The Dr. Layne Norton Podcast
Feeling frustrated with the lack of consistent answers around health messaging in the news and social media? Don't know what to believe with all the opposing claims? Dr. Layne Norton (PhD Nutritional Sciences) is here to simplify things so that you can take control of your own health. As a world renowned and respected expert in nutrition, Dr. Norton also has the unique background of having excelled in professional strength sports of drug free bodybuilding and powerlifting. He has won world titles, coached people to world titles, but also coached thousands of 'normal' people to improve their health. In this podcast, Dr. Norton will help reduce the noise in the news and social media to give you the REAL facts about health, fitness, nutrition, and exercise.
Episodes
Overrated/Underrated: Longevity & Biohacking Edition
In the latest episode of his Overrated/Underrated series, Dr. Layne Norton ranks the habits, markers, and gadgets the longevity and biohacker crowd won’t stop talking about. No hype. No bro-science. Just what the data actually says about what predicts a longer life, and what has been oversold as a hack.Topics covered: VO2 max, grip strength, cold plunges, sauna, sleep trackers, muscle mass, fastin
The Science of Fitness Misinformation: Why Smart People Believe Dumb Things
Detoxes. Seed oils. Cortisol making you fat. Artificial sweeteners causing weight gain. Insulin as the root of obesity. Hormones as the master switch for fat loss.These ideas keep spreading — even among smart, educated people who should know better. In this episode, Dr. Layne Norton explains why.This is not just another myth-busting list. It’s a breakdown of the psychology, incentives, and media d
AMA 6 - Weight Loss, Genetics, Muscle Confusion, Who To Trust, and More
In this listener Q&A, Dr. Layne Norton answers your most-asked questions on training, fat loss, genetics, recovery, and how to cut through the noise — with his kitten Wheezy as co-host.Topics covered in this episode:• Training to failure — is it more important for advanced lifters than beginners?• Muscle confusion — why constantly changing exercises creates the illusion of progress (and how mu
Overrated/Underrated: Muscle Building Edition
In the second installment of the Overrated/Underrated series, Dr. Layne Norton ranks the most talked-about muscle-building strategies as overrated, underrated, or properly rated — based purely on the evidence.No hype. No bro-science. Just what the data actually says about what builds muscle, what doesn’t, and what’s been oversold.Layne covers training intensity, proximity to failure, volume, rep r
The Ketogenic Diet with Dr. Dominic D'Agostino
In this episode of the Dr. Layne Norton Podcast, Layne sits down with renowned researcher and ketogenic diet expert Dr. Dominic D’Agostino to dive deep into the science of the ketogenic diet. Professor Dominic D’Agostino (University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine / Institute for Human and Machine Cognition) is one of the leading voices on nutritional ketosis, exogenous ketones, and m
Overrated/Underrated: Fat Loss Edition
In the first installment of a new series, Dr. Layne Norton ranks the most talked-about fat-loss strategies as overrated or underrated, based purely on the evidence. No hype. No bro-science. Just what the data actually says about what works, what doesn’t, and what’s been oversold.Topics covered:• Fasting• Low-carb diets• Whole foods• Carbs at night• Cardio• Resistance training• Circuit training cla
Sports Nutrition & Performance with Dr. Mike Ormsbee
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mike Ormsbee, Director of the Institute of Sports Science and Medicine at Florida State University. Mike is one of the sharpest, most pragmatic researchers in the field — a former hockey player turned leading expert on exercise, nutrition, fat metabolism, sleep, and performance.We had an absolute blast geeking out for nearly two hours. Mike and I share very sim
Metabolic Adaptation
In this episode, Dr. Layne Norton delivers a comprehensive, evidence-based breakdown of metabolic adaptation — one of the biggest reasons why fat loss slows down and maintaining weight loss feels so difficult.Layne explains exactly what metabolic adaptation is, how it affects every major component of energy expenditure (BMR, NEAT, exercise energy expenditure, and TEF), and the powerful neuroendocr
