Libsyn Directory

63. Charles Brenner: NAD, Energy, and Longevity: The Secret Nobody Told You About

Release Date: 05/20/2025

88. Ben Azadi: The $4.6 Trillion Healthcare Crisis and How to Reverse Metabolic Disease in 30 Days

Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

93% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy and don't even know it. In this episode of EXTEND, I sit down with Ben Azadi, metabolic health expert and New York Times bestselling author who transformed his life by losing 80 pounds after facing obesity, depression, and pre-diabetes at just 23 years old. We explore how one out of every four healthcare dollars is spent on diabetes and why your doctor probably isn't checking the one biomarker that could predict metabolic issues. We also dive into practical strategies for breaking free from the sugar-burning trap. Ben Azadi is a metabolic health...

87. Layne Kilpatrick: The Shocking Truth About Microplastics Destroying Young Men's Hormones

Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

What if I told you that an 18-year-old athlete had a testosterone level of 26 - when it should be near 1,000? In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Layne Kilpatrick, a pharmacist with over 30 years of experience who has been sounding the alarm about environmental toxins for years. We dive into the alarming decline in testosterone levels, how microplastics are literally everywhere, and why young, healthy men are showing up with fertility issues that would have been unthinkable decades ago. We also share actionable solutions to protect ourselves and our families. Layne Kilpatrick is a...

86. Tracey Stroup, ND: Why the Ozempic Craze Almost Ruined Peptide Therapy (And How Functional Medicine Got It Right)

Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

Did you know that functional practitioners have been using GLP-1 peptides safely for years—long before the Ozempic phenomenon hit mainstream medicine? In this episode of Extend, I talk with Dr. Tracey Stroup, a naturopathic doctor and peptide therapy expert, who reveals how the pharmaceutical industry's approach to semaglutide created unnecessary controversy. We dive into what peptides actually are, why your body might be deficient, and how the "dose everyone to the max and leave them there forever" approach completely missed the mark. We also discuss the functional medicine approach...

85. Cynthia Thurlow: What Your Doctor Isn't Telling You About Menopause and Metabolic Health

Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

What if the symptoms you've been told to "just deal with" during perimenopause could actually be addressed? In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Cynthia Thurlow, a nurse practitioner who left traditional cardiology to focus on women's health and metabolic medicine. We explore why the medical system has failed women during menopause, the critical biomarkers your doctor probably isn't checking, and how the misinterpretation of one major study has left generations of women suffering unnecessarily. We also discuss why LDL cholesterol might not be the villain it's made out to be and how...

84. Dr. Nick Norwitz: Why 'Evidence-Based' Medicine Fails Most People (And What to Do Instead)

Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

The top 10 grossing drugs only help 1 in 4 to 1 in 25 people who take them. Yet they're still considered "evidence-based" and prescribed to millions. In this episode of Extend, I talk with Dr. Nick Norwitz, who reveals why you can't rely on population averages to fix your individual health problems. We explore why the medical system isn't designed to figure out what makes you unique, why "calories in, calories out" fails as a biological model, and how to become your own health scientist using the N=1 approach. We also discuss practical strategies for experimenting with your own biology, from...

83. Dr. Joel Kahn: Why Most Cardiologists Are Missing the Real Causes of Heart Disease

Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

What if everything you've been told about preventing heart disease is only half the story? In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Dr. Joel Kahn, a pioneering preventive cardiologist who's spent decades challenging the traditional approach to cardiovascular medicine. We explore why the 1961 Framingham risk factors represent an incomplete picture of heart disease, and the hidden culprits damaging your blood vessels every day. We also dive into why a $100 calcium score should be as routine as a mammogram, how your cooking methods could be aging your arteries, and the surprising connection...

82. Dr. Amy Shah: The Real Reason Women Lose Strength in Perimenopause (And How to Get It Back)

Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

Why can't you open that jar anymore? Why does getting up from a chair feel harder than it used to? In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Dr. Amy Shah to explore the strength crisis happening to women in perimenopause. We dive into the simple tests that reveal where you're losing ground—and why most women are shocked by their results. We also share the exercise formula that actually works for perimenopausal women, honing in on the key fact that it has to be movement you enjoy, because sustainability beats intensity every time. Dr. Amy Shah is a double board-certified physician...

81. Dr. Zain Kassam: How Your Gut Bacteria Control Your Brain, Weight, and Longevity

Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

What if I told you there's an organ in your body with more cells than the Milky Way has stars—and most doctors barely think about it? In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Dr. Zain Kassam, a gastroenterologist turned microbiome researcher who's pioneering how we understand the trillions of organisms living in and on us. We dive into why your gut bacteria aren't just bystanders—they're actively producing molecules that affect your mood, metabolism, immune system, and even longevity. We also explore the gut-brain connection, why not all probiotics are created equal, and how the...

80. Dr. Nayan Patel: Your Cells Are Drowning (And One Molecule Can Save Them)

Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

Oxidative stress. Toxin overload. Immune dysfunction. These aren't separate problems—they're all symptoms of your body working overtime on one exhausting job. In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Dr. Nayan Patel, a pharmacist who's dedicated his career to understanding glutathione—the molecule your body produces more than any other. We break down the three proven ways glutathione protects you, why IV and oral supplements have been failing for decades, and the gene mutations that leave 20% of people unable to benefit from traditional glutathione therapy. Most importantly, we...

79. Dr. Scott Sherr: Hyperbaric Therapy: This is How Pressure + Oxygen Unlock Healing

Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

Low energy, brain fog, and poor recovery aren’t just part of getting older—they’re often signs that your cells are underperforming. And one major reason? They’re starved for oxygen. In this episode of Extend, I talk with Dr. Scott Sherr, a hyperbaric medicine specialist who helps patients and doctors worldwide use oxygen therapy to restore cellular health. We get into what hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) actually does—not just more oxygen, but how it shifts gene expression, activates stem cells, and supports mitochondrial repair. We also discuss who shouldn’t jump into HBOT too...

More Episodes

What if the reason you're tired, inflamed, or not recovering the way you used to has nothing to do with aging, and everything to do with your NAD system being under attack?

In this episode of Extend, I’m joined by Dr. Charles Brenner, the scientist who discovered nicotinamide riboside (NR) and one of the leading experts on NAD metabolism. We unpack why NAD is so critical for energy, repair, and resilience, and why simply “taking NAD” isn’t the solution most people think it is.

We also break down the key lifestyle factors quietly draining your NAD levels, the real difference between NMN, NR, niacin, and IV NAD, and why NR may be the safest and most effective way to support your body’s natural repair systems. Dr. Brenner also shares the science behind NAD’s role in inflammation, immunity, and recovery, and why placebo-controlled research is the missing piece in so many longevity conversations.

Dr. Charles Brenner is the Alfred E. Mann Family Foundation Chair in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism at City of Hope and a leading authority on NAD metabolism. His work bridges fundamental science with real-world application.

We Also Discuss:

Why NAD Is the Missing Link in Energy, Repair, and Longevity
The Truth About NAD Decline—and What’s Really Draining Your Levels
NR vs. NMN: The NAD Debate That Actually Matters
Is Oral NR Better Than IV NAD? Here’s What the Research Says
How NAD Impacts Inflammation, Immunity, and Recovery
The Gaps in NAD Science and Why They Matter

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Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: https://www.drshah.com/

Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darshanshahmd/

Learn more about Dr. Charles Brenner:

Website: brennerlab.net
Instagram: @charlesmbrenner

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