The Metabolic Classroom with Dr. Ben Bikman

This week in The Metabolic Classroom, Ben explores the effects of a ketogenic diet on thyroid function, addressing concerns that lower thyroid hormone levels observed during the diet may indicate dysfunction. Dr. Bikman begins by explaining the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, a regulatory system that controls thyroid hormone production. The thyroid gland produces two primary hormones, T...

In this week’s episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Bikman delivers a comprehensive lecture on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), focusing on its role in addressing metabolic health challenges faced by women during menopause. The loss of estradiol causes fat to redistribute from healthier storage areas, like the hips and thighs, to the abdominal region, where larger fat cells become more insuli...

During Dr. Ben Bikman’s latest episode of The Metabolic Classroom lectures, Ben explores the metabolic effects of nicotine, emphasizing its influence beyond its addictive properties and its association with lung health and its connection to insulin resistance. Nicotine, a naturally occurring alkaloid found primarily in tobacco plants, is widely consumed through various products such as cigarettes,...

For The Metabolic Classroom lecture this week, Dr. Bikman explores the often-overlooked effects of oxalates on human health, with a focus on their impact on metabolic, kidney, cardiovascular, gut, and joint health. Oxalates are natural compounds found in various plants, including leafy greens like spinach and kale, as well as certain nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. They serve as a defense mechan...

During this week’s episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Bikman discusses the impact of microplastics on metabolic health, focusing on their effects on fat cells, insulin resistance, and blood vessel health. Microplastics—tiny plastic particles under five millimeters—are now ubiquitous in our environment, entering the body through food, water, air, and skin products. Their pervasiveness poses se...

This week’s episode of The Metabolic Classroom focuses on the potential of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) as a valuable tool not only for individuals with diabetes but also for anyone interested in gaining deeper insights into their metabolic health. CGMs, which measure glucose levels continuously by detecting interstitial glucose, provide real-time feedback on how diet, exercise, stress, and...

In the recording of today’s livestream episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Ben Bikman explores glucosamine’s impact on both joint and metabolic health. Glucosamine, commonly used as a supplement to alleviate joint pain, especially in osteoarthritis, is an amino sugar that plays a role in cartilage formation. However, its effectiveness in improving joint health is debated, with some studies sug...

In this episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Ben Bikman explores the metabolic implications of hyperglycemia, the condition of elevated blood glucose levels. He focuses on both the chronic effects, like those seen in diabetes, and the acute effects of glucose spikes, even from short-term dietary indulgences. Hyperglycemia, while often linked to insulin resistance and diabetes, also has a range...

This week, during the Metabolic Classroom lecture, Dr. Ben Bikman examines the metabolic consequences of medications used for mental health, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs. Ben highlights the close connection between mental health disorders like depression and anxiety with metabolic issues, particularly insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. These medications, while effective for...

In this lecture, Dr. Ben Bikman explores liposuction, highlighting its popularity and effects on body fat. While body fat serves important functions like energy storage and hormone regulation, liposuction only removes subcutaneous fat, leaving visceral fat untouched. Dr. Bikman emphasizes that fat cell size, not total fat, is key to metabolic health, and larger fat cells can lead to insulin resist...

In this week’s episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Ben Bikman clarifies misconceptions about lactate metabolism, emphasizing that there is no lactic acid in the human body—only lactate. He explains that lactate is the end product of non-oxidative glycolysis, produced when cells, particularly muscles and red blood cells, require quick ATP energy. Dr. Bikman highlights that lactate production oc...

In today’s episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Ben Bikman delivers a lecture focusing on the drug rapamycin and its impact on longevity. The primary discussion revolves around the role of the protein complex mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) in the body's aging process. While rapamycin is often touted as a drug that can inhibit mTOR and thereby promote longevity, Ben emphasizes that much of...

In this episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Ben Bikman explores the topic of leaky gut syndrome, explaining how substances enter the body through the intestines and how the gut acts as a controlled gateway. While nutrients like amino acids, glucose, and fats are transported through the intestinal lining via a process called transcellular transport, problems arise when the tight junctions betwe...