AMA 05 - Creatine, Plant Protein, Collagen, Fiber, GLP1s and More
In this listener Q&A, Layne dives deep into your most-asked questions on supplements, protein sources, cholesterol, weight-loss medications, and more. As always, he breaks down the actual research and gives no-BS, evidence-based takeaways you can actually use.Topics covered in this episode:• Creatine HCl – Supplementing with which form of creatine (hydrochloride vs others)? What does the resea
Protein Deep Dive
In this deep dive episode, Dr. Layne Norton breaks down everything you need to know about protein — from the molecular level to practical real-world application.We cover:• What protein actually is, how it’s made and broken down in the body• The complete science of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB), including the critical roles of mTORC1, leucine, eIF4E, 4E-BP1, and
Seed Oils: The Evidence-Based Deep Dive
Are seed oils (and the polyunsaturated fats they contain) quietly destroying your health… or is the outrage mostly hype and misinformation? In this deep-dive episode, Dr. Layne Norton cuts through the noise with a comprehensive, evidence-first breakdown of the science on seed oils, linoleic acid (LA/PUFA), saturated fat, LDL/ApoB, oxidation, inflammation, and cardiovascular outcomes.Layne directly
Bill Campbell: The Physique Enhancement Professor
In this episode, Dr. Layne Norton sits down with Professor Bill Campbell, PhD — Director of the Performance & Physique Enhancement Laboratory at the University of South Florida and a leading researcher on body composition, high-protein diets, and resistance training adaptations.They discuss Bill’s high-protein studies in women (including physique athletes, contest prep, older adults, and time-
AMA 04 - Cortisol, Seed Oils, Insulin, Biggest Loser and More
In this listener Q&A, Layne dives deep into your most-asked questions on training, nutrition, and practical science. As always, he breaks down the actual research and gives no-BS, evidence-based takeaways you can actually use.Topics covered in this episode:• Does cortisol cause fat gain? Plus the impact of low-calorie dieting on cortisol• Sucralose and gut health – new research on dysbiosis, g
Blood Flow Restriction Training with Jeremy Loenneke
In this episode, Dr. Layne Norton interviews Professor Jeremy Loenneke — one of the world’s top researchers on blood flow restriction training. They break down how BFR actually works, why metabolite accumulation appears to be the primary driver of its muscle-building effects, practical self-application techniques, and whether expensive cuffs are even necessary.Jeremy also shares his latest thinkin
The Most Overhyped Supplements of All Time
It’s here—the last episode of Dr. Layne Norton’s no-nonsense supplement series! In this finale, Layne takes a hard, evidence-based look at some of the most overhyped supplements in fitness and bodybuilding. He cuts through the marketing claims, examines the actual research, and tells you exactly what works, what doesn’t, and who (if anyone) should actually be spending money on these products.In th
Supplement Series: Tier 2
The Dr. Layne Norton Podcast is back with Part 2 of the highly anticipated Supplement Series! In Episode 23, Layne dives deep into his Tier 2 supplements — the ones with solid (but not quite elite) evidence for supporting strength, power, endurance, recovery, body composition, stress management, sleep, and overall training performance.Building on the Tier 1 foundations from Episode 22 (creatine, w
Supplement Series: Tier 1
The Dr. Layne Norton Podcast is back with the start of a brand-new Supplement Series! In Episode 22, Layne kicks things off by diving deep into his Tier 1 supplements — the ones with the strongest scientific evidence for real-world benefits in performance, body composition, strength, recovery, and even cognition.This episode covers the true MVPs that Layne considers essential (or close to it) for
The Science of Muscle Building with James Krieger
In this episode, I’m joined by James Krieger, editor of REPS (Research Review for Exercise & Physique Science), to break down what the meta-analyses really say about building muscle.We cover:• The single most important driver of hypertrophy• The dose–response relationship between volume and muscle growth• Is there a cap to effective volume?• Training to failure: necessary or overrated?• Freque
Study Deep Dive: Does Aspartame Increase Insulin?
