Mind & Matter
Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed it.
The weekly M&M podcast features conversations with the most interesting scientists, thinkers, and technology entrepreneurs alive today.
Not medical advice.
At M&M, we are interested in trying to figure out how things work, not affirming our existing beliefs. We prefer consulting primary rather than secondary sources and independent rather than institutional voices. If we encounter uncomfortable truths or the evidence suggests unfashionable ideas may be valid, so be it.
As the host, my aim is to help you better understand how the body & mind work by curating & synthesizing information in a way that yields science-based insights that you can choose to use or disregard in your own life. Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
I am motivated to connect the dots and distill general principles from what I learn, preferring to ask questions and play devil’s advocate to debating or incessantly pushing my own viewpoint.
My beliefs:
- Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
- All knowledge is provisional and we must work hard to prevent ourselves from becoming attached to our favorite ideas & preferred conclusions.
- Wisdom comes from an iterative, trial-and-error process of learning and unlearning. Letting go of pre-conceived notions can be painful, but pain is information.
Sometimes modern discoveries teach us we must unlearn received wisdom. Other times, modern information overload & historical chauvinism cause us to forget ancient wisdom which stills applies. The framework for learning that I embody is inspired by three Ancient Greek maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
- “Γνῶθι σεαυτόν” (Know thyself)
- “Μηδὲν ἄγαν” (Nothing in excess)
- “Ἐγγύα πάρα δ Ἄτα” (Certainty brings insanity)
Mind & Matter
Causes of Diabetes: Insulin, Mitochondria, Genetics, Metabolism | Scott Soleimanpour | 213
Short Summary: The science of diabetes with Dr. Scott Soleimanpour, blending personal insights and cutting-edge research that gets into mitochondrial biology and more.
About the guest: Scott Soleimanpour, MD, is a physician-scientist at the University of Michigan, where he runs a lab studying pancreatic beta cell biology and mitochondrial quality control in diabetes.
Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and everyone on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere. Full transcript and other information on Substack.
Episode Summary: Nick Jikomes interviews Dr. Scott Soleimanpour about the biology of diabetes, exploring the pancreas’s dual role in digestion and blood sugar regulation via beta cells, which produce insulin. They discuss type 1 diabetes as an autoimmune condition with rising incidence and complex beta cell issues, and type 2 as a progressive disease tied to beta cell failure, not just obesity. The conversation covers mitochondrial function in beta cells, lifestyle factors like diet, and the limits of current treatments, offering practical advice for prevention and management.
Key Takeaways:
- The pancreas has two parts: the exocrine (98%) makes digestive enzymes, while the endocrine (1-2%) regulates blood sugar with hormones like insulin from beta cells.
- Type 1 diabetes involves autoimmunity and intrinsic beta cell defects, with rates increasing due to environmental factors, not just genetics.
- Type 2 diabetes hinges on beta cell dysfunction, not obesity alone—only 1 in 5 overweight people develop it, showing other factors matter.
- Beta cells are energy-intensive and long-lived, relying on mitochondria; stress from overwork (e.g., excess insulin demand) can lead to failure.
- Current diabetes drugs don’t rejuvenate beta cells; only TZDs (rarely used) preserve function, highlighting a gap in treatment.
Related episode:
- M&M #140: Obesogens, Oxidative Stress, Dietary Sugars & Fats, Statins, Diabetes & the True Causes of Metabolic Dysf
All episodes, show notes, transcripts, etc. at the M&M Substack
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