedly correlated with constipation and prolonged colonic transit. Lower physical activity and aging also slowed movement through the digestive tract. In contrast, certain fibers, hydration, and movement improved stool output and accelerated transit.
• Different fibers behaved very differently inside the gut — Wheat bran consistently shortened transit time and increased stool bulk, while psyllium produced mixed effects depending on water intake and other factors. Researchers also found that particle size mattered. Coarse wheat bran stimulated bowel movement more effectively than finely ground bran because it mechanically stimulated the intestinal lining more strongly.

How Your Daily Gut Signals Reveal What’s Happening Inside Your Colon
Several studies discussed in the review showed that higher fluid intake improved stool frequency in constipated individuals consuming higher-fiber diets.2 Researchers emphasized that fiber without adequate hydration failed to produce the same improvements in bowel movement patterns.

• The microbiome also controlled gut movement — Gut bacteria themselves produced compounds that altered intestinal motility. SCFAs, gases, and other microbial byproducts directly influenced how quickly food and waste moved through the digestive tract. This means your microbiome affects transit time while transit time simultaneously reshapes your microbiome.
• Simple stool clues gave insight into deeper gut changes — Researchers repeatedly connected firmer stools with slower transit, higher gut pH, and greater protein fermentation. Softer stools generally reflected faster movement and higher SCFA production. That turns stool consistency into a simple daily feedback tool. Instead of ignoring bowel habits, you can use them as a real-time signal about the environment inside your colon.
• The findings explained why microbiome research often produces conflicting results — The authors argued that many disease-related microbiome patterns become confusing because researchers fail to account for transit time differences between participants. Two people eating similar diets could still produce very different microbiome profiles simply because food and waste moved through their bodies at different speeds.

A Simple Blue Stool Test Revealed Hidden Metabolic Problems

A separate study published in Gut investigated whether a “blue dye” method could accurately track how quickly food moved through the digestive tract and whether that timing connected to broader markers of health.3 Researchers analyzed 863 healthy adults and asked participants to eat blue-colored muffins, then record how long it took for blue stool to appear. That time measurement gave researchers a direct estimate of whole gut transit time.

• The study linked slower transit with poorer metabolic health — Participants with prolonged transit times showed less favorable responses to food after eating, higher visceral fat levels, and distinct microbiome patterns. Visceral fat is the deep abdominal fat that wraps around your liver, pancreas, and intestines — fundamentally different from the fat you can pinch under your skin.
This is the metabolically dangerous kind, the type tied to insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and heart disease.
• Researchers discovered that transit time predicted gut function better than bowel frequency alone — Many people judge gut health based only on how often they use the bathroom. This study showed that stool frequency by itself missed important details. Transit time gave researchers far more information about microbiome activity and metabolic health than simply counting bowel movements.
Someone could still have daily bowel movements while waste remained inside the digestive tract much longer than expected. Some participants passed the blue dye in under 14 hours, while others required several days. The median transit time measured about 29 hours. Researchers classified anything slower than 58 hours as delayed transit.
• Shorter transit linked with healthier blood sugar and fat handling after meals — Researchers measured how participants responded metabolically after eating standardized meals. People with slower transit showed larger rises in blood triglycerides and blood sugar after meals.
Those spikes matter because repeated exaggerated blood sugar and fat responses strain metabolic health and increase Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) over time, which reflects worsening insulin resistance.
• The findings challenged the assumption that more microbial diversity always equals better gut health — The study found that slower transit often increased microbial diversity. On the surface, that sounds beneficial because higher diversity usually gets framed as a sign of a healthy microbiome. However, the researchers showed that delayed transit also aligned with less favorable metabolic outcomes and slower gut movement. That means diversity alone doesn’t tell the whole story.
• Researchers showed that delayed transit affects the entire body, not just digestion — Longer retention of waste inside the digestive tract corresponded with broader metabolic dysfunction. The paper tied transit time to cardiometabolic markers, meaning markers linked to heart disease, blood sugar control, and fat metabolism.
In practical terms, your bowel movement patterns reflect far more than comfort. They provide insight into how efficiently your body processes food and regulates energy.
Rather than treating bowel habits as an embarrassing side issue, the study showed that transit time connects directly to microbiome function, body fat distribution, and post-meal metabolic control. That shifts the conversation away from simply “going regularly” toward understanding how efficiently your digestive system actually works.

Speed Up Waste Removal and Restore Healthier Gut Rhythm

Your gut bacteria respond to the environment you create every day. When stool sits inside your colon too long, the balance shifts toward protein breakdown, higher gut irritation, and poorer metabolic function. Faster, healthier transit supports SCFA production, steadier energy, and better blood sugar control. Small daily habits compound quickly here. Your bowel patterns reflect your food choices, movement, hydration, and metabolic health in real time.

