The Feldman Protocol
Dave Feldman hosts the Feldman Protocol, a long form, in-person podcast largely covering science, nutrition, and technology – with a lot of personal stories, interests and pop culture mixed in.
Episodes
Zachary DiMattia and Dave Feldman Debate LDL, Keto-CTA and Lean Mass Hyper-Responders
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what does emerging research actually reveal about cardiovascular risk in people who develop extreme LDL elevations on ketogenic diets — and how much remains genuinely unresolved? Zachary DiMattia (nutritional scientist, Penn State) joins Dave to discuss his published review on ketogenic diet–induced LDL elevations in normal-weight adults, presents prelimina
Lauren Kennedy West on Schizoaffective Disorder, Ketogenic Therapy, and Psychiatric Identity
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can what we eat meaningfully influence the course of serious mental illness? Dave sits down with Lauren Kennedy West (mental health advocate and YouTuber living with schizoaffective disorder) to explore her personal journey from multiple hospitalizations and misdiagnoses to adopting therapeutic ketosis. Lauren makes the case for metabolic psychiatry as a co
Arthur Agatston (Part 3) on Insulin Resistance, LP(a), and Why He Went Militantly Keto
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, how does metabolic health shape cardiovascular risk — and does the conventional focus on individual biomarkers miss the bigger picture? Dave Feldman sits down with cardiologist Arthur Agatston (MD), creator of the South Beach Diet and the coronary calcium score, to explore blood pressure guideline debates, insulin resistance and preeclampsia, the origins of
Dr. Arthur Agatston (Part 2) - Why Did Most Keto Patients Show Zero Plaque Despite LDL of 250?
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, how does metabolic health shape cardiovascular risk — and what does that mean for interpreting cholesterol markers in lean, low-carb individuals? Arthur Agatston (MD) makes the case for a functional model of atherosclerosis progression, discusses AI-driven advances in cardiac imaging, argues for revisiting how blood pressure is measured and treated, and exp
The Stent Myth: Why Fixing a Blockage Isn’t a Cure - Dr. Arthur Agatston
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, how well do conventional cardiovascular risk metrics actually identify who is truly at risk for a heart attack decades before it happens? Cardiologist Arthur Agatston (MD) makes the case for coronary calcium scoring as an early detection tool, discusses the natural history of atherosclerotic plaque, revisits key moments in lipid science history, explores wh
Isabella Cooper – Part 2 – Ketogenic Diet and Cancer: What the Science Actually Shows
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, how does insulin influence cancer cell behavior — and what does that mean for metabolic approaches to the disease? Dave sits down with Isabella Cooper (PhD) to explore the glucose-ketone index and its practical limits, the role of glutamine alongside glucose in cancer metabolism, how mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiolipin loss may relate to tumor progres
Isabella Cooper – Part 1 – The Chemical Removed From Tampons Is Still in Most Diapers
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what does beta-hydroxybutyrate between meals actually reveal about a person's insulin state — and why might that matter for understanding chronic disease risk? Dave sits down with Isabella Cooper (PhD), a biochemistry and pathophysiology scientist whose research spans assay quality control, hyperinsulinemia detection, ketone thresholds, mitochondrial fu
Dr Scott Murray – Is IVUS Plaque ‘Regression’ Just Measurement Noise?
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, how much does metabolic health shape cardiovascular risk beyond what standard lipid markers can reveal? Dave Feldman sits down with Scott Murray (MD), a UK-based interventional cardiologist, to explore plaque imaging and its limitations, the role of visceral and perivascular fat in heart disease, the lipid energy model and lean mass hyper-responders, cardia
Darius Sharp – Pt 2 – What Happens to Your Lipids After 2,000 Calories of Fat?
