Intelligent Medicine | The Best of High Tech Medicine and Alternative Modalities
Published by Dr. Ronald Hoffman | Pioneering Complementary Medicine Practitioner
Health & Fitness
Alternative Health
Pioneering complementary medicine practitioner Dr. Ronald Hoffman takes a cutting-edge approach to health, wellness, and aging. He covers both conventional and alternative modalities, as well as nutrition, exercise, and supplements.
Life is longer for “those who think young”; Watching too much TV may shrink your brain (literally!); Diet and supplements may help lupus; When a high-fiber diet before surgery may be inadvisable; Your mouth may be the gateway to your overall health and longevity.
Advantages of time-restricted eating for body and brain; Dermatologist tells her patient to stay away from hair supplements; Do you still need colonoscopies past 75? How much NTFactor should you take? Breathing CO2 clears brain of amyloid plaque; Popular AI diet tracking apps may underestimate by as much as 345 calories; A novel treatment for knee pain—fiber! Vitamin D slows biological aging.
Leyla Muedin, a registered dietitian nutritionist in New York City, discusses the growing shift from symptom-only “sick care” to a clinically grounded holistic approach to health and recovery. She argues that self-guided wellness routines can leave gaps when underlying medical issues, mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or trauma remain unaddressed, and emphasizes integrating evidence-based clinical evaluation (including labs and deficiency testing) with lifestyle practices. She explains how treating symptoms in isolation misses connections (e.g., stress, sleep, grief) and defines true holistic care as addressing physical, mental, emotional, relational, environmental, and purpose-related factors without rejecting medical treatment. Key components include consistent movement, individualized nutrition built on basics, nervous system regulation (sleep, nature, breathing, meditation/prayer), meaningful social connection, and a sense of purpose as clinically relevant to resilience.
Is there evidence for statins in the treatment of aortic valve stenosis? How the bacteria behind gum disease can affect heart health Wouldn't it be better to resume taking probiotics after finishing a round of antibiotics? Would it be safe to take olive leaf extract with amoxicillin? I'm considering surgery for varicose veins. Is this just a temporary fix? Can they return?
My 25-year-old son has bipolar disorder and can't tolerate his medications. Any natural recommendations? Is chondroitin effective? It's in my collagen capsules, which I take to hopefully reduce wrinkles I believe I am still suffering from the negative effects of COVID. What would you suggest I take?
Naturopathic gastroenterologist Mark Davis, ND (FABNG), discusses his work in fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), research, and integrative approaches to GI disease. Davis explains FMT history, screening criteria, delivery methods, how it differs from probiotics, and why it is highly effective for recurrent C. difficile (about a 90% durable cure), while noting FDA-approved products (Rebyota, Vowst) and off-label applications. He describes IRB-approved studies on naturopathic care for IBS and ulcerative colitis and a blinded project comparing consistency across 15–20 stool microbiome labs. The conversation covers evidence for diet in IBS/IBD (including SCD and a semi-vegetarian diet), low-FODMAP as a temporary tool, breath testing and relapse in SIBO, helminthic therapy options and legality, targeted probiotics (Saccharomyces boulardii, Akkermansia, soil-based species), enema therapies, indigo naturalis benefits and risks, saffron evidence for mood, telemedicine practice, and a crowdfunding platform for clinical trials.
Psychedelic Therapy for Mental Health: Research, Safety, and the Path to FDA Approval: Dr. Will Van Derveer and Keith Kurlander, co-authors of “ Psychedelic Therapy: A Revolutionary Approach to Restoring Your Mental Health and Reclaiming Your Life ,” reveal the shift from recreational psychedelics to structured, research-based psychedelic-assisted therapy for conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Van Derveer describes limitations of conventional psychiatry (citing STAR*D remission rates) and his entry into MDMA-assisted PTSD research after promising results. They contrast controlled clinical protocols—screening, preparation, safe setting, trained facilitation, medical monitoring, and post-session integration—with uncontained recreational use. The discussion covers current policy momentum under Trump and RFK Jr., VA interest for veterans, and key agents: ketamine (including abuse risks and clinic-only Spravato), MDMA (phase 3 but not approved in 2024), psilocybin (phase 3, potential FDA approval), LSD (GAD trials), ibogaine (arrhythmia risk, Mexico clinics), ayahuasca, peyote, and microdosing. They also note commercialization, including Eli Lilly’s acquisition of a 5-MeO-DMT nasal spray developer, and emphasize an integrative “all-of-the-above” mental health approach.
Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Dr. Will Van Derveer and Keith Kurlander, co-authors of “ Psychedelic Therapy: A Revolutionary Approach to Restoring Your Mental Health and Reclaiming Your Life .”
Science is conquering diseases—now breakthroughs in gene editing promise to vanquish aging itself; The healing potential of hydrogen; Attending concerts, museums and movies may help keep your body younger; Dr. Jeffrey Bland dishes on the benefits of a new full-spectrum fish oil, Omega-3 Rejuvenate .
