Battling Addiction with Functional Genetics and Lab Testing with Dr. Sam Shay
Release Date: 04/30/2025
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info_outlineDr. Sam Shay is a functional medicine expert who has dedicated his career to understanding addiction, brain health, and personalized recovery strategies. He solves health puzzles for busy, health-conscious parents, entrepreneurs, and professionals, women, and adults on the spectrum so they can exit survival mode and reenter community by improving resilience, energy, and brain health through personalized, data-driven genetics and lab testing. He has an extensive academic and clinical background, including three bachelor's degrees, a Doctorate in Chiropractic, a Post Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture, and eight years as a functional neurologist with the Carrick Institute before switching full-time to virtual practice in functional medicine. He is certified with the Institute for Functional Medicine and studied with Dr. Kailash of the Kailash Institute for 4 years. He has studied nutrition for over 25 years and has an extensive background in mind-body medicine.
On this episode of Conversations for Health, Dr. Shay and I explore the neurobiology of addiction, the role of functional genetics, and how lab testing can provide deeper insights. We discuss Sam’s 5-phase model of addiction and the power of looking at this through a functional medicine lens. Our conversation is filled with valuable tips on clinical applications, testing, and treatment strategies for patients with any level of addiction.
I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.
Episode Resources:
Dr. Sam Shay - https://drsamshay.com/
Design for Health Resources:
Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/
Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/
Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library, which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.
https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education
The Designs for Health Podcast is produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro.
01:48 Dr. Sam Shay is lit up about his upcoming stand-up comedy performance.
02:55 Sam’s journey into health and comedy started with tragedy.
09:13 Defining addiction and the 9 official signs of addiction.
14:04 Bulletproof red flags in addiction of any kind.
15:16 Tame the BEAST framework and the 5 phases of addiction.
21:39 7 types of consequences that addicts experience.
28:20 The role of functional medicine in the second phase of addiction.
34:10 Dangers in the anesthesia phase of addiction.
36:01 Conceptualizing boredom, children, and screens within the model.
41:30 Examples of solutions and overcoming addiction from Sam’s practice.
46:04 The critical role of community in overcoming addiction.
48:00 Prioritizing genetic testing and SNPs in lab testing.
53:25 COMT genes, magnesium threonate, and inflammatory genes warnings and recommendations.
58:47 Dr. Shay’s top recommendation for patients in active addiction.
1:00:33 Dr. Shay’s favorite supplements, favorite health practices, and his evolved perspective on addiction.