August 5, 2025 • 39 mins
In this episode, Matt Tack and Dr. Alfred Alessi introduce the Alessi Total Care Program, tackling frustrations with medications and the rise of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. They discuss obesity's root causes, including hormonal impacts, sleep, circadian rhythms, and metabolic health. The episode examines toxic burden, inflammation, and gut health in weight management. It explores appetite suppressants, metabolic reeducation, and personalized approaches with testing, nutrition, and exercise. Strategies like detox, peptide therapy, and nervous system support are also discussed, concluding with insights into the Alessi Total Care Program.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
We don't need more suppression.
(00:02):
We need more restoration.
Think of that.
Right?
Suppressing hunger with a shot doesn't fixinsulin resistance.
Well, I mean, technically, does.
Right?
It it does fix it for a period of time.
What comes in after that, though, is it doesn'tclear the toxins or reset the hormones and
really heal your gut for the long term.
Right?
Welcome to Health Decode, your number onesource for real health information with your
(00:25):
host, doctor Alessi and Matt Tack.
Hey, Health Decoded listeners.
Doctor Alessi here.
Let me ask you a serious question.
Are you tired of waiting until something goeswrong to finally see a doctor?
At Alessi Functional Health, we take adifferent approach, the right approach.
(00:46):
We believe true health care isn't about chasingsymptoms.
It's about preventing them in the first place.
That's why we created the Alessi Total CareProgram.
This is a functional medicine based membershipthat gives you proactive, personalized care
year round.
You'll get access to comprehensive blood workand functional testing, custom doctor grade
(01:08):
nutraceuticals, deep discounts on labs,protocols, and follow ups, as well as twenty
four seven direct access to your doctor, notjust a ten minute checkup that ends with
another prescription.
And here's the best part.
As a Health Decoded listener, you'll get yourfirst three months completely free when you
(01:29):
sign up for an annual membership.
That's on top of hundreds in savings alreadybuilt into the program.
This is your chance to take responsibility foryour health and join a movement that's
redefining what primary care should look like.
Head on over to alessifunctionalhealth.com,click on our services tab, and go to Total
Care.
Learn more about this program and claim yourexclusive podcast listener offer.
(01:54):
Your health is your greatest asset.
Let's protect it proactively.
Welcome back to another episode of HealthyCoded.
I'm your host, doctor Alessi.
And your cohost, Matt Tzak.
Matt, how are doing, man?
I'm doing amazing, man.
Ready for this conversation.
I am as well.
(02:14):
I think this is a very important thing thatwe've been hearing a lot lately.
A lot of patients coming into the officefrustrated, know, kind of tired of just being
shelled out these medications and so we werekind of you know, I know you and I were
discussing like hey like why don't we get intothe nitty gritty of this maybe ruffle some
feathers a bit with it and just really educatepeople on kind of you know the risks of what
(02:39):
we're going to be talking about today.
And that being said, today's episode is allabout the exploding world of GLP-one drugs like
Ozempic being used for weight loss.
And we're gonna break this episode down intofour segments.
So segment number one, what is Ozempic and whyis everyone talking about it?
Segment two, the hidden risks that no one'stalking about and your doctors aren't telling
(03:03):
you.
And segment three, the real root cause of fatgain and obesity.
And segment four, our functional approach toweight loss and health.
And if any of this resonates with you, staytuned for an awesome show.
That's it.
So let's jump right in to what we'reaffectionately call segment one of this.
(03:24):
So let's start with the basics.
Because if you've turned on a TV, openedInstagram, or sat in a waiting room lately, you
probably heard someone mention Ozempic.
Ugovy or Majuro.
Majuro is how you say it.
So these drugs were originally created for typetwo diabetics, to help regulate blood sugar
(03:45):
levels.
But what they found over the recent years isthat they exploded in the weight loss world
like wild friggin' fire.
So you don't have to have actually diabetes.
And in fact, millions of people are beingprescribed them off label.
So insurance isn't covering a lot of theseright now either too.
(04:08):
So, insurance has actually taken these out.
These are more cash based, if you are notdiabetic, so they can't be prescribed that way,
but they're off label to just shed pounds.
I know so many people, even actually in myfamily, so this actually hits home.
Right?
So what are exactly these drugs is thequestion.
(04:28):
So this is what we're here to document.
They're called GLP one receptor agonists.
Right?
That stands for glucagon.
Is that how you say it?
Glucagon like peptide.
Glucagon like peptide.
Right?
So they are peptides.
And this is a hormone your body naturallyproduces in response to food, and it does
(04:51):
several things.
Right?
So it slows gastric emptying.
So you feel fuller longer.
Right?
Foot you're resistant to food.
It reduces the appetite.
So similar to that, making you just eat lessthroughout the day.
Right?
So caloric restriction improves insulinsensitivity, so helping regulate blood sugar
(05:13):
levels and lowers glucagon secretion,preventing unnecessary glucose release from the
liver.
So here are just a few like brand names thatpeople are talking about.
As we said, they're mainly called semiglutides,but Ozempic and Wagavy are two of the really,
really big ones out there right now that many,many pay people are pushing.
(05:36):
Right?
Mounjaro and Zepbound.
These ones which also also stimulate the GIPreceptors in addition to the GLP-one.
So these are peptides, which we're a believerin peptides, but there also comes things which
we're gonna get in other segments, of that notall peptides are created equal and how you
(05:59):
utilize them appropriately, right?
So these medications are administered as weeklyinjections and were originally part of a
diabetes treatment strategy, but their weightloss side effects quickly became the main
attraction.
So here's why all this buzz is going around.
Celebrities like Elon Musk and Chelsea Handler,right, have admitted to using them.
(06:24):
Social media is flooded with the Ozempicjourney, right, And dramatic before and after
reels.
You'll see now the Ozempic face after peoplehave used it for a period of time, right?
That droopy face that you'll see, the cheeksimpounded.
So in more concerning primary care docs andtelehealth clinics are now prescribing them
(06:45):
with minimal screening or lifestyle support.
Right?
So there's no education behind that drugintroduction.
So here's the issue.
These drugs weren't designed for casual use,and long term effects are barely even
understood at this point.
So while they work, while you're on them, themoment you stop, the weight tends to come back
(07:10):
and come back ferociously.
Right?
Often with a real vengeance.
You're essentially outsourcing your hungerregulation to a synthetic hormone and hoping
your body plays along.
Right?
But as we always talk about, everything'sbetween the ears.
Alright?
So here's a study.
(07:30):
In 2022, article in Nature Medicine found thatGLP-one receptors agonists, were effective in
helping patients lose weight.
They came with significant gastrointestinalside effects, including nausea, vomiting,
pancreatitis, and even gastroparesis.
Right?
Additionally, weight loss reserved withinweight loss reversed within one year in most
(07:56):
patients who stop the medication, showing theside effects are not sustained without
continued use and lifestyle change.
So we're medicating a metabolic problem withoutaddressing the root in it.
Nutrition, stress, sleep, toxins, hormones, andlast but not least, movement.
(08:16):
That's a big one man.
Yeah.
Yeah and I mean there's so much to that andobviously let's let's get into the next piece
which is really the hidden risks that you knowno one's talking about and I think the worst
part of it is I have patients come in andthey're like my doctor didn't tell me this And
so what I instantly hear from that is like okaythat is dangerous when you're not telling
(08:37):
someone like hey, you need to be following ahealthy diet while you're on this drug or you
need to be moving your body you need to bestaying metabolically healthy.
It's more so like, no, just take this, you'regood, do whatever the heck you want, right?
Go eat whatever, do nothing.
And this drug will do everything for you.
Too good to be true often is, right?
When something sounds like it is.
(08:58):
So, you know, let's be real, like, I'm not hereto shame anyone for wanting to lose weight.
We help people lose weight all the time.
And I know, I understand the frustration oftrying diets and diets and working out and
still feeling like you're stuck.
This is very common.
And so, it's also like what is the root causeof that?
But you know, the Ozempic conversation is waytoo one-sided.
(09:22):
Everyone's talking about the results, no one'stalking about the risks.
And so, it exploded so rapidly that everyonekind of jumped on it and there wasn't enough
time to really see, hey, what's the long termlike side effects that are going to come from
this?
