Sam Miller Science

Most of the conversation around nutrition in the fitness industry is really diet culture in disguise. There's a cookie-cutter template at the end of every book, a subscription waiting on the other side of every plan, and almost no one is actually teaching people how to think critically about the choices they make for their bodies. Inside today's featured replay interview on the Strong New York pod...

Most adults dealing with acne have been handed the same three pieces of advice for the last 20 years. Wash your face more, cut out greasy food, try this cream, and if none of that works, get sent to a dermatologist for topical retinoids, oral antibiotics, or Accutane. None of that touches the actual drivers of adult acne. Inside today's episode, I break down what the research actually says abo...

Inside today's featured replay interview, I get into the broader conversation on metabolic health and why I treat calories and hormones as inseparable rather than opposing camps, what a comprehensive lab panel should actually include, and how to think about the testosterone conversation without overreacting. I cover the role of leptin, ghrelin, and GLP-1 in appetite regulation, the homeostatic...

Most people are paying for grocery labels that aren't doing anything for them, and the FDA doesn't regulate half the words you're paying extra for at checkout. Inside today's episode, I walk through the food quality labels you see every week in the grocery store, which ones are tightly defined, which ones are basically marketing, and where the premium actually earns its keep depending on the categ...

The TRT advice circulating online right now is mostly targeted at one demographic, and it's being applied by people at completely different stages of life, with different goals, different health risks, and very different time horizons on medication. Inside today's featured replay interview, I get into testosterone replacement therapy, the test club industry that's popping up everywhere...

The anti-aging industry is a $59 billion business built on creams, serums, injections, IV drips, and stem cell tourism, and almost all of it is being sold from the outside in, as the actual aging is happening at the level of your DNA, your mitochondria, and the cellular pathways that decide whether your cells protect themselves or wear themselves down over time. Inside today's episode, I walk thro...

Fiber is one of the most universally recommended nutrients for gut health, and in most cases that recommendation comes from a good place with good intentions. But there are specific scenarios where more fiber adds insult to injury, and most of the standard advice doesn't account for them. Inside today's episode, I walk through three situations where increasing fiber can actually make sympt...

DHEA is one of the most misunderstood hormones in the coaching and health space, and most of the social media conversation around it either oversells the supplement or misses the underlying physiology entirely. Inside today's episode, I break down DHEA and DHEA sulfate, the difference between the two. *NOTE: in this episode I refer to PMOS as PCOS - to learn more about PMOS, check out episode...

Joint pain shows up for at least three completely different reasons, and the right response in each case looks completely different. Inside today's episode, I break down the three drivers of joint pain that show up the most in coaching practice and primary care offices, why treating all three the same way gets you right about a third of the time, and how to actually sort out which one you or y...

A dysregulated nervous system will stall body recomposition no matter how dialed the nutrition is or how consistent the training is. Inside today's episode, I dig into trauma as a physiological variable rather than a soft emotional topic, and why most coaching certifications skip this conversation entirely. I break down the autonomic nervous system and HPA axis interplay, the two nervous system pr...

Most people getting bloodwork are only seeing part of the picture. Inside today's episode, I walk through nine body systems and break down what I consider the good, better, and best lab markers for each one, so you can stop copy-pasting basic panels and start ordering tests that actually inform decisions around health, performance, and longevity. Labs are most useful when they connect to sympt...

Most IBS protocols start and end with food restriction, and most clients walk away frustrated when the elimination diet doesn't deliver the relief they were promised. Inside today's episode, I break down what the research actually says about the two biggest risk factors for IBS and general gut issues, why some studies rank one higher than the other, and how the gut-brain axis explains why...

There's more to mental health than pills, prescriptions, and counseling. In this episode, I dive deep into the often-overlooked connection between major depressive disorder and neuroinflammation. While many focus solely on serotonin as the "happiness chemical," I'll reveal how chronic inflammation can actually "steal" the raw materials your brain needs to produce it. We...

