Mind & Matter

Send us Fan Mail Nick talks with Prof. Gary Lewin (Max Delbrück Center, Berlin) about naked mole-rats, which in lab tests survived 18 minutes in pure nitrogen by shutting down brain activity, keeping the heart beating, and switching to fructose for fuel. TOPICS DISCUSSED: • From Pain Research to Mole-Rats: The work began when the animals turned out not to feel the burn of capsaicin. • Ecology &amp...

Send us Fan Mail Nick talks with Prof. Lutz Schomburg about selenium biology in the endocrine system: selenoprotein P as the liver’s selenium transport protein and status biomarker, autoantibodies that can impair delivery despite normal blood selenium, thyroid autoimmunity (Hashimoto’s and Graves’), diabetes, aging, and what selenium supplementation trials show. TOPICS DISCUSSED: • Selenoprotein P...

Send us Fan Mail Controlled human feeding trials show added fructose raises liver fat, triglycerides, uric acid, and insulin resistance at real-world doses. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Glucose vs Fructose in the Liver : Glucose and fructose are handled by the liver in distinct ways. Natural Sugars vs Processed Sugars: Whole fruit is mostly water, fiber, and micronutrients at modest sugar density; cookies an...

Send us Fan Mail How genomics is used to study what makes a human brain, and how genetically damaged neurons get removed. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Scale & Size : A human brain is about three times a chimpanzee brain by mass, but the larger change is extra association cortex and extra upper-layer circuits that talk mostly to other cortex. When Development Ends : Most cortical neurons are born before b...

Send us Fan Mail The biology of endogenous cannabinoids & history of cannabinoid-based therapeutics TOPICS DISCUSSED: Anandamide vs 2-AG : The two major endocannabinoids with a shared arachidonic acid backbone but distinct head groups biological roles. On-demand production : Calcium-dependent enzymes release cannabinoids from membranes in response to neuronal activity patterns. Trafficking : F...

Send us Fan Mail Mitochondrial peptides act as stress signals that regulate metabolism, muscle mass, and neurodegeneration. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Mitochondria as Communication Hubs : Beyond ATP production, mitochondria encode peptides that regulate cell death, immunity, and inter-organ communication. Humanin Discovery : Identified independently by three labs; neuroprotective, longevity-linked, and cap...

Send us Fan Mail How the nervous and immune systems communicate, using peptides and other signals, to regulate pain, itch, and inflammation. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Nociception & Pathogens : Sensory neurons detect bacterial toxins within seconds, enabling rapid host-defense coordination ahead of immune-cell recruitment. CGRP & neutrophils : Nociceptor-release the peptide CGRP, which blocks neutr...

Send us Fan Mail Mitochondrial peptide MOTS-c is a stress-induced signal that reprograms cell metabolism. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Mitochondrial Roles: Not just ATP production, but “speaker of the house” via communication molecules that “talk” to the rest of the cell. Origin of Communication: Mitochondrial peptides were likely co-opted from ancient antimicrobial factors to synchronize nuclear and mitocho...

Send us Fan Mail GHK-Copper and peptides in skin care, aging, and general health. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Endogenous Decline: GHK-copper levels peak in young adulthood then fall with age, reducing natural support for skin repair and collagen maintenance. Skin Penetration: Effective topical delivery depends on molecular size under and fat solubility, often improved by procedures such as microneedling tha...

Send us Fan Mail Blood-brain barrier as a dynamic interface allowing selective passage of nutrients, peptides, and gut hormones. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Blood-Brain Barrier Structure: Capillary endothelial cells with tight junctions, absent fenestrae, and minimal vesicles create a selective interface; supported by astrocytes and pericytes. Crossing Mechanisms: Lipid-soluble small molecules diffuse passi...

Send us Fan Mail Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death pathway driven by lipid peroxidation; chronoferoptosis, in which chronic stress sensitizes neurons gradually. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Cell Death Pathways: Apoptosis proceeds through regulated steps with surface “eat me” signals that enable non-inflammatory clearance by phagocytes, whereas ferroptosis and related pathways release cellular content...

Send us Fan Mail Endogenous peptide diversity, GLP-1 drugs, and methods for novel peptide discovery. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Peptide Structure & Production: Short amino acid chains (3-50 residues) cleaved from larger precursors by PCSK enzymes, stored in dense-core vesicles, and released upon stimuli rather than acting as folded enzymes like proteins. Tissue-Specific Processing: The same precursor y...

Send us Fan Mail The possible role of deuterium (heavy isotope of hydrogen) in regulating cell division, mitochondrial metabolism & cancer. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Deuterium Basics: Deuterium is twice as massive as regular hydrogen; natural water contains ~150 ppm, with stronger oxygen-deuterium bonds slowing reactions compared to oxygen-hydrogen. Mitochondrial Role: Healthy mitochondria produce deu...

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Send us Fan Mail Fructose survival hypothesis: how fructose metabolism in the liver triggers ATP depletion, uric acid production, oxidative stress, lipogenesis & leptin resistance. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Glucose vs Fructose Metabolism: Fructose is rapidly metabolized in the liver by fructokinase without feedback, causing ATP depletion and uric acid production, unlike glucose metabolism. Liver Effec...

Send us Fan Mail Deep-dive into a 2026 cardiology review paper claiming seed oils reduce inflammation, exposing misrepresentations of cited clinical trials, and detailing how oxidized Ω-6 fats trigger inflammation. Companion article: Click HERE TOPICS DISCUSSED: Seed Oil Profiles: Typical seed oils like sunflower are high in linoleic acid (omega-6 PUFA), while canola is higher in monounsaturated f...

Send us Fan Mail Human genetic variation in dietary fat metabolism and its implications for health & disease. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Linoleic Acid Rise: Linoleic acid now comprises 6-8% or more of energy in Western diets. Metabolic Pathways: Omega-6 linoleic acid converts to arachidonic acid and pro-inflammatory oxylipins; omega-3 ALA converts via shared enzymes to EPA/DHA with anti-inflammatory ef...

Send us Fan Mail Pregnenolone, a neurosteroid derived from cholesterol, affects brain activity and shows promise for treating mood and substance abuse disorders. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Steroid Biosynthesis: Cholesterol converted to pregnenolone, the precursor for all steroid hormones including cortisol, aldosterone, and sex hormones. Corticosteroids: Synthetic versions like prednisone primarily target...

Send us Fan Mail How omega-3 fats in human health, including dietary intake needs, supplements, & omega fat testing. TOPICS DISCUSSED: ω-3 chemistry: EPA and DHA differ from plant ALA in chain length and double-bond count, making them structurally and biologically distinct — and largely irreplaceable by ALA conversion. ALA-to-EPA/DHA conversion: A small percentage of dietary ALA converts to EP...

Send us Fan Mail How dietary fatty acids regulate the initiation, propagation, and resolution of inflammation. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Parenteral nutrition history: IV nutrition evolved from soybean oil alone in the 1960s to complex blends including fish oil as the biology of ω-3s became understood. Three phases of inflammation: Initiation, propagation (driven by ω-6–derived prostaglandins and leukotrie...

Send us Fan Mail A metabolic view of Alzheimer's disease & the recent discovery of compounds that reverse advanced disease symptoms in mouse models by restoring mitochondrial health. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Classic Alzheimer’s pathology: amyloid plaques and tau tangles identified over 120 years ago, long assumed to drive irreversible neuron loss. Limitations of amyloid focus: plaques appear in...

Send us Fan Mail How exercise in parents can improve the metabolic and cardiovascular health of their offspring through epigenetic mechanisms. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Parental exercise & offspring metabolic health: exercise before and during pregnancy improves glucose tolerance and reduces fat gain in offspring. Paternal effects via sperm: moderate voluntary wheel running alters small non-coding RNA...

Send us Fan Mail How the vagus nerve regulates inflammation; bioelectronic therapies to treat inflammatory conditions. Nick speaks with Dr. Kevin Tracey about inflammation as a major driver of modern diseases, the vagus nerve’s role in balancing immune responses via reflexes, limitations of anti-cytokine drugs, and emerging bioelectronic medicine using targeted nerve stimulation. TOPICS DISCUSSED:...

Send us Fan Mail How light regulate circadian rhythms, mitochondrial function, hormones, and appetite. Nick & Dr. Alexis Cowan discuss non-image-forming effects of light on the body, from melanopsin-driven circadian signaling in the eye to UV-stimulated pathways in skin and brain that influence melatonin, cortisol, melanin production, and energy balance. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Melanopsin & non-...

Send us Fan Mail Is the fundamental purpose of sleep to remove oxidized fats from the brain? Nick & Dr. Amita Sehgal talk about the latest science on why animals sleep. Using fruit flies, her lab shows that waking generates oxidized lipids in neurons that are shuttled to glia and then cleared by macrophage-like cells during sleep. This process protects mitochondria, supports memory, and links...