This episode of The Metabolic Classroom focuses on a deeper understanding of insulin’s role in obesity, particularly through the lens of the fuel partitioning theory. This theory suggests that the way the body allocates energy between burning and storing it significantly influences weight gain and overeating. With obesity affecting over 700 million people worldwide, Dr. Bikman emphasizes the impor...

In this episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Ken Berry and Dr. Ben Bikman discussed the critical role of endogenous insulin, the limitations of focusing solely on glucose levels, and the implications of common markers like A1C and uric acid in understanding metabolic health. Dr. Berry began by highlighting how many primary care physicians misunderstand the function of beta cells in type 2 diabe...

In this episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Ben Bikman explores the metabolic effects of estrogens, particularly their role in glucose metabolism. Estrogens, mainly produced in the gonads, play a crucial role in regulating blood glucose by enhancing insulin sensitivity. Dr. Bikman explained that estrogens improve insulin signaling through pathways such as PI3 kinase and AKT, which are essentia...

Dr. Ben Bikman, a biomedical scientist and professor of cell biology, discusses the phenomenon of anabolic resistance. Anabolic resistance, primarily a problem associated with aging, refers to the reduced ability of muscles to synthesize protein in response to anabolic stimuli, such as protein intake and resistance exercise. This condition leads to a decline in muscle mass and function over time,...

Dr. Ben Bikman, professor of cell biology and metabolic scientist, delivers a lecture on the importance of fermentation and fermented foods from a metabolic perspective. He began by defining fermentation as the metabolic process where bacteria convert carbohydrates into organic molecules, emphasizing that bacteria primarily consume carbohydrates, not fats or proteins. Fermented foods such as dairy...

In this episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Bikman introduces the concept of the Randle Cycle, also known as the glucose fatty acid cycle, in a lecture aimed at providing a better understanding of metabolism. The Randle Cycle, first identified by Dr. Philip Randle and his colleagues in the 1960s, explores how cells decide between using glucose or fatty acids for fuel. Dr. Bikman emphasized tha...

Dr. Ben Bikman’s lecture on leptin, delivered in his Metabolic Classroom series, highlights the hormone's critical role in metabolism. Leptin, primarily produced by white fat tissue, helps regulate energy balance by signaling the brain to suppress appetite and promoting mitochondrial biogenesis in muscle cells. Leptin levels correlate with body fat, and various factors like insulin and TNF alpha i...

Professor Ben Bikman discusses sarcopenic obesity, a condition involving obesity and muscle loss. This condition results from factors like sedentary lifestyles, aging, and metabolic disturbances. While obesity is common, sarcopenia typically affects the elderly, diseased, or very sedentary individuals. The combination of excessive fat and muscle loss makes sarcopenic obesity particularly challengi...

In this episode of The Metabolic Classroom Dr. Ben Bikman focused on the effects of alcohol on insulin resistance, emphasizing how ethanol, the main form of alcohol, influences the brain and metabolism. He highlighted that alcohol is primarily metabolized by the liver and can cause insulin resistance through both direct and indirect mechanisms. Dr. Bikman detailed the molecular pathways by which e...

In this episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Bikman, a biomedical scientist and professor of cell biology, delves into the concept of energy toxicity. He begins by explaining that energy toxicity attempts to explain why certain cells, particularly those capable of storing energy like muscle and liver cells, become insulin resistant. The primary idea is that when these cells accumulate excess en...

In this episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Bikman begins by emphasizing the critical role of insulin in regulating the body’s use of fuel, and influencing whether nutrients are stored or burned. He highlights that food is a primary driver of insulin levels, but other factors like stress and sleep deprivation significantly impact insulin resistance. Stress, often exacerbated by poor sleep hygi...

In this episode of The Metabolic Classroom, Dr. Bikman explores the history, science, and benefits of ketones, focusing on exogenous ketones. Ben highlights the significant benefits of ketones for brain health. He disputes the common belief that glucose is the brain’s preferred fuel, citing research by Dr. George Cahill that indicates the brain relies heavily on ketones during fasting. The classro...