In this episode, Layne Norton, PhD, dissects the landmark 2025 systematic review & meta-analysis in Advances in Nutrition: "The Effects of Aspartame on Glucose, Insulin, and Appetite-Regulating Hormone Responses in Humans". (PMID: 40381807)This episode is perfect if you've heard claims like "diet soda spikes insulin," "artificial sweeteners cause diabetes," or "aspartame is toxic" — Layne uses
AMA 03 - New Food Guide Pyramid, Calories, Seed Oils, Hypertrophy and More
In this wide-ranging Q&A episode, I tackle some of the most debated topics in nutrition, training, and health — and separate what the evidence actually shows from what’s just noise.We start with the new food guide pyramid and whether it reflects the current science, then zoom out to look at how the U.S. compares globally in calorie consumption. From there, we dig into protein intake — how much
The Keys to Building Muscle Part 2: NUTRITION
Building muscle doesn’t happen in the gym alone. In Part 2 of this series, I break down the nutrition and supplementation variables that actually matter for maximizing muscle growth and which ones are overhyped or misunderstood.We start with protein: how much you really need, why protein quality matters, the role of essential amino acids and leucine in stimulating muscle protein synthesis, and how
The Keys to Building Muscle Part 1: TRAINING
How do muscles actually grow — and what really matters for hypertrophy?In this episode, I break down muscle growth from the ground up, starting with muscle structure and working all the way through the practical training variables that actually drive hypertrophy.We cover how muscle fibers are built, why muscle cells are uniquely multi-nucleated, and how satellite cells and myonuclei influence grow
Building Muscle Masterclass: Protein and Lifting with Dr. Stu Phillips
In this Building Muscle Masterclass, I sit down with Dr. Stu Phillips — the world’s most cited researcher in exercise science and protein metabolism. If you care about building muscle, eating enough protein, lifting smarter, or cutting through the noise in the fitness world, this is a must-listen.Stu and I go deep on the biggest questions in hypertrophy and nutrition, backed by some of the most im
AMA 02 - Collagen, Fiber, Muscle Growth, Training, and More
In this week’s Q&A episode, I dig into your most common questions — from supplements to training to nutrition — and break them down with actual data, not influencer mythology. If you’ve ever wondered whether collagen is worth the hype, if fiber does more than “help you poop,” or whether turkesterone is anything more than TikTok creatine-with-a-fedora… this episode is for you.We cover:• Collage
Ultra-Processed Foods with Dr. Samuel Dicken
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) get a lot of negative press, but are they always as bad as people think? In this episode, I sit down with researcher Samuel Dicken, who recently led a high-profile randomized controlled trial on UPFs that challenged some long-held assumptions.We dig into what his study found, why not all UPFs are created equal, and how the way we consume them might matter more than the
Study Deep Dive: Creatine is SAFE
Creatine is SAFE, the verdict is in!After decades of people claiming that creatine will wreck your kidneys, liver, & various other claims, a new study has put these myths to bed. In my latest episode of the Dr. Layne Norton Podcast, I go DEEP on the most comprehensive dataset to date: a brand new meta-analysis by Kreider et al. (2025) which reviewed 250+ studies, covering over 26,000 participa
Did Sugar Cause The Obesity Epidemic?
