#547: Healthspan, Healthy Ageing & Chronic Disease – Best of 2024

Release Date: 12/23/2024

#565: How Zinc Insufficiency Impacts Inflammation, Immunity & Aging – Prof. Emily Ho

Sigma Nutrition Radio

Zinc is an essential micronutrient that often flies under the radar, despite being vital for hundreds of enzymes and transcription factors involved in immunity, antioxidant defense, and DNA repair. A surprisingly large segment of the population may not get enough – an estimated 10% of U.S. individuals consume less than half the recommended zinc intake, putting them at risk of deficiency. In this episode, Prof. Emily Ho discusses how even mild zinc insufficiency can impair immune function, promote chronic inflammation, and accelerate aspects of aging. She delves into the concept of...

#564: Is Protein’s Appetite-Suppressing Power Overstated?

Sigma Nutrition Radio

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the commonly held belief that protein is the most satiating macronutrient. It’s an idea that shows up frequently in both clinical guidance and popular nutrition discourse: if you want to feel fuller, eat more protein. But how robust is that claim when you drill into the details of the evidence? To explore this, Alan and Danny examine the complex interplay between protein intake, satiety, and energy intake. We look at both historical and recent literature, including work from Kevin Hall’s group, that raises important questions about how much of...

#563: The Financialization of the Food System – Prof. Martin Caraher

Sigma Nutrition Radio

Global food systems have been increasingly subjected to financial speculation, leading to adverse consequences for growers, consumers, and public health. But what are the systemic vulnerabilities that impact food security, equitable access to nutritious food, and the broader socio-political frameworks influencing these outcomes? Understanding the financial mechanisms shaping food production and distribution is highly relevant for health professionals, policy makers, and researchers concerned with nutrition, equity, and global health systems. This episode urges a critical re-evaluation of...

SNP40: Do Seed Oils Cause Inflammation & Chronic Disease?

Sigma Nutrition Radio

Seed oils have recently become a hotly debated topic in nutrition, fueled by sensational claims on social media. In this episode, the central theme is examining whether seed oils are truly harmful or if they’ve been unjustly demonized. The discussion tackles prevalent claims – that seed oils drive inflammation, oxidation, and chronic disease – and compares them against the current scientific evidence. This is highly relevant to nutrition science and clinical practice today, as many patients and practitioners are encountering conflicting information about vegetable oils. By exploring the...

#562: How to Detoxify Yourself – Quack Asylum Special

Sigma Nutrition Radio

In this Quack Asylum episode, Danny and Alan critically examine the claims surrounding “detoxification protocols” – specialized diets, cleanses, or supplements marketed to eliminate toxins from the body for better health. The central theme is whether these detox plans actually improve health outcomes or if they’re built on pseudoscience and fear. Many alternative health proponents argue that modern life exposes us to countless toxins that accumulate in our bodies, causing chronic diseases, and thus we must undergo periodic detox regimens to cleanse ourselves. There is genuine...

#561: Emulsifiers in the Modern Diet: Health Risk or Harmless Additive?

Sigma Nutrition Radio

Emulsifiers are a ubiquitous component of the modern food supply, found in everything from salad dressings and dairy products to pastries and sauces. Traditionally regarded as safe by regulatory agencies, emulsifiers play a vital role in enhancing the texture, stability, and shelf-life of countless processed foods. Yet, in recent years, emerging research has prompted a reevaluation of this assumption, raising intriguing questions about whether regular consumption of these additives might have previously overlooked health consequences. Recent epidemiological studies have suggested possible...

#560: Neurodiversity & Nutrition: Choline, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Beyond – Emma Derbyshire, PhD

Sigma Nutrition Radio

Nutrition is increasingly being considered as a modifiable factor that may influence neurodevelopmental outcomes. While severe deficiencies in certain nutrients are known to have dramatic effects, there is growing interest in the potential impact of more subtle insufficiencies — particularly during critical windows such as pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood. In conditions like ADHD, dyslexia, and autism spectrum condition (ASC), questions have been raised around whether specific nutrients may play a role in cognitive performance, attention, or learning. Could low choline intake be a...

