Degrees of Health

In this episode, Ben Hopkins is joined by dietitian Dr Jessica Turton to explore why chronic under eating may be one of the most overlooked causes of fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep and stubborn health issues.We break down how eating too little increases stress hormones, disrupts metabolism, drives nutrient deficiencies, and creates “fake energy” that keeps high performers running on empty.Ben also shares his personal experiment with eating more and why it led to better sleep, clearer thinking, and major improvements in strength and recovery.A must listen if you’re eating “healthy” but still feel awful.Exploring the benefits of red and infra light therapy? Our community receive 10% off via this linkWant to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealthDisclaimer

Is tooth decay an early warning sign of metabolic disease?In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Sarah Hancock to explore a connection most of us were never taught the powerful link between oral health, nutrition, and long term metabolic health.Dental caries (tooth decay) is the most common diet related disease in the world yet it’s rarely discussed as part of chronic disease prevention. Sarah explains how frequent consumption of refined carbohydrates, nutrient poor diets, and early childhood eating patterns can affect not just our teeth, but our metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and future disease risk.We cover:Why cavities may be an early metabolic red flagHow diet impacts teeth beyond brushing and fluorideThe link between refined carbs, insulin resistance, and oral healthWhy poor oral health often begins in childhoodHow nutrient dense diets may protect both teeth and metabolismThis conversation reframes oral health as a whole body issue, not just a dental one.🎙️ Listen now and share with anyone interested in preventative health.Exploring the benefits of red and infra light therapy? Our community receive 10% off via this linkWant to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealthDisclaimer

In this episode, Ben sits down with Mark Lintern to challenge that assumption and explore a radically different idea...What if cancer is a disease of suppression, not failure?Drawing on the metabolic theory, the Warburg effect, mitochondrial biology, and emerging research into the tumour microbiome, Mark lays out a compelling framework that reframes cancer as a chronic cell danger response potentially driven by persistent infection.They unpack..Why the metabolic theory explains more than genetics but still leaves gaps.Why apoptosis and immune evasion don’t fully fit the “broken cell” narrative.How mitochondria may intentionally suppress oxidative phosphorylation.Why prostate cancer breaks the Warburg rule entirely.The role of fungi, bacteria, and the tumour associated microbiome.Why immunotherapy often fails and sometimes backfires.How infection biology may explain inflammation, immune suppression, and tumour growth.What this means for real world treatment strategies, from metabolic therapy to repurposed drugs.This is a deep, systems-level conversation. Not about silver bullets but about first principles.If theory informs treatment, then getting the theory right matters.We cover:🧬 Metabolic vs somatic mutation theory🔥 The Warburg effect as a defensive response🦠 Infection, fungi, and the tumour microbiome🧠 The cell danger response model🫁 Oxygen, mitochondria, and immune signalling🧪 Prostate cancer as a metabolic outlier💊 Repurposed drugs, antifungals, and metabolic therapies🌱 Why cancer may be adaptive — not defectiveThis episode isn’t about certainty.It’s about asking better questions.Exploring the benefits of red and infra light therapy? Our community receive 10% off via this linkWant to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealthDisclaimer

Health optimisation isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about understanding trade-offs, context and biology. In this episode, Ben Hopkins is joined by James O’Hara to explore what really lies beneath today’s biggest health conversations, from GLP-1 drugs and testosterone decline to peptides, diet, recovery, and ageing.Drawing on personal experience and emerging research, they unpack why population data doesn’t always translate to individual outcomes, how modern lifestyles are quietly eroding hormonal health, and where new tools may help or harm, if misunderstood.From anabolic recovery and muscle retention to carnivore diets, light therapy and mental resilience, this is a wide-ranging conversation for anyone trying to navigate health in an increasingly complex world.We cover:💉 GLP-1 agonists, weight loss & metabolic trade-offs🧠 Testosterone decline, ageing & lifestyle factors💪 Anabolic recovery, peptides & injury repair🥩 Carnivore diets, hormones & long-term health⚡ Light therapy, inflammation & healing🧬 Emerging research shaping modern wellnessIt’s nuanced, honest and grounded in real-world experience, not just theory.Exploring the benefits of red and infra light therapy? Our community receive 10% off via this linkWant to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealthDisclaimer

Obesity isn’t just about willpower. It’s biology and it’s been hacked. In this episode, Dr. Richard Johnson (Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado) joins Ben to explain why your body still thinks it's living in the wild and how the same survival switch that once kept us alive may now be quietly driving obesity, diabetes, dementia and addiction.From fructose and uric acid to GLP-1s, Alzheimer's, and mitochondrial health, this conversation unpacks the hidden biology shaping how we store fat, crave sugar and so often lose control with it.We cover:🧠 Fructose, the brain & Alzheimer’s🧪 The survival switch that drives obesity🍷 Why uric acid links sugar and alcohol💊 GLP-1s, food addiction & metabolic dysfunction⚡ What carbs do to your mitochondriaIt's deep, practical and quite possibly, completely paradigm-shifting.Find Dr Richard:WebsiteInstagramMentioned in this episode:Book - Nature Wants Us to Be Fat by Dr. Richard JohnsonPaper on alcohol, fructose, and liver diseaseExploring the benefits of red and infra light therapy? Our community receive 10% off via this linkWant to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealthDisclaimer

What if the root of mental illness isn’t all in your head but in your cells?Dr. Ana Andreazza is leading one of the most exciting shifts in psychiatric science: away from neurotransmitters and towards the mighty mitochondria. In this episode, she and Ben explore the metabolic foundations of mood disorders, how lactate and ketones impact the brain and why most psychiatric medications only form part of the picture.From bipolar disorder and inflammation to mitochondrial transplants and brain organoids, Ana is at the forefront of rethinking how we treat, prevent and understand mental illness.We cover:🧬 Why mitochondria might be the missing link in mental illness🔥 How lactate and inflammation can trigger mania and mood swings🥦 Why nutrition is still missing from most psychiatric care⚡ The link between energy metabolism and neurotransmitters🥼 What mitochondrial transplants could mean for brain health🥑 The promise of ketones in bipolar and mood regulation💊 Why we need both meds and metabolic interventionsFind Ana:More about Ana's workPapers & ResearchExploring the benefits of red and infra light therapy? Our community receive 10% off via this linkWant to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealthDisclaimer

Forget everything you thought you knew about biology. Dr Nirosha Murugan takes us way beyond molecules into the world of light, electricity and the energetic language of life itself. Here we explore a radical new lens on human health: one where energy, not just chemistry, drives disease, healing and even consciousness.From the role of light in cancer and red light therapy, to cells that 'think' without brains, to why homeostasis might be the wrong goal altogether. We cover:⚡ Why biology might be better understood as patterns of energy🧠 “Thinking” organisms that don’t have brains🌞 How light (even in the womb) shapes our biology🧬 Reframing cancer through the lens of energy resistance🧘‍♀️ Bioelectricity, metabolism & the limits of current science🌀 Consciousness as emergent energy, not brain activityThis episode is a ride - part biology, part physics, part philosophy - and all energy.Find Nirosha:WebsiteX (Twitter)LinkedInMentioned in this episode:A New Science of Life by Rupert SheldrakeDemons in the Machine by Paul DaviesEnergy and Information in Art, Science, and TechnologyExploring the benefits of red and infra light therapy? Our community receive 10% off via this linkWant to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealthDisclaimer

Your brain runs on what you eat. So what happens when you fuel it with fat instead of sugar?Drew Decker and Ben join together to discuss his study on the ketogenic diet and depression in college students and how a simple dietary shift led to a 70% reduction in depression scores. No tracking apps, no dieticians, no hand-holding, just students with a budget, a plan, and a mission to feel better.Drew’s journey started after a traumatic brain injury in the military and led him to Dr. Jeff Volek’s lab, where he’s now leading research into how ketosis may impact mental health, PTSD, inflammation, BDNF, energy metabolism and more.This is one of those episodes that’s equal parts hopeful, data-driven and deeply personal.🧠 Ketosis as a tool for mental health📉 The downside of keto? Pretty capped.🥑 How college students stuck to keto on a tight budget🧬 BDNF, energy metabolism & brain inflammation🧠 PTSD, trauma & the future of metabolic psychiatry💊 Exogenous vs endogenous ketones🥩 Animal-based, dairy-based, veggie-heavy — what actually matters📚 The ketogenic diet as metabolic medicineFind Drew:Instagram - @drew_d_deckerResearchGateMentioned in this episode:Keto-MojoFeasibility of Ketogenic Diet in College Students with Depression - A pilot studyExploring the benefits of red and infra light therapy? Our community receive 10% off via this linkWant to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealthDisclaimer