Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

What if the painful periods, irregular cycles, unexplained weight gain, acne, and fertility struggles so many women experience aren't something they should simply learn to live with?

Too often, women are told their symptoms are normal, their lab results look fine, or they're just stressed. But conditions like PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and endometriosis can go unrecognized for years, leaving women without answers while their symptoms continue to affect their health and quality of life.

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Thais Aliabadi, her patients call her Dr. A, an OB-GYN with decades of experience in women's health, for an eye-opening conversation about two of the most commonly misunderstood conditions affecting women's hormones, metabolism, and reproductive health.

We break down the signs of PCOS and endometriosis, why these conditions are frequently overlooked, and how earlier recognition and individualized treatment can make a meaningful difference.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The warning signs of PCOS, including irregular periods, acne, facial hair, and unexplained weight changes
• Why women can have PCOS even if they're lean or don't have ovarian cysts
• How insulin resistance, testosterone, and inflammation are connected to PCOS
• Why severe menstrual cramps and chronic pelvic pain deserve further investigation for endometriosis
• How PCOS and endometriosis can affect ovulation, fertility, and ovarian health
• What AMH testing can—and cannot—tell you about ovarian reserve
• The roles of birth control, metformin, GLP-1 medications, and lifestyle changes in PCOS management
• How endometriosis is evaluated and the treatment options available, from hormonal therapies to surgery

We also explore the connection between hormone health and mental well-being, the challenges women face when seeking a diagnosis, and why listening to patients is one of the most important parts of preventative medicine.

Your symptoms deserve to be taken seriously. Whether you're struggling with painful periods, irregular cycles, infertility, or unexplained hormonal changes, this conversation will help you better understand what may be happening in your body—and what questions to bring to your healthcare provider.

Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: drshah.com

Clinic: next-health.com

Instagram: @darshanshahmd and @extend_podcast

Learn more about Dr. Thais Aliabadi:

Website: draliabadi.com

Instagram: @drthaisaliabadi

Thank You to Our Sponsor!

Momentous: Head to livemomentous.com and use my code DRSHAH at checkout for up to 35% off.

We spend so much time thinking about exercise, nutrition, and performance—but I believe recovery may be one of the most overlooked pieces of longevity.

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Jason Wersland, chiropractor and founder of Therabody, whose own experience with debilitating pain after a motorcycle accident ultimately led him to invent the Theragun.

But this conversation goes far beyond muscle soreness.

Jason and I explore what recovery actually means, why it isn't just for athletes, and how the way we regulate our nervous system can influence pain, tension, sleep, performance, and how we feel every day. Whether you're training intensely, sitting at a desk for eight hours, standing all day at work, or simply dealing with chronic stress, your body still needs opportunities to recover.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why recovery should be part of your daily longevity routine—not just something you do after exercise

• How the "pain gate theory" helps explain why different forms of stimulation can temporarily change how we perceive pain

• Why sitting all day can contribute to hip, lower-back, neck, and shoulder tension

• How percussive therapy can affect pain, muscle tension, range of motion, and blood flow

• Why nervous system regulation matters for recovery and performance

• How shifting into a parasympathetic state may help you wind down before sleep

• Why HRV and heart rate can provide useful feedback about recovery

• How small "recovery snacks" throughout the day can help you take better care of your body

We also discuss massage, breathwork, movement, compression therapy, biofeedback, sleep, and practical ways to build short recovery "pit stops" into even the busiest schedule.

One of my biggest takeaways from this conversation is that recovery is not a luxury reserved for professional athletes. Your body is responding to physical, mental, and emotional stress every day. If we want to perform well—and stay healthy for decades—we have to give it opportunities to recover, too.

Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: drshah.com

Clinic: next-health.com

Instagram: @darshanshahmd and @extend_podcast

Learn more about Dr. Jason Wersland:

Website: therabody.com

Instagram: @drjasonwersland

Thank You to Our Sponsor:

IM8: Try IM8 with a 30 day money back guarantee. Get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at checkout im8health.com/drshah

Hormones influence far more than reproductive health. They affect your sleep, mood, metabolism, muscle, bone health, brain function, stress response, and how you age—yet hormone health is still often reduced to a handful of numbers on a standard blood test.

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Pamela Smith, a physician who has spent decades practicing and teaching personalized medicine, to break down what women and men need to understand about hormone replacement therapy, healthy aging, and disease prevention.

We explore estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, thyroid hormones, insulin, and one hormone many people have never even heard of: pregnenolone. More importantly, we discuss why hormone optimization should never be one-size-fits-all.