And now we're starting to see it a couple yearslater.
So, you know, let's get into it.
I have a list here of really like the hiddenconsequences or like risks that doctors aren't
(09:47):
telling you that we're seeing with these drugs.
And so, what's really happening number one ispeople are losing muscle instead of fat.
Yes, there is weight loss, but a lot of thatweight is lean body tissue.
And so when you drastically cut calories orsuppress your appetite, your body doesn't just
burn fat.
It breaks down lean muscle too.
(10:07):
And so, was a 2023 study published in JAMA thatfound up to 40% of the weight lost on
semaglutide was lean body mass.
That is dangerously high to lose that muchmuscle, Especially when your body starts
catabolizing that muscle can lead to liverissues as well.
And so you know why does that matter?
Because we both know this, we harp on this allthe time, your muscle is your metabolism.
(10:31):
If you lose it, and you slow your burn ratelong term, you're going to end up with that,
you know, that skinny fat look that everyone'skind of seeing is happening with these drugs.
So like yes, the number on the scale went downfantastic, but your body is actually more
fragile and less healthy and your metabolism isprobably going to be much slower and more
(10:51):
impacted because of that.
And so again, now getting into the second thingon the list here slowed metabolism.
These GLP-one agonists slow gastric emptying.
So that means like your digestive speed really,and it reduces the appetite to where people are
going to under eat a lot, sometimes even forlike months.
And so the result is your body is smart yourbody says okay I'm not getting enough in.
(11:14):
I need to slow down my burn rate my metabolismto keep what I have so that I don't die right
our bodies are built for survival.
And so, when we're taking in less calories overtime, that's why you know these dramatic
calorie restriction diets don't work long termbecause you're gonna starve your body into a
state of survival mode, it's gonna justpreserve every calorie it gets.
(11:36):
And so eventually, you can't not eat anything,right?
You would die.
And so, you know, it's like putting your bodyon airplane mode, you're not teaching it to
regulate, you're just overriding the system.
The next thing we're seeing with these drugs isgallbladder stress and pancreatitis risk.
Because your pancreas is what controls thatinsulin glucagon kind of response and cascade.
(11:57):
And so there's been multiple case studieslinking semaglutide with acute gallbladder
attacks, as well as pancreatitis.
Especially when the weight loss is super rapid,right when people are like losing 30 pounds in
ten days or something crazy like that.
There was a 2022 meta analysis in the diabetescare journal noted as statistically significant
(12:18):
increase in gallbladder related adverse eventsin GLP one users, like a direct correlation to
it.
And so, I mean, again, aren't things that aretaken lightly.
This could put you in the hospital or requiresome type of surgery to pull your gallbladder.
Your gallbladder, I know a lot of people getthem removed but it's actually very important.
It's necessary for your digestion, your body'sdetoxification, a lot of systems in the body.
(12:43):
The next thing that happens is people often getas you said that rebound weight gain.
So, know, most people are gonna lose a ton ofweight, but they really haven't changed their
lifestyle.
They haven't modified anything that they do ona regular basis.
So as soon as they get off the drug, they'restill doing what they did that got them there
in the first place, that weight just comesright back because they haven't changed any of
(13:03):
their habits or routines.
And so there was a 2022 follow-up study in theNew England Journal of Medicine, showed that
participants regained two thirds of their lostweight within a year.
So it's almost like what was the point, right?
Like they just bounced right back to almostexactly where they were even after
discontinuing the drug.
(13:24):
There's psychological dependence that comesfrom this.
People, you know, start to believe like, I justI need this.
Like I need to stay on this or else I'm notable to eat right, I'm not able to, you know,
this is the only thing that's ever worked forme, and they get hooked on it.
It's like a almost like an addiction to thefeeling.
And it's a problem because this is lack ofcontrol, right?
(13:45):
People are so out of control with being able tomanage what they're putting into their body and
the amount of movement they're doing, they'rerelying on these things.
And then the last thing, you know, and not togo unnoticed is malnutrition.
You know, people are eating so much less onthese drugs, they're not getting the
micronutrients and the vitamins that they need.
We're seeing depleted B vitamins, low proteinintake, so they're not getting those amino
(14:08):
acids for rebuilding and repair.
And you know, again, if they're not consumingenough, you better believe they're gonna be
deficient in a lot of minerals and vitamins.
And so, you know, the way you and I talk aboutit is like, you can lose weight, but you can
still wreck your health while doing that.
And that's not winning ultimately.
(14:29):
So, again, I think a lot of people listen tothe way we speak about these things and maybe
think we're anti medicine.
We're not.
We're just anti medicine in the wrong uses,right?
We're pro integration.
If you're not combining this drug withmovement, strength training, nutrient dense
meals, and mindset work, right, controllingwhere your mindset is, you're setting yourself
(14:52):
up for failure.
So it can be done correctly.
It's we're just not seeing that very often anddone very well right now.
And so, know, let's get into segment three.
I'll let you take this.
But real quick, let's take a word from one ofour sponsors.
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(15:15):
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Now back to the episode.
And we're back.
So thanks, doctor Lesse for all that.
And I'm gonna build onto that in segment three,right?
And the root cause, behind that obesity and theweight gain element.
This hits home because there's actually been alot of friends of my wife because this is
(16:47):
predominantly, I think this is coming into themore masculine side of the world and there's
been a driving force behind it because there'sso much rapid use within the feminine side,
right?
The females have like really, really expanded,move this drug along.
And now men are also, I want to hop on thisgravy train too, right?
(17:09):
But we've got to talk about the reality of theobesity and the weight gain behind it.
Right?
So we've got become so assessed with theshrinking number on the scale, and the
immediacy of that effect.
Right?
So we've stopped asking the right question.
Why is the body gaining and holding on to fatin the first place?
And the real issue isn't a semaglutidedeficiency, right?
(17:32):
The issue is that the modern life ismetabolically hostile.
We talked about this over and over again,right?
Inflamed cortisol levels, just crazy, erratichormonal responses to things, right?
And our bodies are doing exactly what they'reprogrammed to do in these stressful, toxic,
nutrient poor environment that we perpetuallyput them in.
(17:54):
So let's walk through this real root cause wesee in in our clinic on an everyday basis.
So number one being insulin resistance.
It's one of the most important things is to beinsulin resistance.
Most people are weight loss resistant becausetheir cells are numb to insulin.
This hormone is supposed to help shuttleglucose into the cells.
(18:20):
But when the system is just overwhelmed bysugar, stress, and snacking, it completely
stops working.
So what happens?
Glucose stays in the blood.
The body stores excess fat, and cravings,fatigue, and fatigue increase.
Here, check this out.
A 2021 review in the Lancet noted that insulinresistance is one of the primary metabolic
(18:43):
drivers of modern obesity.
And you know, this is another thing.
You know how you become more insulin resistant?
It's by moving directly after meal.
Moving, doing something in movement, walking,push ups, air squats right after a meal.
Right?
Right after a meal.
Every time every time you have a meal, dosomething.
(19:05):
Move.
So number two, chronic stress and cortisoldysregulation.
When your body when your body thinks it's underthreat, so there's different threats that
you're gonna be perceiving, whether they be,subconscious or conscious.
Right?
Even from an email notification or undereating,it holds on to fat for survival Subconsciously,
(19:29):
you don't even know what's going on.
Right?
Cortisol stress hormone elevates your bloodsugar levels, breaks down the muscle tissue,
and tells your body store fat, especiallyaround the belly.
I can even feel it.
So I have a low, low body fat percentage,relatively low, I should say.
So whenever I eat fats, carbohydrates, itactually pumps up my muscles.
(19:53):
Right?
And subconsciously, those carbohydrates andfats are going into my muscles and and almost
swelling them in a way.
All food is meant to inflame the body.
Right?
Then it becomes your body's natural response toinsulins to regulate that appropriate.
Right?
So chronic stress equals metabolic slowdown andinflammatory weight gain.
(20:16):
Reality.
So you keep the body in more of a stress state,you will have more weight gain.
You eat and sit down, you will have more weightgain.
Right?
Oh, number three, mitochondrial dysfunction.
So this one's really cool because I'm actuallytapping this into a detailed level with a new
peptide that I'm trying out, which is the SS31, right?
(20:40):
SS 31 or SS 32?
Yeah, that's that's
31.
Right?
So your mitochondria are cellular engines.
So when they're sluggish, your metabolism istoo.
What damages mitochondria are a number ofthings.
Inflammatory foods, environmental toxins, poorsleep, and sedentary lifestyle.
(21:01):
You eat, you sit, that's sedentary.
Right?
So here, when your engines aren't working,taking a car example, your body burns fewer
calories, right?
It's going to burn fewer fuel.
If you're not burning the machine, the car, soyou're gonna use less fuel.
Right?
And at rest, during exercise.
(21:23):
You see how that works?
You're gonna maintain fuel.
So and your body converts to storage.
So here's from the Journal of ClinicalEndocrinology and Metabolism in 2019 linked
mitochondrial health directly to restingmetabolic heart rate and facts on the oxidation
capacities.
We'll dive deeper in that.
Take note.
(21:43):
So number four, hormonal imbalances.
We talked about so much this in prior episodes.
We've really gone in detail.
But this is this is the nuts and bolts, right?
Weight gain isn't always about willpower.
It's about hormones.
That's why we get blood work done.
And everybody that comes in the clinic.
I was talking to a guy the other day.
You just need blood work done.
You need to have an understanding of data inyour body.
(22:05):
Do you have a low thyroid?
Well, that's gonna equal low slow metabolism,right?
Estrogen dominance.
It does your test if you're a male or you'refemale, right?
Do those equate?
Do those level out?
Are you heavier on the testosterone side?
If you're a male, are you heavier on theestrogen side?
If you're a female, right?
Those need to.
(22:25):
And then what is your free free testosteronebalance in association to your top line
testosterone or estrogen?
However you measure those.
So bloating, fluid retention and fat storageare in association to excess estrogen dominance
if you're male.
Low testosterone in men or women.
This is a key thing.
Right?
Is women don't realize that testosterone isneeded in and there's a balance between the
(22:49):
estrogen and, estrogen and testosterone andvice versa for men.
So you have less of that.
Right?
There's less muscle and more fat.
So if you're a woman, getting maybe a slightpinch, you know, of, controlled, doctor
approved testosterone is a very, very healthything.
(23:10):
And your man's gonna thank you for that too.
So PCOS is another factor, right?
It's equals insulin resistance plus hormonechaos.
Right?
At the end of the day, if your hormones are outof sync, your body is not playing fair with
itself.
And that's all subconscious state.
Now we're gonna dive in to a little bit deeperissue.
(23:34):
Again, we've had prior episodes on this, but,what I love about this is this all is regulated
associated to your hormone levels.
What regulates it?
Your sleep.
Circadian rhythm and the disruption and poorsleep is directly related to hormone balance
that you have when you're awake and in yourawakened state throughout the day.
(23:55):
So poor sleep wrecks your hunger hormones.
It goes up.
Leptin goes up.
So you can crave you crave carbs and eat more.
Also, take note.
What you introduce first to your body is whatyou're going to crave through the rest of the
day.
So if you introduce your body to carbs and fatsearlier in the day, which I'm not completely
(24:16):
sold on the fats.
Think fats, can be introduced a little bitearlier, just because they have a neurological
component, but mainly carbohydrates, you'relikely going to crave those the rest of the
day, right?
So that's why protein is important earlier inthe day.
So lack of sleep also spikes cortisol, impairsyour glucose metabolism, and lowers insulin
sensitivity.
(24:37):
Here's another study.
We always like adding these in.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in2021 found that just one week sleep deprivation
significantly decreased metabolic rate andincreased fat storage pathways.
So it just allowed it, right?
Allowed fat to store because you're not gettingthe efficient amount of sleep.
(24:58):
This then, and for number six, as we'retransitioning, led to toxic burden.
So we see this all the time.
Patients who are doing everything right, butstill inflamed, tired and stuck.
I can't sleep well.
I can't do all these things.
Well, hidden toxins are built up, mold,plastic, pesticides, and they disrupt the
endocrine system, which impairs those detoxpathways.
(25:20):
Your body naturally wants to detox itself, butyou're not letting it, which create low grade
inflammation that blocks the fat cell loss.
So hey, I'm going in, I'm working really hardat the gym, but not seeing the results, right?
Functional medicine calls this toxic bucket.
We test for this on a weekly basis with ourpatients.
And when it overflows, your metabolism stalls.
(25:41):
So forget it.
Your body's just going to continually store.
So now as we build into it, gut dysbiosis.
And this is the root associated to everythingthat we talk about and do.
This is why you need to get your blood workdone.
Because once you get your blood work done, thatit perceives data, and then we can get niche
with what is going on.
(26:02):
Right?
We read your blood work, we get niche.
Hey, this is what you need.
You might have we see leaky gut almost on adaily basis.
Right?
So, the gut dysbiosis, if your microbiome isout of balance, your weight will be too.
Fact.
Absolute fact.
Right?
Certain bacteria extract more calories fromfood.
(26:22):
So that's why we want healthier gut bacteria,not more unhealthy.
So gut imbalances trigger inflammation, leakygut, and low microbial diversity is linked to
obesity and insulin resistance.
They've literally done a study in Europe rightnow where they're doing actually fecal
transplants to change the gut bacteria, and itcan be changed in as little as three days.
(26:48):
And in that three day period, you can real withfecal transplants, implant good good gut
bacteria in in a in a foreign gut.
Right?
And it'll start recreating gut, and you'llstart losing weight.
Your hormone balances will equate.
Right?
It does come with also some other things.
Right?
You need habits, right?
(27:09):
You need to build in habits because you willthen still eat the same things.
But they are doing this in Europe.
They have test trials going on right now.
It's really, really cool.
Check it out.
So fix the gut, reduce the inflammation,improve weight loss regulation.
So it's as simple as that.
Here's my final thought before I check out andget back to Doctor.
(27:30):
Durelesi.
We don't need more suppression.
We need more restoration.
Think of that, right?
Suppressing hunger with a shot doesn't fixinsulin resistance.
Well, I mean, technically it does, right?
It it does fix it for a period of time.
What comes in after that, though, is it doesn'tclear the toxins or reset the hormones and
really heal your gut for the long term.
(27:52):
You want the long term.
You don't want to be out of shot forever.
And it doesn't it just silences your bodysignals without solving the real root cause.
So sustainable weight loss stems from metabolichealing, not just caloric restriction.
Yeah, that's so true, man.
And literally all seven of the things youtouched on in that in that piece, There's an
(28:16):
episode for that we've done so if listenerswant to go back and really kind of get more
knowledge on each of those right like you givea snapshot of them and now go back and listen
to a prior episode on gut dysbiosis toxins, youknow, the circadian rhythm hormones,
mitochondria, we've done an episode and all ofit.
So, you know, really kind of builds the picturethere.
The other thing you said was, you know, theshot isn't the fix because, yeah, it'll make
(28:40):
you lose weight.
But if the reason you're losing weight isbecause of a dyspatic gut or your habits are
off or hormones, the shots not meant to fixthat right?
It's meant to just suppress your appetite soyou eat less calories in calories out you're
taking in less calories.
Yeah, you're going to lose weight.
Is that healthy weight loss?
More often than not, it is not.
(29:00):
So, we're seeing a lot of muscle loss like wetalked about.
So, realistically, you know, like what is thealternative because everyone's looking for the
shortcut.
Everybody wants the magic bullet, the quickfix.
I'll be honest, I sometimes do as well.
Right?
But what we do at Alessi functional health iswhat we call metabolic reeducation.
(29:20):
So we're not just trying to silence theappetite.
We're trying to teach your body how to burn fatagain.
We don't, we don't rent your metabolism.
We rebuild it from the inside out, right?
And so, let's do this man.
Let's just break down kind of our functionalmedicine blueprint, blueprint for how we get
real weight loss goals that last I think that'sthe biggest piece right is like anyone can lose
(29:43):
weight anyone can get out of pain right that'seasy.
It's keeping those results that separate usfrom other practitioners because we've got
these systems in place that again, it'seducation for our patients that make it to
where they just need to maintain afterwards.
