The Neuro Experience

Colorectal cancer is now the No.1 cause of death for people under 50 in the United States. When it is caught early, nine out of ten people survive. When it is caught late, only two out of ten do. Yet most people are not screening, not eating enough fiber, and have no idea how rapidly the gut microbiome is collapsing in modern populations.

I sat down with Dr. Karan Rajan, NHS surgeon, gut health expert, and founder of Loam Science, to break down the real biology behind the gut microbiome and why it may be one of the most powerful levers we have for longterm health. We cover the rising colorectal cancer epidemic in young people, why fiber is the single most important thing you can do for your colon, and how the microbiome connects to your brain, heart, hormones, immune system, and even your skin.

Dr. Karan also explains how stress, poor sleep, NSAIDs, antibiotics, and proton pump inhibitors silently destroy the gut lining, why the carnivore diet starves your microbiome, the emerging link between gut health and endometriosis, and what the science actually says about microbiome testing, GLP-1 peptides, and supplement quality.

Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+:

https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page

Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance.

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TOPICS DISCUSSED

00:00 Colorectal Cancer Is Now the #1 Killer Under 50

01:24 Why Early Screening Changes Everything

03:19 The Gut Microbiome Explained Simply

05:51 Why Fiber Is the Rent for Your Colon

11:32 The Hadza Tribe and What 100g of Fiber a Day Does

18:45 The Carnivore Diet and What It Does to Your Gut

24:10 Stress, the Vagus Nerve, and Gut Dysfunction

31:20 Sleep, Circadian Clocks, and Your Bowel Health

33:06 The Gut-Cancer Connection

34:12 Cholesterol, the Gut-Heart Axis, and LDL

38:50 Estrogen, Perimenopause, and the Microbiome

43:15 Endometriosis and the Microbiome Trial

48:30 Leaky Gut, NSAIDs, Antibiotics, and PPIs

53:25 GLP-1 Peptides, Semaglutide, and What the Research Says

55:38 Why Supplement Quality Is Mostly Unregulated

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Thank you to our sponsors

Function Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicola

Timeline: http://timeline.com/NEURO

Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com/

Cheers Health: https://CheersHealth.com/NEURO Use code NEURO for 20% off

Jones Road Beauty: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com Use code NEURO

BASED Bodyworks: https://basedbodyworks.com/ Use code NEURO for 20% off

_______

I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics.

My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention.

If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place.

Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/

Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The moment a woman’s hormones begin to decline, the entire body starts aging faster. The brain, heart, bones, immune system, and metabolism are all affected by a single biological shift most doctors barely explain.

I sat down with Dr. Amy Killen, physician and leading expert in regenerative and longevity medicine, to explore the science of female aging and why ovarian health may be the true driver of how long women live. We break down the real biology behind menopause, why estrogen is far more than a reproductive hormone, and how hormone loss can accelerate cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, bone loss, and systemic inflammation.

Dr. Killen also explains the emerging science behind hormone replacement therapy, the misunderstood relationship between estrogen and breast cancer risk, and why many doctors still are not properly trained to treat menopause. We discuss stem cells, mitochondrial health, and the growing interest in therapies like hyperbaric oxygen, peptides, red light therapy, and plasma exchange, and what the evidence actually says.

Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+:

https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page

Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance.

_____

TOPICS DISCUSSED

00:00 Why Ovarian Aging Impacts Lifespan

01:24 Why Dr. Amy Killen Focuses on Women’s Longevity

03:19 What Longevity Actually Means in Medicine

04:20 Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Explained

05:51 How Stem Cells Help Repair and Communicate With Tissue

11:32 Hormones, Perimenopause, and Rapid Aging

18:45 Why the Ovaries Are the “Peacekeepers” of Aging

24:10 Hormone Replacement Therapy Explained

31:20 Vaginal Estrogen vs Systemic Estrogen

38:50 Testosterone Therapy in Women

43:15 Longevity Therapies and Mitochondrial Health

48:30 Red Light Therapy, Hyperbaric Oxygen, and Recovery

50:54 Peptides and the Lack of Long-Term Safety Data

53:25 Therapeutic Plasma Exchange and Longevity Research

55:38 The Estrogen and Immune System Connection

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Thank you to our sponsors

Ketone-IQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO

Cellure: https://cellure.co/ Use code NEURO

Ka’Chava: https://kachava.com Use code NEURO for 15% off your first order

Just Thrive: https://justthrivehealth.com/NEURO

_______

I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics.