Do Lipids Increase During Weight Loss? (SNP39)

Sigma Nutrition Radio

This is a segment from one of our Premium-exclusive AMA (ask me anything) episodes, where we answer questions submitted by Premium subscribers. To listen to the full episode, you’ll need to be a and access the episode on the private Premium feed. Questions Answered in This Episode [02:00] Why does the Mediterranean diet emphasize monounsaturated fats over polyunsaturated fats when the latter seem more beneficial for heart health? [08:48] What dietary patterns or foods best support strength and recovery in premenopausal women, especially on a plant-based diet? [20:33] Are...

#559: Skin Health & Nutrition – Thivi Maruthappu, PhD

Sigma Nutrition Radio

The intersection of nutrition, dermatology, and skin health is an area of growing interest, yet one that remains riddled with misinformation and oversimplified claims. The influence of dietary patterns, specific nutrients, and lifestyle factors on conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, and skin aging has been widely debated, with varying levels of evidence supporting different interventions. While some nutritional strategies may play a role in optimizing skin health, the challenge lies in distinguishing practical, evidence-based approaches from overstated or anecdotal claims. A...

#558: Rethinking Ultra-Processed Foods in the Modern Food System – Duane Mellor, PhD

Sigma Nutrition Radio

Discussions around ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their role in public health have gained significant traction in recent years. While some advocate for categorizing and regulating these foods due to their potential negative health effects, others argue that such classifications can oversimplify the issue and detract from more actionable dietary changes. In this episode, Dr. Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and researcher, joins us to explore the complexities of the UPF debate. Rather than dismissing the concept outright, Dr. Mellor emphasizes the importance of nuanced discussion,...

More Episodes

Healthspan, healthy ageing, and chronic disease are pivotal topics in today’s health discourse, emphasizing not just the length of life but the quality of those additional years. Focusing on healthspan means striving for a longer period of life free from disease and disability, which is increasingly important as global life expectancies rise. Healthy ageing involves adopting lifestyle habits that promote physical, mental, and social well-being throughout the lifespan, thereby reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Addressing chronic diseases risk requires a proactive approach centered on prevention and early intervention. By prioritizing healthspan and healthy ageing, individuals can significantly decrease the likelihood of developing chronic illnesses, leading to improved quality of life and reduced healthcare costs.

Sigma Nutrition Radio has consistently addressed these critical themes across many episodes. In this episode, we go back over some of the best episodes of 2024 in this area, including discussions on Alzheimer’s, cholesterol-lowering medications, impact of exercise, and the debate about red meat.

Timestamps

(03.12) Alzheimer’s: Genetic susceptibility vs. modifiable factors
(14.59) Heart disease: the “risk factor, disease, event” framework
(22.10) The strength of evidence we have for the impact of exercise on mortality and longevity
(28.23) Why high blood pressure is so problematic
(37.23) Where do we see risk for unprocessed red meat?
(48.34) The evolution over the years of dietary fat research
(53.20) Claims about the proposed risks of consuming seed oils
(56.16) How does fat quality impact heart disease risk?
(60.35) History of Portfolio Diet research for reducing LDL-C

Episodes referenced:

512: Alzheimer’s Disease – Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai
525: Cholesterol-Lowering Medication – Dr. Paddy Barrett
524: Strength & Fitness Levels for Reducing Chronic Disease Risk & Promoting Health Ageing – Jordan Feigenbaum, MD
527: How to Prevent & Treat Hypertension – Dr. Mohammed Alo, DO
528: Is Unprocessed Red Meat Problematic for Our Health?
532: Dietary Fat: Evidence vs. Misinformation – Alice Lichtenstein, DSc
515: Does Dietary Fat Quality Causally Affect Atherosclerosis Risk? – Jacob Christensen, PhD
507: Does a Higher Portfolio Diet Score Reduce Heart Disease? – Andrea Glenn, PhD

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Timestamps

Episodes referenced:

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