So, you know, step one, like you mentioned,advanced testing, right?
(30:04):
You have to know before you go.
What gets measured gets managed realistically.
And so before we ever build any kind of plan orclaim to be you know, be able to help someone,
we have to have it.
We have to have an answer.
Have to know what's going on.
So, some of the big things we're going to lookat is that fasting insulin that's more
predictive than glucose.
We're going to look at cortisol patterns and adaily adrenal stress test that tests cortisol
(30:28):
four times throughout the day to see reallywhat is that cadence.
A thyroid and sex hormone panel, toxic load,kind of what you mentioned, right?
Looking for things like mold, BPAs, heavymetals.
And then one of the biggest ones is going to belike a microbiome and gut test where we can
look into the stool and see what levels ofgood, bad, you know, beneficial dysbiotic
(30:49):
bacteria there might be.
And there was a 2022 review in obesity reviewsthat confirmed that individualized biomarker
driven protocols led to more sustainable weightloss outcomes than just generic calorie
counting.
We know that just counting calories caneventually hit a plateau, right?
(31:09):
If you're just maintaining under caloriesforever, it's not sustainable.
And so it's all about like fueling your bodyand then using those calories as fuel to then
achieve said outcome.
So, personalized nutrition, that's the nextpiece of what we do.
Because it's not about restriction, it's aboutoptimizing your nutrition.
We help guide patients with high protein diets.
(31:30):
That's gonna preserve muscle mass, boost yourthermogenic ability, your metabolism.
Blood sugar stabilizing meals, incorporatingfiber, fats and protein.
And then obviously anti inflammatory foods,getting rid of the seed oils, getting rid of
the processed carbohydrates, the triggers,right?
We do food sensitivity testing to see ifsomeone has triggers like dairy, gluten, maybe
(31:54):
certain types of vegetables that could betriggering them that they don't know.
And so it's not just eat less, move more, it'sfuel more, right?
And strategically as well.
The next piece is something that we everyone,everyone gets coaching on this is strategic
movement, right?
And so it's all about like focusing onmetabolically intelligent exercises.
(32:15):
That zone two cardio that you always love totalk about, right?
Enhances fat oxidation, mitochondrial function,and then resistance training.
Everyone needs to be resistance training tobuild lean mass, which will improve your
insulin sensitivity.
Your body will be more responsive to using theinsulin.
Muscle is medicine and according to the Journalof Applied Physiology, muscle mass is a major
(32:37):
predictor of metabolic rate and glucosecontrol.
It's just proven.
And so if you're not working out, but you'replanning to just take a semaglutide or GLP-one
agonist, your body's not going to bemetabolically active as soon as you stop that
drug, it doesn't know what to do.
The next thing is using, you know, microsupplementation for the mitochondrial and
(32:58):
cellular support on the cellular level.
Because you mentioned it if the mitochondria isnot working, neither is your metabolism.
Those are the engines, those are the fuelcells.
And so we use specific supplements andprotocols, things like CoQ10, PQQ, Acetyl L
Carnitine, which helps like transport fat.
Alpha lipoic acid makes your body more insulinsensitive.
(33:21):
And again, they're not fat burners.
I know that's like a buzzword people are gonnago buy a fat burner on Amazon.
These are cellular repair tools.
Again, getting to the bottom of it, like whatis the actual problem?
And then gut restoration, liver detox.
So chronic inflammation and poor detoxificationwill stall your fat loss.
So, I always tell patients this when weightloss is a goal.
(33:44):
I say, hey, if your body's not healthy, it'snot prioritizing losing weight.
So, could be trying to do all these things tolose weight.
Your body is just trying to keep the lights onbecause there's some kind of fire that's that's
going on that it's just trying to manage.
I think an analogy I use which actually kind ofmade me and the patient both laugh.
Was like, I was like, imagine if you had ahouse that was on fire.
Is your priority to repaint the walls of thathouse?
(34:06):
No, it's not.
It is to put out that freaking fire because ifthat fire is going then what purpose is it to
make the house look nice, right?
So, we use you know, we address obviouslydysbiosis and leaky gut and then we're going to
do specific detoxification protocols where weuse enzymes, probiotics, repair nutrients for
(34:26):
the gut.
Now getting into more of the cooler things wedo when needed, peptide therapy.
You know, again, peptides are not a silverbullet, but they can be a powerful accelerator
when used correctly.
And so you have to work on the foundationfirst, but then we can get into some really,
really cool niche things with these peptides.
Things like CJC and ipamorelin, which you and Ihave both used.
(34:50):
These are going to stimulate that naturalgrowth hormone like release for fat loss,
muscle maintenance and recovery.
MOTS C is a mitochondrial peptide that improvesyour glucose utilization and stamina.
And then the five amino one MQ actuallyinhibits fat accumulation and increases your
energy output.
Cool thing about that one is that one can beactually be taken orally.
(35:12):
So, a lot most peptides are going to work bestwith an injectable, but the five amino can
actually be taken orally and so some patientsare gonna have more follow through with that.
And again, we pair peptides with lifestyle, notinstead of it, right?
Everything.
It's not to overdo your life.
It's like it's a.
(35:34):
It's an add on, right?
It's a supplement.
And so then, you know, one of the last thingswe're going to talk about is really the nervous
system support.
And so, we talked about this in a previousepisode about the vagus nerve and how important
that is for regulation of the nervous system.
Because if you're dysregulated, you're in thatsurvival fight or flight mode, your body's
going to just store as much energy as it can,it's going to say hey I need this in case of,
(35:56):
you know, something happens and I need thatenergy right away I'm just going to store this
I'm going to bank this for later.
So, we monitor HRV, heart rate variability,vagal tone, and then utilizing hacks like
breath work, cold exposure, sleep optimization,exercise, obviously, and all these things to
help calm the nervous system so that themetabolism can function again.
(36:18):
And so, know, all of that put together reallyis what we call our total care approach.
The reason we came up with that name is becauseit encompasses everything.
The testing, the lifestyle factors, themovement, the supplementation, the nutrition,
like all of it, right?
The nervous system.
And so, our total care program isn't just ahack.
It's not about hacking your biology.
(36:38):
It's not a bio hacking thing.
It's about root cause healing, lifestylereprogramming with science back support from
our doctors and from our team.
And our team is I mean next level good.
So, you know, the takeaway here is we'd ratherhelp you rebuild a fat burning rich body than
rent out your metabolism from big pharma for athousand bucks a month.
(37:00):
That was a great quote.
And so, know, if you're thinking about tryingOzempic or if you've tried it and you're
frustrated with it, just know that you know,your body deserves more than symptom
suppression.
It deserves to just be healthy.
And so, rather than try to override the system,let's fix the root and not just flatten the
curve.
(37:22):
So to learn more about how we help diagnose,reverse and heal chronic disease within our
functional medicine programs and Alessi TotalCare, go to alessifunctionalhealth.com,
schedule a consultation with me or one of ourother providers and let's create a personalized
plan for lifelong health.
You can go to our resources page and click onthe quizzes link to take a quiz specific to
(37:44):
your symptoms and see if this is something youcould benefit from.
Listeners of the Health Decoded podcast alwaysget exclusive discounts and price reductions on
our protocols and our lab tests, so be sure tomention where you heard us.
And as always, if you found value in today'sshow, please like, subscribe, and share this
episode with someone that needs to hear it.
(38:05):
That's how we're gonna get this message out andchange more lives, and wanna get in touch with
us and be featured maybe on an episode, emailus questions, at ask@AlessiFXHealth.com.
And you can visit our website atalessifxhealth.com.
You sign up for our newsletter.
Check out our resources page to learn moreabout our approach to nutrition and other
(38:28):
cutting edge therapies.
And thank you again for tuning in to HealthDecoded, where we break down the science, bust
the myths, and help you take control of yourhealth naturally.
Till next time.
I'm doctor Alessi, and we will see you on thenext episode.
Thank
you for tuning in to Health Decoded, where webreak down the truth about all things health
(38:48):
and empower you to take charge of yourwell-being.
If you found value in today's episode, pleasesubscribe, leave a review, and share it with
someone who needs to hear this.
For more resources and personalized support,visit us at alessifunctionalhealth.com and sign
up for our newsletter.
To hear your questions answered live on theshow, send them to ask@AlessiFXHealth.com.
(39:12):
That's ask@alessifxhealth.com.
Until next time.
Stay curious, stay empowered, and remember,your health is in your hands.
We don't need more suppression.
(00:02):
We need more restoration.
Think of that.
Right?
Suppressing hunger with a shot doesn't fixinsulin resistance.
Well, I mean, technically, does.
Right?
It it does fix it for a period of time.
What comes in after that, though, is it doesn'tclear the toxins or reset the hormones and
really heal your gut for the long term.
Right?
Welcome to Health Decode, your number onesource for real health information with your
(00:25):
host, doctor Alessi and Matt Tack.
Hey, Health Decoded listeners.
Doctor Alessi here.
Let me ask you a serious question.
Are you tired of waiting until something goeswrong to finally see a doctor?
At Alessi Functional Health, we take adifferent approach, the right approach.
(00:46):
We believe true health care isn't about chasingsymptoms.
It's about preventing them in the first place.
That's why we created the Alessi Total CareProgram.
This is a functional medicine based membershipthat gives you proactive, personalized care
year round.
You'll get access to comprehensive blood workand functional testing, custom doctor grade
(01:08):
nutraceuticals, deep discounts on labs,protocols, and follow ups, as well as twenty
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And here's the best part.
As a Health Decoded listener, you'll get yourfirst three months completely free when you
(01:29):
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That's on top of hundreds in savings alreadybuilt into the program.
This is your chance to take responsibility foryour health and join a movement that's
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Head on over to alessifunctionalhealth.com,click on our services tab, and go to Total
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Learn more about this program and claim yourexclusive podcast listener offer.
(01:54):
Your health is your greatest asset.
Let's protect it proactively.
Welcome back to another episode of HealthyCoded.
I'm your host, doctor Alessi.
And your cohost, Matt Tzak.
Matt, how are doing, man?
I'm doing amazing, man.
Ready for this conversation.
I am as well.
(02:14):
I think this is a very important thing thatwe've been hearing a lot lately.
A lot of patients coming into the officefrustrated, know, kind of tired of just being
shelled out these medications and so we werekind of you know, I know you and I were
discussing like hey like why don't we get intothe nitty gritty of this maybe ruffle some
feathers a bit with it and just really educatepeople on kind of you know the risks of what
(02:39):
we're going to be talking about today.
And that being said, today's episode is allabout the exploding world of GLP-one drugs like
Ozempic being used for weight loss.
And we're gonna break this episode down intofour segments.
So segment number one, what is Ozempic and whyis everyone talking about it?
Segment two, the hidden risks that no one'stalking about and your doctors aren't telling
(03:03):
you.
And segment three, the real root cause of fatgain and obesity.
And segment four, our functional approach toweight loss and health.
And if any of this resonates with you, staytuned for an awesome show.
That's it.
So let's jump right in to what we'reaffectionately call segment one of this.
(03:24):
So let's start with the basics.
Because if you've turned on a TV, openedInstagram, or sat in a waiting room lately, you
probably heard someone mention Ozempic.
Ugovy or Majuro.
Majuro is how you say it.
So these drugs were originally created for typetwo diabetics, to help regulate blood sugar
(03:45):
levels.
But what they found over the recent years isthat they exploded in the weight loss world
like wild friggin' fire.
So you don't have to have actually diabetes.
And in fact, millions of people are beingprescribed them off label.
So insurance isn't covering a lot of theseright now either too.
(04:08):
So, insurance has actually taken these out.
These are more cash based, if you are notdiabetic, so they can't be prescribed that way,
but they're off label to just shed pounds.
I know so many people, even actually in myfamily, so this actually hits home.
Right?
So what are exactly these drugs is thequestion.
(04:28):
So this is what we're here to document.
They're called GLP one receptor agonists.
Right?
That stands for glucagon.
Is that how you say it?
Glucagon like peptide.
Glucagon like peptide.
Right?
So they are peptides.
And this is a hormone your body naturallyproduces in response to food, and it does
(04:51):
several things.
Right?
So it slows gastric emptying.
So you feel fuller longer.
Right?
Foot you're resistant to food.
It reduces the appetite.
So similar to that, making you just eat lessthroughout the day.
Right?
So caloric restriction improves insulinsensitivity, so helping regulate blood sugar
(05:13):
levels and lowers glucagon secretion,preventing unnecessary glucose release from the
liver.
So here are just a few like brand names thatpeople are talking about.
As we said, they're mainly called semiglutides,but Ozempic and Wagavy are two of the really,
really big ones out there right now that many,many pay people are pushing.
(05:36):
Right?
Mounjaro and Zepbound.
These ones which also also stimulate the GIPreceptors in addition to the GLP-one.
So these are peptides, which we're a believerin peptides, but there also comes things which
we're gonna get in other segments, of that notall peptides are created equal and how you
(05:59):
utilize them appropriately, right?
So these medications are administered as weeklyinjections and were originally part of a
diabetes treatment strategy, but their weightloss side effects quickly became the main
attraction.
So here's why all this buzz is going around.
Celebrities like Elon Musk and Chelsea Handler,right, have admitted to using them.
(06:24):
Social media is flooded with the Ozempicjourney, right, And dramatic before and after
reels.
You'll see now the Ozempic face after peoplehave used it for a period of time, right?
That droopy face that you'll see, the cheeksimpounded.
So in more concerning primary care docs andtelehealth clinics are now prescribing them
(06:45):
with minimal screening or lifestyle support.
Right?
So there's no education behind that drugintroduction.
So here's the issue.
These drugs weren't designed for casual use,and long term effects are barely even
understood at this point.
So while they work, while you're on them, themoment you stop, the weight tends to come back
(07:10):
and come back ferociously.
Right?
Often with a real vengeance.
You're essentially outsourcing your hungerregulation to a synthetic hormone and hoping
your body plays along.
Right?
But as we always talk about, everything'sbetween the ears.
Alright?
So here's a study.
(07:30):
In 2022, article in Nature Medicine found thatGLP-one receptors agonists, were effective in
helping patients lose weight.
They came with significant gastrointestinalside effects, including nausea, vomiting,
pancreatitis, and even gastroparesis.
Right?
Additionally, weight loss reserved withinweight loss reversed within one year in most
(07:56):
patients who stop the medication, showing theside effects are not sustained without
continued use and lifestyle change.
So we're medicating a metabolic problem withoutaddressing the root in it.
Nutrition, stress, sleep, toxins, hormones, andlast but not least, movement.
(08:16):
That's a big one man.
Yeah.
Yeah and I mean there's so much to that andobviously let's let's get into the next piece
which is really the hidden risks that you knowno one's talking about and I think the worst
part of it is I have patients come in andthey're like my doctor didn't tell me this And
so what I instantly hear from that is like okaythat is dangerous when you're not telling
(08:37):
someone like hey, you need to be following ahealthy diet while you're on this drug or you
need to be moving your body you need to bestaying metabolically healthy.
It's more so like, no, just take this, you'regood, do whatever the heck you want, right?
Go eat whatever, do nothing.
And this drug will do everything for you.
Too good to be true often is, right?
When something sounds like it is.
(08:58):
So, you know, let's be real, like, I'm not hereto shame anyone for wanting to lose weight.
We help people lose weight all the time.
And I know, I understand the frustration oftrying diets and diets and working out and
still feeling like you're stuck.
This is very common.
And so, it's also like what is the root causeof that?
But you know, the Ozempic conversation is waytoo one-sided.
(09:22):
Everyone's talking about the results, no one'stalking about the risks.
And so, it exploded so rapidly that everyonekind of jumped on it and there wasn't enough
time to really see, hey, what's the long termlike side effects that are going to come from
this?
And now we're starting to see it a couple yearslater.
So, you know, let's get into it.
I have a list here of really like the hiddenconsequences or like risks that doctors aren't
(09:47):
telling you that we're seeing with these drugs.
And so, what's really happening number one ispeople are losing muscle instead of fat.