My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention.

If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place.

Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/

Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zone two has been sold to you as the gold standard for mitochondrial health, fat burning, and longevity. But what if it was built on culture, not science.

In this episode, I sit down with Kristi Storoschuk, a PhD researcher whose work is challenging some of the biggest claims in the exercise world right now. We break down why zone two training lacks the scientific evidence everyone assumes it has, why higher intensity zones three and four are actually more potent for mitochondrial adaptation, and why the 80/20 training split from elite athletes was never designed for someone exercising four days a week.

We also get into why fasting doesn't activate the same cellular pathways in humans as it does in rodents, why cortisol from exercise is not the same as chronic stress, the truth about fasted exercise for women, and what lactate actually tells us about our metabolic health. Kristi also shares her current research in collaboration with Dr. Andy Galpin and Dr. Tommy Wood on whether lactate threshold can serve as a non-invasive proxy for mitochondrial content. This conversation will completely change how you think about every cardio session you've ever done.

Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+:

https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page

Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance.

_____

TOPICS DISCUSSED

00:00 Intro: Was Zone Two Built on Culture, Not Science?

03:19 The Three Exercise Intensity Domains (Not Five Zones)

08:00 Zone Two and Fat Burning: What the Research Actually Shows

12:00 Why Women Are Being Scared Away from Zone Three and Four

20:45 Fasting in Rodents vs. Humans: The Research That Changed Everything

24:00 Fasted Exercise and Cortisol: The Real Story for Women

29:00 What Lactate Actually Tells Us About Mitochondrial Health

37:00 VO2 Max, Mitochondria, and Longevity

43:30 Exercise as Your Daily Metabolic Reset

49:00 The Best Cardio Prescription for Healthspan

55:30 How a 73 Year Old Should Think About High Intensity

58:00 How to Know What Zone You're In Without a Monitor

01:02:00 Sex Differences in Exercise: What the Data Actually Says

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Thank you to our sponsors

Function health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicola

Timeline: http://timeline.com/NEURO

Jones Road Beauty: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com And Use code NEURO

Lifeboost coffee : https://lifeboostcoffee.com/ and Use code NEURO for 10% off

Just Thrive: https://justthrivehealth.com/NEURO

_______

I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics.

My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention.

If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place.

Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/

Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The surgeon who spent 12 to14 hours a day in the operating room developed diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, and an autoimmune disease that was eating away at his skull and it forced him to confront what medical school never taught him about actually staying healthy.

I sat down with Dr. Darshan Shah, board-certified surgeon, founder of Next Health (one of the largest longevity clinic networks in America), and a doctor who had to reverse his own chronic disease to understand the massive gap between Western medicine and the science of health. We explore why surgeons and physicians become some of the sickest people in healthcare, how functional medicine differs from what you learn in medical school, why biomarker testing matters more than your doctor's "you're fine" assessment, and what root cause medicine actually looks like in practice. Dr. Shah also breaks down the AI revolution happening in cardiovascular imaging with Cleerly scans, how his new AI health dashboard reads your bloodwork and medical records to give you proactive guidance, why Yamanaka factors could regenerate damaged nerves in the brain, and what the future of personalized, preventive medicine looks like when you combine AI with real biological data.

Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+:

https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page

Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance.