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what actually drives cardiovascular disease in a metabolically healthy, lean individual — and is elevated LDL the most important variable to consider? Darius Sharpe (ER nurse and lean mass hypersponder community member) discusses his unexpected CAC score at age 38, his theory on postprandial glucose and vascular damage, a personal episode of atrial fibrilla
Dr. Malcolm Kendrick – The Country With the Lowest Cholesterol and the Highest Heart Disease Rate
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, how well does the prevailing understanding of LDL and cardiovascular disease hold up under close scrutiny? Dave sits down with Malcolm Kendrick (MD) — author, researcher, and longtime cardiovascular disease skeptic — who challenges key assumptions across trial methodology, observational data, Mendelian randomization, clinical trial blinding, nitric oxide
Sugar Is Wiring Kids' Brains for Lifelong Addiction – Dr. Jen Unwin
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what does it take to recognize and address a compulsive relationship with food — and why does that recognition matter so much? Jen Unwin (clinical and health psychologist) joins Dave to explore the psychology of hope in medical settings, her personal history with carbohydrate-driven food behaviors, the evidence behind ultra-processed food addiction as a pro
Dr. David Unwin: Low Carb, Diabetes & Food Addiction
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, how does one family doctor's decades-long frustration with a "progressive, incurable" disease lead to a fundamentally different approach to patient care? Dave Feldman and David Unwin (MD) explore the pivotal 2012 patient encounter that reshaped Unwin's practice, the psychology of behavior change and food addiction, real-world data from a 1
Darius Sharpe – From Treating Heart Attacks to Almost Becoming One
Part 1 of 2In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what can a quarter-century of emergency medicine experience reveal about the everyday habits quietly shaping metabolic health outcomes? Darius Sharpe (ER nurse and former paramedic with 24 years in emergency medicine) makes the case that postprandial glucose excursions deserve far more clinical attention, discusses his personal glucose experiment
LIVE with Ken Berry MD – Reversing Diabetes With a Carnivore Diet
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can a practicing family physician's personal health crisis reshape the dietary advice he gives to thousands of patients? Ken Berry (MD) makes the case for low-carbohydrate approaches in managing metabolic conditions, shares his path from rural Tennessee to family medicine, discusses founding the American Diabetes Society as an alternative institution, explo
Why Casey Ruff's Clients Lost 732 lbs — And 98% Was Fat
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can elite athletes truly thrive on fat alone — with zero carbs? Dave sits down with Casey Ruff (personal trainer, nutrition coach, and host of Boundless Body Radio) to explore his journey from gym kid to keto rebel, high-intensity training principles, a rogue low-carb experiment inside a corporate fitness company that produced 732 lbs of fat loss, the LMHR
The Assisted Living Owner Who Helps Residents Move Out - Hal Cranmer
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can a for-profit assisted living home actually send residents back home healthier than when they arrived? Hal Cranmer (assisted living owner and metabolic health advocate) makes the case that ketogenic and carnivore nutrition, resistance training, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and disciplined deprescribing can reverse diabetes, restore cognition, and rebuild i
Dr. Boz Part 2 – The Keto Diet Did Something Her Oncologist Couldn't Explain | Annette Bosworth MD
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, how does a physician's personal and professional crucible shape an unconventional approach to metabolic medicine? Annette Bosworth (MD) joins Dave to discuss her legal battles and U.S. Senate campaign, her mother's experience with a ketogenic dietary intervention, the behavioral psychology behind lasting dietary change, her structured 21-day intensi
Dr. Boz – The Doctor Who Became Homeless While Serving the Homeless | Annette Bosworth MD - PART 1
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what does a physician's journey through rural medicine, corporate bureaucracy, and scientific controversy reveal about how the healthcare system handles innovation? Dave Feldman sits down with Annette Bosworth (MD), an internal medicine physician and author, who discusses her origin story in small-town South Dakota, the role of lifestyle factors in pati
Chris Masterjohn PhD – Seed Oils, LDL & Mitochondria | TFP #035
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, how much does mitochondrial energy metabolism shape long-term health outcomes — and what does that mean for how we interpret cardiovascular, immune, and metabolic research? Dave sits down with Chris Masterjohn (PhD) to explore his mitochondrial testing company and what enzyme-complex patterns may reveal about individual nutritional needs, his longstanding m
Animal Protein vs Plant Protein — The Amino Acid Truth – Peter Ballerstedt PhD | TFP #034