Yes, there is weight loss, but a lot of thatweight is lean body tissue.
And so when you drastically cut calories orsuppress your appetite, your body doesn't just
burn fat.
It breaks down lean muscle too.
(10:07):
And so, was a 2023 study published in JAMA thatfound up to 40% of the weight lost on
semaglutide was lean body mass.
That is dangerously high to lose that muchmuscle, Especially when your body starts
catabolizing that muscle can lead to liverissues as well.
And so you know why does that matter?
Because we both know this, we harp on this allthe time, your muscle is your metabolism.
(10:31):
If you lose it, and you slow your burn ratelong term, you're going to end up with that,
you know, that skinny fat look that everyone'skind of seeing is happening with these drugs.
So like yes, the number on the scale went downfantastic, but your body is actually more
fragile and less healthy and your metabolism isprobably going to be much slower and more
(10:51):
impacted because of that.
And so again, now getting into the second thingon the list here slowed metabolism.
These GLP-one agonists slow gastric emptying.
So that means like your digestive speed really,and it reduces the appetite to where people are
going to under eat a lot, sometimes even forlike months.
And so the result is your body is smart yourbody says okay I'm not getting enough in.
(11:14):
I need to slow down my burn rate my metabolismto keep what I have so that I don't die right
our bodies are built for survival.
And so, when we're taking in less calories overtime, that's why you know these dramatic
calorie restriction diets don't work long termbecause you're gonna starve your body into a
state of survival mode, it's gonna justpreserve every calorie it gets.
(11:36):
And so eventually, you can't not eat anything,right?
You would die.
And so, you know, it's like putting your bodyon airplane mode, you're not teaching it to
regulate, you're just overriding the system.
The next thing we're seeing with these drugs isgallbladder stress and pancreatitis risk.
Because your pancreas is what controls thatinsulin glucagon kind of response and cascade.
(11:57):
And so there's been multiple case studieslinking semaglutide with acute gallbladder
attacks, as well as pancreatitis.
Especially when the weight loss is super rapid,right when people are like losing 30 pounds in
ten days or something crazy like that.
There was a 2022 meta analysis in the diabetescare journal noted as statistically significant
(12:18):
increase in gallbladder related adverse eventsin GLP one users, like a direct correlation to
it.
And so, I mean, again, aren't things that aretaken lightly.
This could put you in the hospital or requiresome type of surgery to pull your gallbladder.
Your gallbladder, I know a lot of people getthem removed but it's actually very important.
It's necessary for your digestion, your body'sdetoxification, a lot of systems in the body.
(12:43):
The next thing that happens is people often getas you said that rebound weight gain.
So, know, most people are gonna lose a ton ofweight, but they really haven't changed their
lifestyle.
They haven't modified anything that they do ona regular basis.
So as soon as they get off the drug, they'restill doing what they did that got them there
in the first place, that weight just comesright back because they haven't changed any of
(13:03):
their habits or routines.
And so there was a 2022 follow-up study in theNew England Journal of Medicine, showed that
participants regained two thirds of their lostweight within a year.
So it's almost like what was the point, right?
Like they just bounced right back to almostexactly where they were even after
discontinuing the drug.
(13:24):
There's psychological dependence that comesfrom this.
People, you know, start to believe like, I justI need this.
Like I need to stay on this or else I'm notable to eat right, I'm not able to, you know,
this is the only thing that's ever worked forme, and they get hooked on it.
It's like a almost like an addiction to thefeeling.
And it's a problem because this is lack ofcontrol, right?
(13:45):
People are so out of control with being able tomanage what they're putting into their body and
the amount of movement they're doing, they'rerelying on these things.
And then the last thing, you know, and not togo unnoticed is malnutrition.
You know, people are eating so much less onthese drugs, they're not getting the
micronutrients and the vitamins that they need.
We're seeing depleted B vitamins, low proteinintake, so they're not getting those amino
(14:08):
acids for rebuilding and repair.
And you know, again, if they're not consumingenough, you better believe they're gonna be
deficient in a lot of minerals and vitamins.
And so, you know, the way you and I talk aboutit is like, you can lose weight, but you can
still wreck your health while doing that.
And that's not winning ultimately.
(14:29):
So, again, I think a lot of people listen tothe way we speak about these things and maybe
think we're anti medicine.
We're not.
We're just anti medicine in the wrong uses,right?
We're pro integration.
If you're not combining this drug withmovement, strength training, nutrient dense
meals, and mindset work, right, controllingwhere your mindset is, you're setting yourself
(14:52):
up for failure.
So it can be done correctly.
It's we're just not seeing that very often anddone very well right now.
And so, know, let's get into segment three.
I'll let you take this.
But real quick, let's take a word from one ofour sponsors.
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(15:15):
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Now back to the episode.
And we're back.
So thanks, doctor Lesse for all that.
And I'm gonna build onto that in segment three,right?
And the root cause, behind that obesity and theweight gain element.
This hits home because there's actually been alot of friends of my wife because this is
(16:47):
predominantly, I think this is coming into themore masculine side of the world and there's
been a driving force behind it because there'sso much rapid use within the feminine side,
right?
The females have like really, really expanded,move this drug along.
And now men are also, I want to hop on thisgravy train too, right?
(17:09):
But we've got to talk about the reality of theobesity and the weight gain behind it.
Right?
So we've got become so assessed with theshrinking number on the scale, and the
immediacy of that effect.
Right?
So we've stopped asking the right question.
Why is the body gaining and holding on to fatin the first place?
And the real issue isn't a semaglutidedeficiency, right?
(17:32):
The issue is that the modern life ismetabolically hostile.
We talked about this over and over again,right?
Inflamed cortisol levels, just crazy, erratichormonal responses to things, right?
And our bodies are doing exactly what they'reprogrammed to do in these stressful, toxic,
nutrient poor environment that we perpetuallyput them in.
(17:54):
So let's walk through this real root cause wesee in in our clinic on an everyday basis.
So number one being insulin resistance.
It's one of the most important things is to beinsulin resistance.
Most people are weight loss resistant becausetheir cells are numb to insulin.
This hormone is supposed to help shuttleglucose into the cells.
(18:20):
But when the system is just overwhelmed bysugar, stress, and snacking, it completely
stops working.
So what happens?
Glucose stays in the blood.
The body stores excess fat, and cravings,fatigue, and fatigue increase.
Here, check this out.
A 2021 review in the Lancet noted that insulinresistance is one of the primary metabolic
(18:43):
drivers of modern obesity.
And you know, this is another thing.
You know how you become more insulin resistant?
It's by moving directly after meal.
Moving, doing something in movement, walking,push ups, air squats right after a meal.
Right?
Right after a meal.
Every time every time you have a meal, dosomething.
(19:05):
Move.
So number two, chronic stress and cortisoldysregulation.
When your body when your body thinks it's underthreat, so there's different threats that
you're gonna be perceiving, whether they be,subconscious or conscious.
Right?
Even from an email notification or undereating,it holds on to fat for survival Subconsciously,
(19:29):
you don't even know what's going on.
Right?
Cortisol stress hormone elevates your bloodsugar levels, breaks down the muscle tissue,
and tells your body store fat, especiallyaround the belly.
I can even feel it.
So I have a low, low body fat percentage,relatively low, I should say.
So whenever I eat fats, carbohydrates, itactually pumps up my muscles.
(19:53):
Right?
And subconsciously, those carbohydrates andfats are going into my muscles and and almost
swelling them in a way.
All food is meant to inflame the body.
Right?
Then it becomes your body's natural response toinsulins to regulate that appropriate.
Right?
So chronic stress equals metabolic slowdown andinflammatory weight gain.
(20:16):
Reality.
So you keep the body in more of a stress state,you will have more weight gain.
You eat and sit down, you will have more weightgain.
Right?
Oh, number three, mitochondrial dysfunction.
So this one's really cool because I'm actuallytapping this into a detailed level with a new
peptide that I'm trying out, which is the SS31, right?
(20:40):
SS 31 or SS 32?
Yeah, that's that's
31.
Right?
So your mitochondria are cellular engines.
So when they're sluggish, your metabolism istoo.
What damages mitochondria are a number ofthings.
