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
Circadian Rhythms, Metabolism & Why Timing Your Meals Matters | Dr. Joseph Bass | Episode 281
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
How the body's internal circadian clocks regulate metabolism, energy balance, and health.
TOPICS DISCUSSED:
- Master circadian clock in the brain: Light detection via retina entrains the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which coordinates body-wide rhythms; intrinsic period slightly deviates from 24 hours, allowing seasonal flexibility.
- Peripheral clocks in organs: Nearly all cells have autonomous clocks; liver and fat clocks rapidly adjust to feeding time, while brain clock aligns more tightly to light.
- Clock mutations and metabolism: Disrupting core clock genes (e.g., CLOCK, BMAL1) causes obesity, liver fat accumulation, and impaired insulin secretion without hyperinsulinemia.
- Timing of food intake: Eating the same high-fat calories during rest phase causes more weight gain than during active phase due to differences in energy dissipation.
- Modern disruptions (jet lag, shift work, blue light): Create desynchrony between brain and peripheral clocks, contributing to metabolic issues; late-night eating impairs glucose handling.
- Critical illness & feeding: Tube feeding at night (opposite natural cycle) induces rapid insulin resistance, highlighting mismatch costs.
- Hormone rhythms: Testosterone, glucocorticoids, and others peak at specific times; misalignment affects stress, reproduction, and metabolism.
- Weight loss drugs & maintenance: GLP-1 drugs reduce intake effectively, but regain involves neuroendocrine adaptations tied to brain clock pathways.
ABOUT THE GUEST: Joseph Bass, MD, PhD is Chief of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Director of the Center for Diabetes and Metabolism, and a leading researcher who pioneered the link between circadian clock genes and metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes.
RELATED EPISODE:
- M&M 237 | Circadian Biology: Genetics, Behavior, Metabolism, Light, Oxygen & Melatonin | Joseph Takahashi
Health Products by M&M Partners:
- AquaTru: Water filtration devices that remove microplastics, metals, bacteria, and more from your drinking water. Through link, $100 off AquaTru Carafe, Classic & Under Sink Units; $300 off Freestanding models.
- OmegaQuant: At-home blood testing to see fatty acid profiles, including omega-3 fatty acids. Use link to see options and support M&M.
- SiPhox Health: Comprehensive, cost-effective bloodwork from the comfort of home. Use code TRIKOMES for 20% off.
- KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)
- Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
- SporesMD: Premium mushrooms products (gourmet mushrooms, nootropics, research). Use code 'nickjikomes' for 20% off.
For all the ways you can support my efforts