Dr. Smith explains why two people of the same age may need completely different approaches, why testing before treatment matters, and how hormones interact with everything from gut health and methylation to toxins, blood sugar, bone health, and cancer risk.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why hormone replacement therapy should be personalized to the individual
• The roles of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, thyroid, and pregnenolone
• What women should understand about hormones and breast cancer risk
• Why hormone metabolites and methylation may matter
• How gut health and environmental toxins can influence hormone health
• Why fasting insulin can reveal metabolic dysfunction before diabetes develops
• How stress and cortisol affect blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and bone health
• Why genetic and advanced testing are changing personalized and preventative medicine

We also discuss PCOS, menopause, micronutrients, glutathione, environmental toxins, therapeutic plasma exchange, genetic cancer screening, exercise, and the emerging tools that may help us identify disease risk earlier.

The biggest takeaway from this conversation is simple: optimal health isn't about giving everyone the same protocol. It's about understanding your individual biology, measuring what matters, and intervening before dysfunction becomes disease.

Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: drshah.com

Clinic: next-health.com

Instagram: @darshanshahmd and @extend_podcast

Learn more about Dr. Pamela Smith:

Website: centerforprecisionmedicine.com

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Next Health: Your destination for cutting-edge health optimization - from IV therapy and peptides to hormone balancing and TPE. Explore more at next-health.com

Timeline: Timeline, powered by Mitopure, just dropped in price! Check it out using the link shop.timeline.com/DRDARSHANSHAH for 20% off when you subscribe!

What if AI could change the way we understand, manage, and optimize our health?

In today's episode, my guest is Rajeev Kapur, a leading AI advisor, educator, speaker, and author who helps non technical leaders understand how to turn artificial intelligence into practical, actionable results.

We dive into AI in healthcare, personalized health, health optimization, and the ideas behind our co authored book, Your New Health OS. We explore how artificial intelligence could help move healthcare beyond simply treating disease and toward a more proactive approach focused on understanding the individual, connecting health information, and optimizing long term health.

In this episode, we learn:

• How AI could transform the future of healthcare • The difference between disease care and true health optimization • How AI can empower patients to better understand their own health data • How artificial intelligence can connect insights across different medical specialties • How AI could improve communication between doctors and patients • Why learning how to effectively interact and prompt AI matters • How AI may influence chronic disease management, drug discovery, and biological research • What AI could mean for personalized healthcare and medicine • How artificial intelligence could change the way we think about longevity • What the concept of longevity escape velocity could mean for the future of human health

Rajeev brings a practical perspective to one of the biggest technological shifts happening in healthcare today. Together, we explore an important idea: AI isn't simply another tool for healthcare professionals. It could fundamentally change how we understand health, make decisions, and take responsibility for our own health journeys.

Listen to this episode for a fascinating conversation about AI in healthcare, personalized medicine, health optimization, and longevity, and discover how your own "Health OS" could change the way you approach your health in the years ahead.

Pre-Order Dr. Shah and Rajeev Kapurs book, Your New Health OS, today at amazon.com/Your-New-Health-OS-Healthier

Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: drshah.com

Clinic: next-health.com

Instagram: @extend_podcast and @darshanshahmd

Learn more about Rajeev Kapur:

Website: https://rajeev.ai/

Book: AI Made Simple

Instagram: therajeevkapur

Thank You To Our Sponsor!

Next Health: Your destination for cutting-edge health optimization—from IV therapy to hormone balancing. Explore at next-health.com

Momentous: Head to livemomentous.com and use my code DRSHAH at checkout for up to 35% Off!

What if your gut health is the missing piece behing your hormones, energy, metabolism, and how you feel every day?

Today, I sit down with Dr. Cassie Smith, a double board-certiied endocrinologist and internal medicine physician who has taken a deeper look at the connection between gut health, hormones, thryoid function, metabolism, and overall health.

We talk about why "normal" lab results don't always mean optimal health, how gut health can influence hormone metabolism, the role of stress and inflammation and why understanding your individual biology matters when it comes to feeling your best.

In this episode, we learn:

• The connection between gut health and hormones
• Why gut health matters for thyroid and metabolic health
• The differnce between "normal" and optimal hormone levels
• How stress can affect the gut, hormones, and inflammation
• What women should know about hormones during perimenopause and menopause
• The role of fiber, nutrition, and daily habits in gut health
• How stool testing and the GI Map can provide insight into the microbiome
• Simple strategies for supporting gut and hormone health

Dr. Cassie is also the author of Fix Your Gut, Fix Your Hormones, a resource designed to help people better understand the relationship between their gut, hormones and health.

Listen to this episode for an eye-opening conversation about the gut-hormone connection, women's health, and why looking beyond a single lab result may change the way you think about your health.

Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: drshah.com

Clinic: next-health.com

Instagram: @extend_podcast and @darshanshahmd

Learn more about Dr. Cassie Smith:

Website: modern-endocrine.com

Instagram: @modernendocrine_

Thank You to Our Sponsor!

IM8: Try IM8 with a 30-day money back guarantee. Get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at im8health.com/drshah

What if we stopped guessing about the brain and started measuring it?

In today's episode, my guest is Sat Randhawa of One-Hype Wellness, where he and his team are focused on using brain mapping and neurotechnology to better understand how each individual brain functions.

We dive into QEEG brain mapping, neurofeedback, neuroplasticity, and brainwave analysis - and explore why there may not be a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the brain. Sat also shares insights into how technology is being explored across areas including focus, ADHD, stress, cognitive health, athletic performance, and recovery.

In this episode, we learn:

• How QEEG brain mapping works
• What different brainwaves can tell us
• Why every brain may require a personalized approach
• How neurofeedback and neuroplasticity connect
• How brain mapping is being explored for performance and recovery
• Why measuring the brain could change how we approach brain health

Sat brings a practical, data-driven perspective from his work with One-Hype Wellness, and we focus on one important idea: we don't treat a label, we treat a brain.

Listen to this episode for a fascinating conversation about brain mapping, neurofeedback, and the future of personalized brain health-and discover what understaning your unique brain could mean for the way you think, perform, recover and live.

Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: drshah.com

Clinic: next-health.com

Instagram: @extend_podcast and @darshanshahmd

Learn more about Sat Randhawa:

Website: one-hype.com

Thank You To Our Sponsors:

Timeline: Timeline, powered by Mitopure, just dropped in price. Check it out using the link shop.timeline.com/DRDARSHANSHAH for up to 20% off when you subscirbe!

IM8: Try IM8 with a 30-day money back guarantee. Get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at check out im8health.com/drshah

Most people know they should eat more fiber. But what we're learning about fiber, gut health, and the microbiome goes far beyond digestion.

Your gut contains trillions of microbes that depend on what you eat—and different types of fiber feed different bacteria. Those microbes can influence everything from blood sugar regulation and metabolic health to cholesterol and the way your digestive system functions. That means it's not just about getting more fiber. The diversity of the fiber you eat matters, too.

In this episode, I'm joined by Colleen Cutcliffe, PhD, microbiome scientist and co-founder and CEO of Pendulum Therapeutics, to break down what the latest science tells us about fiber and the gut microbiome.

Colleen explains the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber, why most people aren't getting enough, and how fiber and prebiotics support beneficial gut bacteria. We also explore how the microbiome changes throughout life, the role of polyphenols, and the emerging connection between specific gut bacteria and metabolic health.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why fiber is one of the most important foods for your gut microbiome

• The difference between soluble and insoluble fiber—and why you need both

• Why fiber diversity may be just as important as total fiber intake

• How the gut microbiome is connected to blood sugar and metabolic health

• How certain types of fiber can support healthy LDL cholesterol levels

• The difference between fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, and polyphenols

• Practical ways to increase the amount and diversity of fiber in your diet

We also discuss why getting enough fiber can be harder than it sounds, how gut health needs can differ between children and adults, and where targeted microbiome products like Pendulum's Gut Fuel may fit alongside a fiber-rich diet.

The microbiome is changing the way we think about nutrition. And one of the simplest places to start supporting it may already be sitting on your plate: eat more plants, eat more types of fiber, and feed the microbes you want to thrive.

Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: drshah.com

Clinic: next-health.com

Instagram: @darshanshahmd and @extend_podcast

Learn more about Colleen Cutcliffe:

Website: pendulumlife.com

Instagram: @drcolleencutcliffe

Thank You To Our Sponsors!

Pendulum: You can go to penulumlife.com and use my code EXTEND for your first membership order.

What if the biggest mistake you're making with your health isn't what you're eating - but the way you're thinking about nutrition in the first place?

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Joey Munoz, a PhD in Nutrition Science and an evidence-based nutrition and fitness educator. We have a fascinating conversation about why so many traditional approaches to dieting fail, what actually makes a healthy diet sustainablem, and how we can thing about nutrition in a way that supports long-term health rather than short-term results.

Dr. Joey also shares his own experience with body image and dieting, and how that journey ultimately led him to pursue advanced degrees in nutrition science and take a more evidence-based approach to health and fitness.

We get into some of the biggest questions I hear all the time: How much protein do we really need? Does meal timing matter? What role do fiber and whole foods play? Should we be worried about carbohydrates, dietary fat, or ultra-processed foods? And what actually helps us build muscle, manage hunger, and improve metabolic health?

In this episode, we learn:

• Why traditional dieting often leads to cycles of restriction and weight regain-and what to do instead
• How protein, fiber, whole foods, and muscle mass influence body composition and overall health
• What the research really tells us about carbohydrates, dietart fat, and ultra-processed foods
• Whether meal timing, resistant starch, and the gut microbiome deserve a place in your nutrition strategy
• Which nutrition habits and supplements are actually worth paying attention to-and which may be overhyped
• How to build a sustainable approach to nutrition without obsessing over having the "perfect" diet.

There's a lot of nutrition advice out there, but understanding the science can help you separate what actually matters from what's simply trending.

Listen in to learn how to stop chasing the perfect diet and start building a healthier, more sustainable approach to nutrition that can serve you for the long term.

Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: drshah.com

Clinic: next-health.com

Instagram: @darshanshahmd and @extend_podcast

Learn more about Dr. Joey Munoz:

Website: strongstandard.com

Instagram: @dr.joeymunoz

Thank You to Our Sponsor:

Momentous: Head to livemomentous.com and use code DRSHAH for up to 35% off your first order!

What if the fatigue, brain fog, low energy, and other symptoms we associate with getting older actually begin much deeper—at the level of our cells?

I've followed Dr. Will Cole's work for years, and his approach to gut health and functional medicine played an important role in my own health journey. Now he's taking that conversation one step further with his new book, Heal Your Cells, exploring what's happening inside our cells as we age—and what we can do to support them.

In this conversation, we break down the emerging science of cellular health and longevity, including why different organs may age at different rates, how mitochondrial dysfunction affects energy, and the everyday factors that can accelerate cellular aging.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why cellular health may be the next frontier of longevity
• How your biological and organ age can differ from your chronological age
• How toxins and nutrient deficiencies can affect cellular function
• Why mitochondrial health is critical for energy, metabolism, and healthy aging
• How food, polyphenols, movement, and other lifestyle factors support your cells
• What peptides are and why they're becoming a major part of the longevity conversation
• What to know about emerging regenerative therapies like stem cells
• Why emotional health, stress, relationships, and spirituality also belong in the longevity conversation

We also discuss oxidative stress, cellular signaling, food sensitivities, environmental exposures, and the growing number of tools designed to measure and influence how we age.

The biggest takeaway is that improving cellular health doesn't require doing everything at once. Start with one change. Support the foundations. Then build from there.

Because when we talk about longevity, we're ultimately talking about the health of the trillions of cells that make up who we are.

Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: drshah.com

Clinic: next-health.com

Instagram: @darshanshahmd and @extend_podcast

Learn more about Dr. Will Cole:

Website: drwillcole.com

Book - Heal Your Cells - Available now at penguinrandomhouse.com

Instagram: @drwillcole

Thank You To Our Sponsor!

Momentous: Head to livemomentous.com and use my code DRSHAH at checkout for up to 35% Off!

What if medicine could do more than manage disease—and actually help the body repair itself?

Regenerative medicine is moving quickly, but the world of stem cells, PRP, exosomes, and cellular therapies can be incredibly confusing. In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Wiggers to separate what we can do today from what may be coming next.

We start with the basics: what stem cells actually are, how PRP and orthobiologics work, and the difference between using your own cells versus donor-derived products. Then we go deeper into one of the most fascinating areas of regenerative medicine: MUSE cells, a unique population of stress-enduring stem cells being studied for their ability to respond to injury and support tissue repair.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How stem cells, PRP, exosomes, and other regenerative therapies differ

• What MUSE cells are and why researchers are so interested in them

• How stem cells may respond to signals from injured tissue

• Why the age and source of biological material can matter

• What Yamanaka factors taught us about cellular reprogramming and rejuvenation

• Where regenerative medicine is being studied for joint, cardiovascular, and other applications

• The safety concerns and quality-control issues everyone should understand before considering stem cell therapy

We also explore why regenerative therapies have faced regulatory hurdles, the difference between exciting laboratory research and treatments available today, and why safety, manufacturing, and proper handling are critical as this field evolves.

Stem cells aren't magic—and many potential applications are still being researched. But our growing ability to understand and influence the body's own repair systems could fundamentally change how we approach injury, aging, and disease in the years ahead.

Learn more about Dr. Shah:

Website: drshah.com

Clinic: next-health.com

Instagram: @darshanshahmd and @extend_podcast

Learn more about Dr. Jeffrey Wiegers:

Website: musecellinnovations.com

Instagram: @jeffwiegers

Thank You To Our Sponsor!

IM8: Try IM8 today with a 30-day money back guarantee. You can get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at im8health.com/DRSHAH