1. Use movement to stimulate natural gut contractions — Your colon depends on physical movement to keep waste moving forward. Long periods of sitting slow gut motility — the wave-like muscle contractions that push food through your intestines — and increase stool retention. A daily walk after meals improves circulation to your digestive tract and mechanically stimulates bowel movement patterns.
If you work at a desk, set a timer and stand up every 30 to 45 minutes. Even five minutes of movement changes gut activity. Brisk walking works extremely well because it combines abdominal motion, blood flow, and nervous system stimulation at the same time. Strength training also improves transit by improving insulin sensitivity and overall metabolic function. Better metabolic health consistently aligned with healthier transit patterns in the research.
2. Lower unhealthy fat intake to improve gut movement and reduce bacterial stress — The research repeatedly linked slower transit with high-fat dietary patterns. Excess fat slows stomach emptying and intestinal movement, which leaves food sitting longer inside your digestive tract. That extra time changes the environment inside your colon and favors bacteria associated with slower transit and protein fermentation.
The type of fat matters enormously. Seed oils rich in linoleic acid (LA), including soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, and safflower oils, create additional stress on your mitochondria and gut lining. Ultraprocessed foods loaded with these polyunsaturated fats also tend to contain emulsifiers, additives, and damaged oils that disrupt gut bacteria and worsen inflammation.
Restaurant foods, packaged snacks, fried foods, salad dressings, and many “healthy” processed products remain some of the largest hidden sources of these fats. Even foods marketed as high protein or organic often contain seed oils that slow metabolic function and burden your gut environment.
Instead, focus on whole-food meals built around easier-to-digest carbohydrates and healthier fats in moderation. Grass fed butter, ghee, and tallow are far more stable for cooking than seed oils. Once you lower the constant intake of inflammatory fats, your gut environment becomes more favorable for healthier transit and steadier energy production.
3. Rebuild fiber tolerance gradually instead of forcing high-fiber foods too early — Fiber becomes a problem when the wrong bacteria dominate your gut. If you deal with daily bloating, gas, stomach pain, or bathroom urgency, your body is reacting to a microbial imbalance inside your digestive tract. The issue is not that your gut is “broken.” Your internal terrain shifted in a way that favors harmful bacteria over the beneficial ones you need.
Butyrate is one of the most powerful healing compounds your body makes inside your colon. It fuels the cells that seal up your gut lining, calms immune overactivation, and reduces whole-body inflammation. But you can’t produce butyrate without specific microbes.
These important bacteria feed on fermentable fibers found in foods like cooked-and-cooled potatoes, green bananas, Jerusalem artichokes, lentils, and oats — but you should only consume fiber-rich foods once your gut is stable enough to handle fiber safely.
This creates the fiber paradox. Your gut ultimately needs fiber for long-term health, but if you push high-fiber foods too early, symptoms worsen fast. Foods like beans, lentils, oats, and raw greens ferment aggressively when harmful bacteria dominate the environment. That fermentation increases gas, pressure, and irritation inside the gut lining.
Early on, simplify your carbohydrates. Whole fruits and white rice provide steady cellular fuel without heavily feeding bacterial overgrowth. As symptoms improve, layer foods back in stages. Start with peeled potatoes or cooked squash, then move toward root vegetables and eventually more fibrous foods once your gut becomes stable enough to tolerate them.
The long-term goal is still dietary diversity and healthy fiber intake, but the timing matters enormously. Rushing this process usually sets people back.
4. Use stool consistency as a daily health scorecard — Your stool texture gives you direct feedback about your internal gut environment. Firmer stools usually reflect slower transit and greater protein fermentation. Softer, well-formed stools generally reflect faster movement and better SCFA production. Pay attention to trends instead of obsessing over a single day. Think of it like tracking sleep or workout recovery.
Over time, you start connecting your bowel patterns with meals, hydration, stress, and activity levels. One simple challenge works well here: spend seven days tracking meal timing, hydration, movement, and stool consistency together. Within a week, many people spot at least one clear connection — the late dinner that delays the next morning, the day of low water that produces harder stools, the stressful meeting that derails everything.
5. Use hydration to keep waste moving through your gut — Water intake directly affects stool texture and bowel movement speed. When your body lacks adequate fluid, the colon pulls more water out of stool, leaving it harder, drier, and more difficult to pass. That slows transit time and increases retention inside the colon. Let thirst guide you instead of obsessively forcing massive amounts of water. Your urine color gives useful feedback here.
Pale yellow urine generally reflects healthy hydration, while darker urine usually signals that your body needs more fluid. Hydration also works together with movement and food choices. Whole fruits, properly cooked carbohydrates, and mineral-rich foods help maintain fluid balance inside your digestive tract. Once hydration improves consistently, stool often softens naturally and bowel movement patterns become more regular.

FAQs About Stool Transit Time

Q: How long does food and waste normally stay in your body?
A: Research reviewed in the journal Gut found that average whole gut transit time sits around 28 to 29 hours, but the range between people is enormous.4 Some individuals move waste through their digestive tract in less than 14 hours, while others retain it for several days. The colon accounts for most of that delay, and prolonged transit changes the internal chemistry of your gut in ways that affect far more than digestion.

Q: Why does slow stool transit affect gut health so strongly?
A: When waste remains inside the colon too long, gut bacteria run out of easy-to-ferment carbohydrates and begin breaking down proteins instead. That shift lowers beneficial SCFAs like butyrate and increases irritating compounds such as ammonia, phenols, and hydrogen sulfide. Over time, that environment stresses the gut lining and supports bacteria associated with constipation and slower transit.

Q: Why do high-fiber foods sometimes make gut symptoms worse?
A: This is the fiber paradox. Your gut needs fiber long term, but if harmful bacteria dominate your digestive tract, high-fiber foods ferment too aggressively and worsen bloating, gas, pressure, and bathroom urgency. Early on, easier-to-digest foods like whole fruit and white rice help stabilize the gut environment without heavily feeding bacterial overgrowth. As symptoms improve, more complex fibers get layered back in gradually.

Q: What are the biggest lifestyle factors that slow gut transit?
A: The research consistently linked slower transit with high-fat dietary patterns, lower physical activity, poor hydration, and aging. Seed oils rich in LA and ultraprocessed foods create additional stress on gut bacteria and cellular energy production. Long periods of sitting also slow intestinal contractions and increase stool retention inside the colon.

Q: What’s the easiest way to monitor gut transit at home?
A: Your stool consistency gives valuable clues about your internal gut environment. Firmer stools usually reflect slower transit and greater protein fermentation, while softer, well-formed stools generally reflect faster movement and healthier SCFA production. Tracking stool texture alongside movement, hydration, and meals for even one week often reveals patterns that explain chronic digestive symptoms.

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