_____

TOPICS DISCUSSED

00:00 Intro: The surgeon who developed the diseases he was treating

01:17 From trauma surgeon to longevity doctor: Dr. Shah's journey

04:18 Autoimmune disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure in a surgeon

10:30 Western medicine vs. the science of health

18:45 Why doctors don't learn prevention in medical school

35:20 Next Health clinics and democratizing longevity medicine

52:40 Biomarker testing and why "your labs are normal" is dangerous

01:03:52 AI health dashboard: uploading bloodwork and getting proactive guidance

01:06:45 Cleerly scans and reversing cardiovascular disease with AI imaging

01:10:08 Yamanaka factors, nerve regeneration, and the future of brain health

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Thank you to our sponsors

Function Health: https://www.functionhealth.com/louisanicola

Timeline Mitopure: http://timeline.com/NEURO

Ka'Chava: https://kachava.com and use code NEURO for 15% off your first order

Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com/

Fenix: https://www.fenixhealthscience.com/

Arey: https://arey.com/ and use code NEURO

_______

I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics.

My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention.

If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place.

Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/

Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

80% of all autoimmune diseases occur in women, and no one can explain why. Cancer cells are always present in your body, but it's only when your T cells go into energy deficit that cancer starts overtaking the system. And here's what almost no one is talking about: the mitochondria in your immune cells are the reason MS, chronic fatigue, neurodegeneration, and even cancer progression happen when they happen.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Anurag Singh, MD, PhD immunologist who spent 20 years studying mitochondria and screened 4000 compounds from pomegranates to discover one molecule that changes cellular aging. We break down immunometabolism, the emerging field linking immune health and metabolism, why your T regulatory cells are the CEOs of your immune system, how mitochondrial dysfunction in immune cells triggers autoimmune conditions, and why rejuvenating mitochondria can get your immune system in check to defeat cancer. We also cover NAD+ (and why NMN and NR supplements don't work the way people think), the creatine sweet spot for muscle quality (500mg-1g, not the 5g everyone's taking), why Parkinson's is linked to paraquat, a mitochondrial toxin used in fertilizers and dry cleaning and how AI is fast-tracking the discovery of next-generation molecules for neurodegeneration. This conversation completely shifted how I think about immune health, brain protection, and what's actually driving the diseases we fear most.

Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's with my science-backed protocol for women 30+:

https://go.neuroathletics.com.au/youtube-sales-page

Subscribe to The Neuro Experience for evidence-based conversations at the intersection of brain science, longevity, and performance.

_____

TOPICS DISCUSSED

00:00 Intro: Why 80% of Autoimmune Diseases Occur in Women

01:24 Why Dr. Anurag Became an Immunologist

03:19 Immunometabolism: The Link Between Immune Health and Metabolism

04:20 T Cells, B Cells, and the Thymus Gland

05:51 MS and Autoimmune Disease: The T Regulatory Cell Problem

11:32 Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Immune Exhaustion

18:45 Cancer Cells and T Cell Energy Deficit

24:10 Urolithin A: Screening 4000 Pomegranate Compounds

31:20 Mitophagy and Autophagy: Cellular Housekeeping

38:50 NAD+ vs NMN and NR Supplements: What Actually Works

43:15 Creatine Dosing: The 500mg-1g Sweet Spot for Muscle Quality

48:30 Gut-Brain Connection and Neurodegeneration

50:54 Parkinson's Disease and Paraquat: The Mitochondrial Toxin

53:25 AI in Drug Discovery and Next-Generation Molecules

55:38 Skincare and Mitochondrial Health: Collagen Synthesis

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Thank you to our sponsors

KetoneIQ: https://ketone.com/NEURO for 30% OFF

Caraway: Carawayhome.com/neuro10

Jones Road Beauty: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com - Use code NEURO

_______

I’m Louisa Nicola - clinical neurophysiologist - Alzheimer’s prevention specialist - founder of Neuro Athletics.

My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention.

If you're committed to optimizing your brain- reducing Alzheimer’s risk - and staying mentally sharp for life, you’re in the right place.

Stay sharp. Stay informed. Join thousands who subscribe to the Neuro Athletics Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3ewI5P0

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisanicola_/

Twitter : https://twitter.com/louisanicola_
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices