Low Carb MD Podcast

Dr. Darren Schmidt, a chiropractor, has devoted his practice exclusively to clinical nutrition since 1998. He is the proprietor of the Nutritional Healing Center of Ann Arbor and a sought-after speaker on health topics. During chiropractic college, Dr. Schmidt immersed himself in over 50 seminars within 24 months, exploring diverse therapeutic modalities and discovering the transformative potential of nutrition. Witnessing the efficacy of holistic approaches and functional lab testing, he recognized the pressing need for comprehensive nutritional interventions in healthcare.

In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Darren talk about…

• (00:00) Intro

• (02:05) Why/how Darren became a nutrition-focused chiropractor

• (05:48) Symptoms that may indicate you have a gas leak or mold exposure

• (10:42) How Darren learned about lactic acidosis and the common denominator of all chronic illness

• (14:03) B1 Thiamin and cell health

• (16:41) Symptoms of B1 deficiency

• (24:56) How to determine if you are Thiamin deficient

• (26:14) Potential downsides to taking high-dose B1 Thiamin

• (28:54) The incredible MVX+ test and how it is revolutionizing healthcare

• (38:13) Dental health and overall health

• (41:07) The evolution of Darren's private practice as he's learned more and educated himself over the years

• (43:56) How Darren uses the MVX test in his practice

• (48:49) Using herbal supplements to address infection, toxicity, parasites, and disease

• (57:08) Data on the efficacy of herbal supplements

• (01:06:53) Outro

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Darren Schmidt on the Life's Best Medicine Podcast: https://lifesbestmedicine.com/podcast/episode-295-darren-schmidt-dc/

Darren Schmidt:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@realfoodcures

• Website: https://thenutritionalhealingcenter.com

• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/dr.darren_schmidt

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

• Website: https://toward.health

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

Toward Health App

Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.

Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Dr. Matt Calkins is a physician focused on improving metabolic health through lifestyle-based care. Board-certified in family and obesity medicine, he is a strong advocate for low-carb and ketogenic nutrition as powerful tools to address obesity, diabetes, and chronic disease. He is passionate about helping patients reclaim their health through sustainable, evidence-based strategies.

In this episode, Drs. Tro, Brian, and Matt talk about…

• (00:00) Intro

• (06:40) Nutritional epidemiological studies and how they have informed public opinion on nutrition over the years

• (13:15) How nutritional epidemiological studies should NOT be used

• (21:20) Dr. Calkin's recent criticism of a nutritional epidemiological study making big claims from only observational data

• (31:52) Why nutritional epidemiological studies are flawed and how they are misused by medical professionals, agencies, and laypeople alike

• (42:07) Why doctors and medical professionals seem so averse to adapt and change as new scientific data comes out

• (54:22) Why it is better to focus on the individual patient in front of you than to make assumptions about people in general based on nutritional epidemiological studies

• (01:03:46) How Dr. Calkin's criticism was received by the authors of the study

• (01:09:56) Why so many of bad epidemiological studies are published

• (01:12:17) Outro

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Dr. Matt Calkins:

• Concordance between nutritional cohorts and randomized trials: biological confirmation or statistical consequence? A re-analysis of Stadelmaier et al.: https://sciprofiles.com/publication/view/aac50964f8442b33eb42921d37613629

• X: https://x.com/MattCalkinsMD

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

• Website: https://toward.health

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

Toward Health App

Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.

Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

The Cholesterol Code is a gripping new documentary from Jennifer Isenhart that challenges one of medicine's most entrenched beliefs. Following Dave Feldman's unexpected health journey, the film dives into the controversy around cholesterol, uncovering new research and raising a powerful question: what if we've misunderstood it all along?

In this episode, Dr. Tro, Jennifer, and Dave talk about…

• (00:00) Intro

• (02:39) How the upcoming documentary film, The Cholesterol Code, came to be and how Jen crafted the film to be accessible to a wide audience

• (08:06) How Jen turns scientific data into an engaging film

• (15:33) The effort and passion Dave Feldman has poured into his research

• (17:49) Why YOU should watch this film (Jen's answer)

• (22:37) How Dave went from a curious software engineer to being one of the main forces driving research on cholesterol and metabolic disease

• (26:24) Coining the term 'lean mass hyper-responder' and founding the Citizen Science Foundation

• (31:19) Dave Feldman's critics and how to push back against dogmatic medical authoritarianism

• (44:29) The good and the bad of cholesterol

• (01:00:36) LDL, ApoB, and plaque progression

• (01:06:36) Why YOU should watch The Cholesterol Code (Dave's answer)

• (01:08:06) CAC, CCTA, ApoB, and LDL levels

• (01:14:08) Medications that reduce arterial plaque

• (01:16:19) Arterial plaque and the keto diet

• (01:26:23) The biggest myths that were dispelled in The Cholesterol Code film

• (01:29:27) Medical professionals who have come around to Dave and Jen's perspective on cholesterol

• (01:33:32) Outro

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• THE CHOLESTEROL CODE (documentary film): https://cholesterolcodemovie.com/the-film/

Jennifer Isenhart:

• The Cholesterol Code (film): https://cholesterolcodemovie.com/the-film/

• Fat Fiction (film): https://fatfiction.movie/our-story

Dave Feldman:

• The Cholesterol Code (film): https://cholesterolcodemovie.com/the-film/

• Cholesterol Code (website): https://cholesterolcode.com/

• X: https://x.com/realDaveFeldman

• Citizen Science Foundation: https://citizensciencefoundation.org/

• Own Your Labs: https://ownyourlabs.com/

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

• Website: https://toward.health

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

Toward Health App

Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.

Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Sami Inkinen is the co-founder and CEO of Virta Health, a leader in reversing metabolic disease through nutrition, technology, and expert support. Inspired by his own experience with prediabetes, he has helped scale Virta to serve over 100,000 members nationwide. A former Trulia executive and endurance athlete, Sami once rowed 2,750 miles from California to Hawaii to raise awareness about sugar and metabolic health.

In this episode, Dr. Tro and Sami talk about…

• (00:00) Intro

• (03:13) Sami's personal health journey and career journey that led him to the founding of Virta Health

• (08:32) How Sami went from being a successful entrepreneur to focusing his efforts on metabolic health

• (18:29) Virta's approach to reaching people and the world with metabolic freedom

• (30:07) How Virta uses AI to help people reverse disease

• (36:52) Outro

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Sami Inkinen:

• Virta Health: https://www.virtahealth.com/

• X: https://x.com/samiinkinen

• Website: https://www.samiinkinen.com/

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samiinkinen/

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

• Website: https://toward.health

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

Toward Health App

Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.

Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Pastor Gary Evensen is the longtime leader of North Jersey United Pentecostal Church and an ordained minister with the United Pentecostal Church International. Since his conversion in 1980, he has spent more than four decades in ministry, serving in roles from deacon to pastor and helping lead churches across the country. Alongside his wife Milly—a gifted gospel singer and pianist—he has been deeply involved in missions and church planting, including pioneering their current congregation in Secaucus. Pastor Evensen brings a lifetime of experience in faith, leadership, and personal transformation to every conversation.

In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian, and Pastor Gary talk about…

• (00:00) Intro

• (02:41) Gary's spiritual and metabolic health journey

• (12:45) Fasting and the Christian life

• (16:01) Fasting and physical health/wellbeing

• (23:08) Dealing with guilt and shame without turning to unhealthy coping habits

• (31:58) Cortisol, B1 deficiency, and obesity

• (47:57) The health issues faced by pastors and people in ministry

• (57:19) Outro

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Pastor Gary Evensen:

• North Jersey United Pentecostal Church: https://njupc.org

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

• Website: https://toward.health

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

Toward Health App

Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.

Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Dr. Jason Fung is a Canadian nephrologist and leading voice in metabolic health, best known for making the science of fasting and insulin resistance simple, practical, and empowering. Through his books, lectures, and clinical work, he's helped thousands rethink weight loss, type 2 diabetes, and long-term health by focusing on hormones, not just calories. Dr. Fung is the co-founder of The Fasting Method and a sought-after educator on metabolic health.

In this episode, Drs. Tro and Jason talk about…

• (00:00) Intro

• (03:12) GLP-1s, hunger, and sustainable weight loss

• (07:35) The three types of hunger

• (12:14) The energy balance model for weight loss

• (19:35) Dealing with homeostatic hunger

• (30:21) How poor sleep impacts your weight

• (33:32) The three 'why's you have to ask to find the real solution to a problem

• (37:27) Reactive hypolgycemia

• (40:17) What Dr. Fung eats

• (44:44) The 'second stomach' phenomenon

• (46:24) The sugar diet

• (49:24) How to prevent weight regain after losing weight on a GLP-1

• (53:08) A study showing how the body becomes

• (55:13) Audience Q&A

• (01:03:17) Outro

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Dr. Jason Fung:

• The Fasting Method: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/

• Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01BT8K6FK

• Website/Books: https://www.doctorjasonfung.com/

• iG: https://www.instagram.com/drjasonfung/

• X: https://x.com/drjasonfung

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoyL4iGArWn5Hu0V_sAhK2w

• The Hunger Code Pre-Order/Masterclass: https://www.doctorjasonfung.com/gift-with-purchase-offer

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

• Website: https://toward.health

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

Toward Health App

Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.

Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Peter Cummings is a preventive health practitioner and endurance sports coach with more than 30 years of experience helping people improve metabolic health through exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle change. A Metabolic Health Practitioner (MHP) and Nutrition Network Practitioner (NNP), he specializes in therapeutic carbohydrate reduction, cardiorespiratory fitness, and personalized exercise prescription. Cummings has authored peer-reviewed research in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine – FOCUS and has helped train health professionals to integrate fitness and lifestyle interventions into clinical care. In addition to his work in preventive medicine, he has coached athletes to multiple national and state championship titles, bringing a data-driven approach to both human performance and chronic disease prevention.

