In this episode of What Are You Made Of?, Mike “C-Roc” sits down with Lauren Papanos to explore the intersection of high performance, entrepreneurship, and root-cause healing. A functional medicine registered dietitian, board certified in sports dietetics and functional endocrinology, Lauren shares her journey from competitive collegiate cheerleader to working with elite athletic programs at Texas A&M University, University of California, Los Angeles, and Texas Tech University. Through her work with high-level athletes and driven professionals, she began noticing a common pattern: people who looked strong and healthy on the outside were often struggling internally with fatigue, hormone imbalances, and chronic stress.

Lauren dives into her specialty—Low T3 Syndrome—describing it as a metabolic bottleneck rooted in chronic inflammation, immune activation, nutrient depletion, and mitochondrial dysfunction. She explains how these hidden drivers suppress thyroid activity, slow metabolism, disrupt cycles and fertility, and create unrelenting fatigue, particularly in high-achieving women who constantly push their limits. Rather than relying solely on hormone replacement, Lauren focuses on restoring T3 function by rebuilding the body’s terrain—strengthening cellular energy, supporting immune balance, and addressing the root causes that keep the body stuck in survival mode.

The conversation also touches on modern health trends like peptides, GLP-1 medications, red light therapy, and mitochondrial optimization, with Lauren offering a balanced perspective on when these tools can be helpful—and when foundational work is still missing. Her core message is clear: health drives performance. For entrepreneurs, athletes, and ambitious professionals who feel exhausted despite doing “everything right,” this episode delivers both science-backed insight and hope, reminding listeners that the body isn’t broken—it’s protecting you, and with the right strategy, sustainable energy and performance are absolutely possible.

Website- https://functionalfueling.com/

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