Inflammatory foods, environmental toxins, poorsleep, and sedentary lifestyle.
(21:01):
You eat, you sit, that's sedentary.
Right?
So here, when your engines aren't working,taking a car example, your body burns fewer
calories, right?
It's going to burn fewer fuel.
If you're not burning the machine, the car, soyou're gonna use less fuel.
Right?
And at rest, during exercise.
(21:23):
You see how that works?
You're gonna maintain fuel.
So and your body converts to storage.
So here's from the Journal of ClinicalEndocrinology and Metabolism in 2019 linked
mitochondrial health directly to restingmetabolic heart rate and facts on the oxidation
capacities.
We'll dive deeper in that.
Take note.
(21:43):
So number four, hormonal imbalances.
We talked about so much this in prior episodes.
We've really gone in detail.
But this is this is the nuts and bolts, right?
Weight gain isn't always about willpower.
It's about hormones.
That's why we get blood work done.
And everybody that comes in the clinic.
I was talking to a guy the other day.
You just need blood work done.
You need to have an understanding of data inyour body.
(22:05):
Do you have a low thyroid?
Well, that's gonna equal low slow metabolism,right?
Estrogen dominance.
It does your test if you're a male or you'refemale, right?
Do those equate?
Do those level out?
Are you heavier on the testosterone side?
If you're a male, are you heavier on theestrogen side?
If you're a female, right?
Those need to.
(22:25):
And then what is your free free testosteronebalance in association to your top line
testosterone or estrogen?
However you measure those.
So bloating, fluid retention and fat storageare in association to excess estrogen dominance
if you're male.
Low testosterone in men or women.
This is a key thing.
Right?
Is women don't realize that testosterone isneeded in and there's a balance between the
(22:49):
estrogen and, estrogen and testosterone andvice versa for men.
So you have less of that.
Right?
There's less muscle and more fat.
So if you're a woman, getting maybe a slightpinch, you know, of, controlled, doctor
approved testosterone is a very, very healthything.
(23:10):
And your man's gonna thank you for that too.
So PCOS is another factor, right?
It's equals insulin resistance plus hormonechaos.
Right?
At the end of the day, if your hormones are outof sync, your body is not playing fair with
itself.
And that's all subconscious state.
Now we're gonna dive in to a little bit deeperissue.
(23:34):
Again, we've had prior episodes on this, but,what I love about this is this all is regulated
associated to your hormone levels.
What regulates it?
Your sleep.
Circadian rhythm and the disruption and poorsleep is directly related to hormone balance
that you have when you're awake and in yourawakened state throughout the day.
(23:55):
So poor sleep wrecks your hunger hormones.
It goes up.
Leptin goes up.
So you can crave you crave carbs and eat more.
Also, take note.
What you introduce first to your body is whatyou're going to crave through the rest of the
day.
So if you introduce your body to carbs and fatsearlier in the day, which I'm not completely
(24:16):
sold on the fats.
Think fats, can be introduced a little bitearlier, just because they have a neurological
component, but mainly carbohydrates, you'relikely going to crave those the rest of the
day, right?
So that's why protein is important earlier inthe day.
So lack of sleep also spikes cortisol, impairsyour glucose metabolism, and lowers insulin
sensitivity.
(24:37):
Here's another study.
We always like adding these in.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in2021 found that just one week sleep deprivation
significantly decreased metabolic rate andincreased fat storage pathways.
So it just allowed it, right?
Allowed fat to store because you're not gettingthe efficient amount of sleep.
(24:58):
This then, and for number six, as we'retransitioning, led to toxic burden.
So we see this all the time.
Patients who are doing everything right, butstill inflamed, tired and stuck.
I can't sleep well.
I can't do all these things.
Well, hidden toxins are built up, mold,plastic, pesticides, and they disrupt the
endocrine system, which impairs those detoxpathways.
(25:20):
Your body naturally wants to detox itself, butyou're not letting it, which create low grade
inflammation that blocks the fat cell loss.
So hey, I'm going in, I'm working really hardat the gym, but not seeing the results, right?
Functional medicine calls this toxic bucket.
We test for this on a weekly basis with ourpatients.
And when it overflows, your metabolism stalls.
(25:41):
So forget it.
Your body's just going to continually store.
So now as we build into it, gut dysbiosis.
And this is the root associated to everythingthat we talk about and do.
This is why you need to get your blood workdone.
Because once you get your blood work done, thatit perceives data, and then we can get niche
with what is going on.
(26:02):
Right?
We read your blood work, we get niche.
Hey, this is what you need.
You might have we see leaky gut almost on adaily basis.
Right?
So, the gut dysbiosis, if your microbiome isout of balance, your weight will be too.
Fact.
Absolute fact.
Right?
Certain bacteria extract more calories fromfood.
(26:22):
So that's why we want healthier gut bacteria,not more unhealthy.
So gut imbalances trigger inflammation, leakygut, and low microbial diversity is linked to
obesity and insulin resistance.
They've literally done a study in Europe rightnow where they're doing actually fecal
transplants to change the gut bacteria, and itcan be changed in as little as three days.
(26:48):
And in that three day period, you can real withfecal transplants, implant good good gut
bacteria in in a in a foreign gut.
Right?
And it'll start recreating gut, and you'llstart losing weight.
Your hormone balances will equate.
Right?
It does come with also some other things.
Right?
You need habits, right?
(27:09):
You need to build in habits because you willthen still eat the same things.
But they are doing this in Europe.
They have test trials going on right now.
It's really, really cool.
Check it out.
So fix the gut, reduce the inflammation,improve weight loss regulation.
So it's as simple as that.
Here's my final thought before I check out andget back to Doctor.
(27:30):
Durelesi.
We don't need more suppression.
We need more restoration.
Think of that, right?
Suppressing hunger with a shot doesn't fixinsulin resistance.
Well, I mean, technically it does, right?
It it does fix it for a period of time.
What comes in after that, though, is it doesn'tclear the toxins or reset the hormones and
really heal your gut for the long term.
(27:52):
You want the long term.
You don't want to be out of shot forever.
And it doesn't it just silences your bodysignals without solving the real root cause.
So sustainable weight loss stems from metabolichealing, not just caloric restriction.
Yeah, that's so true, man.
And literally all seven of the things youtouched on in that in that piece, There's an
(28:16):
episode for that we've done so if listenerswant to go back and really kind of get more
knowledge on each of those right like you givea snapshot of them and now go back and listen
to a prior episode on gut dysbiosis toxins, youknow, the circadian rhythm hormones,
mitochondria, we've done an episode and all ofit.
So, you know, really kind of builds the picturethere.
The other thing you said was, you know, theshot isn't the fix because, yeah, it'll make
(28:40):
you lose weight.
But if the reason you're losing weight isbecause of a dyspatic gut or your habits are
off or hormones, the shots not meant to fixthat right?
It's meant to just suppress your appetite soyou eat less calories in calories out you're
taking in less calories.
Yeah, you're going to lose weight.
Is that healthy weight loss?
More often than not, it is not.
(29:00):
So, we're seeing a lot of muscle loss like wetalked about.
So, realistically, you know, like what is thealternative because everyone's looking for the
shortcut.
Everybody wants the magic bullet, the quickfix.
I'll be honest, I sometimes do as well.
Right?
But what we do at Alessi functional health iswhat we call metabolic reeducation.
(29:20):
So we're not just trying to silence theappetite.
We're trying to teach your body how to burn fatagain.
We don't, we don't rent your metabolism.
We rebuild it from the inside out, right?
And so, let's do this man.
Let's just break down kind of our functionalmedicine blueprint, blueprint for how we get
real weight loss goals that last I think that'sthe biggest piece right is like anyone can lose
(29:43):
weight anyone can get out of pain right that'seasy.
It's keeping those results that separate usfrom other practitioners because we've got
these systems in place that again, it'seducation for our patients that make it to
where they just need to maintain afterwards.
So, you know, step one, like you mentioned,advanced testing, right?
(30:04):
You have to know before you go.
What gets measured gets managed realistically.
And so before we ever build any kind of plan orclaim to be you know, be able to help someone,
we have to have it.
We have to have an answer.
Have to know what's going on.