In this episode, Dr. Tro, Dr. Brian and Peter talk about…

• (00:00) Intro
• (01:56) VOT Max
• (04:19) Health Ballistics (Peter's new book!)
• (10:00) Bridging the gap between medicine and exercise
• (16:59) Berberine and Metformin
• (19:45) Helping people turn their health around and reverse diabetes
• (29:12) Cardiac rehab
• (34:43) Interval training
• (39:21) Carbs and exercise
• (42:56) Conflicts of interest in exercise science
• (45:45) The biggest barriers to systemic change in the fields of exercise science and nutrition
• (48:07) Tim Noakes' Central Governor Theory
• (55:09) Exercise physiology and fat burning
• (01:04:51) Peter's new book, Health Ballistics
• (01:09:35) Outro

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Peter Cummings:

• Plan 2 Peak: https://www.plan2peak.com/
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/coachcumm/
• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/plan2peak?

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

• Website: https://toward.health
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

Toward Health App

Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.

Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Dr. Alan Schaffer is a board-certified physician specializing in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. With decades of clinical experience, he focuses on the intersection of respiratory health, sleep disorders, and metabolic health, including the role of nutrition and carbohydrate restriction in improving chronic disease. Dr. Schaffer practices with St. Peter's Health Partners in New York and is a frequent educator and media guest discussing conditions such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and the broader drivers of cardiometabolic health.

In this episode, Drs. Tro and Alan talk about…

• (00:00) Intro

• (09:59) Sleep Medicine and metabolic health

• (13:37) Pulmonary Medicine and environmental factors

• (18:57) How Dr. Alan helps his patients improve their sleep quality and metabolic health

• (26:43) Helping late bloomer patients

• (32:30) How to help patients trust you as a doctor

• (37:07) Sleep apnea and CPAP

• (42:52) Sleep apnea tools and tips

• (46:08) Sleep tape

• (52:05) Didjeridoo

• (55:16) Weight loss and sleep apnea

• (01:01:52) The Cholesterol Code documentary (See links below)

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• The Cholesterol Code Screening (Wed, Apr 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM CDT): https://gathr.com/events/0ed2437d/the-cholesterol-code-at-amc-crystal-run-16

• Cholesterol Code Movie: https://cholesterolcodemovie.com

Dr. Alan Schaffer:

• https://www.sphp.com/provider/alan-edward-schaffer-md-sleep-medicine-0

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

• Website: https://toward.health

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

Toward Health App

Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.

Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Dr. Marion Mass is a pediatrician, educator, and fierce advocate for restoring integrity to American medicine. A co-founder of the nonprofit Practicing Physicians of America, she has been a leading voice calling out the corporate forces reshaping health care and their impact on doctors and patients alike.

In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro, and Dr. Marion talk about…

• (00:00) Intro

• (02:29) Systemic problems in medicine over the last few decades and how we can solve them

• (05:27) Perverse incentives in health insurance and how health care can be made cheaper

• (14:40) Conflicts of interest in health insurance

• (19:52) What brought Dr. Marion to medicine and inspired her to work to reform the healthcare system

• (25:37) Conflicts of interest in the AMA and other medical organizations

• (35:23) The path forward to a more transparent medical care system

• (41:19) Remdesivir and Covid

• (46:53) Perverse incentives in gender change procedures and drugs

• (51:48) Governmental and political interference in the practice of medicine

• (01:02:35) Outro

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Dr. Marion Mass:

• Free 2 Care: https://t.co/cdcldrTMEM

• X: https://x.com/mass_marion?lang=en

• Practicing Physicians of America: https://practicingphysician.org

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

• Website: https://toward.health

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

Toward Health App

Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.

Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Learn more: https://toward.health/community/

Cynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner, bestselling author, and leading voice in women's metabolic health. With over two decades of clinical experience, she's known for translating complex science into practical strategies—helping women navigate perimenopause, optimize fasting, and reclaim energy, resilience, and long-term wellness.

In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro, and Cynthia talk about…

• (00:00) Intro

• (02:28) Hormonal shifts, the microbiome, and metabolic health

• (07:50) How modern developments in food production and the advent of mass-produced plastics have impacted our health

• (17:40) Fiber

• (25:43) Intermittent fasting and menopause

• (28:07) Inulin

• (31:27) Antibiotics and food sensitivities

• (33:45) The complexity of the gut microbiome

• (44:55) The insufficiency of modern testing

• (50:00) Gut health and mental health

• (53:42) Fermented foods

• (01:00:47) Good, better, best

• (01:03:16) Outro

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.lowcarbmd.com/

Cynthia Thurlow:

• Website: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/

• X: https://x.com/_CynthiaThurlow

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/cynthia_thurlow_/

• Books: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2345217/cynthia-thurlow-np/

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

• Website: https://toward.health

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

Toward Health App

Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together.

Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/doctor-tro/id1588693888

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.disciplemedia.doctortro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Learn more: https://toward.health/community/