This week’s supplement spotlight—spermidine; American Heart Association does a 180° on coffee; How accurate are health tracker wearables for sleep, blood pressure, heart rate? A skin disorder practically no one has heard of is often confused for skin cancer; Vitamin D—what forms and what dosages are optimal? Popular sugar substitutes may be worse for the brain than natural sugar.
What Triggers Age-Related Belly Fat? New Stem Cell Findings and a Nutrition Perspective: Nutritionist Leyla Muedin discusses research from City of Hope (published in Science) on why belly fat increases with age even without major weight gain, emphasizing the health risks of visceral fat as an endocrine organ linked to inflammation, diabetes, heart disease, and accelerated aging. The study suggests aging activates adipocyte progenitor cells (APCs) and produces an age-specific stem cell population called committed preadipocytes (CP-As) that generate new fat cells, with experiments showing older APCs create more fat cells even when transplanted into young mice. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified greater CP-A activity in middle-aged mice and similar cells in higher numbers in middle-aged human tissue. Researchers implicate the LIFR signaling pathway and propose future therapies to block these cells, while Leyla questions root causes and argues metabolic dysfunction—insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, high carbohydrate intake, and sedentary behavior—should be addressed nutritionally rather than via a pill.
Nature or nurture—which is more important when it comes to health conditions? Would I benefit from taking nattokinase along with my statin? Mechanism of action of nattokinase vs. statin medications on coronary artery health
My LDL is 421, and I have mild to moderate aortic stenosis. Must I take a statin? Lean Mass Hyper-responders on low carb diets explained Would you consider writing a book about health in advancing age? A revisit of Dr. Hoffman's published books What is the best dose of lithium orotate for therapeutic benefit? Must I exercise fasted? Why?
The Brain–Body Connection, Gut Health, Stress, and Medical Gaslighting: board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Susan Trachman , author of “ It’s Not Just In Your Head ,” about psychosomatic medicine and the two-way brain–body connection. Trachman explains how patients with complex symptoms are often dismissed as having “medically unexplained symptoms” and discusses medical gaslighting, especially affecting women and people of color, with examples of missed diagnoses. She describes how inflammation, the gut microbiome, leaky gut, diet, probiotics, fermented foods, and even fecal transplants can influence mood and health, and reviews vagus nerve stimulation research. The conversation covers stress effects, including Takotsubo “broken heart” cardiomyopathy, CBT for anxiety, IBS, and pain, the role of sleep and the brain’s glymphatic system, pandemic-related mental health and long COVID symptoms, concerns about GLP-1 drugs causing emotional flatness, and careful SSRI tapering to avoid withdrawal.
Can Infections Drive Alzheimer’s? Nikki Schultek, founder of Intracel Research Group and co-founder of the Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative, details evidence that pathogens may contribute to Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative and neuroimmune disorders beyond the amyloid hypothesis. Schultek recounts her own misdiagnosed systemic illness with neurodegenerative symptoms, later found to involve Lyme disease, Babesia, and chronic infection with the intracellular respiratory bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae, treated with combination antibiotics. The discussion covers PANS/PANDAS as an infection-associated pediatric neuropsychiatric condition, parallels with neuroinflammation and blood–brain barrier changes, and a 2023 Alzheimer’s & Dementia “research roadmap” documenting 86 infection-associated dementia cases and calling for actionable testing and collaboration. They review links involving herpes viruses, COVID-related cognitive decline, gum pathogen P. gingivalis therapies, and controversies around chronic infection diagnosis and long-term antibiotics, and share resources including alzpi.org , ILADS , MAPS, and Schultek’s Pathobiome Research Center at PCOM .
Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Nikki Schultek, founder of Intracel Research Group and co-founder of the Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative.
Diets rich in fruits and vegetables preserve brain function—but in vulnerable persons with the ApoE4 “Alzheimer’s gene”, more meat staves off decline, contradicting years of recommendations to minimize animal protein; Supplements for adrenal insufficiency; “Forever chemicals” may weaken teen’s bones—but menopausal hormone replacement therapy decisively fends off osteoporosis; Legionnaire's disease strikes poor and affluent alike in New York City; Doctors propose warning labels for GLP-1 drugs on account of this under-appreciated danger.
Pentagon plans widespread testosterone screening for troops; New study claims arthroscopic surgery for age-related degenerative changes of knees is worthless; Widely touted “precision” proton therapy doesn’t outperform conventional radiation treatment for prostate cancer; Comparing the effectiveness of gummies and liquids vs. tablet or capsule forms of supplements; Supplements to lower LDL; Lithium orotate for Alzheimer’s prevention; Novel ultrasound treatment may target inflammation in osteoarthritis; Researchers explore antiviral treatments for multiple sclerosis.