Is caffeine really the problem it's made out to be, or is it all in the dose and the timing? In this episode, I break down a major meta-analysis that reveals exactly how caffeine impacts our sleep architecture and what we can actually do about it. Most of us know to avoid coffee close to bedtime, but the lines get blurry when we talk about earlier cutoffs. Topics discussed: - Data on how caffeine...

Red light therapy. You've probably heard the buzz, but what if I told you this seemingly simple biohack is one of the most powerful tools for optimizing your health and performance? Discover how red light therapy can improve everything from exercise recovery and performance to skin health, hair regrowth, fertility, and men's health. Topics discussed: - Underrated biohack - History of red light the...

For years, PCOS has been a confusing and often misdiagnosed condition, with millions of women receiving a label that didn't quite fit. But now, a groundbreaking shift is happening: PCOS is being reclassified as PMOS, or Poly-Endocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome. In this episode, I'm diving deep into what this renaming truly means for your clients and why it's one of the biggest updates in women's...

For decades, women and their doctors have been wary of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), especially after menopause, largely due to fear-mongering surrounding breast cancer risk. But what if I told you that much of this fear is based on flawed data, misinterpretations, and sensationalized media reports? In this episode, I dive deep into the truth, myths, and misconceptions around HRT and breast c...

In this episode, I cut through the noise to bring you the nuanced truth about gluten, gluten-free diets, and what it truly means for your gut health. You'll discover why gluten isn't a problem for everyone, but can be a significant issue for many, even if you don't have celiac disease. Grab your seat for the Advanced Practice Nutrition Intensive! I'll explain the science behind gliadin, zonulin, a...

If you are looking to build muscle, most of the advice you hear focuses on pills, powders, or the newest exercise program. But if you want to optimize your physiology for true hypertrophy, you need to look under the hood. In this episode, we break down the 5 essential serum lab markers you must track to maximize muscle growth and recovery. We clear up the myths around testosterone for both men and...

For decades, we've been told to cut back on sodium to protect our hearts. But what if that advice is not just wrong, but actively harming your health and performance? In this episode, I expose the truth about sodium, blood pressure, and cardiovascular risk. We'll dive deep into the outdated science that created the sodium myth, revealing why blanket recommendations are dangerous for most healthy i...

If you have ever wondered why you are holding water despite doing everything right, this episode is for you. I dive into the complex physiological mechanisms behind water retention, moving beyond the simple vanity aspect to explore its real impact on health. By understanding these root causes, you can stop second-guessing your plan, avoid the "screw it" effect, and manage those normal fluctuations...

Feeling constantly drained, foggy, or just not quite right, even with a healthy diet? The invisible culprit might be chronic stress, silently stealing my body's vital micronutrients. In this episode, we uncover the profound and often-overlooked connection between stress, cortisol, and the essential vitamins and minerals your body desperately needs. I dive deep into how chronic stress directly depl...

As a health and fitness professional, I know the feeling of working harder than ever but still feeling stuck. I share my personal journey of wasting a decade before finding the right mentorship and offer a crucial checklist for identifying, vetting, and avoiding the wrong mentors. Discover the signs that indicate you're ready for a mentor, how to differentiate between a true guide and a mere cheer...

Have you ever wondered what it's truly like to work with Sam Miller and the team at Metabolism School? This episode offers a unique glimpse through the eyes of 11 coaches who have experienced the transformation firsthand while in FNMS. Moving beyond generic testimonials, we bring you a powerful mashup of insights from coaches like Brandon, Lamar, Sarah, Erin, Jackie, and Diana, among others. They...

In 2026, health coaches are encountering client presentations far more complex than traditional textbook cases. This episode delves into three critical issues shaping the modern health landscape: the widespread use of GLP-1 agonists, the intricacies of hormonal therapy (including HRT and oral contraceptives), and the growing infertility crisis. Topics discussed: - The evolving complexity of client...