Is sugar really to blame for the obesity epidemic? In this episode, I break down one of the most common nutrition myths. Using evidence from epidemiology, randomized controlled trials, and meta-analyses, Layne explains why sugar and high fructose corn syrup aren’t the independent culprits they’re often made out to be. Instead, he reveals what the research actually says about calories, metabolism,
Why You Should Try To Build Muscle
Building muscle isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about survival. 💪In this episode of The Dr. Layne Norton Podcast, I break down why muscle is the most underrated organ of health. You’ll hear how it lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, infections, Alzheimer’s, and depression — while also protecting against falls, fractures, and the effects of aging.We’ll dive into:- How muscle acts
How to Build Muscle Masterclass with Professor Brad Schoenfeld
Learn how to build muscle from the world's most renowned researcher on muscle growth, Professor Brad Schoenfeld. In this absolute masterclass, Dr. Schoenfeld lays out the non-negotiables for muscle growth, what matters most, what matters least, and how to practically implement these recommendations. If you care about building muscle, you do not want to miss this episode.SPONSORS• Workout Builder –
Pros and Cons of Popular Diets
The carnivore diet. The keto diet. Intermittent fasting. Plant based. The [insert diet here]... There are so many popular diets out there being promoted by various diet tribes, many of which have limited evidence for their efficacy. All of which have various positives and negatives associated with them. In this episode, I systematically break down some of the most popular diets and discuss both th
How To Think Like A Scientist
Not everyone has the time or desire to go to school and get a PhD or a Master's degree in a scientific field. Even getting a scientific degree does not ensure that you will be able to read and interpret research appropriately. But just because you may not have a scientific degree or the desire to achieve one, doesn't mean you can't still learn to think like a scientist.This isn't about a fancy edu
AMA 01 - Protein Intake, Creatine, Weight Loss, and More
In this episode I take YOUR questions! Topics covered in this AMA:• How much protein is used for building muscle?• Is creatine safe for kids?• Does separating fats/carbs amongst different meals lead to additional fat loss benefits?• Should you avoid high protein diets if you’re worried about cancer?• Does creatine affect brain health?• Do OTC pain killers affect muscle growth?• What’s the best way
What Really Matters For Fat Loss
Over 100 million adults (42.4%) are obese in America. Obesity comes with substantial health risks & impacts on quality of life as well as mental health. As such, nearly half of adults in the US attempt weight loss on a yearly basis but the number of people who are successful in losing weight and successfully maintaining that weight loss are extremely low. Moreover, the amount of misinformation
Things I've Changed My Mind On
The mark of any good scientist is their willingness to change their mind based on evidence. No matter how strongly we feel about a topic, we must always consider new data, and if the data is strong enough over time, we change our minds. In this episode, Dr. Norton goes down a list of the things he felt most strongly about and later changed his mind on as new data emerged.SPONSORS• Outwork Nutritio
Protein Masterclass with my PhD Advisor Dr. Donald Layman
Get ready for the ULTIMATE masterclass on protein as I host my mentor & PhD advisor, Dr. Donald Layman on the podcast. Not only did Dr. Layman help mentor me through my PhD and shape my rigorous thinking as a scientist, he is also one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. Like me, his Bachelors was in Biochemistry and PhD in Nutritional Science. This uniquely positioned him to understand the d
Study Deep Dive: High Protein Diets and Ultra Processed Foods
In this episode, Dr. Norton breaks down a new study published in Nature titled Short-Term Effects of High-Protein, Lower-Carbohydrate Ultra-Processed Foods on Human Energy Balance. Layne discusses the general structure of a scientific paper and then dives into each section to review the data and determine whether or not he agrees with the authors' conclusions. Layne also discusses what this means
The Pillars of Health
In this episode, Dr. Norton discusses the primary causes of disease and early death and the major adjustments to your life you can make to reduce your risk.SPONSORS• Carbon Diet Coach – Achieve your goals with Carbon’s adaptive macro coaching app: https://joincarbon.com/layne• Team Biolayne – One-On-One Coaching: https://biolayne.com/online-coachingLAYNE'S COMPANIESCarbon Diet Coach: https://joinc
Who Am I and Why Am I Here?
Welcome to the Dr. Layne Norton Podcast! In this premier episode, Layne shares his personal story, from growing up in Indiana and his struggles with bullying and being a skinny kid, to falling in love with lifting weights and becoming a nutrition scientist. In this episode Layne goes deep into his background, what motivates him, how he developed the mindset he has, and key moments that shaped him.
Recommended
K-Drama Obsessed Mamas | Beyond “Just One More Episode!”
True Crime Classics
The Healer Revolution
Becoming: HER with Nikki Spoelstra
Booked, Blonde & Busy w/ Olivia Ponton
McKinsey on Consumer and Retail
megahired.com
Hard Knocks Podcast
Effective Weight Loss for Moms | High protein, Strength Training, Lose Weight, Meal Planning, Fat Loss, Healthy Habits
The Human-Animal Connection - Pet Life Radio Original
The Daily
World News Tonight with David Muir