So, some of the big things we're going to lookat is that fasting insulin that's more
predictive than glucose.
We're going to look at cortisol patterns and adaily adrenal stress test that tests cortisol
(30:28):
four times throughout the day to see reallywhat is that cadence.
A thyroid and sex hormone panel, toxic load,kind of what you mentioned, right?
Looking for things like mold, BPAs, heavymetals.
And then one of the biggest ones is going to belike a microbiome and gut test where we can
look into the stool and see what levels ofgood, bad, you know, beneficial dysbiotic
(30:49):
bacteria there might be.
And there was a 2022 review in obesity reviewsthat confirmed that individualized biomarker
driven protocols led to more sustainable weightloss outcomes than just generic calorie
counting.
We know that just counting calories caneventually hit a plateau, right?
(31:09):
If you're just maintaining under caloriesforever, it's not sustainable.
And so it's all about like fueling your bodyand then using those calories as fuel to then
achieve said outcome.
So, personalized nutrition, that's the nextpiece of what we do.
Because it's not about restriction, it's aboutoptimizing your nutrition.
We help guide patients with high protein diets.
(31:30):
That's gonna preserve muscle mass, boost yourthermogenic ability, your metabolism.
Blood sugar stabilizing meals, incorporatingfiber, fats and protein.
And then obviously anti inflammatory foods,getting rid of the seed oils, getting rid of
the processed carbohydrates, the triggers,right?
We do food sensitivity testing to see ifsomeone has triggers like dairy, gluten, maybe
(31:54):
certain types of vegetables that could betriggering them that they don't know.
And so it's not just eat less, move more, it'sfuel more, right?
And strategically as well.
The next piece is something that we everyone,everyone gets coaching on this is strategic
movement, right?
And so it's all about like focusing onmetabolically intelligent exercises.
(32:15):
That zone two cardio that you always love totalk about, right?
Enhances fat oxidation, mitochondrial function,and then resistance training.
Everyone needs to be resistance training tobuild lean mass, which will improve your
insulin sensitivity.
Your body will be more responsive to using theinsulin.
Muscle is medicine and according to the Journalof Applied Physiology, muscle mass is a major
(32:37):
predictor of metabolic rate and glucosecontrol.
It's just proven.
And so if you're not working out, but you'replanning to just take a semaglutide or GLP-one
agonist, your body's not going to bemetabolically active as soon as you stop that
drug, it doesn't know what to do.
The next thing is using, you know, microsupplementation for the mitochondrial and
(32:58):
cellular support on the cellular level.
Because you mentioned it if the mitochondria isnot working, neither is your metabolism.
Those are the engines, those are the fuelcells.
And so we use specific supplements andprotocols, things like CoQ10, PQQ, Acetyl L
Carnitine, which helps like transport fat.
Alpha lipoic acid makes your body more insulinsensitive.
(33:21):
And again, they're not fat burners.
I know that's like a buzzword people are gonnago buy a fat burner on Amazon.
These are cellular repair tools.
Again, getting to the bottom of it, like whatis the actual problem?
And then gut restoration, liver detox.
So chronic inflammation and poor detoxificationwill stall your fat loss.
So, I always tell patients this when weightloss is a goal.
(33:44):
I say, hey, if your body's not healthy, it'snot prioritizing losing weight.
So, could be trying to do all these things tolose weight.
Your body is just trying to keep the lights onbecause there's some kind of fire that's that's
going on that it's just trying to manage.
I think an analogy I use which actually kind ofmade me and the patient both laugh.
Was like, I was like, imagine if you had ahouse that was on fire.
Is your priority to repaint the walls of thathouse?
(34:06):
No, it's not.
It is to put out that freaking fire because ifthat fire is going then what purpose is it to
make the house look nice, right?
So, we use you know, we address obviouslydysbiosis and leaky gut and then we're going to
do specific detoxification protocols where weuse enzymes, probiotics, repair nutrients for
(34:26):
the gut.
Now getting into more of the cooler things wedo when needed, peptide therapy.
You know, again, peptides are not a silverbullet, but they can be a powerful accelerator
when used correctly.
And so you have to work on the foundationfirst, but then we can get into some really,
really cool niche things with these peptides.
Things like CJC and ipamorelin, which you and Ihave both used.
(34:50):
These are going to stimulate that naturalgrowth hormone like release for fat loss,
muscle maintenance and recovery.
MOTS C is a mitochondrial peptide that improvesyour glucose utilization and stamina.
And then the five amino one MQ actuallyinhibits fat accumulation and increases your
energy output.
Cool thing about that one is that one can beactually be taken orally.
(35:12):
So, a lot most peptides are going to work bestwith an injectable, but the five amino can
actually be taken orally and so some patientsare gonna have more follow through with that.
And again, we pair peptides with lifestyle, notinstead of it, right?
Everything.
It's not to overdo your life.
It's like it's a.
(35:34):
It's an add on, right?
It's a supplement.
And so then, you know, one of the last thingswe're going to talk about is really the nervous
system support.
And so, we talked about this in a previousepisode about the vagus nerve and how important
that is for regulation of the nervous system.
Because if you're dysregulated, you're in thatsurvival fight or flight mode, your body's
going to just store as much energy as it can,it's going to say hey I need this in case of,
(35:56):
you know, something happens and I need thatenergy right away I'm just going to store this
I'm going to bank this for later.
So, we monitor HRV, heart rate variability,vagal tone, and then utilizing hacks like
breath work, cold exposure, sleep optimization,exercise, obviously, and all these things to
help calm the nervous system so that themetabolism can function again.
(36:18):
And so, know, all of that put together reallyis what we call our total care approach.
The reason we came up with that name is becauseit encompasses everything.
The testing, the lifestyle factors, themovement, the supplementation, the nutrition,
like all of it, right?
The nervous system.
And so, our total care program isn't just ahack.
It's not about hacking your biology.
(36:38):
It's not a bio hacking thing.
It's about root cause healing, lifestylereprogramming with science back support from
our doctors and from our team.
And our team is I mean next level good.
So, you know, the takeaway here is we'd ratherhelp you rebuild a fat burning rich body than
rent out your metabolism from big pharma for athousand bucks a month.
(37:00):
That was a great quote.
And so, know, if you're thinking about tryingOzempic or if you've tried it and you're
frustrated with it, just know that you know,your body deserves more than symptom
suppression.
It deserves to just be healthy.
And so, rather than try to override the system,let's fix the root and not just flatten the
curve.
(37:22):
So to learn more about how we help diagnose,reverse and heal chronic disease within our
functional medicine programs and Alessi TotalCare, go to alessifunctionalhealth.com,
schedule a consultation with me or one of ourother providers and let's create a personalized
plan for lifelong health.
You can go to our resources page and click onthe quizzes link to take a quiz specific to
(37:44):
your symptoms and see if this is something youcould benefit from.
Listeners of the Health Decoded podcast alwaysget exclusive discounts and price reductions on
our protocols and our lab tests, so be sure tomention where you heard us.
And as always, if you found value in today'sshow, please like, subscribe, and share this
episode with someone that needs to hear it.
(38:05):
That's how we're gonna get this message out andchange more lives, and wanna get in touch with
us and be featured maybe on an episode, emailus questions, at ask@AlessiFXHealth.com.
And you can visit our website atalessifxhealth.com.
You sign up for our newsletter.
Check out our resources page to learn moreabout our approach to nutrition and other
(38:28):
cutting edge therapies.
And thank you again for tuning in to HealthDecoded, where we break down the science, bust
the myths, and help you take control of yourhealth naturally.
Till next time.
I'm doctor Alessi, and we will see you on thenext episode.
Thank
you for tuning in to Health Decoded, where webreak down the truth about all things health
(38:48):
and empower you to take charge of yourwell-being.
If you found value in today's episode, pleasesubscribe, leave a review, and share it with
someone who needs to hear this.
For more resources and personalized support,visit us at alessifunctionalhealth.com and sign
up for our newsletter.
To hear your questions answered live on theshow, send them to ask@AlessiFXHealth.com.
(39:12):
That's ask@alessifxhealth.com.
Until next time.
Stay curious, stay empowered, and remember,your health is in your hands.
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