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, Dave Feldman sits down with Peter Ballerstedt (PhD) — forage agronomist and founder of Grass Based Health.🔥 This episode is sponsored by us --Own Your Labs 👉 `https://ownyourlabs.com/sp/34` Private blood testing services🩸Over 300 blood tests💰Extremely affordable❤️ We love our customers(Yes, we are literally funding the entire podcast from our own company --
Tommy Wood MD PhD: Brain Health, CTE & Dementia Risk – TFP #033
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can the environment you go home to matter more than the brain injury itself? Tommy Wood (MD PhD) makes the case that how you use your brain is the primary driver of how it functions — then digs into CTE mechanics, the myth of the brain "sloshing" in the skull, why animal models of concussion may fundamentally miss the point, ketogenic diets and me
Shawn Baker MD – Why Carnivore Fixed What Keto Alone Couldn't – TFP #032
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can a diet of almost exclusively meat actually support world-record athletic performance while raising serious questions about conventional cardiovascular risk? Shawn Baker (MD) traces his path from professional rugby and military trauma surgery to pioneering the carnivore movement, makes the case for carnivore as a powerful elimination diet for autoimmune
How Robert Sikes Was Eating 70g of Fat Backstage to Win a Bodybuilding Competition – TFP #031
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can a ketogenic diet actually build a championship physique — or does elite bodybuilding demand carbs? Robert Sikes (natural pro bodybuilder and founder of Keto Brick) makes the case that fat adaptation outperforms conventional prep, sharing his journey through eating disorders, the origins of Keto Brick, his seven-phase protocol, reverse dieting, and the d
Nick Norwitz Has Total Cholesterol of 700 — So Why Zero Plaque? – TFP #030 | Nick Norwitz MD PhD
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can living with an LDL of 700 for seven years actually leave your arteries plaque-free? Nick Norwitz (MD PhD) makes the case that the conventional cholesterol narrative is far more complicated than mainstream medicine admits, while Dave and Nick also cover the paternalistic medical system, statin side effects in women, Nick's surprising decision to take
Amber O’Hearn on Carnivore, Keto, and Mental Health – TFP #029 | Amber O'Hearn
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can nutrition debates be clarified by better language? Amber O’Hearn, independent researcher and writer with a math/computer science background, makes the case across privacy tech, computational linguistics, low-carb history, carnivore nutrition, vitamin C, ketones, LDL, and the tension between anecdotes, mechanisms, and prospective data.🔥 This episode is s
He Was 278 Pounds. Then He Found the Missing Piece – TFP #028 | Chris Cornell
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what happens when a health scare forces a second act? Chris Cornell, writer, marketer, and health coach, makes the case for low-carb living, satiety, resistance training, social support, cancer scares, GLP-1 drugs, and why lifestyle change often requires more than information alone.🔥 This episode is sponsored by us -- Own Your Labs 👉 https://ownyourlabs.com
The Truth About AI and Authenticity - Dave Feldman & Claire Cornetta – TFP #027 | Claire Cornetta
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what happens when AI starts reshaping not just media, but the way people think, create, and connect? Claire Cornetta, co-founder and principal of Carrot Impact, joins Dave for a wide-ranging conversation on impact campaigns, the changing film business, AI and authenticity, social media’s effect on news, health communication, and why long-form storytelling s
Why Did Keto Succeed Where Treatment Failed? – TFP #026 | Matt Baszucki
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what happens when a diet change succeeds where years of psychiatric treatment fall short? Matt Baszucki, metabolic mental health advocate and YouTube creator, makes the case from lived experience, discussing bipolar disorder, psychosis, ketogenic therapy, medication tapering, carnivore, and why metabolic approaches still struggle to break into mainstream ps
Why Isn’t Lower LDL Ending Heart Disease? – TFP #025 | Philip Ovadia
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can heart disease prevention be asking the wrong question? Dave sits down with Philip Ovadia, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon, as the guest makes the case for looking beyond LDL alone. They discuss bypass surgery, why cholesterol-lowering hasn’t erased heart disease, insulin resistance, trial design, statins and PCSK9 drugs, real-food diets, CGMs, and how clinic
What the Movie Reveals About Keto Hearts – TFP #024 | Jennifer Isenhart
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what does it take to turn a dense cholesterol debate into a film people can actually follow? Dave talks with Jennifer Isenhart, documentary director and writer, about making *Cholesterol Code*, translating complex science for a lay audience, weaving in personal stories, navigating four years of production twists, and reshaping the film as new data emerged.
How One Diet Silenced Bipolar Chaos – TFP #023 | Robyn Dobbins
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what happens when a midlife dietary change collides with decades of diagnosis, stigma, and trial-and-error? Guest Robyn Dobbins (lived-experience advocate, podcast host, health coach, and community coordinator at the nonprofit Metabolic Collective) makes the case for why personal narratives matter in metabolic mental-health advocacy—covering early symptoms,
The Blood Test Prep Detail Most People Miss – TFP #022 | Jenny Mitich
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what happens when a personal health experiment turns into a public-facing education project? Guest makes the case for practical, data-minded self-tracking while navigating online narratives and everyday constraints. Dave and Jenny Mitich (nutrition educator and author of *The Complete Carnivore*) discuss glucose monitoring, protein-to-fat adjustments, testi
The Criticism of Keto-CTA—and What the Data Actually Show – TFP #021 | Greg Mushen
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, Greg Mushen, a longtime technology and product leader turned independent health researcher, makes the case that disciplined thinking from Silicon Valley can meaningfully inform nutrition and metabolic health. The discussion also directly engages with debates raised by the Keto-CTA study, using it as a case example to examine data transparency, scientific cr
He Was 52 Before Learning This About Carbs – TFP #020 | Doug Reynolds
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, a core question hangs over the conversation: how did so many clinicians and patients miss low-carb interventions for so long? Dave sits down with Doug Reynolds, founder of Low Carb USA and president of the Society of Metabolic Health Practitioners, as the guest makes the case for carbohydrate reduction in chronic disease, practitioner education gaps, cultur
Cholesterol Debate: What Would Falsify the Lipid Hypothesis? – TFP #019 | Josh Wageman PhD
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, a provocative question anchors the conversation: how much of cardiovascular risk is about cholesterol itself versus the context it operates in? Guest **Josh Wageman, DPT, PA-C, PhD**—a clinical lipid specialist and researcher—makes the case for using metaphor, metabolic health, and imaging to think differently about risk. The discussion spans coronary calci
Less Plants, More Babies? Carnivore Fertility Doc Explains – TFP #018 | Robert Kiltz
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, Dave asks: what happens when a fertility specialist-turned-health thinker questions nutrition narrative? Guest Robert Kiltz, MD, makes the case for animal-based diets, metabolic flexibility, mindset, faith and medicine, clinical experience vs. guidelines, and the role of community. The conversation ranges from physiology and lipid metabolism to entrepreneur
Exposing Broken Science: How Pharma & Food Industry Keep Us Sick – TFP #017 | Emily Kaplan
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, Dave asks a blunt question: is modern medicine structurally aligned against prevention? Guest **Emily Kaplan**, investigative science journalist and co-founder of the Broken Science Initiative, makes the case that incentives, not evidence, increasingly shape medical practice. They discuss conflicts of interest in research, the reproducibility crisis, metabo
Textbook Health, Yet Real World Event – What Went Wrong? – TFP #016 | Stephen Hussey
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, a central question hangs over the conversation: what actually causes a heart attack when standard risk markers look “normal”? Guest Dr. Stephen Hussey, DC (functional medicine practitioner focused on cardiovascular disease), makes the case for re-examining core assumptions about heart disease. Topics include plaque vs. risk, LDL cholesterol, CAC scoring, st
Why This Cardiologist Left Low-Fat for Keto — Even With Rising LDL – TFP #015 | Bret Scher
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, we ask: What happens when clinical guidelines collides with messy real-world outcomes? Guest Bret Scher, MD, makes the case for rethinking metabolic health, evidence hierarchies, clinical incentives, LDL interpretation, ketogenic therapies, guideline rigidity, psychiatric applications of metabolic interventions, and his own evolution from cardiologist to me
Lactic Acidosis, Black Mold & B1: What If It's All Connected? – TFP #014 | Darren Schmidt
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, what if a single overlooked nutrient could meaningfully alter how we think about chronic illness? Guest Dr. Darren Schmidt (DC, nutrition-focused clinician) makes the case for the role of B1 deficiency, discusses environmental toxic exposures, explores mitochondrial dysfunction, and examines lactic acidosis as a framework for understanding complex disease p
Yes, 15 Minute Workouts Can Change Your Life – TFP #013 | Ben Bocchicchio PhD
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, can you truly build muscle and maintain health with just 15 minutes of exercise twice a week? Dave chats with Ben Bocchicchio, PhD in Exercise Physiology and Health, who makes the case for slow-motion resistance training as the ultimate efficiency hack. Guest explores mitochondrial optimization through high-intensity exercise, addresses middle-age workout m
Immunity, GLP-1, Cholesterol & Gut Microbiome – TFP #012 | Mike Mutzel
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, special guest Mike Mutzel explores groundbreaking research on the immune system, GLP-1, the gut microbiome and lean mass hyper-responders. They deep dive on the Lipid Energy Model, atherosclerosis mechanisms, immune system interactions, coronary artery imaging data, and conventional cardiovascular risk paradigms in metabolic health.🔥 This episode is sponsor
Deep Dive on LDL, ApoB, and Cardiovascular Disease – TFP #011 | Austin Dudzinski
In this episode, Dave sits down with Austin, a metabolic data enthusiast and early adopter of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) who brings a fascinating blend of self-experimentation, performance optimization, and deep curiosity about human physiology. From endurance training to dietary tracking, Austin shares his journey through the data-driven side of health — how he uses CGM, heart rate, and
Could Cows Actually Cool the Planet? – TFP #010 | Peter Ballerstedt PhD
In this episode, Dave sits down with Peter Ballerstedt, a retired forage agronomist and ruminant nutritionist known as "Don Pedro the Sod Father of the Ruminati," who brings a unique agricultural perspective to metabolic health discussions. Ballerstedt shares his 2007 transformation after reading Gary Taubes' book and how it led him to bridge agricultural science with the low-carb co
Prescribing Bacon and Butter for Weight Loss? – TFP #009 | Eric Westman MD
In this episode, Dave sits down with Dr. Eric Westman, associate professor of medicine at Duke University and founder of the Keto Medicine Clinic, who has built his practice around using dietary interventions to treat patients. Dr. Westman discusses his path from traditional internal medicine to researching low-carb approaches, including his early observations of patients whose cholesterol profile
Is “Ancestral Eating” Just a Modern Myth? – TFP #008 | Alex Leaf
Can we really justify what we eat today by pointing to what our ancestors ate thousands of years ago? In this thought-provoking episode, I sit down with Alex Leaf, a scientific communicator and longtime researcher with Examine.com, to challenge some of the most persistent ideas in nutrition.We dive deep into the ancestral argument, the role of mTOR and protein in longevity, and the personal fat th
TFP #007 - Nicholas Verhoeven PhD: Deep Dive on LDL, Causation & Scientific Method
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, Dave Feldman sits down with Nicholas Verhoeven PhD, the creator of @Physionic and recent molecular medicine graduate who has successfully transitioned from traditional academia to independent science communication. The conversation explores Nic's unique approach to content creation, including his decision to reject thousands of sponsorship offers to mai
TFP #006 - Nick Norwitz Pt 3: To LDL and Beyond. Can we conquer Death?
In Part 3 of this episode of The Feldman Protocol, Dave Feldman concludes his conversation with Nick Norwitz MD PhD, exploring thought-provoking topics that span from practical health assessments to philosophical questions about consciousness. The discussion covers Nick's analysis of Peter Attia's evolving stance on lipids, Bryan Johnson's controversial decision to avoid CTA scans due
TFP #005 - Nick Norwitz Pt 2: Red Meat is Healthy? Fiber is Unnecessary? What Does the Real Data Tell Us?
In Part 2 of this episode of The Feldman Protocol, Dave Feldman continues his conversation with Nick Norwitz, focusing on controversial topics that showcase Nick's scientific rigor. The discussion begins with Nick's methodical critique of Bryan Johnson's longevity claims, questioning his scientific methodology and the lack of transparency in his $2 million annual protocol. Nick explore
TFP #004 - Nick Norwitz Pt 1: Surviving the ICU, Rethinking Cholesterol, and Challenging Critics
In this episode of The Feldman Protocol, Dave Feldman sits down with Nick Norwitz, a PhD researcher focusing on metabolism who earned his doctorate from Oxford and graduated recently from Harvard Medical School. Nick shares his remarkable journey from elite distance runner at age 17 - capable of 2:45 marathons and 3,000-mile training years - to facing a cascade of health crises that would reshape
TFP #003 - Gary Taubes Pt 2: Publication Bias, "Hyperpalatable" debate & GLP-1 Myths
In Part 2 of this episode of The Feldman Protocol, Dave Feldman continues his conversation with renowned science journalist Gary Taubes, diving deeper into the institutional forces that perpetuate flawed nutritional science. This second part examines Gary's perspective on why paradigm shifts face such fierce resistance, exploring the career consequences researchers face when challenging establ
TFP #002 - Gary Taubes Pt 1: Bad Science, Lost Knowledge & Funding Bias
In Part 1 of this episode of The Feldman Protocol, Dave Feldman sits down with renowned science journalist Gary Taubes, author of groundbreaking books including "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and "The Case Against Sugar." This first part explores Gary's four-decade journey from physics journalism to becoming one of the most influential critics of nutritional research. The co
The Feldman Protocol #001 - Cynthia Thurlow: Intermittent Fasting, Women's Health & Diet Dogma
In this inaugural episode of The Feldman Protocol, Dave Feldman sits down with renowned nurse practitioner and intermittent fasting expert Cynthia Thurlow, whose viral TED talk has garnered over 15 million views. The conversation explores the controversial world of intermittent fasting, metabolic health, and why dietary flexibility matters more than rigid dogma. Cynthia shares her evolution from t
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